The Hoodwinkers is the thirteenth book in the Romney Marsh series of novels by Monica Edwards

Monica Edwards

Monica Edwards was an English children's writer of the mid-twentieth century best known for her Romney Marsh and Punchbowl Farm series of children's novels.-Early life:...

, published in 1962 by Collins

HarperCollins

HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...

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The four children discover that Jim Decks has been hoodwinking innocent American
tourists who believe that an old boat of Jim’s once belonged to William the Conqueror.
When the ruins of Old Winklesea are discovered under the sea, they try to persuade him
to take trippers out to see the ruins as a more honest line of business. They hadn’t,
however, reckoned on Hookey Galley trying to do the same.

Blurb from First Edition

In this new Romney Marsh story Tamzin, Meryon, Rissa, and Roger discover that that whiskery old rogue Jim Decks is once again up to his nefarious activities. And this time he is hoodwinking innocent Americans who, with their love of "history", are convinced that Jim's old boat belonged to William the Conqueror. Jim must obviously be wooed away from these money-making schemes to a more honest line of business. The discovery by Rissa of the drowned village of old Winklesea gives them all an idea. Could not Jim take trippers out to see the ruins charging them so much per head? But how can they afford an engine for the boat? And can Jim be persuaded to adopt the idea? The way to make the money is soon solved and with no lack of adventures. But persuading Jim is another matter; that is until Hookey Galley gets the same idea ...
All Monica Edwards' readers will be delighted with this new story. Tamzin's and Meryon's new-found feeling for each other is slightly upset by a real difference of opinion over Jim's honesty; but the situation eventually resolves itself to Tamzin's intense relief. And Rissa and Roger have discovered that after their recent visit to Punchbowl Farm they want to spend as many week-ends as possible with Dion and Lindsey Thornton, although they fling themselves with a great deal of energy into the goings-on nearer home, as do Diccon, Butterbeans Pope and Mrs. One-Who-Knows.

Subsequent editions

• The Children’s Book Club - 1963
• Girls Gone By Publishers
  Girls Gone By Publishers
  Girls Gone By Publishers is a publishing company run by Clarissa Cridland and Ann Mackie-Hunter and is based in Bath, Somerset. They re-publish new editions of some of the most popular girls' fiction titles from the twentieth century.-Elinor Brent-Dyer:...
  
  reprint of original - 2008