Poor old Chauvelin, bless his withered heart; he has the cunning and the stubborn will, but he never wins. Here, his pawn is a young girl, whose trust and near friendship he manipulates, but still the Pimpernel is one step ahead. The usual sparring between Sir Percy and Armand Chauvelin (honoured with a first name again) is really the highlight of the action - there is a most amusing confrontation, involving a pepperpot, between the two foes which is written with sly humour and with subtle reference to their history.

The story itself is rambling, and has the feel of a pulp fiction detective novel rather than the Baroness' usual style of romance in the face of adversity; plucky heroine Josette and her friend Louise sound like two misplaced 1930s London sociailites, calling each other 'darling' and bursting into fits of tears every other chapter. Not one of the best, but the historical details are all in place and the lead characters more than hold their own. ( )

In the Way of the Scarlet Pimpernel a young woman tries to rescue a friend of hers from those dastardly employers of the guillotine. A little naive, she believes some documents she has in her possession will give her the leverage necessary.

The Committee are not rookies at the game of underhandedness and subterfuge, and she is facing a neck shortening herself. The Pimpernel must come to the rescue!

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0602...

http://superprose.blogspot.com/2007/0... ( )