The Traitors' Gate

John Huffam is sure the tall man's beard is false. He's sure of little else in November 1849, the year he is fourteen, the year his father is sentenced to London's Whitecross Street Prison.
Maybe the man following John -- who claims to be one Inspector Copperfield -- can explain why. Surely, Pa isn't prepared to reveal the truth, any more than the jovial bailiff, Mr. Tuckum, who knows something, but remains mum. Or the little Frenchman, Mr. Farquatt, who courts John's sister but seems most keen on Pa's work at the Naval Ordinance Office. Or Mr. O'Doul, the Irishman who insists Pa owes him the unimaginable sum of three hundred pounds.
Or what of the one-legged, single-mindedly fierce Sergeant Muldspoon, John's teacher? What about the boy's show more great-great-aunt, Lady Euphemia Huffam, who could pay the debt but won't for reasons of her own? What about the secretive Mr. Snugsbe of All Hallows Church, who hides himself away in the City's most voluminous coat?
Then there's Chief Inspector Ratchet of Scotland Yard, who is after somebody for some crime or other. True, John has a new friend and ally in Sary the Sneak...but what has even she got up her sleeve?
What John learns on his own is that there's a traitor on the loose, somewhere. And he must uncover the villain -- no matter who it might be. show less

The Traitors' Gate is an historical fiction mystery that brings Dickensian London to life in a plot with as many twists and turns as the mean streets of the Rookery of St. Giles, a downtrodden neighborhood where fourteen-year-old John Huffam takes refuge with Sary the Sneak. Scotland Yard, the Tower of London, London's famous fog, debtors' prison, shabby butlers, spies, sneaks and traitors - they're all here in this richly developed story.

The mysterious Mr. O'Doul has filed a writ against John's father which threatens to send him to the notorious debtor's prison at Whitehall. But who is this Mr. O'Doul? And why is Scotland Yard investigating? Why is John being followed? Will Great Aunt Lady Euphemia Huffman assist the family in its dire show more circumstances? Young John Huffman has more questions than answers and the plot thickens every day,

"I had often - surely by my mother - been accused of having far too much fancy for my own good. But at that moment I was quite convinced that no one was telling me the truth!"

John must untangle the web of lies, deceit, and subterfuge on his own in this compelling mystery.

Avi, a fan of Charles Dickens, pays him homage in this thoughtful mystery set in the underbelly of London society in the late 1840s. show less

Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com

THE TRAITORS' GATE is everything you'd expect from an Avi novel--a well-realized historical adventure, plenty of suspense, and lots of surprises along the way. Whether you're intrigued by Victorian England, you like a good mystery, or you're just looking for a book that will keep you guessing right until the final chapter, you'll find something to enjoy here.

It is the mystery of THE TRAITORS' GATE that will keep readers turning the pages. If 14-year-old John Huffam wants to save his family from destitution, he must find a scheming traitor, who engineered his father's arrest in order to force Mr. Huffam to sell the military secrets he has memorized. Unfortunately for John, he has more suspects show more than he can count, and every piece of information he learns raises as many questions as answers. Even with the help of a Scotland Yard inspector and a scruffy street girl who knows all the secrets of London, the task seems close to impossible. Yet John pushes on, through multiple twists and turns, to an ending that is satisfying yet unpredictable.

Underneath the mystery, however, there is a lot more to the story. At heart, it is a tale of lost innocence and growing up. John must come to terms with the fact that many of the adults in his life, including his father, are deeply flawed. It is up to him to choose: allow himself to sink to the levels of his role models, or do his best to hold himself above them and be the best person he can be, despite his circumstances. He must also decide who to turn away from, and, more importantly, who to forgive. For nothing in THE TRAITORS' GATE is completely black and white. Every character has virtues as well as vices, and most are simply doing what they think is best for them, with believable (if not always sympathetic) motives. This depth with stick with readers long after they've discovered the answer to the mystery.

Making the story even more engaging is the vivid depiction of Victorian London. Descriptions are full of detail and life. Readers will feel as though they've taken a trip there rather than just reading about it. Avi reveals the full range of London experiences, from the lush homes of the rich to the squalid rooms of the very poor, and everything in between. Though some of the laws and customs of this period will be unfamiliar to readers, explanations are easily worked into the story as John learns things about his society even he didn't realize.

If you have a chance to pick this one up, don't hesitate. THE TRAITORS' GATE will stir the mind and the heart equally, and entertain readers along the way. show less

In 1849, fourteen year-old John Huffam has his entire world turned upside down when the family’s servant, Brigit, comes to get him from school because of a family emergency. Two men are taking all of the family’s possessions and putting them in a wagon. His father, Wesley John Louis Huffman, has bankrupted the family with gambling debts amounting to 300 pounds. Mr. Huffman has three days to pay the debt or go to debtor’s prison. Their property has been seized as security. Within a short time after this horrendous experience, John begins to doubt the people who are closest to him. His father, who thinks of himself as an actor on the world’s stage, may have committed treason by selling a national secret. He can’t or won’t show more acknowledge that he is in serious trouble. The family’s trusted servant seems to be related to the very person who brought the debt to court in the first place. John’s schoolmaster, Sergeant Muldspoon, is somehow caught up in the whole confusing affair. And, John’s sister’s suitor seems to have an ulterior motive for asking for her hand in marriage. Even John’s new friend and ally, Sary the Sneak, may be using their friendship for her own ends. Who can John trust and how will he find the truth?
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com show less

Young John Huffam's family has fallen on hard times. His father owes
300 pounds and is thrown into debtor's prison. John wants to help his Pa but isn't sure how. He's being followed by interesting characters: a man claiming to be Inspector Copperfield, and Sari, a homeless girl who works as a "sneak" for hire. He also hopes that his great-aunt will help the family financially. But it turns out there is a greater mystery; several people are interested in what his father has invented, a technique to make rifles fire greater distances, and those people are willing to commit treason for it. John needs to figure out who's after the plans and how to keep them from it.

Another excellent middle school book from Avi, this time set in 1849 London. John Huffam's father is in trouble. He owes 300 pounds he can't pay back and is suspected of treason. He's in debtor's prison. John is the family's sole hope for relief. Can he solve the mystery? Can he free his father? Who can he trust?

Great period detail. The descriptions of the sponging house and debtor's prison are outstanding. The twists and turns of the plot confused me until the very end. Wonderful minor characters. The book is inspired by Charles Dicken's work and the parallels are easily spotted.

Interior black and white illustrations, 354 pages.

Dickensian in inspiration, location and characterization (among others), this book showed me again why Avi is one of our best writers for JUV and YA. I must admit, however, that as much as I enjoyed these adventures (set in Victorian London), that maybe the target audience would not be as appreciative. But it could just be me. A very good and atmospheric read.