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Andrew Taylor's latest novel takes us to London in 1819. Two mysterious Americans arrive, a man is murdered, another goes missing and a bank collapses. Seemingly linked to it all is the young Edgar Allan Poe, only recently arrived in London himself. Thomas Shield, the new schoolmaster, finds himself drawn into the intrigue. However, will it be the ruin of him? Occasionally, a reviewer comes across a book that is truly excellent. Andrew Taylor's epic THE AMERICAN BOY is one of these. Everything comes together here to make an unforgettable tale that brings Regency London leaping from the page. Taylor's narrative voice is excellent, telling the story in the first person through Tom Shield. When you pick this book up, you will be guaranteed to be reading it late into the night, as the narration is captivating and holds your attention with ease. His characters are fully fleshed-out and feel real. He describes the trials and tribulations of boarding-school life, the world of the poor and the world of the upper-class. The reader cannot fail to feel sorry for Shield when he is treated as nothing more than a servant. At times, Taylor's writing is reminiscent of Wilkie Collins. As I read more and more about the activities of Stephen Carswell, it made me think of Count Fosco in THE WOMAN IN WHITE. Taylor succeeds in accurately recreating the dialogue of the time and the sense of place is immensely strong. It is certain that a great film could be made from the story, since it boasts all the requisite elements. The mystery itself, as the key thread to the story, is also interesting and there is a large enough cast of characters to keep us guessing as to their motives and the truth behind it all. Taylor contrasts busy London with rural Gloucestershire, superbly using both locations to add to the tension and drama. One would imagine that the filthy Seven Dials area would be the only place that crime could occur, but not so here. It would be easy to rhapsodise ad nauseum about THE AMERICAN BOY. I could find no faults in Taylor's sharp writing and unless an enormous amount of excellent novels arrive this year, THE AMERICAN BOY is guaranteed to be very near the head of my chart of top ten books of 2004. A wonderful, rich, evocative novel. Note: The book is published in the US under the title AN UNPARDONABLE CRIME.
Reviewed by Luke Croll, February 2004
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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