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The Saint #7
Saint Meets His Match
In which Simon Templar joins Scotland Yard's Special Branch to the surprise and consternation of Chief Inspector Teal, and confronts beautiful Jill Trelawny, leader of the London underworld. Consciousness raising for the Saint.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1931
36 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Charteris
586 books161 followersBorn Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin, Leslie Charteris was a half-Chinese, half English author of primarily mystery fiction, as well as a screenwriter. He was best known for his many books chronicling the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint."
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 21, 2021
Leslie Charteris brings us a fun filled early adventure for Simon Templar. It's full of fist fights & witty dialogue & is incredibly good for a book that is now 90 years old.
In the early years of Saintly adventures author Leslie Charteris was never one to waste things. Here he recycles an old serialised story into a book, & even this had been previously published as the novel She Was A Lady. Even in his early 20s it shows Charteris was a shrewd & talented writer.
The excellent George Sanders played Simon Templar in the 1939 film version of this story, entitled The Saint Strikes Back. Some ideas from the book were used, but despite Sanders smooth performance I still prefer the novel for its humour & fast paced action.
I've been reading Saint stories for over 40 years & this is my first reread of one this year. It certainly won't be my last, so as they say at the end of each Simon Templar adventure......
Watch for the sign of the Saint! He will be back!
In the early years of Saintly adventures author Leslie Charteris was never one to waste things. Here he recycles an old serialised story into a book, & even this had been previously published as the novel She Was A Lady. Even in his early 20s it shows Charteris was a shrewd & talented writer.
The excellent George Sanders played Simon Templar in the 1939 film version of this story, entitled The Saint Strikes Back. Some ideas from the book were used, but despite Sanders smooth performance I still prefer the novel for its humour & fast paced action.
I've been reading Saint stories for over 40 years & this is my first reread of one this year. It certainly won't be my last, so as they say at the end of each Simon Templar adventure......
Watch for the sign of the Saint! He will be back!
September 10, 2015
It’s impossible not to admire the sheer confidence and brio of this entry. Chateris takes the natural charm and exuberance of Simon Templar’s character and shines it outwards, so that the entire book is a sure footed exercise in unfettered and intrepid gusto. This is the indomitable hero to end all indomitable heroes. Right from the start we’re told that he can bounce big men down staircases and that he’s tougher than anyone else; but what’s more he’s cleverer than anyone else, wittier than anyone else, better mannered than anyone else and in the end obviously going to be more successful than everyone else. You’re right, that does sound like he’s completely insufferable, but because the third person narration is so wrapped up in the personality of The Saint, we find ourselves bowled along with the charm just as everyone in the narrative is overwhelmed by Templar’s charm. This is The Saint’s world and we just have to cling on as it whooshes by in a mix of thrills and snappy dialogue.
The main flaw of this approach though is that in a book called ‘The Saint meets his Match’, he barely seems to meet his match at all. Okay, that’s a bit unfair as this novel has been released under many different titles; but it’s certainly true to say that Jill Trelawney goes from running a frightening criminal enterprise to being hapless peril monkey in next to no time. She’s frequently captured and tied up and seemingly in danger of being raped by every criminal she meets, and it’s only Templar’s skill and ingenuity that saves her from certain death. (Even the one time she tries to save him, she’s captured on the way). The problem is that because The Saint so dominates the narrative, there’s no room for any other character to develop, there’s no room for any heroics but his. And because the two of them are set up as equals – one The Saint; one the head of notorious criminal enterprise The Angels of Doom – it’s jarring that the narrative treats her as so subservient to him, but it has to be The Saint number one and every other character way back out of the medals. As such we’re told how dangerous Jill is, how ruthless she is, how clever and resourceful she is, yet we never actually see it. She is an ill drawn character in the spot where a rounded character should be. This narrative can’t let anyone else take the spotlight.
If you squint hard enough you can see that this is three short stories jammed together and without a doubt it’s a flawed novel. But it starts out with such confident charm and charges on that way until the end, so that it’s impossible not to find yourself swept along with it.
