Synopses & Reviews
“Agatha Christie meets Patrick OBrian in Finchs accomplished fifth whodunit set in Victorian England (after 2010s A Stranger in Mayfair), the best in the series to date.”
—Starred Review, Publishers Weekly 9/12/2011
Charles Lenox, Member of Parliament, sets sail on a clandestine mission for the government. When an officer is savagely murdered, however, Lenox is drawn toward his old profession, determined to capture another killer.
1873 is a perilous time in the relationship between France and England. When a string of English spies is found dead on French soil, the threat of all-out war prompts government officials to ask Charles Lenox to visit the newly-dug Suez Canal on a secret mission.
Once he is on board the Lucy, however, Lenox finds himself using not his new skills of diplomacy but his old ones: the ships second lieutenant is found dead on the voyages first night, his body cruelly abused. The ships captain begs the temporarily retired detective to join in the hunt for a criminal. Lenox finds the trail, but in the claustrophobic atmosphere on board, where nobody can come or go and everyone is a suspect, he has to race against the next crime—and also hope he wont be the victim.
At once a compulsive murder mystery, a spy story, and an intimate and joyful journey with the Victorian navy, this book shows that no matter how far Lenox strays from his old life, it will always come back to find him.
Review
"A rousing nautical adventure ... Finchs descriptions of life at sea are so fascinating its a shame Lenox must bring this case to an end." -- The New York Times "Agatha Christie meets Patrick OBrian in Finchs accomplished fifth whodunit set in Victorian England ... the best in the series to date."-- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "An agreeable spin on the classic locked-room mystery yarn; its Murder on the Orient Express as reimagined by Patrick OBrian."-- Daniel Stashower, AARP "The murder mystery that Finch weaves keeps readers guessing...an intriguing read on several levels."-- The Seattle Times
Review
"A rousing nautical adventure ... Finchs descriptions of life at sea are so fascinating its a shame Lenox must bring this case to an end." -- The New York Times "Agatha Christie meets Patrick OBrian in Finchs accomplished fifth whodunit set in Victorian England ... the best in the series to date."-- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "An agreeable spin on the classic locked-room mystery yarn; its Murder on the Orient Express as reimagined by Patrick OBrian."-- Daniel Stashower, AARP "The murder mystery that Finch weaves keeps readers guessing...an intriguing read on several levels."-- The Seattle Times
Synopsis
Charles Lenox, Member of Parliament, sets sail on a clandestine mission for the government. When an officer is savagely murdered, however, Lenox is drawn toward his old profession, determined to capture another killer.
1873 is a perilous time in the relationship between France and England. When a string of English spies is found dead on French soil, the threat of all-out war prompts government officials to ask Charles Lenox to visit the newly-dug Suez Canal on a secret mission.
Once he is on board the Lucy, however, Lenox finds himself using not his new skills of diplomacy but his old ones: the ships second lieutenant is found dead on the voyages first night, his body cruelly abused. The ships captain begs the temporarily retired detective to join in the hunt for a criminal. Lenox finds the trail, but in the claustrophobic atmosphere on board, where nobody can come or go and everyone is a suspect, he has to race against the next crime—and also hope he wont be the victim.
At once a compulsive murder mystery, a spy story, and an intimate and joyful journey with the Victorian navy, this book shows that no matter how far Lenox strays from his old life, it will always come back to find him.
Synopsis
In a new Georgian-era mystery by a "truly spellbinding" (
Guardian) author, Antonia Hodgson, Tom Hawkins prays for a royal pardon as he relives the espionage, underground dealings, and murder accusations that sent him to the gallows.
Synopsis
London, 1728. Tom Hawkins is headed to the gallows, accused of murder. Gentlemen don’t hang and Tom’s damned if he’ll be the first. He may not be much of a gentleman, but he is innocent. He just always finds his way into a spot of bad luck.
It’s hard to say when Tom’s troubles began. He was happily living in sin with his beloved, Kitty Sparks—though their neighbors were certainly less pleased about that. He probably shouldn't have told London’s most cunning criminal mastermind that he was 'bored and looking for adventure.' Nor should he have offered to help the king's mistress in her desperate struggles with a brutal and vindictive husband. And he definitely shouldn't have trusted the calculating Queen Caroline. She’s promised him a royal pardon if he holds his tongue, but then again, there is nothing more silent than a hanged man.
Now Tom must scramble to save his life and protect those he loves. But as the noose tightens, his time is running out.
About the Author
ANTONIA HODGSON is the editor-in-chief at Little, Brown UK. Her first novel, The Devil in the Marshalsea, won the CWA Historical Dagger Award in 2014. It was also shortlisted for the CWA First Book Award and was named one of the top ten mystery thrillers of 2014 by Publishers Weekly. Antonia lives in London.