18th century London comes to life in this delightful, witty romp through high and low Georgian society among rakes, rovers, thieving whores and demireps, highway robbers, bigamists, and duelists, bisexual opera divas, castrati, mollies, and cross-dressers, lecherous aristocrats, and headstrong ladies.
Tom Finch, a conductor and composer in London's Covent Garden, approaches life with boundless good cheer and resilience. As for his blindness, to him it's merely an inconvenience, and no impediment to his favored pursuits, drinking and flirting with women. Women including Tess Turnbridge, a soprano with a burning ambition to become an opera star, and Sally Salisbury, a tough, flash talking whore and part-time thief. Tess has never been one to bow to convention. The unusual conductor Tom Finch does not figure in her plans to take the London stage by storm, but she finds he arouses her passion like no other. Yet it's the ruthless Sal who seems to hold the key to Tom's heart. And when Sal fears for her life, it's Tom she turns to for aid. Tom knows he shouldn't trust her, but he can't say no to Sal, even if she puts his life in danger, or worse, breaks his heart.
The Adventures of Tom Finch, Gentleman is a meticulously researched historical novel in the comedic tradition of Vanity Fair and Tom Jones, a picaresque tale of love, laughter, music and friendship.