The main flaw of this approach though is that in a book called ‘The Saint meets his Match’, he barely seems to meet his match at all. Okay, that’s a bit unfair as this novel has been released under many different titles; but it’s certainly true to say that Jill Trelawney goes from running a frightening criminal enterprise to being hapless peril monkey in next to no time. She’s frequently captured and tied up and seemingly in danger of being raped by every criminal she meets, and it’s only Templar’s skill and ingenuity that saves her from certain death. (Even the one time she tries to save him, she’s captured on the way). The problem is that because The Saint so dominates the narrative, there’s no room for any other character to develop, there’s no room for any heroics but his. And because the two of them are set up as equals – one The Saint; one the head of notorious criminal enterprise The Angels of Doom – it’s jarring that the narrative treats her as so subservient to him, but it has to be The Saint number one and every other character way back out of the medals. As such we’re told how dangerous Jill is, how ruthless she is, how clever and resourceful she is, yet we never actually see it. She is an ill drawn character in the spot where a rounded character should be. This narrative can’t let anyone else take the spotlight.
If you squint hard enough you can see that this is three short stories jammed together and without a doubt it’s a flawed novel. But it starts out with such confident charm and charges on that way until the end, so that it’s impossible not to find yourself swept along with it.
October 21, 2014
She Was a Lady was adapted for the screen in 1939 as the basis for the second Hollywood motion picture based upon the character of Simon Templar. The film, The Saint Strikes Backwas the first film to star George Sanders as Templar. For me personally the movie is a lot of fun and with Sanders we do get the first sanitized version of Simon Templar compared to the books.
She Was a Lady was the title of the mystery novel written by Leslie Charteris featuring his creation, Simon Templar, alias The Saint. The novel was first published in magazine serial form. According to The Saint: A Complete History in Print, Radio, Film and Television 1928-1992 by Burl Barer, Leslie Charteris originally wrote the novel with a different leading character, and it was subsequently published in a magazine in this form. He later extensively revised the novel, turning it into a Simon Templar adventure. [Burers book by the way is an excellent book on the subject of The Saint, well advised] The book is also interesting as no reference is made to any of the Saint's friends, especially his girlfriend Patricia Holm. This can be explained if you consider that this book was not written as a Saint novel originally.
This book is divided into three parts and each part follows the one before, so cannot be read in any different sequence.
Part one is about Templar investigating Trelawney and discovering the reason of her criminal endeavors, resulting in the Saint deciding to lend her a hand in revenging her father.
Part two the Saint and Trelawney go to Paris in pursuit of a second man believed to be connected to the death of Trelawney's father.
Part three Templar and Trelawney hunt for the third and final man responsible for framing her father.
The book did have various titles She is a lady, Angels of Doom and more recently The Saint meets his match. In this book the Lady is Jill Trelawney. her gang is called The angels of Doom and the match being Trelawney equal to Templar. And of course NOBODY is the equal of the Saint (and if any lady deserves the title of match it will always be Patricia Holm for me personally).
This Saint novel does feel strange occasionally, which may because of its different origin, but still has the audacity of language as used by Leslie Charteris. However it is great fun and truthful to the Saint, even if his own gang is missed. The Saint in this novel goes where adventure takes him and his own moral compass is his guide. This Saint is far superior to the watered down Roger Moore version, and Ian Ogilvy's version touches his darkness even if Charteris version disguises that aspect with jolly bantering and impossible bravery. This is the era of Saintly adventures that is the most fun and re-readable for my personal enjoyment. This is the Saint that still has me captured an odd 40 years on. The adventure and the ride is still enjoyable.
