I can conjoin with the feeling that The Thuggery Affair has much to offer; as well as Run Away Home. But the issue of the 'thrust' to the series (however you term it; as well as the alternative, that there may be none) is a major point. We know from now-stated record that AF envisaged NO series as such, until the publishers asked her for a sequel, and batted down a notion of a horse book. That is exactly when a falconry theme, combined with horses, entered: with Falconer's Lure. And so entered Patrick as a theme. This new departure by definition therefore created a series, involving him. By stated biographical detail, it was based on AF's own holidays with falconing boys. I don't like or want to obtrude biographicals; except that many readers' likes and dislikes in the Trennels discussions spill over exactly where Patrick and religion impinge: an ever-present sore spot. One has to allow that adolescence is the juncture where the soreness of this type erupts for writers of juvenile cast. K.M. Peyton managed it admirably (can one say faultlessy?) with her 'Pennington' series - putting relationships in the context of responsiblity between members of a couple, and parenthood; and all hail to her - but it is all too easy for this to be a 'King Charles' head', in the sense of an insuperable obstacle. How AF would have coped with sorting out Patrick, once she had lumbered herself with him, one can only wonder in amazement - rigmarole