With Dudley Richardson’s death in 1985, the eighth edition of his Guide is edited by Jennifer James. The aim of this edition remains what it was for the first, namely, to provide an introductory guide to negotiable instruments. As with previous editions, the latest edition succeeds in providing a clear and concise introduction to the subject.

Some changes have been made to the structure of the text. The Guide continues to provide a section-by-section analysis of the Bills of Exchange Act 1882 and the Cheques Act 1957. As with previous editions, the general pattern is to consider each section in numerical order. However, when it assists her exposition, Ms James breaks the sequence and groups together related sections. Together with extensive cross-referencing, this ensures that no section is viewed in isolation.

Perhaps the most significant structural change is that cheques have been hived off into a discrete part of the text. Cheques are a special kind of bill of exchange and, even in an introductory work, demand special mention. Ms James has done this by providing a chapter