Silver Collar

A triumph, a fine addition to a historical crime series that gets better with every book. Antonia Hodgson gives us dark melodrama with wit, and a driving narrative with impeccable research . . . it leaves the reader hungry for more - Andrew TaylorThe next rip-roaring thriller from Antonia Hodgson, featuring Thomas HawkinsAutumn, 1728. Life is good for Thomas Hawkins and Kitty Sparks. The Cocked Pistol, Kitty's wickedly disreputable bookshop, is a roaring success. Tom's celebrity as 'Half-Hanged Hawkins', the man who survived the gallows, is also proving useful. Their happiness proves short-lived. When Tom is set upon by a street gang, he discovers there's a price on his head. Who on earth could want him dead - and why? With the help of his ward, Sam Fleet, and Sam's underworld connections, Tom's investigation leads to a fine house in Jermyn Street, the elegant, enigmatic Lady Vanhook and an escaped slave by the name of Jeremiah Patience.But for Tom and Kitty, discovering the truth is only the beginning of the nightmare. A powerful, deeply immersive thriller, The Silver Collar is both a celebration of love and friendship, and a terrifying exploration of evil. 'Hodgson once again shows what a skilful writer of historical thrillers she is' The Sunday TimesPraise for Antonia Hodgson'In a tale that more than matches its predecessors for pace and atmosphere, Hawkins is forced into confrontation with a psychopathic killer . . . hugely enjoyable' - The Sunday Times'One of the most impressive practitioners of the historical crime genre' - Independent

Praise for The Silver Collar:, The Silver Collar is a triumph, a fine addition to a historical crime series that gets better with every book. Antonia Hodgson gives us dark melodrama with wit, and a driving narrative with impeccable research. It's a rare combination, and it leaves the reader hungry for more, Set at a blistering pace, The Silver Collar is a wholly entertaining thriller. Brimming with equal parts wit and evil, Antonia Hodgson's unforgettable characters leap into a dangerous adventure. I loved every tension-filled page, Written with flair, sly wit, and a meticulous eye for detail . . . The Silver Collar takes us into the dark heart of colonial slavery, making this one of the most topical books of the year . . . Thrilling, The inimitable Thomas Hawkins is back, and I am so glad he is. In Antonia Hodgson's tale of revenge, love, and the nature of evil, the reader is taken on a breath-taking journey into the darkest corners of Hogarthian London. At turns witty, savage, and deeply moving, this is a glorious book - I couldn't put it down

Antonia Hodgson's first novel, The Devil in the Marshalsea, won the 2014 CWA Historical Dagger and was shortlisted for the Theakston's Crime Novel of the Year.The Silver Collar is the fourth in her bestselling Thomas Hawkins series, all of which can be read as standalone thrillers. Her work has been selected for the Richard & Judy and Waterstones book clubs and has been translated into several languages.