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The story of the "Italian boy" murder case was fodder for many of the lurid body-snatching tales that later emerged from the pens of Edgar Allen Poe, Mary Shelley, and Bram Stoker. This absorbing narrative evokes Fagin and Bill Sykes, the charred alleys, tottering hovels, droves of beggars, prostitutes, and low drinking dives of Oliver Twist or Bleak House. Snappy writing, excellent research, and vivid descriptions make this an extremely engrossing book.