The American Boy: Andrew Taylor

This book reads as a 19th century novel of the kind that Wilkie Collins could have written: its language and tone are largely authentic, and like many books of the period, there is a large cast of characters from all walks of life.  Thomas Shield, a schoolmaster with a troubled past is the narrator, and he introduces us to the wealthy Frants and Carswells, whose lives he becomes intimately involved with.  There's the young Edgar Allan Poe too, though I'm not sure how important his part really is, despite his presence in the book's title.  Murder and skullduggery take place both in London's Dickensian streets, and in rural Gloucestershire .  The fast-paced action and the short chapters make the book an atmospheric page-turner, and while it's not a great book, it's a very good read.