WATCH THE MARK OF THE SAINT
HE WILL BE BACK
She Was a Lady was the title of the mystery novel written by Leslie Charteris featuring his creation, Simon Templar, alias The Saint. The novel was first published in magazine serial form. According to The Saint: A Complete History in Print, Radio, Film and Television 1928-1992 by Burl Barer, Leslie Charteris originally wrote the novel with a different leading character, and it was subsequently published in a magazine in this form. He later extensively revised the novel, turning it into a Simon Templar adventure. [Burers book by the way is an excellent book on the subject of The Saint, well advised] The book is also interesting as no reference is made to any of the Saint's friends, especially his girlfriend Patricia Holm. This can be explained if you consider that this book was not written as a Saint novel originally.
This book is divided into three parts and each part follows the one before, so cannot be read in any different sequence.
Part one is about Templar investigating Trelawney and discovering the reason of her criminal endeavors, resulting in the Saint deciding to lend her a hand in revenging her father.
Part two the Saint and Trelawney go to Paris in pursuit of a second man believed to be connected to the death of Trelawney's father.
Part three Templar and Trelawney hunt for the third and final man responsible for framing her father.
The book did have various titles She is a lady, Angels of Doom and more recently The Saint meets his match. In this book the Lady is Jill Trelawney. her gang is called The angels of Doom and the match being Trelawney equal to Templar. And of course NOBODY is the equal of the Saint (and if any lady deserves the title of match it will always be Patricia Holm for me personally).
This Saint novel does feel strange occasionally, which may because of its different origin, but still has the audacity of language as used by Leslie Charteris. However it is great fun and truthful to the Saint, even if his own gang is missed. The Saint in this novel goes where adventure takes him and his own moral compass is his guide. This Saint is far superior to the watered down Roger Moore version, and Ian Ogilvy's version touches his darkness even if Charteris version disguises that aspect with jolly bantering and impossible bravery. This is the era of Saintly adventures that is the most fun and re-readable for my personal enjoyment. This is the Saint that still has me captured an odd 40 years on. The adventure and the ride is still enjoyable.
WATCH THE MARK OF THE SAINT
HE WILL BE BACK
May 10, 2017
Not a true match, but definitely more his style.
She was too easily distracted to be a true match for our Simon Templeton. She was a little quicker on the uptake then most. But not quite in the same class as either Simon or his lady, Patricia. Still she was a vast improvement over most females he encountered. Having more developed instinct for survival, and a cautious recklessness just slightly less unnerving the Saint's own, it was only natural she would attract his attention. The fun and games following their first encounter were only to be expected given their personal sense of justice.
She was too easily distracted to be a true match for our Simon Templeton. She was a little quicker on the uptake then most. But not quite in the same class as either Simon or his lady, Patricia. Still she was a vast improvement over most females he encountered. Having more developed instinct for survival, and a cautious recklessness just slightly less unnerving the Saint's own, it was only natural she would attract his attention. The fun and games following their first encounter were only to be expected given their personal sense of justice.
August 27, 2011
The Saint Meets his Match (originally published in 1931 as She Was a Lady) is fairly typical of Leslie Charteris’s early Saint novels. In other words it’s a great deal of fun.
Simon Templar gets mixed up with the Angels of Doom, a criminal gang whose activities are mostly concentrated on making the police look foolish. The gang is led by a beautiful, glamorous, ruthless and deadly young woman named Jill Trelawny. She has a major grudge against the police - her father as an Assistant Commissioner who was dismissed for corruption but she has always believed in his innocence.
This time Simon Templar, one-time notorious criminal, is not just working with the police, He’s actually joined the police force. At least on a temporary basis. His old nemesis Chief Inspector Teal is not entirely convinced that The Saint is not still playing some underhand game of his own. And in fact Templar is soon involved far more closely with the leader of the Angels of Doom than is perhaps quite proper for a member of the Metropolitan Police. Chief Inspector Teal is both right and wrong about his old enemy’s motives, but he is right in his assumption that The Saint is not going to fit comfortably into his new job.
Of course many things turn out not to have been what they seemed, and there are plenty of entertaining plot twists.
