Smith by Leon Garfield

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12 year old Smith has mastered the art of survival in 18th Century London.

Living with his sisters in a dingy cellar in the shadows of St Pauls – and Newgate prison – he already has picket pocketing skills to match the Artful Dodger’s.

But when he steals a mysterious “dockiment” from an old man his life, is turned upside down.

He can’t read the document. And has no idea what it is.

But it sets on his trail, the evil men in brown.

And worse still … the man in black …

Smith’s quest to discover the meaning of the document and escape the hot-on-his-heels gang, takes him all over London and into gripping encounters with highwaymen and more …

… but in the end it’s a surprising friendship with a blind man that secures his freedom.

Leon Garfield’s Smith) (UK) is a children’s classic and Carnegie medal runner-up from 1967.

I didn’t read Smith as a kid, but so wish I had! We were gripped by it this week.

And devoured it at speed.

It’s very exciting and Leon Garfield was a seriously skilled writer. He manages to pack in Dickens-like detail as the plot rattles along, but never gets wordy or bogged down.

If you’ve not discovered Smith) (UK) yet and – you’re a fan of rip roaring adventure – give it a go.

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