Orion, London, 1999, 1^st pr thus.  ISBN 0-75282-470-8.  Trade soft cover, 326 pages.  Unread copy with very light cover wear.  ‘When Brock and Kolla are summoned to Cabot’s, a shop in the Strand that deals in rare stamps, they assume they’ll be dealing with a simple case of theft.  Not so.  The dealer has been asked by a client, East End Chinese ex-villain Sammy Starling, to contact Brock.  For Starling is in deep trouble: his pretty young wife Eva has been kidnapped and the ransom notes decorated with rare and valuable Chalon Head stamps of the young Queen Victoria – who happens to look remarkably like Eva.   Sammy is convinced that a corrupt police officer whom he helped put away is behind the kidnapping.  (from rear wrap)