Book description
A master of drinking, whoring, theft - and escape!
While Jack Sheppard seems marked from birth for a terrible end, his
wit and charm might just be able to cheat fate. Fate, however, seems
eager to cheat him out of an honest living, when Jack begins visiting
the notorious Black Lion, drinking den of the worst criminals in
London. Soon he is one of the most famous scoundrels in the city - not
for his crimes, but for the wonderful fact that not one of the King's
fine prisons can hold him.
But Jack's luck will have to run out eventually...
William Harrison Ainsworth (4 February 1805 - 3 January 1882) was an
English historical novelist born in Manchester. He trained as a lawyer,
but the legal profession had no attraction for him. While completing his
legal studies in London he met the publisher John Ebers, at that time
manager of the King's Theatre, Haymarket. Bears introduced Ainsworth to
literary and dramatic circles, and to his daughter, who became
Ainsworth's wife. Ainsworth briefly tried the publishing business, but
soon gave it up and devoted himself to journalism and literature. His
first success as a writer came with
Rookwood
in 1834, which features Dick Turpin as its leading character. A stream
of 39 novels followed, the last appearing in 1881. Ainsworth died in
Reigate on 3 January 1882