The Saint of Charteris’s books is more morally ambiguous and more interesting than the various TV and movie versions of the character. The charm and the endless succession of witticisms are still there though. Templar is so heroic and so clever that he’s in danger of becoming annoying but that never happen. There’s enough self-mockery in the character to avoid that anger, and Charteris’s touch is light enough that we don’t really mind. And there’s an edge of ruthlessness and opportunism to the character that is missing from the TV and movie incarnations that nicely counter-balances his virtues.
The tone of this novel is extremely playful, with Templar constantly drawing attention to his role as a story-book hero, and pointing out the ways in which his behaviour differs from what you’d expect from a hero of fiction.
A polished and sophisticated crime thriller with a nicely tongue-in-cheek approach, not to be taken seriously but perfect escapist entertainment.
Simon Templar gets mixed up with the Angels of Doom, a criminal gang whose activities are mostly concentrated on making the police look foolish. The gang is led by a beautiful, glamorous, ruthless and deadly young woman named Jill Trelawny. She has a major grudge against the police - her father as an Assistant Commissioner who was dismissed for corruption but she has always believed in his innocence.
This time Simon Templar, one-time notorious criminal, is not just working with the police, He’s actually joined the police force. At least on a temporary basis. His old nemesis Chief Inspector Teal is not entirely convinced that The Saint is not still playing some underhand game of his own. And in fact Templar is soon involved far more closely with the leader of the Angels of Doom than is perhaps quite proper for a member of the Metropolitan Police. Chief Inspector Teal is both right and wrong about his old enemy’s motives, but he is right in his assumption that The Saint is not going to fit comfortably into his new job.
Of course many things turn out not to have been what they seemed, and there are plenty of entertaining plot twists.
The Saint of Charteris’s books is more morally ambiguous and more interesting than the various TV and movie versions of the character. The charm and the endless succession of witticisms are still there though. Templar is so heroic and so clever that he’s in danger of becoming annoying but that never happen. There’s enough self-mockery in the character to avoid that anger, and Charteris’s touch is light enough that we don’t really mind. And there’s an edge of ruthlessness and opportunism to the character that is missing from the TV and movie incarnations that nicely counter-balances his virtues.
The tone of this novel is extremely playful, with Templar constantly drawing attention to his role as a story-book hero, and pointing out the ways in which his behaviour differs from what you’d expect from a hero of fiction.
A polished and sophisticated crime thriller with a nicely tongue-in-cheek approach, not to be taken seriously but perfect escapist entertainment.
January 31, 2025
This book had a funny feel to it. It's one continuous story, but it feels like originallyas if it came about through compounding three shorter stories. The series so far has featured several volumes that did precisely that, put three separate stories into a single volume. But this one purports to be a single sort of tale that, had it not been written at a time predating the term, might be considered noirish, with a femme fatale. It's not that, in actuality, but it comes close. The story, however, ends up being a late reveal. We don't find out what things are about until the final third of the book.
Conveniently, the story is about a woman, Jill, with Simon's help, bringing revenge on three separate plotters. The culprits are taken down in action that almost perfectly covers a third of the book in each instance. It just feels as if they were separate stories when first published. As its impossible to go much further into things without ruining the story, I'll beg off saying anything more.
What does Charteris do well, here? He has another of his subterranean scenes that renders up some effective claustrophobia and tension. I've seen him do that in a couple of other cases as well. I'm hoping he incorporates this scenario into later volumes. It's quite workable. He also has a chase scene or two that work out. I'm saying, then, that the adventure elements of his stories are a strong point for him.
What doesn't work well, for me, is yet more yammering. Charteris is proud of the "bantering" he puts in Templar's mouth. But it gets old and monotonous quickly. No doubt many of his fans found this one of his attractions. I, however, almost begin to skim at certain points. It's not my writing, but if it were, I'd want to throw in some relief. Make Simon have some introspective moments, some serious times, and stop constantly laughing everything off. I'll see if it comes later.
Conveniently, the story is about a woman, Jill, with Simon's help, bringing revenge on three separate plotters. The culprits are taken down in action that almost perfectly covers a third of the book in each instance. It just feels as if they were separate stories when first published. As its impossible to go much further into things without ruining the story, I'll beg off saying anything more.
