I should say for the sake of strict accuracy that I actually misspoke -- she's not a jewelry clerk but a secretary in the semiprecious-gems-supply-business -- but the side plot about her is very good and the chauffeur is a delight.

I was resolutely refusing to read them until a few years ago because it was much funnier to just let genarti explain them to me, but now I have caved and will probably bring another paperback Francis with me on my next vacation.