Clubfoot the Avenger: Being some further adventures of Desmond Oakwood, of the Secret Service

In Short

Clubfoot the Avenger: Being some further adventures of Desmond Oakwood, of the Secret Service is an episodic 1920s British spy thriller detailing the high-stakes duel between retired Intelligence officer Major Desmond Okewood and his arch-nemesis, the sinister German agent Dr. Adolf Grundt, known as "Clubfoot." Across a series of interconnected cases, Desmond, his brother Francis, and their Chief battle Grundt's desperate efforts to seize vital international secrets, stolen heirlooms, and crucial government ciphers in post-war London. The narrative endures for its brisk action, classic espionage tradecraft, and the compelling, formidable presence of its legendary antagonist.

The Story

The story opens eighteen months after the infamous German agent Dr. Adolf Grundt—the feared "Clubfoot"—disappeared. Resurfacing secretly in England, Grundt orchestrates a series of daring plots to rebuild his power, targeting sensitive political documents, high-value assets, and state secrets. Retired Secret Service officer Major Desmond Okewood, who has been languishing in the dull routine of civilian life, finds himself drawn back into action alongside his brother Francis and their former Chief.

The conflict begins with seemingly isolated incidents that quickly reveal Grundt's heavy hand. When a Swedish timber merchant mysteriously vanishes from a lunch date, leaving behind an unattended purple cabriolet, a limp-footed observer is spotted in the background. Soon after, Desmond is ambushed, bound, and brought face-to-face with Grundt in a dimly lit lair, realizing his old enemy has returned with undiminished ferocity.

Grundt’s operations span multiple covert arenas. At an art auction, an American buyer becomes embroiled in a desperate bidding war over a miraculous Russian relic, the Ikon of Smolensk. Recognizing that Grundt seeks the icon for a sinister purpose, Desmond uses clever subterfuge, switching the genuine relic with a copy from a local Russian church to fool the master spy. The struggle escalates when a government typist is murdered and an invaluable report by Sir Alexander Bannington is stolen. Tracking the suspect to a covert nursing-home hiding spot, Desmond and Francis realize Grundt is operating right under their noses, using disguised identities and safehouses to evade the law.

As the feud intensifies, Grundt shifts his focus to high-level international diplomacy. He captures Desmond and attempts to force him to decipher stolen Foreign Office dispatches encoded in top-secret Secret Service ciphers. Desmond withstands threats of torture and execution, relying on his wits and the silent sympathy of Xenia, a woman forced into Grundt’s service. After a perilous rescue on the Thames flats, Desmond survives a gunshot graze to continue the hunt.

Grundt next targets night-clubs like the Hexagon, utilizing flower-sellers to pass coded signals with carnations and trap British officers. Finally, Grundt attempts to block a critical financial mission by stealing a chamois leather packet containing precious stones and vital treaties carried by messenger Mary Brewster. Desmond escorts Mary on a night flight, only to discover Grundt's agents have replaced the pilot. Following a dramatic crash and a harrowing night on the Kentish mudflats, Desmond and Mary safeguard the packet and deliver it intact to the Cabinet Minister. Grundt escapes once more into the shadows, leaving Desmond and his allies ever vigilant for his inevitable return.

How It Unfolds

The enemy resurfaces A stolen purple cabriolet in St. James's and a mysterious limping figure lead Desmond Okewood into a night trap, where he is blindfolded, tied up, and brought before his resurrected arch-enemy, Dr. Adolf Grundt.

The battle for the ikon When Grundt attempts to acquire a sacred Russian relic at a tense auction, Desmond arranges a clever swap using a duplicate from a London church, leaving Clubfoot a mocking note inside the fake.

A murder in Pimlico Following the violent death of a typist and the theft of an Air Ministry report, Francis tracks a secretive patient in a neighboring nursing home, uncovering Grundt's elaborate network of disguises.

Interrogation on the Thames Captured and held at a remote riverside house, Desmond refuses Grundt's demands to decode intercepted Foreign Office messages, enduring threats until his brother and the Chief mount a timely raid.

Signals at the Hexagon Investigating the disappearance of an officer, Desmond frequents a bustling nightclub where a flower-seller uses specific nosegays to signal targets for Grundt's gambling trap.

Flight over the mudflats Desmond accompanies courier Mary Brewster on a night flight to deliver a vital chamois leather packet, but Grundt's saboteurs substitute the pilot, resulting in a crash landing in the damp Kentish marshes.

The People

• Desmond Okewood: A retired British Secret Service major who craves adventure and finds civilian life dull. He wants to protect national security and defeat his rival, driven by a mixture of patriotic duty and sheer love of taking risks. By the end, his sharp wits and resilience re-establish him as an indispensable operative.
• Dr. Adolf Grundt ("Clubfoot"): A ruthless, hulking former German master spy with a misshapen foot. He wants to recover his lost power by acquiring trade secrets, ciphers, and financial leverage through violence and extortion. Though thwarted at every turn, he remains undefeated in spirit, escaping to fight another day.
• Francis Okewood: Desmond's pragmatic and loyal brother who acts as his steadfast partner. He wants to keep Desmond alive while aiding the Secret Service, using clever disguises and methodical investigation to rescue his brother from tight spots.
• The Chief: The stern, unflappable head of the British Secret Service. He wants to safeguard government secrets and maintain international stability, standing firm against Grundt's threats with cold composure.
• Mary Brewster: A conscientious, serious young secretary who serves as a courier for a crucial diplomatic packet. She wants to fulfill her duty to the government at all costs, facing Clubfoot without fear and ensuring the mission succeeds.

In Its Own Voice

"He was as before the Prussian beast, unchanging, unchangeable, revelling in his strength, glorying in his power, ferocious, relentless, unpardoning."

Desmond Okewood reflects on his terrifying nemesis upon being brought bound into the green-shaded light of Grundt's lair.

"'Clubfoot knows that you can commit almost any crime in London as long as you act normally.'"

Desmond explains to his brother Francis why their enemy was able to slip away into the St. James's crowd after being outwitted.

"'You have passed sentence of death on Bliss,' he said in a voice that fury rendered hoarse and almost inarticulate, 'and sentence of death on yourself as well!'"

Grundt issues a fierce, parting threat after the Chief refuses his blackmail demands and orders him out of the office.

What It's Really About

Underneath its thrilling espionage plots, the book explores the lingering geopolitical anxieties of post-World War I Europe. It contrasts the quiet discipline of British public service with the desperate, mercenary ambition of fallen masterminds trying to regain leverage in a changed world order. The story reflects on the nature of loyalty, duty, and the addictiveness of danger, showing how men conditioned by war struggle to adapt to peace. Through the perpetual clash between Okewood and Grundt, it examines the eternal duel between resourceful sportsmanship and brute, uncompromising power.

Why Read It Today

Clubfoot the Avenger offers readers a delightful journey into the classic era of interwar British adventure fiction. Fans of classic pulp thrillers, Agatha Christie-style mysteries, and vintage spy lore will relish its high-energy pacing, fog-shrouded London settings, and theatrical villains. Valentine Williams writes with crisp, confident authority, delivering authentic period atmosphere—from West End night-clubs and auction houses to damp river estuaries and early aviation fields.

The narrative moves swiftly through distinct, bite-sized episodes, making it an engaging and light read. Readers should be prepared for typical early 20th-century adventure tropes, including dramatic villainous monologues, somewhat broad national characterizations, and convenient coincidences. What stays with you is the striking figure of Clubfoot himself: a formidable, larger-than-life adversary whose intelligence and menacing presence elevate the entire adventure.