Book review - "Beau Ideal" by P.C. Wren (warning: spoilers)

There is some first rate action and adventure in this story, the second sequel to Beau Geste, which also plays interestingly with time, like the third Bourne Identity, there is decent emotion with the horrid Van Brugh father, great description of the gaol life and desert action sequences, and it has an intriguing opening sequence, but is done in by stupid plotting. I don't like John Geste for going off to find his old mates, because he retired happy with a woman who loved him and plenty of cash, and his mates didn't have to get in trouble the way he did; I didn't like the lead dude Otis either for trying to track them down. His methods are always so convoluted - enlisting in the foreign legion, getting thrown into a penal settlement.... whatever happened to doing some basic reconnaissance? There are some outlandish plot twists - the Dark Angel is the long lost daughter of Otis' father, really?