High Stakes is a bit of a caper. Sort of a double switch when an inventor is taken for a ride by his trainer. As always the protagonist manages to fall in love and rallies in the cloak of the decent against the ravages of evil.
If you have not read a Francis before, I highly recommend him as an author. I remember putting him off for years thinking that they would be kind of hoaky, but they are not. Instead they are understated and quiet.