Thieves’ Picnic aka The Saint Bids Diamonds

Following on from The Ace of Knaves, we have another playing-card link with the retitling of this book (Leslie had a spell as a professional bridge player, so would certainly have bid diamonds at some stage).
Condensed version (omitting Hoppy Uniatz among other things) published first in The American magazine May 1937 set in Haiti but book is set in Canaries. First published hardback as Thieves’ Picnic by H&S (UK) light blue cloth covers, & Crime Club (USA) 1937. Triangle Books changed title to The Saint Bids Diamonds 1942 which H&S kept in their 1950 edition. Charter Books decided to call it The Saint at the Thieves’ Picnic in 1980.

Contents:
I How Simon Templar Took Exercise, and Hoppy Uniatz Quenched His Thirst
II How Simon Templar Conversed with a Porter, and a Brace of Guardias Were Happily Reunited
III How Simon Templar Read a Newspaper, and Reuben Grainer Put on His Hat
IV How Simon Templar Rose to the Occasion, and the Thieves’ Picnic got Further Under Way
V How Reuben Grainer Took Back his Gun, and a Taxi Driver was Unconvinced
VI How Simon Templar Ate Without Enthusiasm, and Mr Uniatz was Also Troubled about His Breakfast
VII How Mr Palermo Continued to be Unlucky, and Hoppy Uniatz Obeyed Orders
VIII How Mr Uniatz was Bewildered about Bopping, and Simon Templar was Polite to a Lady
IX How Simon Templar Enjoyed a Joke, and How Mr Lauber Was Not Amused
X How Simon Templar Paid his Debt, and Christine Vanlinden Remembered Hers

1st UK edn, Ex-library, worn condition, some pages professionally re-attached; inscr; label removed from rear inside cover & front exterior cover. £12
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