“‘Frozen Hearts’ makes high pretensions, and justifies them.”—Westminster Review.
“Good melodrama, such as this is, is a sure panacea against dulness, and implies the possession of that vigour and élan which every novelist should have about him. In some portions, as in the exciting description of the barricade fighting, and in the interview between the unjustly slandered heroine and the mother who is breaking her own heart with her own cruelty, the author rises to real power.”—Globe.
“It is full of all kinds of excitement, and in some places reveals evidence of strong dramatic power.”—Academy.
“The story is new and striking.... Some of the less important characters are amusing, and the light comedy scenes are above the average.... Mr. Appleton possesses the knack, so useful to a novelist, of getting to his point without any superfluous matter, and is always original and generally correct.”—Sunday Times.
Victor Hugo writes: “Je trouve grand plaisir à la lecture de ce livre. Le chapitre sur les troubles à Paris m’a vivement interessé.”
CATCHING A TARTAR:
A Novel.
“Mr. Appleton’s new novel is in every way the equal, if it be not positively the superior of ‘Frozen Hearts,’ the work which established his just claims to popularity. It is a capital story, written in a most natural and graceful style. The plot is interesting, and all the characters are distinct and realistic creations; some, indeed, are likely to ‘live,’ and become by reason of their quaint sayings and doings, popular, as were in days of yore some of Dickens’ and Thackeray’s personages. Notably is this the case with John, a most original and amusing character, whose pithy sayings provoke many a hearty laugh. The intrigue of the story is lively and intricate, but so skilfully contrived that the ‘situations’ never appear forced or unnatural. ‘Catching a Tartar’ is worthy of much praise, and is decidedly one of the cleverest novels we have read or reviewed for a long time. Mr. Appleton possesses exceptional talent as a novelist, and, above all, the rare quality of getting to his point without encumbering his narrative with superfluous matter. He is always original, and never dull or commonplace. His next venture in the shape of a novel will be looked forward to with much interest.”—Morning Post.
“Many able men have come short of being successful novel writers, simply because they lacked brightness or lightness or smoothness of composition. Mr. Appleton displays these qualities; his book is therefore easy to read.... A vein of humour throughout, the effect of which is heightened by many a touch of genuine pathos. So marked an advance in the course of a single year is deserving of note.”—Athenæum.
“Mr. Appleton has here achieved a very decided success in the way of a novel of mystery. We must, if we are honest, admit that our attention has been irresistibly enchained throughout the three volumes. The book is one, altogether, to be read, and we may safely predict that no one who masters the first fifty pages will be the least likely to leave it unfinished.”—Graphic.