With his silver hair, neat goatee and fastidious habits, elderly mathematician Magnus Ridolph doesn't look like the mercenary detective, troubleshooter and rascal that he is.

In these ten stories, Magnus Ridolph accepts a variety of baffling assignments, from halting the tribal warfare of the Kokod warriors, to solving the mystery of exploding cans of sardines imported from Chandaria. His wits and unusual methods bring each to a surprising conclusion!

Written between 1948 and 1957, the tales in this book establish Magnus Ridolph as a memorably spry and resourceful troubleshooter with nerves of steel-and a knack for getting the goods.

Magnus Ridolph is Volume 2 of the Spatterlight Press Signature Series.Released in the centenary of the author's birth, this handsome new collectionis based upon the prestigious Vance Integral Edition. Select volumes enjoyup-to-date maps, and many are graced with freshly-written forewords contributedby a distinguished group of authors. Each book bears a facsimile of theauthor's signature and a previously-unpublished photograph, chosen from family archives for the period the book was written. These uniquefeatures will be appreciated by all, from seasoned Vance collector to new reader sampling the spectrum of this author's influential work forthe first time. - John Vance II