For those who follow the exploits of A.J. Raffles & his amanuensis, the loyal Bunny Manders, this novel is a great addition to the Raffles oeuvre. Raffles finds his young friend, Teddy Garland, in awful financial straits. Through extricating Teddy, Raffles & the merciless Bunny find themselves matching wits with Dan Levy, a notorious loan shark. This incident proves to be a catalyst to the series of thrilling events which pit Dan Levy, a smart foe, against our staunch anti-hero, Raffles. Though mired by the heavy-handed Victorian anti-semitism embodied in the characterization (one may even say caricature) of Levy, the book, if considered in the light of the prevalent contemporary culture, is an enjoyable ride through the flipside of Holmesian England. If you can stomach the equivalent treatment of Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice", then you are prepared for the rife prejudice of Hornung's portrayal of Dan Levy. This addition to the Raffles series also features a far more profound romantic side to Raffles than seen earlier in his dalliance with the young German lady in "The Gift of the Emperor." All in all, a suspenseful volume worthy of the legend of Raffles.