See buying choices for this item to see if it's one of the millions that are eligible for Amazon Prime.

17 used & new from £0.01
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The American Boy
 
 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

The American Boy (Hardcover)

by Andrew Taylor (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


16 used from £0.01 1 collectible from £27.00
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Paperback (New edition) £7.99 £5.99 425 used & new from £0.01
Audio CD (Audiobook) £59.95 £59.95 Order it used
Audio CD (Abridged,Audiobook) £15.99 £13.59 8 used & new from £4.47
Audio Cassette (Abridged,Audiobook) 9 used & new from £2.45
Audio Cassette (Audiobook) 4 used & new from £14.54
Unknown Binding Order it used

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife

by Audrey Niffenegger
4.4 out of 5 stars (888)  £5.59
The Shadow Of The Wind

The Shadow Of The Wind

by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
4.3 out of 5 stars (409)  £3.99
The Road Home

The Road Home

by Rose Tremain
3.9 out of 5 stars (73)  £3.20
The House at Riverton

The House at Riverton

by Kate Morton
3.7 out of 5 stars (276)  £3.49
A Quiet Belief in Angels

A Quiet Belief in Angels

by R.J. Ellory
4.3 out of 5 stars (292)  £4.99
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Hardcover: 485 pages
  • Publisher: Flamingo; 3rd Edition edition (7 Jul 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 000710961X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007109616
  • Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 693,228 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Review
* 'Like Hitchcock, Taylor pitches extreme and gothic events within a hair's breadth of normality' TLS * 'Skilful, elegant, powerfully atmospheric, in which ancient evil shimmers like images trapped in a corridor of mirrors' Literary Review * 'This author knows precisely how to wield suspense' Independent on Sunday * 'Taylor is marvellous and devilishly clever' Mail on Sunday * 'Andrew Taylor is one of the most interesting, if not THE most interesting novelist writing on crime in England today' Spectator

Jane Jakeman, Independent, July 2003
"He has created his own Gothic world... deeply absorbing and beautifully written."

See all Product Description

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below
andrew taylor

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The American Boy
76% buy the item featured on this page:
The American Boy 4.0 out of 5 stars (40)
Bleeding Heart Square
8% buy
Bleeding Heart Square 4.2 out of 5 stars (16)
£4.09
The Shadow Of The Wind
7% buy
The Shadow Of The Wind 4.3 out of 5 stars (409)
£3.99
When Will There be Good News?
5% buy
When Will There be Good News? 3.7 out of 5 stars (98)
£3.86
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

40 Reviews
5 star:
 (17)
4 star:
 (13)
3 star:
 (6)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (40 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
133 of 135 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars 500 pages of escapism bliss ! Buy it !, 20 April 2005
By M. J. Holland (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The American Boy (Paperback)
Here's another book I only read because it was on the list of 10 books nominated for a Best Read Award on Richard and Judy. The author was new to me and I was also not in the habit of reading historical fiction. So this book was a wonderful surprise and having read it I could fully understand all the praise heaped upon it.
Once I began it was hard to put the book down.This is almost 500 pages of escapism bliss as Taylor's beautifully told tale slowly unfolds. It's a hybrid of historical and crime fiction that is incredibly atmospheric of nineteenth century London. The novel it most reminds me of,if you want a pointer, is Wilkie Collins' "Woman in White" and the fact that I compare it to that great classic shows how highly I think of this book.If you like Wilkie Collins or maybe even Charles Dickens you will love this book.
I see no point in revealing any details of the intricate plot as I'm sure any literate reader will be quickly gripped by Thomas Shield's quest.I will,however,say that I was pleased with the conclusion of the book, which is not one of those banal denouements where all the loose ends are miraculously tidied up and everyone lives happily ever after.
If you are looking for an engrossing and pleasurable read you cannot possibly go wrong with this book. I can guarantee that you will be enthralled and perhaps a bit sad that it isn't even longer !
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling 19th century tale of Mystery, Romance, and Murder, 9 Aug 2006
This review is from: The American Boy (Paperback)
The American Boy is an enthralling tale that takes place in 19th century London. Thomas Shield is a schoolmaster, who, in the course of his duties, meets two young boys: Charles Frant and Edgar Allan. Through these boys, Mr. Shields is introduced to London's high society and in particular, two wealthy banking families: the Frants and Carswells. Shield is immediately attracted to the striking Mrs. Frant and Miss Carswell. But two murders propel the story forward to its unexpected, terrifying conclusion.

