The Adventures of Tommy Smith

Alana Trumpy is a graduate student in English at the University of
Toronto.

The Adventures of Tommy Smith follows the conventions of the underdog
and the never-cry-wolf motifs. The young hero is an orphan who has
gotten by in society by living off his wits and the occasional lie. This
modus vivendi serves him well until he witnesses the death of a
well-respected lawyer and knows that what he knows of the death will not
be trusted. Tommy runs away, hiding aboard the S.S. Asia. After the ship
is swamped by a storm, he begins life again under a newly assumed
identity.

Can one’s unfortunate past remain hidden there or does it inevitably
catch up with you? That is the central question permeating The
Adventures of Tommy Smith. What the book lacks in originality and
character development, it makes up for in suspense and interesting
tidbits about ship and circus life in the 1900s. This is one historical
novel that is a treat—not a chore—to read. Recommended.