Review by Jamie Stanley
If you are a fan of the heist novel as I am, The Great Train Robbery should be on your must-read list. Michael Crichton obviously did his historical research and incorporates an impressive amount of period era detail into this book. Set in the mid-nineteenth century, The Great Train Robbery is based on an actual event; the successful theft of 200 pounds of gold bullion and coins in 1855 from a train in Britain owned by the South Eastern Railway.
The plotting is tight, the pacing is steady and the tension builds as the enigmatic Mr. Pierce plans what he hopes will be the perfect robbery. The biggest hurdle to enjoying this book, for those with little taste for it, is the generous use of street slang spoken by Mr. Pierce’s protégé Mr. Agar. I thought the colorful language embellished the book wonderfully but be prepared for some initial head scratching. Highly recommended for older teens to adults.