What does Charteris do well, here? He has another of his subterranean scenes that renders up some effective claustrophobia and tension. I've seen him do that in a couple of other cases as well. I'm hoping he incorporates this scenario into later volumes. It's quite workable. He also has a chase scene or two that work out. I'm saying, then, that the adventure elements of his stories are a strong point for him.
What doesn't work well, for me, is yet more yammering. Charteris is proud of the "bantering" he puts in Templar's mouth. But it gets old and monotonous quickly. No doubt many of his fans found this one of his attractions. I, however, almost begin to skim at certain points. It's not my writing, but if it were, I'd want to throw in some relief. Make Simon have some introspective moments, some serious times, and stop constantly laughing everything off. I'll see if it comes later.
September 1, 2018
She Was a Lady (aka The Saint Meets His Match aka The Angels of Doom) is one of the few Saint books from this period not to feature Patricia Holm. The reason, apparently, is that it was originally not a Saint story, but was adapted from one written before the author settled on the Saint as his protagonist of choice.
Nevertheless, the adaptation of this full-length story (concerning a battle of wits with a girl out to revenge the framing and consequent suicide of her father) is a thorough one. The Saint’s constant adversary Claud Eustace Teal is fully integrated into the story, which is told with the author’s usual acerbic wit; and Slinky Dyson and Snake Ganning (both from Enter the Saint) make cameo appearances.
And at the end we find out that the Saint and James Bond have more in common than we suspected.
Nevertheless, the adaptation of this full-length story (concerning a battle of wits with a girl out to revenge the framing and consequent suicide of her father) is a thorough one. The Saint’s constant adversary Claud Eustace Teal is fully integrated into the story, which is told with the author’s usual acerbic wit; and Slinky Dyson and Snake Ganning (both from Enter the Saint) make cameo appearances.
And at the end we find out that the Saint and James Bond have more in common than we suspected.
August 8, 2017
It improved as it went along. Slowly.
I liked the later adventures. Most of the book, the Saint is just too all-knowing and cocky. And Charteris' narrator is just too impressed with his own hero. That was boring and charmless to me.
That's a running risk through these early Saint books, for sure. (I think I've heard that it lessens later.) Obviously I've liked enough bits to keep reading them now and then, but I don't know if that would have happened based on just this one.
During the Saint books that are story collections, usually three long stories, I've enjoyed some but looked forward to a proper novel. That didn't pay off in this case. I think I read that this novel was cobbled together from early non-Saint stories. I don't think choppiness, as might result from that was really a problem, though.
I liked the later adventures. Most of the book, the Saint is just too all-knowing and cocky. And Charteris' narrator is just too impressed with his own hero. That was boring and charmless to me.
That's a running risk through these early Saint books, for sure. (I think I've heard that it lessens later.) Obviously I've liked enough bits to keep reading them now and then, but I don't know if that would have happened based on just this one.
During the Saint books that are story collections, usually three long stories, I've enjoyed some but looked forward to a proper novel. That didn't pay off in this case. I think I read that this novel was cobbled together from early non-Saint stories. I don't think choppiness, as might result from that was really a problem, though.
June 2, 2019
Rating between 3 & 3.5
An early title that is comprised of 3 reworked novellas into this book.
Apart from ST and CET no other series characters appear, although there is a couple of mentions of ‘Orace.
The 3 parts were slightly variable in quality I thought but when read as a novel the very slight issues were all ironed out. Generally by the speed at which Charteris moves the story along and keeps the reader turning the pages. His style, humour and the character of ST himself is why these books are still being read decades after they might normally have disappeared into forgotten obscurity.
Overall a good read highly recommend.
An early title that is comprised of 3 reworked novellas into this book.
Apart from ST and CET no other series characters appear, although there is a couple of mentions of ‘Orace.
