Number nineteen - J. Jefferson Farjeon

Ben the tramp's uncanny knack of running into trouble is unsurpassed in the final crime thriller written for him by J. Jefferson Farjeon.

On a grey afternoon he was destined never to forget, Ben sat down on a park seat and proceeded to think, not of cabbages and kings, but of numbers, lucky and unlucky. But it wasn't Ben's lucky day, or that of the nondescript-looking stranger sitting at the other end of the bench - murdered before his very eyes! That was the prelude to the most uncomfortable and eventful twenty-four hours Ben had ever spent in an uncomfortable and eventful life.

J. Jefferson Farjeon's famous Cockney character Ben, who first appeared in No.17 and six other novels, was never so richly humorous or so absurdly heroic as in this, his last hair-raising adventure taking place at No.19, Billiter Road.

J. Jefferson Farjeon (1883-1955) was the author of more than 60 crime and thriller novels. His work was highly acclaimed in his day. He is now best known as the author of the bestselling "Mystery in White", and also "No.17", a play that was brought to the big screen by Alfred Hitchcock and led to the series of popular 'Ben' detective novels.

'Few authors of detective stories are so persuasive as Mr Farjeon.' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT

'Mr Farjeon discovered some time ago a good recipe for an entertaining story by mixing humour with thrills.' DAILY TELEGRAPH

'Mr Farjeon always interests as well as thrills his readers.' QUEEN

'A very efficient narrator of thrillers.' NEWS CHRONICLE