When this novel began, I thought I was reading another Jack the Ripper, serial killer, confession novel. I was amazingly wrong. This novel is filled with intrigue, horror, pity, love, friendship, betrayal... I could not put this book down. So in tune with the main character, Glyver/Glapthorn/Duport I became, that I felt myself warning him, hating him, loving him, triumphing and crying for him. Michael Cox so perfectly laid out this "confession" complete with footnotes, as if a 3rd party had read every last dark detail. It is truly a novel not to be missed.