She Fell Among Thieves

Chandos #5

by Dornford Yates

A vintage thriller featuring the welcome return of Richard Chandos, dashing hero extraordinaire, who seeks to rescue a young girl who has been kidnapped and drugged by a sinister old woman in the mountains of the Pyrenées. A gripping read originally published in serial form, ‘She Fell Among Thieves’ was a huge hit when it first appeared.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

264 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1935

About the author

Dornford Yates (real name Cecil William Mercer) was a popular British novelist.

Reviews

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this on television back in 1980, and finally got around to reading it. Given that the book is written in the first person, entirely from the viewpoint of William Richard Chandos, it seems that if would have been difficult to adapt it to the screen — especially since I vaguely remember there being other viewpoints in the television version (though I could be wrong; it was a long time ago!). This is a classic mystery-adventure novel set in southern France. Two young Englishmen undertake to discover just what the woman known as Vanity Fair is up to in her castle near the border with Spain. There they uncover a devious plot that takes all their wits to escape. Very hard to put down, despite the sometimes slowly-paced prose common at the time of publication.

[Neil Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across Dornford Yates via William Boyd - characters in one of his books were having a weekend house-party themed on Yates' "Berry" books.
This is not one of those, but a ripping tale of derring-do featuring 3 ex-WW1 officers and their servants against a scheming femme fatale. Absolutely great if you like that sort of thing - which I do, sometimes - but my, is it dated!
I had thought that the Berry books were derivative of Enid Blyton's Famous 5 - 5 young adults having adventures, but with added relationships, cocktails and fast cars. However, these books were written earlier, mostly: Yates' first book was published in 1914, Blyton's first Famous 5 in 1942.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good old fashioned thriller from Yates. Chandos and Mansell, take on a villainess in her stronghold in a castle in the Pyrenees. A longer book than usual and not short on thrills.

[Victoria Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Pyrenees with Chandos and Mansel trying to solve mystery of Vanity Fair and her "daughters" - one posing, one simple and hidden. She is evil, many murders take place and Mansel is posing as chauffeur, Chandos as a guest whose car has been bumped. Very dangerous. They resuce Jenny but Chandos goes back and imprisoned, escapes with Mansel's help then has to resuce Mansel. Excellent language, beautiful descriptions of nature.

[Gerry · Rating 1 out of 5]

The usually dependable Mr Yates lets us down. His clubland heroes are present, as is the love interest, but the plot is slow, uninteresting faltering and therefore difficult to follow. Altogether most disappointing to find Jonah Mansell is such a setting and in the terms of a 'Classic Thriller', it is most certainly not.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this period piece immensely! Not only was the story quite thrilling, but the first person narration was chock-full of unintentional hilarity.

[5greenway · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the back cover blurb:

"The Author whose books are read over and over again by those who read them once."