The 3 parts were slightly variable in quality I thought but when read as a novel the very slight issues were all ironed out. Generally by the speed at which Charteris moves the story along and keeps the reader turning the pages. His style, humour and the character of ST himself is why these books are still being read decades after they might normally have disappeared into forgotten obscurity.
Overall a good read highly recommend.
January 9, 2024
about as good as a Saint story gets.
This one has it all: murder, intrigue, double cross, right cross, car chases, explosions, secret identities, a femme fatale, romance, and more. And Charteris does it all with his trademark erudition and devastating wit. Of course, there’s also the stoic Mr. Teal, the Saint’s omnipresent foil, always a step behind, but to his credit (and to the credit of Mr. Charteris) he still manages to deduce enough to be only a step behind.
The sant Meets His Match was a fast paced, rollercoaster of a ride. I enjoyed every minute of it nd can’t wait to read the next one.
This one has it all: murder, intrigue, double cross, right cross, car chases, explosions, secret identities, a femme fatale, romance, and more. And Charteris does it all with his trademark erudition and devastating wit. Of course, there’s also the stoic Mr. Teal, the Saint’s omnipresent foil, always a step behind, but to his credit (and to the credit of Mr. Charteris) he still manages to deduce enough to be only a step behind.
The sant Meets His Match was a fast paced, rollercoaster of a ride. I enjoyed every minute of it nd can’t wait to read the next one.
December 3, 2017
I had just watched the 1963 tv episode based on this book when I started the book. It is fun to watch the differences between the book and show. The Saint helps take out a band of crooks led by a woman whose real goal is to embarass the police and seek retribution for the framing of her police officer father. Can the Saint get her clear of the criminal life while solving her father's case?
June 14, 2019
The Saint comes into his own as a debonair rogue with a solid punch as he matches wits with the only woman (besides Patricia) able to give him a run for his money. There are moments when the Thirties' feminine stereotypes shake the scenery, but on the whole this is a fun crime romp.
February 20, 2025
So unique.
Pacy, unique style, great story with twists and turns. Something different and strangely uplifting. If you would like to escape from this era - read it.
Pacy, unique style, great story with twists and turns. Something different and strangely uplifting. If you would like to escape from this era - read it.
August 25, 2025
This early Saint book has a sort-of love interest for Simon (Jill Trelawney) before Patricia Holm came on the scene. That's for the best, Jill was no good for him.
May 28, 2012
Originally published on my blog here in November 1999.
Returning to the full length novel, The Saint Meets His Match boasts, in addition to the usual qualities of a Saint story, one of the best final pages in any thriller. Its story is quite simple. Jill Trelawney is the (beautiful) daughter of an Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard who died a broken man after being disgraced for bribery. Believing him to have been framed, she sets out to embarrass the police by helping captured criminals to escape while trying to find out who was the real corrupt officer. Naturally, her activities soon interest the Saint.
Generally speaking, I prefer the original titles to the new ones given to these early books after the Saint stories became successful in the USA. Nowadays, it would perhaps be described as "dumbing down", changing (almost) all the titles so that they contain the word "Saint". It's clearly done to remind people who are used to pulp fiction series with multiple authors or who cannot remember the author's name that each new book has the hero they enjoy at its centre. In this case, I don't like the original title (She Was a Lady) much, either; neither of them are really closely related to the content of the novel.
Returning to the full length novel, The Saint Meets His Match boasts, in addition to the usual qualities of a Saint story, one of the best final pages in any thriller. Its story is quite simple. Jill Trelawney is the (beautiful) daughter of an Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard who died a broken man after being disgraced for bribery. Believing him to have been framed, she sets out to embarrass the police by helping captured criminals to escape while trying to find out who was the real corrupt officer. Naturally, her activities soon interest the Saint.
Generally speaking, I prefer the original titles to the new ones given to these early books after the Saint stories became successful in the USA. Nowadays, it would perhaps be described as "dumbing down", changing (almost) all the titles so that they contain the word "Saint". It's clearly done to remind people who are used to pulp fiction series with multiple authors or who cannot remember the author's name that each new book has the hero they enjoy at its centre. In this case, I don't like the original title (She Was a Lady) much, either; neither of them are really closely related to the content of the novel.
