Nick Velvet is the choosey crook, who steals only the seemingly valueless — for a hefty fee of course. In The Velvet Touch, Nick steals a bald man's comb, a faded flag, an overdue library book, an ordinary playing card, a menu -- and 9 other items

While engaged in pilfering, Nick finds that he often has to become a detective, sometimes in order to save Sandra Paris, the White Queen, who is also a thief -- a mistress of bizarre crimes, who does "Impossible Things Before Breakfast." Nick Velvet and Sandra Paris sometimes compete, sometimes work together — as in the theft of a snake-charmer's basket on the front cover.

Contents:

• Introduction
• The Ventures of Nick Velvet
  • The Theft of the Venetian Window
  • The Theft of the Sherlockian Slipper
  • The Theft of Nothing at All
  • The Theft of the Four of Spades
  • The Theft of Cinderella's Slipper
  • The Theft of Gloria's Greatcoat
• The Wiles of the White Queen [Sandra Paris stories]
  • the Theft of the White Queen's Menu
  • The Theft of the Overdue Library Book
  • The Theft of the Cardboard Castle
  • The Theft of the Faded Flag
  • The Theft of Leopold's Badge
  • The Theft of the Bald Man's Comb
  • The Theft of the Snake Charmer's Basket
  • The Theft of the Birthday Candles
• A Nick Velvet Checklist