This audacious allegory transforms the old rule about judging a book by its cover into entertainment of the highest order A wind sprang high in the west, like a wave of unreasonable happiness, and tore eastward across England, trailing with it the frosty scent of forests and the cold intoxication of the sea. Seeking shelter from a storm of biblical proportions, a mysterious new tenant by the name of Innocent Smith arrives on the doorsteps of Beacon House. Eccentric, spry, and eager to make new friends, Innocent turns the culture of this ho-hum London boarding establishment upside down. But the fun and games come to an abrupt end when word arrives that the new lodger is wanted on charges of burglary, polygamy, desertion of a spouse, and murder. Only a jury of his peers can determine if Innocent is as guilty as he appears. Written in upbeat and lighthearted prose, this charming novel of life, salvation, and the human predicament captures G. K. Chesterton at his finest.
