"Francis Spufford has one of the most original minds in contemporary literature." --Nick Hornby

"One is drawn ineluctably into the world of colonial New York from the first sentence of Golden Hill. Wonderfully written and entertaining." --Kevin Baker

"Francis Spufford's fiction début is a fast-paced romp, but it keeps its eyes on the moral conundrums of America...[He is] an author capable of making any topic, however unlikely, at once fascinating and amusing. Golden Hill is both." --The New Yorker

"A virtuoso literary performance." --Booklist, starred review

"A successful homage to the great master of the picaresque novel, Henry Fielding." --Library Journal, starred review

"Addictively readable." --Mark Haddon

"Francis Spufford has long been one of my favourite writers of non-fiction; he is now becoming a favourite writer of fiction as well. Golden Hill is a meticulously crafted and brilliantly written novel that is both an affectionate homage to the 18th century novel and a taut and thoughtful tale." --Iain Pears

"Marvelous. A vivid re-creation of colonial New York, in which the adventures of Mr. Smith, who may be a charlatan or a hero, make for a page turner, with an unexpected and unusually satisfying ending." --C. J. Sansom

"Sparkling...A first-rate entertainment with a rich historical feel and some delightful twists." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"The intoxicating effect of Golden Hill is much more than an experiment in form. [Spufford] has created a complete world, employing his archivist skills to the great advantage of his novel ... This is a book born of patience, of knowledge accrued and distilled over decades, a style honed by practice. There are single scenes here more illuminating, more lovingly wrought, than entire books." --Financial Times (UK)

"Like a newly discovered novel by Henry Fielding with extra material by Martin Scorsese. Why it works so well is largely down to Spufford's superb re-creation of New York ... His writing crackles with energy and glee, and when Smith's secret is finally revealed it is hugely satisfying on every level. For its payoff alone Golden Hill deserves a big shiny star." --The Times (UK)

"Paying tribute to writers such as Fielding, Francis Spufford's creation exudes a zesty, pin-sharp contemporaneity ... colonial New York takes palpable shape in his dazzlingly visual, pacy and cleverly plotted novel." --Daily Mail (UK)

"Golden Hill shows a level of showmanship and skill which seems more like a crowning achievement than a debut . [Spufford] brings his people and situations to life with glancing ease ... They all live and breathe with conviction ... His descriptive powers are amazing ... Spufford's extraordinary visual imagination and brilliant pacing seems to owe more to the movies than anything else." --Evening Standard (UK)

"The entire flavor, tone, and prose of the book make this an exceptional read whose pages practically flew by." --Historical Novel Society

"There's more life and variety in a single page of Francis Spufford's prose than there is in many full-length books." --Commonweal

"With Golden Hill, Spufford adds another genre to an already impressive résumé." --Christian Science Monitor

"Golden Hill is a novel of place, and its richness of description and 18th century expression beggars the imagination. It is an extraordinary re-creation." --The Buffalo News

"An immensely pleasurable novel by British author Francis Spufford that will charm New Yorkers acquainted with their city's history and anyone who loves a well-told story...Read it for Spufford's brilliant storytelling, pitch-perfect ear for dialogue and gift for re-creating a vanished time." --Mary Ann Gwinn, Newsday