imp " ▁Tw ist ▁and ▁" So apy " ▁and ▁" D olly " ▁Mol loy . ▁ ▁The ▁novel ▁has ▁two ▁inter tw ined ▁sub - plots . ▁Fred die ▁W idge on , ▁who ▁wishes ▁to ▁marry ▁S ally ▁F oster , ▁ ▁is ▁seeking ▁to ▁escape ▁from ▁a ▁d ull ▁job ▁in ▁a ▁London ▁office ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁manager ▁of ▁a ▁coffee ▁plant ation ▁in ▁Ken ya . ▁Meanwhile , ▁in ▁the ▁normally ▁quiet ▁sub urb ▁of ▁Valley ▁Field s , ▁where ▁Fred die ▁is ▁living , ▁a ▁cache ▁of ▁j ew ell ery , ▁hidden ▁in ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁Fred die ' s ▁neighbour , ▁is ▁attract ing ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁a ▁small ▁gang ▁of ▁pet ty ▁crim inals . ▁ ▁The ▁story ▁is ▁essentially ▁a ▁re - working ▁of ▁Sam ▁the ▁Sud den ▁( 1 9 2 5 ), ▁which ▁was ▁also ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁fict ional ▁Valley ▁Field s , ▁had ▁a ▁sub - plot ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁same ▁three ▁cro oks ▁were ▁hunting ▁for ▁hidden ▁tre asure , ▁and ▁ent w ined ▁this ▁with ▁a ▁rom antic ▁sub - plot . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁Fred die ▁W idge on ▁is ▁rent ing ▁a ▁villa ▁called ▁Peace h aven ▁in ▁the ▁id yl lic ▁South ▁London ▁sub urb ▁of ▁Valley ▁Field s , ▁and ▁working , ▁unh app ily , ▁in ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Sho es m ith , ▁Sho es m ith , ▁Sho es m ith ▁and ▁Sho es m ith , ▁solic itors .