Dodger by Terry Pratchett

This book was great! Starring the inimitable Dodger, presumably of Oliver Twist fame, this historical action/adventure/mystery/romance is set in Victorian London, and has everything to recommend it as an entertaining, informative, and exciting read. Dodger is a tosher - someone who makes a living roaming the sewers of London looking for money, jewelry, and anything else of value. He pops out of a manhole one stormy night just in time to rescue a young woman who is being brutally beaten by a pair of thugs. His acquaintance with the badly injured and mysterious Simplicity leads him on a great adventure during which he meets the likes of Charlie Dickens, Ben Disraeli, and Sweeney Todd, among other celebrities of the day. Sir Terry Pratchett works his distinctive literary magic to create a tale that keeps the reader on the edge of his or her seat, picking up a bit of interesting British history along the way.