Review of The story of a bad boy,

A bit like a less sophisticated, New England-version of Tom Sawyer, this autobiographical novel has fallen into relative obscurity. It concerns a mischievous boy who is sent to live with his grandfather in a quirky sea-side town, where he proceeds to get into a number of misadventures with friends and cohorts. There are some splendid supporting characters: Sailor Ben and his nautically-flavored cottage, the spinster Miss Abigail with her addiction to "hot drops", and the main character's nemesis, the dastardly red-head Conway. It's a fast and easy read, and quite entertaining.