January 8, 2025
"She Was a Lady" (also known "The Saint Meets His Match" or "The Angels Doom") is one of the few Saint books from this period that does not feature Patricia Holm. Apparently, this is because it was originally not a Saint story but was adapted from one written before the author decided on the Saint as his main character. (Filmed as The Saint Takes Over with George Sanders)
However, the adaptation of this full-length story, which involves a battle of wits with a girl seeking revenge for the framing and subsequent suicide of her father, is comprehensive. The Saint's constant adversary, Claud Eustace Teal, is seamlessly integrated into the story, which is told with the author's usual sharp wit. Slinky Dyson and Snake Ganning, both from "Enter the Saint," make cameo appearances.
In the end, we realize the and James Bond more similarities we ever imagined. It turns out they both have a for saving the day, an irresistible, and an uncanny ability to look in a suit, no matter the chaos around them. Who knew that their suave ex, they were practically twins separated birth?
However, the adaptation of this full-length story, which involves a battle of wits with a girl seeking revenge for the framing and subsequent suicide of her father, is comprehensive. The Saint's constant adversary, Claud Eustace Teal, is seamlessly integrated into the story, which is told with the author's usual sharp wit. Slinky Dyson and Snake Ganning, both from "Enter the Saint," make cameo appearances.
In the end, we realize the and James Bond more similarities we ever imagined. It turns out they both have a for saving the day, an irresistible, and an uncanny ability to look in a suit, no matter the chaos around them. Who knew that their suave ex, they were practically twins separated birth?
December 16, 2013
Not good by any standards and not comparable to the saint meets the tiger which was a great mystery-adventure novel with glowing romance and the prefect introduction of Patricia Holm whom I consider the best female lead in any novel .
Simon Templar was the late britich response to Arsene Lupin and kinda ripoff if you know what I mean but I can't deny that I love his novels and episodes '' specially the ones portrayed by roger moore and ian ogilvy '' .
some of charteris work '' such as meet the tiger '' is perfection and some '' like meet his match '' is just below average .
still if you gonna compare Simon Templar to Asrene Lupin there is no comparison ,, Lupin wins !
Simon Templar was the late britich response to Arsene Lupin and kinda ripoff if you know what I mean but I can't deny that I love his novels and episodes '' specially the ones portrayed by roger moore and ian ogilvy '' .
some of charteris work '' such as meet the tiger '' is perfection and some '' like meet his match '' is just below average .
still if you gonna compare Simon Templar to Asrene Lupin there is no comparison ,, Lupin wins !
June 21, 2015
This early Simon Templar novel features a feisty female head of a criminal organisation motivated by the past framing and disgrace of her police commissioner father. This gains the interest of The Saint, and we have an interesting, if meandering plot as various issues are resolved. Whilst it is an early outing, Simon Templar’s character does seem to have evolved a little from the first stories when he was more of an active vigilante with a serious knife fetish. Great fun for fans of The Saint.
July 25, 2014
The book was a little quaint because it's been written some 50 years ago. Saint got out of all kinds of scrapes unbelievably luckily! But Saint books are classics so I choose to like them.
One thing I cannot help but wonder is how people drunk large amounts of hard liquor and went on to do things that required coordination, such as shoot people, or escape people shooting them. Did they not realize that they would have had better odds if they had not been drinking?
One thing I cannot help but wonder is how people drunk large amounts of hard liquor and went on to do things that required coordination, such as shoot people, or escape people shooting them. Did they not realize that they would have had better odds if they had not been drinking?
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December 27, 2010dashing, funny, adventurous detective story
September 19, 2015
Standard Saint fare- a good light read, with a few twists. Teal provides little amusement, alas, but good puzzles throughout and revenge on the ungodly of course.
January 24, 2016
read SOMETIME in 2010
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews