"Horace the Haggis gets a terrible shock when he visits his friends on Christmas Eve. Every one of them has vanished. Worse, pinned to each house is a note with the single letter V - the personal sign of the most feared gangster in Acre Valley. What has happened to Martha, Ferdy, Dijon, Doc Leaf and Professor Nut? Can Horace and Major Mole find them in time? And what if the dreaded Don Volio should discover our lovable hero in the Darkling Forest with only his hair-gel for a weapon?"--Publisher's website.