Customer Reviews

An Unpardonable Crime

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This is all that I' going to "say" about the plot of "An Unpardonable Crime:" that it is set in 1819, and that it opens with our narrator, Thomas Shields, (a young man of education and who has managed to survive the peninsula war, but who has little money and fewer expectations), explaining how he managed to secure a job as an under usher (a sort of tutor) at the Reverend Mr. Bransby's school, and how he came to become so intimately involved in the affairs of the Wavenhoe, Frants and Carswall families, death, greed and murder. To say more, would only detract from the overall enjoyment for anyone who's not yet read this skillfully crafted novel. Enough to say that if you enjoy reading Victorian-era suspenseful novels (like those written by Wilkie Collins, for example), you're bound to enjoy "An Unpardonable Crime." As with many of the novels of similar genre, Andrew Taylor has successfully coloured his novel with a dark and almost menacing atmosphere, added enough intriguing and suspenseful plot twists, and peopled it with characters that both engaged and filled me with loathing. In other words, this was a riveting read. Andrew Taylor did a fantastic job of making England of the early 19th century real and vivid. "An Unpardonable Crime" won the CWA Historical Dagger for 2003, and it definitely deserves the award. I picked up the book after dinner, and had to force myself to put the novel down and go to bed -- it was that "unputdownable!" All in all, a rousing 5 stars!

There are certain historical novels that are so large and all encompassing that they not only evoke a time and place but truly place the reader realistically in its midst. Immediately coming to mind are the Dickens books that were contemporary when they were written but are considered historical to the present readers. A contemporary book such as THE QUINCUNX by Charles Palliser (who also wrote a testimonial for this work) also comes to mind. Andrew Taylor admirably succeeds in recreating both London and the British countryside of 1819 and peoples the book with enough shadowy and colorful characters to make the trip very worthwhile.
The narrative we are reading is that of Thomas Shield, a tutor at a private school of Stoke Newington. He comes across a child named Charles Frant who is a targeted by the other students as a scapegoat until another young man appears by the name of Edgar Allen. Edgar, by fighting the other students wins a certain amount of respect for himself and for Charles, as well. It is soon thereafter that while walking in the neighborhood, Thomas witnesses an inebriated man accosting the two boys. He rescues them from the situation and a grateful Henry Frant, father of Charles invites Thomas to come to the house as a tutor. So begins the long tale of Thomas' intertwined relationships with this household.
Andrew Taylor is a unique author of many talents. This very large epic novel follows close on the heels of the wonderful Roth trilogy. There is much good in this current work. The strength of any historical novel is the ability of the author to bring the era to life with a compelling and intriguing story. With that he readily succeeds. A problem, however, is that he takes so darn long to get through it. When we finally reach the end, the exposition must be extremely lengthy and complex. THE AMERICAN BOY has won the CWA Ellis Peters Dagger for historical mysteries. It is an award well deserved.

In Andrew Taylor's atmospheric feast, AN UNPARDONABLE CRIME, a man is found brutally murdered on a building site; another goes missing in the teeming stew of the city's notorious Seven Dials district. A deathbed vigil ends in theft, & a beautiful heiress flirts with the wrong class of people.

What connects these events? A school master & an American boy, Edgar Allen (Poe), brought to England by his foster father & sent to a boarding school in the sleepy village of Stoke Newington.

It is 1819 - Britain & America have at last quit fighting. The Regency Period is in high swing & the traffic of people & money between the countries is flowing fast. Into this new world where social classes are re-forming, a young teacher & the boys in his care, boys who could almost be twins, are drawn into a maelstrom of intrigue, murder & love.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends AN UNPARDONABLE CRIME for those who relish historical fiction, based on journals & research. It will be right up your cobblestoned alley.

Twenty-something Thomas Shield, recently recovered from war injuries, finds himself in desperate need of employment. Serendipitously, it seems, a teaching job lands in his lap. At first, his new circumstances are exciting, especially after he meets, and becomes enamored of, two lovely female relatives of his two favorite students. Shield longs to be accepted their world, that of the gentry, but alas, the class system in Victorian England is too rigid. But slowly, inexorably, he is drawn into a web of intrigue in which he becomes the unwitting pawn of three dangerous antagonists who care little about Shield's welfare and much about money and power. And somehow, this mortal game seems tied to one of those favorite pupils, the 10 year old American Edgar Allan (Poe).

