“The story is contrived with great ingenuity, and told with great skill and spirit.... Characters firmly and sharply drawn, with a good deal of quiet fun and humour.”—Guardian.
“The narrative moves on briskly, and never lets the attention flag.”—Spectator.
JACK ALLYN’S FRIENDS:
A Novel.
“Mr. Appleton knows how to write novels of absorbing and unflagging interest and of remarkable cleverness, and his latest effort, ‘Jack Allyn’s Friends,’ unmistakably possesses these qualities. Much of the peculiar interest of the story is derived from the subtlety with which the catastrophe is brought about. But there is also a brisk, almost boisterous vitality about the book—a sort of vigorous simplicity, resembling that of Messrs. Besant and Rice—with abundant humour and some cleverly-managed love-making under difficulties. With all these characteristics, ‘Jack Allyn’s Friends’ is a novel which even those who may pronounce its condemnation from the serene heights of æstheticism will read and enjoy.”—Scotsman.
“Mr. Appleton has succeeded in writing a novel which combines the merits of Miss Braddon with those of Bret Harte. The plot is carefully prepared, and the interest sustained until the very close of the third volume. The stout old American, Bill Hooker, reminds us of one of Bret Harte’s Rocky Mountain heroes, whose hearts are of the same sterling metal as the ore from their mines.”—Graphic.
“There is no doubt about the interest of this novel. The plot is certainly contrived with no little art. The secret is ingeniously kept. Suspicion is skilfully directed, first in one direction, then in another, and the dénouement will probably be unsuspected. A decidedly readable novel.”—Spectator.
Transcriber’s note
In the original five of the illustrations had the text wrapped around them, two of them both on the left and on the right. To prevent problems with readability is chosen not to imitate that, and to move all the illustrations in between the paragraphs.