Yes, it's there now, Pete. Thanks!
I'm sure someone in my family had
Twenty-Minute Tales (was it my dad when he was little and Gran still had his copy at her house?) — I recognise the cover (without the dust jacket) and the title — but for some reason I never read any of the stories, even though I was normally a voracious Blyton reader. I only re-encountered it just over 5 years ago when I picked it up from a stand outside one of the various antiques-and-collectables shops in my favourite shopping strip, Maling Road in Canterbury. (Canterbury in Melbourne, that is, not Canterbury in Kent.
) I opened it and was at once struck by the title of
The Three Strange Keys, so I read the story on the spot and really enjoyed it — it's stuck in my memory ever since.
I wished afterwards I'd bought the book and read the rest of the stories, but I was within probably only a fortnight of moving from Australia to the UK and I was strictly NOT letting myself buy any more books... (I've made up for it since I settled here, believe me.
) Anyway, when I'm next back with my family, I'll nose around and see if we do have a copy still.
I did just have a look on eBay to see if there are any vintage copies available, but I think I'll pass on this "acceptable" one...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acceptable-TW ... Sw4shYBp21" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(At least they have the decency to offer free P&P.
)