Difficult to review this without reference to the major (and to me, unexpected) plot twist at the end. Mr Smith arrives in New York in the mid 18th century and presents a bill for payment to a merchant for a huge sum of money. It is due at next quarter day, which is Christmas. And so Mr Smith spends the next 2 months in New York. His position is very unclear, as we're not told what he is there for, or in what capacity, is he merchant, trader, conman or there for political ends? He meets those in charge at the time, and a motley crew they turn out to be. Then there is the mixed Dutch/English merchant and coffee house classes. He suffers the issues of the newly arrived, in finding his feet, but, in one sense, fails to help himself by remaining a bit of a mystery - what is he there for? That all becomes clear at the end and was not at all what I was expecting. It is a quite astonishing sleight of hand that pulls this particular tablecloth out from under your nose.
For a lot of this I wasn't sure what to make of it, and I'm still not sure that most of the rating isn't down to the final 20% of the book. Part of me wants to read it again and see if there are clues I missed. ( )

This book hit all of my favorite reading zones: historical fiction, mystery, adventure. It opens with Mr. Smith's arrival in New York from London, and two basic questions: how does a 23 year-old come by a bill for 1,000 pounds (about $200,000 in today's money), and what does he plan to do with all this cash once he has it in hand? These questions simmer and build among the citizens as Mr. Smith adventures around New York, never far from their prying and gossiping tongues. For me the questions often slipped to the background as one after another heart-stopping moment bubbled up; at times I was racing through passages because if I lingered the tension would have killed me. We are never very far from the start, however - suddenly readers are given tantalizing glimpses into Mr. Smith's mind, and we are urgently swept right back to those two original questions. ( )

Mixed feelings about this rather unusual book.

I greatly enjoyed the aspects which concentrated on colonial New York in the 18th century. The discussion of the various currencies, the layout and feel and feel of New York City so many centuries ago, the judicial system, etc., were very interesting.

Unfortunately, I thought much of the interaction between the characters was contrived and a bit tedious. I was also surprised to learn that the author is male. In many ways, it seemed the sensibilities expressed will appeal more to a female audience. ( )

This book was recommended to me in a roundabout way by a friend of a friend (probably because I'm a New Yorker) and I'm so very grateful that it was brought to my attention as it is not a book I would ever have thought to pick up on my own.

Richard Smith arrives in a fledgling New York in 1746 with a note worth £1000 (or 1,738 pounds New-York money). The city isn't much more than a small town with a population of just 7,000. The note is worth a fortune and young Smith is a complete stranger to Mr Lovell, the merchant to whom Smith has presented the note of exchange. Mr Smith refuses to expand on who he is, what his business in NY is, or how he came to have such an incredible sum. Thus they agree to postpone the payment until Lovell can write to London to confirm that Smith is not a fraud.

In that time, we are taken on wild romp with Smith as he navigates the streets and politics of this small city and its inhabitants. There are celebrations and near death escapades, an escape involving ropes and rooftops, there is theft and forbidden love and prison murder and mayhem and there are secrets abounding.

Francis Spufford touches upon myriad serious topics of the era but all within the bounds of an epic story. Plot twists abound and never do they feel contrived. And when the mystery of our intrepid Richard Smith is finally revealed at the very last pages it feel so right and so natural and so damn fulfilling. ( )

Richard Smith arrives in New York from London in 1746 with a note of exchange for one thousand pounds. The local merchant writes to England to verify that the note is authentic. Smith will not reveal the nature of his venture, so he becomes a target for rumors. Is he wealthy? Is he a fraud? Is he a spy? While waiting for confirmation, Smith becomes a magnet for trouble.

There’s something here for everyone: a bit of tragedy, comedy, romance, drama, and lots of escapades. Our hero finds himself involved in exploits involving robbery, dueling, trysts, mob violence, slaves, performance art, political intrigue, social conventions, and the law. The essence of early New York, at the time a city of seven thousand souls, is vividly described.

It is written in the archaic English of the era. Dramatic tension is maintained by Smith’s secret reason for his journey, which the reader does not find out until late in the novel. Unfortunately, this device wears thin, and results in “information dumping.” It is not my personal preference for the way to pace a book. The mystery of Smith’s journey is delayed, and instead, there are many digressions, some of which are more compelling than others. I found it clever, but frustrating that the point of the book is weakened by its structure. ( )