Name: The Silver Collar
ISBN: 9781473615137

Antonia Hodgson

The next rip-roaring thriller from Antonia Hodgson, featuring Thomas Hawkins - more information coming soon! Praise 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

The Silver Collar

Anika | @chaptersofmay

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher!

Thomas Hawkins and Kitty Sparks are back in Hodgson’s fourth book of the series, and this time mystery surrounds the cunning and secretive Lady Vanhook. I was hooked on this book from start to finish. Every time I put it down, I just wanted to pick it up again. To me, that’s always a sign of a good book. 

Despite being is the fourth in the Tom Hawkins series, you don’t feel lost without reading the previous three stories. I really appreciate that although the book is part of an ongoing chain of tales, it doesn’t depend on prequels to feel entertaining. While reading The Silver Collar, I never felt like I was missing a major piece of the narrative without the other books. If anything, this book made me want to go back and check out the rest of the series!

The characters are a huge win for this book. From the very first page, I adored Kitty and Tom as individuals but also as a couple. Kitty is a quick-witted and courageous modern woman, and Tom is a charming and ingenious gentleman. I also really like the addition of Jeremiah, an escaped slave from the West Indies. However, my favourite character is undoubtedly Sam Fleet. He acts as Tom’s ward, and is fiercely dedicated to his role. I found him the most intriguing, and his family the most interesting. 

The twists and turns in the book keeps the plot moving at an engaging pace, which is essential for a thriller. Each chapter flowed really well, and the reader gets to know the characters while being totally engrossed in each section’s events. The author also brilliantly emulates the atmosphere of early-Georgian London. From the way the characters speak, to their clothing, to the mode of transport – this aspect felt very realistic.

I didn’t expect the book to be as emotional as it was, but it really touches the heart. The perception of love and family is explored in the book, and it really adds a refreshing fold to the overall suspense of the story. It also covers enslavement and captivity, as well as the role of women in the 1720s. And this layered approach to historical fiction is what made the book so captivating to read. 

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Manon van Heumen

The Silver Collar is the fourth book in the series, but despite that fact, this can definitely be read as a standalone. I was able to follow the plotline easily, and the little hints that were dropped from previous books made me even a little curious! I absolutely enjoyed this installment, and I am looking forward to reading the previous and next books.