Jack Sheppard: A Romance, Vol. 2 (of 3)

by William Harrison Ainsworth

"Jack Sheppard: A Romance, Vol. 2 (of 3)" by William Harrison Ainsworth is a historical novel serialized from 1839 to 1840. This Newgate novel dramatizes the life of real 18th-century criminal Jack Sheppard, caught in a deadly feud with notorious thief-catcher Jonathan Wild. Through three epochs spanning Jack's life, the story follows his descent into crime, ingenious prison escapes, and ultimate fate at the gallows, while exploring whether a corrupted soul can retain goodness even in the darkest circumstances.