THE DIAMONDS OF LORETA

Another adventure for Drummond's swank tri-national trio--Sandro (Italy), Colly (U.S.), Jenny (U.K.)--and a taut improvement over their last couple of cutesy-exotic jaunts. This time the threesome is asked to help rescue a kidnapped child in Bavaria; they succeed and thereby incur the wrath of the kidnapper--Herr Fischer, an Austrian cross between Himmler and Machiavelli who looks like Santa Claus. And Fischer's chance for revenge comes when our heroes enter Czechoslovakia to cheer on a friend competing in a steeplechase meet. The villain captures Colly and holds him hostage. . . until Jenny and Sandro manage to steal for him the priceless Loreta treasure that's held in an impregnable shrine. A Topkapi-like caper ensues, the good guys turn the tables, and it's fast and painless--with extra points for some vividly sketched minor characters and for the Cook's tour of Prague.