While the title might sound unusual to modern ears, in the context of the 1940s, "period stuff" referred to stories about historical or bygone eras-the "interwar" and early WWII periods in which Yates specialized. The stories here were written around 1939 and published in magazines like The Windsor Magazine and The Strand before being compiled into a book in 1942. This collection wonderfully blends the two styles Yates was famous for: the lighthearted, witty "Berry" family humor and his more intense "Chandos" thrillers.

''Shoal Water'' (1940) is a thriller by British author Dornford Yates and belongs to the author's collection of "adventure thrillers," often categorized alongside the Chandos series, though it features a different primary narrator. The story is narrated by Jeremy Solon, a young man who falls in love with Katharine Scrope (also known as "Formosa"). Katharine has been blackmailed into serving as a courier for a jewel-thieving gang led by a villain known as "The Shepherd". When Solon becomes a target after identifying the gang's leader, Katharine is kidnapped. To rescue her, Solon joins forces with his friend George Laking and Yates's recurring hero, Jonathan Mansel. The action takes place across France, notably featuring a pivotal location called "The Wet Flag" and the waterfront of Rouen off the English channel.

Set in Austria, Spencer witnesses the burial of a liveried servant, murdered after an attempt to seize some gold in transit. Spencer identifies Lady Helena as the owner of the livery, warns her of murder, becomes her lover. Discovers the target is gold bullion in the cellar of her home, the castle at Yorick. Action is then the various attempts to steal the hidden bullion, the final elimination of the gang, and the reconciliation of the by then estranged lovers.