A double-barreled collection—two of Edward D. Hoch’s most ingenious creations

In the headquarters of Britain’s Foreign Office, a secretary spies a television actor making a copy of a top-secret key. In an island republic, an intelligence operative is murdered just minutes before exposing a Communist mole. And in a bustling eastern city, the Cold War reaches a turning point over a piece of film the size of a pinhead. These are cases for C. Jeffery Rand, the fixer inside Britain’s secret service. He is bright, ruthless, and smart enough never to be surprised by the depths to which an enemy spy might sink.

Where Jeffery Rand is hard-nosed, Nick Velvet has a supple touch. A master thief, Velvet has a particular skill for stealing unusual items. Where ordinary thieves might be content with jewels or bank notes, Velvet pilfers rare tigers, water from swimming pools, and the letters on a company sign.

In this collection, you will find seven stories of Rand and seven of Velvet—two brilliant men, one on either side of the law, each with a knack for doing the impossible.