A JOYOUS BOOK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 March 1939, Page 4

A JOYOUS BOOK

“THE CAPPY RICKS SPECIAL.” z That artful and designing but lovable schemer, Cappy Ricks—a quaint old Pacific Coast shipping magnate who combines the aspect of a severely re-r spectable deacon with something of the instinct of a buccaneer of Morgan’s day —is brought happily on to the stage again by Mr Peter B. Kyne in “The Cappy Ricks Special.” This is a series of connected episodes, making in all a full-length story, in which the aged shipowner is shown emerging with restless and disturbing enterprise from retirement, to the dismay and disgust, and at times the confusion of those to whom he is supposed to have resigned the burdens and cares of active business.

In the opening episode of the book, Cappy Ricks breaks new ground by entering into an informal but interesting partnership with a motor racing driver. Doing so, he introduces new thrills into a sport not initially lacking in them. His sagacious hints enable his driver-partner to arrive at a highly satisfactory solution of, mechanical problems and the stages of the mutual and delirious triumph that follow make excellent reading. From this beginning, Cappy Ricks if shown demonstrating that he can still hold his own in the hurly-burly of shipping trade in San Francisco, in spite of all that envious opponents and disapproving junior partners can do to stop him. As a rule, he wins through, though sometimes only by the skin of his teeth. Lightly handled, in the style for which Mr. Kyne is noted, the adventures and misadventures of Cappy Ricks provide rich and amusing entertainment. With its terse and telling description of places, ships and men, ashore and at sea, its unforced humour and its penetrating wit, “The Cappy Ricks Special” may be recommended to all who like a book of its happy and care-dispelling kind. A review copy has been received from Mr W. S. Smart, Sydney representative of the publishers. Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton. Ltd. The book is obtainable from all booksellers.