Readers hoping for a strong presence from Edgar are likely to be disappointed, for the story revolves only loosely around him, in a way that does not become clear until the end. Conveying ambiance is one of author Taylor's strong suits, and his characters are well delineated. Shield is a sort of grown up Pip, and Unpardonable Crime does read something like Dickens, no small accomplishment! While the pacing of this tale is somewhat slow, as the incidents unfold, curiosity keeps those pages turning.

Noted Shakespearean actor Sir Derek Jacobi certainly needs no introduction to audiences. He is one of the most acclaimed actors of our time and deservedly so. Born in Britain and knighted by the Queen, he received a Tony Award for his performance in Much Ado About Nothing; his most recent film appearance was with Russell Crowe in The Gladiator.

It is rare when an actor and a story seem so perfectly matched that it is nigh on to impossible to imagine anyone else presenting the reading. Such is the case with Sir Derek Jacobi and "An Unpardonable Crime," a mystery set in 19th century London.

Early in the century a bank collapses, and a man is found dead at the site. One more man seems to have disappeared in the dangerous Seven Dials area of the city.

At this same time Edgar Allan Poe was ten-years-old, and a student in a small village, Stoke Newington. It would seem that all would be sanguine and safe in this protected enclave, but that is not the case. London's grisly doings have a far reaching effect, stretching to a schoolmaster, Thomas Shield, who is at first confused then understandably frightened by this puzzling chain of events.

Listening to this story as read by Sir Derek Jacobi is pure pleasure.

- Gail Cooke

I thoroughly enjoyed this period piece, elegantly written & truly engrossing. Judging from the Epilogue, the author based it upon Edgar Allan Poe's biographies. While Poe himself (as a child) has a supporting role in this novel, he plays significantly, though subtly, in the plot. It must be noted that a person is not an independent entity, but is to a large degree a product of both heredity & environment (esp. early family years). Thus, Poe's significance in this novel is far more than a surface reading would reveal--despite what some editorial (& other) reviewers may state. Per Knowledge Management, it takes context to convert information (useless in itself) into knowledge (which is actionable). Psychology IMHO agrees--e.g. see Alice Miller's famous "The Drama of the Gifted Child."

The plot is intricate & dependent upon 19th century values to a very large extent. But, the moralities of the characters continue into the present. People tend to be people. The Appendix is actually an epilogue so, do NOT read it first (I frequently read Appendices of non-fiction works first). But do read the biographical pages at the very end, but at the very end (of your reading). The book is very smooth & easy to read--much more than Dickens. Not all of the mystery is exposed but there's enough to satisfy IMHO. Also, while one might guess some of it, it is not a game of find the culprit a la Agatha Christie. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it so much I will give it 5 stars (a rarity for me, esp. for fiction) & will be reading Taylor's Roth trilogy starting today--this was my 1st Andrew Taylor book--I got his name from the "Mystery Lovers' Book of Quotations."

I like to be pulled right into a book by the first sentence. This book did that for me. I enjoyed the voice, the period, and the echoings of Dickens and pseudo-Austen. Yet, this whole thing about Poe, I think was completely out of proportion it played a very little part. And I think it was too much of a stretch to even suggest Poe. I agree with another reviewer there were parts in this book that were harrowing. A harrowing mystery, a good summer read.

The novel opens in England in 1819 where Thomas Shield (our narrator) takes a position as a junior usher at a school near London. Shield is fortunate to obtain the position - he was unable to complete his studies at Cambridge after his father died, he has no reference from his last position, and his brief military career was disastrous.

So, how does such a man become caught up in events which include a bank collapse and a murder? How does he become involved in the affairs of the families concerned with the fortunes and misfortunes of Wavenhoe's Bank? And what is the significance of the men from America, and who is Edgar Allan?

There are two boys at Shields's school who are central to the events that unfold: Charles Frant and Edgar Allan. Edgar Allan and his foster parents have moved to England from America. Charles Frant's father, Henry, is a partner of Wavenhoe's Bank. Charles and Edgar become friends, and on a number of occasions Thomas Shield is sent to accompany the boys between home and school. As a consequence, Thomas Shield sees something of the world in which they live and becomes caught up in the series of events that occur after the Bank collapses.

This is not a fast moving mystery but its multiple layers kept me engaged. Poor Thomas Shields: he is drawn to both Sophia Frant, Charles's mother, and her cousin Flora Carswall. There are family mysteries to puzzle over, strangers to identify and strange happenings to make sense of. While Edgar Allan (Poe) is not really central to the story, he is on the edge of mysteries and he represents a number of the links between new world and the old which are an integral part of the unfolding story. The settings are enhanced by the physical descriptions, especially the fogs in London and the winter landscapes of rural Gloucestershire.

