The Audacious Crimes of Colonel Blood..., Robert  Hutchinson
The Audacious Crimes of Colonel Blood..., Robert  Hutchinson
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The Audacious Crimes of Colonel Blood
The Spy Who Stole the Crown Jewels and Became the King’s Secret Agent

Author: Robert Hutchinson

Narrator: Ralph Lister

Unabridged: 8 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/14/2016


Synopsis

The gripping story of one of the most enigmatic and alluring figures in British history: a dangerous double agent and Irish rogue in King Charles II’s courtOne morning in May 1671, a man disguised as a parson daringly attempted to seize the crown jewels from the Tower of London. Astonishingly, he managed to escape with the regalia and crown before being apprehended. And yet he was not executed for treason. Instead, the king granted him a generous income and he became a familiar strutting figure in the royal court’s glittering state apartments.This man was Colonel Thomas Blood, a notorious turncoat and fugitive from justice. Nicknamed the “Father of All Treasons,” he had been involved in an attempted coup d’etat in Ireland as well as countless plots to assassinate Charles II. In an age when gossip and intrigue ruled the coffee houses, the restored Stuart king decided Blood was more useful to him alive than dead. But while serving as his personal spy, Blood was conspiring with his enemies. At the same time he hired himself out as a freelance agent for those seeking to further their political ambition.In The Audacious Crimes of Colonel Blood, bestselling historian Robert Hutchinson paints a vivid portrait of a double agent bent on ambiguous political and personal motivation, and provides an extraordinary account of the perils and conspiracies that abounded in Restoration England.

About Robert Hutchinson

Robert Hutchinson is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, an associate tutor in church archaeology at the University of Sussex, and an expert in the archaeology of the Reformation. A keen historian and archaeologist, Hutchinson believes that Britain’s history provides stories of more drama and passion than could ever be made up for any television or film screenplay. He uses as many original documents as possible in researching his highly acclaimed books.

About Ralph Lister

Ralph Lister is an experienced actor and voice artist who trained at LAMDA. He spent fifteen years in mainstage theatre in London, Madrid, Hong Kong, and Edinburgh before moving to America, where he focuses on film, television, and audiobook narration.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Emmanuel on May 24, 2016

This is not a bad book, but I did not like or enjoy it much. Its promise to tell the life story of the audacious adventurer, and self-styled Colonel, Thomas Blood, remains somewhat unfulfilled. The "whizzing bullets and galloping hooves" promised by the back cover (of the paperback edition) are pres......more

Goodreads review by Alger on September 17, 2016

Col. Blood was an interesting character at a crucial moment of England's history, but this book leaves open more doors than it closes. The promised thrills are few and spaced hundreds of pages apart in prose that borrows heavily from 17th century broadsides and records. The reader is also assumed to......more

Goodreads review by Christina on July 11, 2024

I had heard of the exploits of Colonel Blood when I was a child, and seeing this book about his life and the times he lived in, I bought it for future reading. I am happy to have read more about the man and his misdeeds, but i did struggle with the style in which the book is written. It has clearly be......more

Goodreads review by Pat on February 19, 2020

An astonishing true-life tale of a Cavalier who plotted to overthrow British rule in Ireland after the Restoration, to murder King Charles II and his younger brother (who soon enough became James II), and succeeded in stealing the crown jewels from the Tower of London, though he got no further with......more

Goodreads review by Chris on February 14, 2021

Colonel Thomas Blood (what a name!) was a larger-than-life character, who flourished in the the late 17th century. Never lacking in nerve or ambition, he and his accomplices attempted to capture Dublin Castle (unsuccessfully). He and his fellow conspirators the wounded and kidnapped the Duke of Ormo......more


Quotes

“A carefully researched piece of popular history. Hutchinson sifts the various theories with characteristic thoroughness and lightness of touch.” Daily Mail (London)

“Hutchinson paints a compelling portrait of a country hectic with sedition. Rambunctious and richly researched.” Sunday Telegraph (London)

“A marvelous romp.” Times (London)

“A rigorously researched account. Hutchinson’s biography draws extensively on surviving primary sources, including eye-witness accounts of Blood’s many scrapes and court cases. A colorful tale of life in the shadow of the gallows.” Spectator (London)