Antonia Hodgson – författare

The Sunday Times bestseller from an electrifying new voice in epic fantasy - a masterfully woven tale of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar's quest to uncover the truth.'IT'S THRILLING, ROMANTIC, OFTEN TRAGIC, AND ALWAYS FUNNY' ALIX E. HARROW'A MASTERCLASS IN CRAFT AND TENSION' V.L. BOVALINO 'FIENDISHLY CHARMING AND CLEVER' TASHA SURIWin the throne or destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.After twenty-four years, the Emperor of Orrun's reign is at an end. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven exceptional warriors, trained at rival monasteries, will compete to replace him.Then one of them is murdered.It falls to the brilliant but idiosyncratic scholar Neema Kraa to investigate. But as she hunts for a killer, darker forces are gathering . . .PRAISE FOR THE RAVEN SCHOLAR'The Raven Scholar is an intricately plotted historical mystery steeped in gothic charm and intellectual intrigue' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Truly one of the best epic fantasy books I've read in a long time' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I have NEVER rooted a romance more' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book is simply "Magnificent"' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Mature and sensible, but still idealistic, emotional, passion-driven [characters]' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She might win the throne. She might destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.After twenty-four years on the throne, it is time for Bersun the Brusque, emperor of Orrun, to bring his reign to an end. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders will compete to replace him.Trained at rival monasteries, each contender is inspired by a sacred animal - Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Hound. An eighth - the Dragon proxy - will be revealed only once the trials have begun. Eight exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists - the best of the best.Then one of them is murdered.It falls to the brilliant but idiosyncratic Neema Kraa to investigate. But as she hunts for a killer, darker forces are gathering.If Neema succeeds, she could win the throne - whether she wants it or not. But if she fails, she will sentence herself to death - and set in motion a sequence of events that could doom the empire . . .

The Sunday Times bestseller from an electrifying new voice in epic fantasy - a masterfully woven tale of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar's quest to uncover the truth.'IT'S THRILLING, ROMANTIC, OFTEN TRAGIC, AND ALWAYS FUNNY' ALIX E. HARROW'SIMPLY GLORIOUS!' GEORGIA SUMMERS'FIENDISHLY CHARMING AND CLEVER' TASHA SURIShe might win the throne. She might destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.After twenty-four years on the throne, it is time for Bersun the Brusque, emperor of Orrun, to bring his reign to an end. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders will compete to replace him.Trained at rival monasteries, each contender is inspired by a sacred animal - Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Hound. An eighth - the Dragon proxy - will be revealed only once the trials have begun. Eight exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists - the best of the best.Then one of them is murdered.It falls to the brilliant but idiosyncratic Neema Kraa to investigate. But as she hunts for a killer, darker forces are gathering.If Neema succeeds, she could win the throne - whether she wants it or not. But if she fails, she will sentence herself to death - and set in motion a sequence of events that could doom the empire . . .PRAISE FOR THE RAVEN SCHOLAR'The Raven Scholar is an intricately plotted historical mystery steeped in gothic charm and intellectual intrigue' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'It [The Raven Scholar] is truly one of the best epic fantasy books I've read in a long time' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I have NEVER rooted a romance more' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book is simply "Magnificent"' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Mature and sensible, but still idealistic, emotional, passion-driven [characters]' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.

London, 1728. A young, well-dressed man is driven through streets of jeering onlookers to the gallows at Tyburn. They call him a murderer. But Tom Hawkins is innocent and somehow he has to prove it, before the rope squeezes the life out of him.It is, of course, all his own fault. He was happy settling down with Kitty Sparks. He should never have told the most dangerous criminal in London that he was bored and looking for adventure. He should never have offered to help, the king's mistress. And most of all, he should never have trusted the witty, calculating Queen Caroline. She has promised him a royal pardon if he holds his tongue but then again, there is nothing more silent than a hanged man.Based loosely on actual events, Antonia Hodgson's new novel is both a sequel to The Devil in the Marshalsea and a standalone historical mystery. From the gilded cage of the Court to the wicked freedoms of the slums, it reveals a world both seductive and deadly. And it continues the rake's progress of Tom Hawkins - assuming he can find a way to survive the noose...

'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'You will burn.'Late spring, 1728. Fresh from his escape from the gallows, Thomas Hawkins has arrived in Yorkshire with his ward, Sam Fleet. But death still has a hand upon his shoulder, even in such idyllic surroundings.John Aislabie, Tom's reluctant host, is being tormented by anonymous letters threatening murder. A disgraced politician, Aislabie certainly has plenty of enemies. But, trapped in a house haunted by old tragedies, Tom begins to suspect that the danger lies much closer to home. Someone is playing a subtle and deadly game of revenge, years in the planning. And now Tom is standing in their way...

SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA GOLD CROWN'A triumph . . . leaves the reader hungry for more' Andrew TaylorAutumn, 1728. Life is good for Thomas Hawkins and Kitty Sparks in their home above the Cocked Pistol, Kitty's wickedly disreputable bookshop. But when Tom is attacked by a street gang, he discovers there's a price on his head. Who wants him dead - and why? For Tom and Kitty, the answer is only the beginning of the nightmare. Powerful, deeply immersive, The Silver Collar is both a celebration of love and friendship, and a terrifying exploration of evil.'One of the best crime series out there . . . a dark and addictive story of slavery and long-hidden secrets'i-News'The wonderful Thomas Hawkins crime novels . . . [Fans] are in for a treat - gripping' The Times'Beautifully written and packed with atmosphere, wit, and historical details. I didn't want it to end' Daily Mirror'Antonia Hodgson is right up in the first division of historical crime' Amanda Craig

A woman reports a crime to the police, with unexpected resultsThe grieving widow who finds that she's about to lose more than just her husband When a man attempts the perfect murder, it's not quite as easy as he thinksTwo men in prison play a deadly game of ScrabbleA young woman tries to trick an old man and gets more than she bargained forSometimes crimes are solved in ways you can't explain A murderer about to be hanged finds that's not the worst thing that can happenYou never know who's going to turn up at your door Original stories from Mark Billingham, Clare Mackintosh, James Oswald, Jane Casey, Angela Marsons, Harry Bingham, Antonia Hodgson and CL Taylor - specially written for Quick Reads.

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