title: Cheating the Hangman (The Parson Tobias Campion Series)
author: Judith Cutler
description: "Do not miss one word when reading this elegant, faultlessly edited, sometimes terrifying and hugely entertaining novel, which deserves high praise for a wonderful but unsparing picture of country life in the early 19th century." (<i>Historical Novels Review</i>)<br /><br />"Notwithstanding the horror of the events that unfold as the book progresses, Campion narrates his memoir with self-deprecating frankness and humour. He accompanies the reader through numerous enigmatic twists with the charm of an amiable companion, an experience that I enjoyed immensely." (<i>Dorothy Marshall-Gent, Promoting Crime Fiction Blog</i>)<br /><br />"Now with "Cheating The Hangman" she has once again demonstrated her impressive skills as a novelist and storyteller. An ideal selection for community library large print Mystery/Suspense collections, "Cheating The Hangman" will prove to be a highly entertaining addition for the personal reading lists of all enthusiastic mystery fans." (<i>Midwest Book Review</i>)
zlib_text: ****
  
  ![](Images/image00181.jpeg)
  
    
  
  _For Janice_
  
    
  
   _The baskets in chapter eight are for you._
  
   _And they’re filled with gratitude and love_
  
   _(instead of apples and chicken, though you can have those too)._
  
   **Chapter One**
  
  ![](Images/image00180.jpeg)
  
   _London, September, 1818_
  
  ETHAN JAGGER RAN like hell. Every swing of his arm pumped blood from the knife
  wound in his bicep and brought a fresh burn of agony. Still, he couldn’t stop.
  Stopping meant capture. Capture meant the hangman’s noose.
  
  He didn’t chance a look back. Though he couldn’t yet hear them, he knew the
  Bow Street Runners were closing in. Wounded as he was, Ethan wasn’t sure he
  could outpace them. St. Giles was still too bloody far away.
  
  He almost stopped cold. He couldn’t go to St. Giles. Despite his allies, and
  he had more than a few, everyone in the rookery would know Gin Jimmy was after
  him. And if they had to choose their loyalty, and they did, they’d award it to
  the man who could cause them the most ha