" The American Boy" an intriguing book

The American Boy by Andrew Taylor

This is definitely not a book that will appeal to everyone. When I picked it up I did a provisional glance at it and saw that it was in fact a historical novel with a mystery entwined in it. I like both of these kinds of books so I thought I'd give it a try.

It takes place in the early 1800, the early Regency period mostly in the area around London.

As a critic writes “it is 20^th century novel with a 19^th century voice, and that's very true.

It is a thick heavy book and probably I would not have continued reading it but I was sick with a cold an there it was on my book shelf so I picked it up and before I knew it I was heavily into the mystery of an American boy living in London.The story itself is told by a young man Thomas Shield,who is a schoolmaster ,who is a tutor to the American boy. Without meaning to, he gets very involved in the  mystery.

When you read it you think at once of Charles Dickens novels because there are many very colorful characters in the book and even the writing has a Victorian air about it.

It covers the despicable conditions in the slums of London as well as that of the measured and highly set ways of the gentry living in Gloucester shire .

The main aspect of the book is a well thought out mystery and murder which is very convoluted and so in the end you keep reading because you have to know Why and Who.