The characters of The Traitors' Gate, by Avi, live in Charles Dickens' 19th century London. I love the detail Avi includes in his descriptions of the city -- the murky glow of the gas lamps, the awful smell of the river, and the horror of the poverty in which one of the characters, Sary, lives. One of the characters is even reading the serialized David Copperfield.
There is a mystery to solve, though, and 14-year-old John Huffam must figure out which of the many people in his life he can trust. John and his family are thrown out of their home when his father is put in debtors' prison. It seems that Mr. Huffam owes £300 (a huge sum in those days), and he may be shipped off to Australia if he cannot pay. John, by necessity, becomes an amateur detective and the plot takes off from there. I believe this book is historical fiction at its best because it offers a suspenseful plot, well-drawn characters, and great period detail.
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