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    The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins
    The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins
    The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins

    Written by Antonia Hodgson

    Narrated by John Lee

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMar 15, 2016
    ISBN9781494589127
    The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins
    Author

    Antonia Hodgson

    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 short-listed 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.

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    Reviews for The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins

    4/5

    47 ratings7 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This is a sequel to the author's The Devil in the Marshalsea. Having escaped many brushes with death in that infamous prison, after a few months he is deep in trouble again, in conflict with his neighbour Joseph Burden who is shortly after found brutally murdered in his bed. To prove his innocence, Hawkins must weave a nerve wracking and tortuous journey through all reaches of early 18th century London from the royal court to the slums and criminal dens of the St Giles rookeries, ruled over by James Fleet. Parts of the plot are based on the real life doings of Henrietta Howard, discarded mistress of the new King, George II, and the conflict with her psychopathically violent husband Henry Howard. I'm still not entirely sure whether I warm to Thomas Hawkins or find him wholly believable, though I do like his partner Kitty Sparkes and Betsy, the black serving maid in the Cocked Pistol inn. It's a colourful narrative, with many twists and turns before the final exposure of Burden's murderer after Hawkins is inevitably saved from the Tyburn tree at the last moment.
    • 4/5
      Excellent story. Very interesting characters and the story really gave me the feel of what life might have been like in the 1700's in England. Yes on the book, "no thanks" on living in the 1700's.
    • 4/5
      Following the events portrayed in The Devil in the Marshalsea, Tom Hawkins and his love Kitty have settled down in Russell Street, running a print shop for lewd material. But all this domesticity doesn't agree with Tom, and he longs for more excitement. He should be familiar with the old saying 'Be careful what you wish for' as very soon he's obliged to work for Queen Caroline and is also accused of murdering his neighbour in a frenzied attack. Is there any hope he'll be able to keep his head out of the noose?This is a very well-done piece of historical crime fiction with lots of authentic detail. Based partially on historic fact, Antonia Hodgson weaves a compelling tale of domestic violence, court intrigue and murder, and through a clever stylistic device it is not entirely clear whether Thomas Hawkins will live to tell his tale. She offers up several credible alternatives as to who committed the murder, cleverly disguising the clues until all is revealed near the very end of the book. Yet still I'm finding it somehow difficult to warm to the central character, while it's a lot easier to like the tempestuous Kitty and even Sam, whom Tom and Kitty have taken in and are trying to educate to turn him away from a life of crime.The ending hints at a third volume in the series, which is already in the pipeline, I believe.
    • 4/5
      This book was an impulse grab from my library, felt like something I might be in the mood to read. Saw this was the second in series, hadn't read the first but I ended up really enjoying this story. We first see Thomas on a prison cart on his way to Tyburn Hill to be hanged. Convicted of murdering his neighbor, a bully of a man, he adamantly proclaims his innocence.The atmosphere, so true to this time period, rogues, thieves and prostitutes abound, Fleet Street, St. Giles, Seven Dials. A woman gladiator of sorts, so many varied characters but it is Thomas, his woman Kitty, who is a force onto herself, and a young boy Sam who are our main and very interesting characters. Thomas also manages to get himself involved with Queen Caroline, given a mission by her and also the kings mistress, who has little or no power but does have a despicable husband. Rousing good fun, non stop action, characters you can't help but root for and a good mystery to boot. Defoe is mentioned and indeed I can see a comparison to his Moll Flanders, but amazingly this author is a woman. Her lengthy afterward provides the reader with the knowledge that much of this book, follows fact. Not the mystery of course but the tone, the street, the historical details and such.A stunning impulse grab.
    • 5/5
      THE LAST CONFESSION OF THOMAS HAWKINS by Antonia HodgsonAfter a thrilling start The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins takes a while before the reader truly cares about Tom, his “trull” Kitty and the other characters in the novel. But, once apprehension for Tom’s life and liberty sets in, the thrill ride begins and doesn’t stop. Hodgson’s characters are engaging and fully formed. The setting and history (London, in the early 1700’s) is well researched and clearly told. The mystery is exciting with many red herrings and plot twists. The picture presented of Queen Caroline is delightful -- and convincingly nefarious.Readers of both historical fiction and mysteries will be captivated with this book. Although this is a second outing for Tom Hawkins and several other characters from The Devil in the Marshalsea are present, the necessary information from the first is presented logically and without undue repetition.5 of 5 stars
    • 3/5
      Entertaining, good characters, locked room mystery (sort of), gruesome 18th century nastiness. Hawkins is on his way to be hanged and tells the story of how it happened. All the time he thinks the queen will pardon him. Reviewed for Booklist.
    • 5/5
      What a brilliant read. Having read and loved The Devil in the Marshalsea I was really looking forward to The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins, but I wondered if it could live up to the brilliance of the first book. It did. In The Last Confession.... Tom Hawkins is living with Kitty Sparks and making a living translating for the Cocked Pistol bookshop, but he's getting bored and needs more adventure. But when Tom wants adventure he ends up in all kinds of trouble. Can he come up smelling of roses again?I love Antonia Hodgson's writing. It's so atmospheric and interesting, keeping me turning the pages as fast I can to find out what happens at the end. I hope this is not the last we hear of Thomas Hawkins. Telling his story in the first person makes it such a fast-paced read as we romp along with him as he gets into scrape after scrape. The supporting characters are fascinating too and as with the first book, you can almost feel that you are living in 18th century London. I loved this book!