A review from “The bookseller, Jan 26 1861”

“Mr. Wm. Kay, of Bank Street, has published a singular contribution to Criminal Literature, in the shape of Curiosities of Crime in Edinburgh,” during the past thirty years, by James McLevy, ex-detective. Mr. McLevy’a book, so far as the main facts of the cases are concerned, may, we believe, be depended on; indeed, we remember the occurrence of several of the cases chronicled, and notice that he gives the actual names of the parties concerned although most of them are of a petty and trifling character, many of them do great credit to Mr MoLevy’s acuteness; and as he has hean quoted by the Rev. Dr. Guthrie, at a Ragged School meeting, the book is likely to have a large sale. Indeed, as we write, we notice that a new edition has been called for. The style of the work is somewhat inflated, and he does the moral dodge” overmuch; and, judging from internal evidence, we should say that the materials must have passed through the hands of some literary friend.”