"Held by Chinese Brigands" is one of the more popular adventure stories for boys in the genre of imperial fiction popular at the time of publishing in 1921. The setting is South China and the action follows the adventures of the British heroes Frank Armitage and Sir Thomas Armitage along with Mr Hennessy K. Waldron, of Paradise City, Nevada, U.S.A who battle with the Brigand Cheong-Chau in a tale of high adventure in the Far East.