BIGGLES LOOKS BACK

Book First Published on 26th February 1965 - 191 pages

I believe this Biggles book was never serialised elsewhere.  If anybody knows differently then please E-MAIL ME

 

The first edition dust jacket showing the original price of 8 shillings and 6 pence

 

Biggles has dinner with old enemy, and now friend, Erich von Stalhein, who asks him if he ever wonders what happened to Marie Janis, a young girl Biggles fell in love with during the First World War. (This tale is told in a short story called "Affair De Coeur" in the first ever Biggles book THE CAMELS ARE COMING). Biggles is astonished to hear that Von Stalhein has had a letter from Marie. She is in Czechoslovakia and the letter contains clues that all is not well. Later, Von Stalhein disappears and Biggles concludes he has gone to rescue Marie. A postcard from Rodnitz with a cryptic message confirms this. Taking Bertie with him, Biggles poses as a glass buyer and travels to Rodnitz in Czechoslovakia. Here they find Von Stalhein working as a violin player in a Cafe. He has traced Marie to a nearby large Castle (her family home) where she is being held virtually as a prisoner. Biggles and Bertie set out to explore the castle but are turned away. It is discovered that Von Stalhein is an escaped political prisoner and he has to go on the run. Joined by Von Stalhein, Biggles makes a second attempt to reach the castle and they both finally make contact with Marie, whom Biggles does not recognise, as so much time has passed since they last met. Marie is being held because she refuses to disclose the whereabouts of the Janis treasure, a collection of family jewels including an ancient jewelled Bohemian crown. Biggles is visited by Reinhardt, a local policeman who is suspicious of Biggles and after Von Stalhein. Biggles comes up with a plan to get Marie and Von Stalhein away and he sends Bertie back to England to get a plane, with an agreement as to a future date for meeting them, to pick them up. The Czech police come to arrest Biggles, but he escapes in time and hides up at the castle. Reinhardt lays on more guards at the castle but doesn't know of the connection between Biggles and Marie. Whilst stealing some wirecutters, Biggles hides in the shadows and overhears Reinhardt discussing the situation. This would appear to be the picture on the dust cover of the book. On the appointed night, Biggles, Von Stalhein and Marie all make a daring escape to the rendezvous that has been arranged and escape back to England. Marie takes the family jewels with her and this enables her to buy a cottage in a Hampshire village where Biggles and Von Stalhein are able to visit her.

 

Click here to see the story illustrations from this book

 

Biggles Looks Back

Subtitle - A Story of Biggles and the Air Police

Publication Details - published by Hodder and Stoughton

 

Frontispiece

Click on the above to see it in more detail

 

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