The Devil in the Marshalsea: Thomas Hawkins Book 1 - Hardcover

Hodgson, Antonia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1444775413 ISBN 13: 9781444775419

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton, 2014

Synopsis

WINNER OF THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER AWARD 2014. Longlisted for the John Creasey Dagger Award for best debut crime novel of 2014. London, 1727 - and Tom Hawkins is about to fall from his heaven of card games, brothels and coffee-houses into the hell of a debtors' prison. The Marshalsea is a savage world of its own, with simple rules: those with family or friends who can lend them a little money may survive in relative comfort. Those with none will starve in squalor and disease. And those who try to escape will suffer a gruesome fate at the hands of the gaol's rutheless governor and his cronies. The trouble is, Tom Hawkins has never been good at following rules - even simple ones. And the recent grisly murder of a debtor, Captain Roberts, has brought further terror to the gaol. While the Captain's beautiful widow cries for justice, the finger of suspicion points only one way: to the sly, enigmatic figure of Samuel Fleet. Some call Fleet a devil, a man to avoid at all costs. But Tom Hawkins is sharing his cell. Soon, Tom's choice is clear: get to the truth of the murder - or be the next to die. A twisting mystery, a dazzling evocation of early 18th Century London, THE DEVIL IN THE MARSHALSEA is a thrilling debut novel full of intrigue and suspense.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

“A riveting, fast-paced story . . . Magnificent.” — Jeffery Deaver

London, 1727. Tom Hawkins refuses to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a country parson. His preference is for wine, women, and cards. But there’s honor there too, and Tom won’t pull family strings to get himself out of debt—not even when faced with London’s notorious debtors’ prison.

The Marshalsea Gaol is a world of its own, with simple rules: those with family or friends who can lend them a little money may survive in relative comfort. Those with none will starve in squalor and disease. And those who try to escape will suffer a gruesome fate at the hands of its rutheless governor and his cronies. The trouble is, Tom has never been good at following rules, even simple ones. And the recent grisly murder of a debtor, Captain Roberts, has brought further terror to the gaol. While the captain’s beautiful widow cries for justice, the finger of suspicion points only one way: to the sly, enigmatic figure of Samuel Fleet.

Some call Fleet a devil, a man to avoid at all costs. But Tom Hawkins is sharing his cell. Soon Tom's choice is clear: get to the truth of the murder—or be the next to die.

A dazzling evocation of a startlingly modern era, The Devil in the Marshalsea is a thrilling debut novel full of intrigue and suspense.
“A wonderfully convincing picture of the seamier side of eighteenth-century life. Antonia Hodgson has a real feel for how people thought and spoke at the time—and, God knows, that’s a rare talent.” — Andrew Taylor, author of An Unpardonable Crime

Antonia Hodgson is the editor in chief of Little, Brown UK. She lives in London. The Devil in the Marshalsea is her first novel.

 

About the Author:

Antonia Hodgson was born and grew up in Derby and studied English at the University of Leeds. THE DEVIL IN THE MARSHALSEA is her first novel. She lives in London.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1444775413
• ISBN 13: 9781444775419
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 384