6 JUNE 1914, Page 26

Sarah Midget. By Lincoln Grey. (Methuen and Co. Sa.) —Though

there are several faults of construction in this novel, the author displays a great deal of ability and an obvious capability for careful and detailed work. The figure of Tremayne, the hero, is extremely clever, and the reader will be left with a living picture in his mind of a man of super- abundant energy, vitality, and strength of will. The end of the book is weak, especially the account of the adventures of the unfortunate Professor Turpiter, who, if it were possible to imagine that he went through his unnecessary ordeal, could hardly have survived for so long a space of time and at the end have been able to give his dying depositions. It was hardly worth while for the author to have sacrificed probabilities by keeping Turpiter in mortal peril for nine days in order that an account might be given of Sarah Miskins's trial for murder. As no other novels are attributed to "Lincoln Grey" on the title-page, this is probably a first publication. In that case, it must be pronounced to be full of promise. The author is perhaps a little deficient in humour, but he—or should we say she I—knows how to interest his readers, and has a real gift for the drawing of character.