A Death at Fountains Abbey

Acknowledgements

Thanks to my agent Clare Conville for her constant support and for being such an inspiring woman. To my amazing editor Nick Sayers for his encouragement and – once again – for some exceptionally good editorial notes. (And the inevitable request for more horses.) And to Kerry Hood at Hodder – look, I know you still hate a fuss, but thank you. Again.

To the whole team at Hodder – I take off my hat and execute a low, grateful bow. Particular thanks to Richard Peters and Alice Morley, to Lucy Hale for her dedication and enthusiasm, and to Cicely Aspinall for all her speedy and generous help. And to Charlotte Webb for a thoughtful and thorough copy-edit.

Much thanks to everyone at Conville & Walsh, especially Jake Smith-Bosanquet, Matt Marland, and Alexandra McNicoll.

Thanks to Sarah Sykes, Miranda Carter, Imogen Robertson, and Robyn Young. You fine, fine women, you. And to Maria Campbell for her kind support. Much love and thanks to David Shelley, Chris Gardner, Mark Billingham, Rowena Webb, Ian Lindsay-Hickman, Val Hudson, Lance Fitzgerald, PJ Mark, Gordon Wise, and Michael McCoy. And to my brilliant friends at Little, Brown, especially Cath Burke, Ursula Doyle, Clare Smith, Hannah Boursnell, Adam Strange, Richard Beswick, and Sean Garrehy.

Finally to my sisters in friendship: Justine Willett, Victoria Burns, and Joanna Krupa. And to Kay, Michelle, and Debbie, my sisters in blood, who are therefore stuck with me, the poor devils.

About the Author

Antonia Hodgson was born and grew up in Derby and studied English at the University of Leeds. Her debut novel, The Devil in the Marshalsea, won the CWA Historical Dagger in 2014 and was shortlisted for the John Creasey First Novel award. In the US, Publishers Weekly named it one of the top 10 Mystery/Thriller titles of the year.

She was first introduced to the early Georgians while taking ‘A’ level History. Unfortunately the course focused almost exclusively on George II’s ministerial reshuffles, a subject even George II found staggeringly dull. It was only later, on discovering Hogarth, The Beggar’s Opera and Moll Flanders, that she became fascinated by an often-neglected period of British history. Her favourite quote about London in the 1720s comes from a disapproving Swiss traveller, who complained that ‘debauch runs wild with an unblushing countenance’.

Antonia lives in London, where she works as an editor.