I enjoyed this novel - in many ways Thomas Shields was the perfect narrator. His class enabled him to be both observer and participant. The ending was a little too neat for me, but still entirely fitting.

Note: this book has been published as both `An Unpardonable Crime' and `The American Boy'.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

The winner of the 2003 CWA Historical Dagger Award and well deserving of such accolades. Mom purchased this book for me last Christmas and she chose well. Set in the years following the War of 1812 in England, it follows a former solider turned school teacher ,Thomas Shield. Mr.Shield meets a young student in Edgar Allen , an American adopted by a British family and sent to school at The Manor School House in the village of Stoke Newington . Mr.Shield is then charged with riding to London to pick up a Charles Frant, the son of a wealthy banker and bring him to Manor House where he is to be instructed in the proper way. While in London he comes across a disheveled Irish American who claims he is looking for the Allens ( the adopted family of Edgar) and like wise encounters the mother of Charles Frant ( who feels an immediate attraction to) and her cousin ( whom he like wise is attracted too).

When he brings the boy to Manor House, the child has a rough go of it as the older boys at the school takes to bullying him but young Edgar Allen and Charles strike up a friendship of mutual surival and soon the two are best of friends. Ironically enough both boys look quite alike and are often mistaken for each other. Then the drunk Irishmen comes and accosts the children in the village and is chased away by Mr.Shield but the episode vexes him. When Mr.Shield is invited to the Frant's estate as a means of saying thank you, he is employed by the boys father to keep an eye out for the drunk Irish American and report to him any new developments. Then one day while cruising the wharf, he spots the Irishman and chases him through the streets of London till he finally catches up with him. Finally after buying the man dinner and some beer he reveals that he is an unemployed actor by the name of David Poe, and that Edgar Allen is his son.

From there the pace of the book speeds up with the collapse of a major bank run by the Frant family , the subsuqent discovery of a mauled corpse discovered in a muddy field that may or may not be Charles Frant's father . Mr.Shield finds him drawn further and further into the mystery against his will through his association as a teacher of boy Charles Frant and Edgar Allen. Enter an American business man, a Mr.Noak and his black clerk, Salutation Harmwell who may or may not have something to do with the death of Charles father. Add to this tangle weave of mystery is Mr.Shields feelings for Sophia Frant ( the widowed (?) mother of Charles) and Flora Casawell( her cousin).

It a very well written mystery that goes into great detail on the life of the 19th century. The author has obviously done a great deal of research on the language and customs of that period. If you love the english language and the beauty of elqouence, this a good book to read. Only problem with the book was the first three chapters were kind of slow. After that the action began to pick up and you really could not put the book down without reading a few more pages. If you have ever studied the biography of Edgar Allen Poe, I suggest getting this book because you might have some "wait a minute!" moments when reading it.

Andrew Taylor's 2004 publication, "An Unpardonable Crime", is billed as a period thriller suggested by the years Edgar Allan Poe spent in England as a orphaned child. As a period thriller, it works beautifully. Like a 21st century Dickens, Taylor takes the reader deep inside 19th century London (a place where I've spent a good deal of fictional time lately, having just seen "Sweeney Todd" at the movies)--to the landed gentry, public squalor and many places in between. The thrill ride has the requisite number of twists and turns--the villains are dastardly, the settings foreboding, the murder circumstances murky and the hero determined, albeit a little at odds finding his place within society, having been rescued from an asylum by his now dead aunt/benefactor.

The book was a quick and fascinating read that I finished in less than two days. Ultimately, what it wasn't, however, was very intimately involved in the life of young Poe, who appears as essentially an extra character. Perhaps his exposure to macabre events like those depicted in this the book shaped his literary sensibilities. Certainly his years in Europe helped him write convincing fiction with European settings. But we didn't need this novel to know that. I came to this book on the recommendation of a Poe scholar, for which I thank him. Still, "An Unpardonable Crime" enhanced my understanding of the life and mind of Edgar Allan Poe very little.

I recommend the book to lovers of both mysteries and 19th century period fiction about Great Britain (5 stars). As a story I liked it even better than the similar The Dante Club: A Novel by Matthew Pearl. However, I warn Poe fans that they may not get much about the anticipated connection between Poe's life and this story (minus one star). Total--four stars.