I took some time to come to terms with the period language and style, but found myself hooked about half way through. Poor Mr Smith seems to stumble from one desperate predicament to the next, though the book never becomes farcical, balancing the bawdy humour and horrifying misery on a fine line. New York in 1746 is recreated vividly - you feel yourself alongside Smith, and the story’s mysteries keep you tense and guessing until the very end.