Jonathan Wild is an ambitious man. Born into a somewhat disreputable family and apprenticed at an early age, he flees the domestic trappings of the everyday life that was intended for him and, driven by his intellect and ambition, he becomes, in the early 18th century, London’s Thief-Taker General. This is a position of some prominence and importance – in the absence of any organised police force he is charged with the capture and arrest of criminals for reward, but he is a man of the night, and plays both sides of the law with considerable skill and gain. And in the process, he gathers as many enemies as he does admirers.

The author, Daniel Defoe, most famous for his work Robinson Crusoe, is in considerable financial trouble. He had unwisely invested in a load of tobacco in anticipation of a drought that never came, and the possibility of disgrace and debtor’s prison is looming. He is distressed and distracted, fearing for himself and his beloved family, and simply cannot focus to write, his primary source of income. Looking for a topic that may interest the public, he visits the infamous Newgate Prison with the intention of recording some of the inmate’s sad tales, and meets a prisoner named Jack Sheppard, who is only too pleased to tell him tales of his nemesis, Jonathan Wild.

Based on the true characters of the time, this is a larger-than-life novel, engaging in parts, very witty in others, but not an easy read. Wild is the most interesting character, playing both sides of the law with a skill and aplomb.

Although I found the narrative a little uneven at times, the author has obvious skills. This is a clever, although not always the most pleasant, story.

Reviewed by Lesley West