One evening, Colonel Clifton is engrossed in a horror story he is reading, being passionate about ghost tales. Soon after the book is finished, Clifton and Miss Partridge’s night is troubled by strange goings-on…Could the house be haunted? Our friend cannot believe it. As he heads an investigation in order to discover the naughty joker, his research quickly leads him to Mr. Wilkinson, an artist. A few days later, an unexplainable theft occurs; Is Wilkinson involved?

Is it insolence or a joke? An intrepid thief plays with the police by warning them of thefts that he is preparing to commit. Not content with that trick, he strives to accomplish these evil feats with as little discretion as possible! A strange method, which intrigues our dear Colonel Clifton, who will try to put together the pieces of the puzzle. He who laughs last laughs loudest!

Sordid crime or a settling of scores? The British Secret Service has just learned that North Korean authorities wonder about the murder—with no apparent motive—of a British citizen who was passing through their capital. The news is all the more embarrassing because the victim is none other than Sir Harold Wilberforce Clifton, one of Her Majesty’s most famous agents! The colonel had been given a mission to bring back to Great Britain the nephew of a highly placed personality, the young man having been indoctrinated by the followers of a sect named the Black Moon.

Although he wants to take his Cub Scouts to Wales, Heron Melomane (a.k.a. Colonel Clifton) is forced to take them to Devonshire. The reason for this change of plan: a note in his letterbox stating that the Second World War isn’t finished yet and signed AKC 666! Decrypted by his faithful housekeeper, Miss Partridge, the message sets up a mysterious meeting… This information piques the interest of the British Secret Service, and it’s of course Clifton who is chosen to sort out this mess. But Clifton is unaware that MI5 sent a new agent to protect him. Just in case…

Will Clifton be able to keep his very British cool when art-loving gangsters kidnap one of his boy scouts? Scoutmaster Musical Heron and his troop must investigate when one of them is abducted while collecting kindling in the woods. The abductors are demanding a ransom, with which their leader plans to complete his collection of Ming vases. After a huge commotion, the boy scouts go on an unconventional treasure hunt.

A simple errand that turns into a car accident, and Clifton bangs his head and blacks out. An unfortunate if not uncommon occurrence, even for the dashing colonel – until he wakes up to realise that his passenger, Jade, has vanished! When, the next morning, a mysterious ‘doctor’ calls at his house to tell him a fantastical story, the sceptical Clifton is soon dragged into a very unusual investigation. Oh, and the doctor’s name? Watson. Doctor Watson.

Clifton is put in charge of training a young MI5 prodigy. Holidaying in the country, Clifton receives the unexpected – and unwelcome – visit of a MI5 bigwig. He finds himself reinstated against his will, and tasked with finalising the training of a promising new recruit of the Intelligence Service: Sir Jason. The young man is sharp, well- educated, knows both techniques and theory like the back of his hand... The problem, as Clifton soon discovers, is that when the time for action comes, he is inevitably paralysed by fear!