The author's fluid prose and authentic 19th century language is totally captivating. One gets immediately transported to the past unlike other historical novels. Don't get fooled: the story is about Thomas Shield's narrative account of the Wavenhoe banking family and the murder or disappearance of Mr. Henry Frant, not Edgar Allan Poe. The boy, who later becomes the famous mystery writer, is only peripheral character, and yet his actions, subtle as they are, actually affect the course of events. Taylor uses this technique brilliantly. Furthermore, the author's deft use of other historical events, such as the Banking crisis and the War of 1812, as well as an authentic portrayal of the notorious London slums make for a satisfying and gritty novel.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A real page-turner, 14 Feb 2005
By A Customer
This review is from: The American Boy (Paperback)
It may be a cliche to use the term 'page-turner', but that's what this book is. There's an air of menace even in the most innocent of scenes, of something terrible just out of sight, that won't let you stop reading. The historical setting - from the sights and smells of nineteenth-century London to a snowbound country estate - is vividly conveyed without ever becoming turgid. Even the words in which this beautifully-crafted book is written have a subtle flavour of the nineteenth century. But what I like most about the novel is that it's a story about recognisable people, with real human emotions. The hero is someone whose fate the reader cares about, there's a whole cast of well-defined minor characters, and the story of the love affair that runs through the novel is delicately drawn, though none the less passionate for that. A most enjoyable book, which would certainly bear re-reading.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars In my opinion...
I preferred Bleeding Heart Square by the same author. Much more atmosphere and detail and more interesting characters. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Anon

1.0 out of 5 stars Dull
Dry, dull, cold. This book was boring. The characters are irritating at best (the main character's obsession with every half-attractive female he meets, the over-reaction to tiny... Read more
Published 9 months ago by E. Peto

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it...
For someone who hadn't finished a book in years I was amazed at just how quickly I got hooked on this booked and loved every page. I even shed a tear along the way.
Published 12 months ago by Mrs. G. Roberts

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Not the type of book I normally read, but still found it very enjoyeable. The set is 19th century England is superbly described - its class society with its rich sides and its... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Erik Cleves Kristensen

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
This is a fantastic book which is extremely interesting. The plot was fabulous with heroes and villains. Very well-written, interesting and enjoyable.
Published 16 months ago by love reading

3.0 out of 5 stars labour of love
I just finnished American Boy and I am more than happy to give it back to its owner. I would consider this a rather over rated book, however I did not give up on it and towards... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Ms. R. Moone

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating
This was such a beautifully constructed book, which I found immensely enjoyable. A truly elegant whodunit that was a pleasure to read. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Net

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful plot with brooding quality
A rattling good read from start to finish.....up there with, for my money, the novels of Balzac as well as Dickens. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Merovingius

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Enjoyable
After reading the Roth trilogy by the same author, I felt suddenly bereft of a good book - so I turned to this book to fill a hole. Read more
Published 21 months ago by F. Quinn

5.0 out of 5 stars Akin to a Charles Dickens
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me it was a huge page turner and the English was just breathtaking and awe inspiring. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2007 by Brenda Moussa

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject












i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

The Body Shop

The Body Shop - Vitamin C Skin Boost
Protect and boost your glow with The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost.

›Shop The Body Shop

  

More From Andrew Taylor

Bleeding Heart Square

Bleeding Heart Square by Andrew Taylor

1934, London. Into the decaying cul-de-sac of Bleeding Heart Square... Read more
£6.99 £4.09

 

A Close Shave

Philips Nivea Coolskin HS8060 Moisturizing Rotary Shaving System
For all types of hair removal, stay smooth with Amazon.co.uk.

›Discover Shaving & Hair Removal

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates