Historic fiction has a unique angle, it makes the past feel close. It puts you in the shoes of somebody entirely different to you, living in a different time or place, and lets you walk through their world. A good historical fiction story can completely transport you through time.
But why does historic fiction stand out? And why do readers keep returning to it? There are plenty of reasons why readers are drawn to the genre. Read on for a deep dive on why we love historical fiction…
What Is Historical Fiction?
Historical fiction is fiction set in a historic time period. It might use real events, places, social settings, or people as a part of its narrative, whilst creating new characters, events, and circumstances to drive plot.
The genre covers an enormous range of times, settings, and styles. Historical fiction can take place in any time further back than a few decades. It can incorporate other genres, like romance, thriller, comedy, or mystery. There’s no one formula for historical fiction, making its appeal large.
Some historic fiction is deeply grounded in research, taking meticulous pains to get even the smallest details as historically accurate as possible. Other stories may take a looser approach.
The broadness of historical fiction may very well be a large part of the answer to…
Why Is Historical Fiction So Popular?
There’s a variety of reasons that historical fiction remains popular, including…
1. Historical Fiction Brings the Past to Life
History can feel distant. It can be hard to imagine the world as it was as a real world. Major events, dates, names, and records can show us what happened, but narratives like those found in historic fiction can place a reader in the moment, immersing them in history. Plus, a novel can take readers beyond the major events of history and into everyday life. It offers a connection to the past that can’t always be easily accessed.
2. Historical Fiction Offers an Escape Into Another Time
When modern life gets overwhelming, reading can always offer escape. However, historical fiction offers escapism in a way not all genres can. By reading stories set in distant times and/or locations, the world is unfamiliar. Customs, communication, transportation, and society as a whole can be completely different. At the same time, people have always been people. There are elements that are immediately recognisable: family, love, ambition, grief, and the whole spectrum of emotion. A different world with strong characters can provide an opportunity for escapism that can’t be matched by stories set in the modern day.
3. Historical Fiction Helps Us Connect With the Past
Historical fiction can make history personal for the reader. It can help us empathise or connect with history in a way that non-fiction and research cannot always. Whilst a documentary can explore the events of a major war, connecting to a character who is personally affected by it allows us to explore what that event meant to people instead of a country. It gives perspective, which isn’t always the easiest to discover in historical records. Not only that, it can provide perspective from those whose voices weren’t always heard in history due to their identity, community, or class. This can make history feel more personal and more pertinent to everybody.
4. Historical Fiction Combines History With Compelling Stories
There’s so many ways to learn about history. Whilst there’s museum visits and archives, non-fiction books and documentaries and those are valuable resources, historical fiction can provide an easier-to-access, entertaining method to immerse yourself in history. It offers something different: it combines historical settings with the momentum of a story.
Instead of simply learning what happened, you’re following characters who have something to lose. The historical setting provides context, while the fictional story gives readers a reason to keep turning the pages. It can be an alluring combination.
5. There Is a Historical Fiction Book for Every Reader
With historical fiction being so expansive in terms of setting and time period, it truly means there’s a historical fiction book for every reader. Whether you’re interested in real historic figures being given an imagined new life, in stories that dedicate themselves to being extremely well-based in research, or in stories that have a bit more imaginative fun and looser rules with their historic depictions, there’s something out there for you. Comedy, mystery, thriller, romance, all of these and more find themselves represented in historic fiction. On top of that, there’s time period and setting. Do you want to step into Regency England? Or into Ancient Rome? All of these are only as far away as turning to the first page.
Why Do Readers Keep Returning to Historical Fiction?
With historical fiction, readers can often find themselves going from one book to the next. They may continue with the same author, or the same time period. So what keeps bringing readers back?
It could be exploring a favourite time period, discovering new aspects and stories from it through fiction. It could be human connection, exploring the full emotions and impact of history on an individual’s fictionalised account of it. Perhaps for many it’s revisiting these characters who often become beloved. It could be the vastness of the genre, giving so much uniqueness to every account and allowing a reader to discover angles and history they never connected with beforehand. It also could be the opportunity to reread and discover more details and richness in the historical setting.
Exploring Historical Fiction Through the Ages
One of the joys of historical fiction is the opportunity to travel through different periods without ever leaving your reading chair.
Here are some Sapere Books recommendations for novels from our historical fiction catalogue in each of these time periods…
Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome
If you’re interested in Ancient Egypt, try Death of a Poet by Keith Moray.
If you’re interested in Ancient Rome, explore Fortress of Steel by Jeff Jones, The Sons of Carthage by Alistair Tosh, Legionary by Neil Denby, The Eagle and the Serpent by Daniel Colter, The Governor’s Man by Jacquie Rogers, and Sea of Flames by Alistair Forrest.
Medieval Europe
If historical fiction set in Medieval Europe interests you, try Mistress of the Manor by Cara Clayton, Omens of Death by Richard Kurti, The Battle for England by Austin Hernon, The Royal Hammer by David Field, Wheel of Fortune by C. F Dunn, The Road to Murder by C. P. Giuliani, and The Lady’s Keeper by Coirle Mooney.
The Georgian World
If the Georgian era is for you, try The Intrepid Miss Haydon by Alice Chetwynd Ley, The Great Corinthian by Doris Leslie, The Secrets of Elloughton Park by Stephen Taylor, The Blooding of Jack Absolute by C. C. Humphreys, and The Baron Returns by Graham Ley.
Try Georgian and Regency romances including An Angel’s Touch by Elizabeth Bailey, In Sickness and in Health by Valerie Holmes, and The Belle of Bath by Dorothy Mack.
Victorian England
To further explore Victorian England, discover Talleyman by John James, Snap Shot by Marilyn Todd, The Montgomery Murder by Cora Harrison, The Murder of Patience Brooke by J. C. Briggs, A Theatrical Ambition by Raymond Wemmlinger, and Sherlock Holmes and the Rosetta Stone Mystery by Linda Stratmann.
The First and Second World Wars
For historical fiction set during World War One, explore Secrets in the Sky by Suzanne Parsons.
For historical fiction set during World War Two, try Silver’s Phoney War by Carlo Gibbs, Flight To Freedom by Anthony Palmiotti, Dawn of Hope by D. R. Bailey, For Those In Peril by David Clensy, Die for the Queen by Douglas Scott, The Lightning and the Few by Patrick Larsimont.
Discover Historical Fiction from Sapere Books
If you’re on the lookout for a new book to read, subscribe to the Sapere Books mailing list today and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.
Why do you think readers return to historical fiction? Leave a comment and let us know!
Following the success of the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series, we are delighted to announce that we have signed a new series by Linda Stratmann. Set in a later period, the series will follow Holmes as he investigates new cases filled with danger, secrets, and unexpected twists.
In Linda’s words:
“After his encounter with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls in 1891, Sherlock Holmes is missing, presumed dead. But he is in fact alive and in hiding. If the Moriarty gang discover this, they will hunt him down without mercy.
“Holmes must bring them to justice, one by one, without giving himself away, or endangering Dr Watson, before he can return to the land of the living. And there is only one man he can turn to for help.
“Holmes’ former associate from early adventures, surgeon Stamford, receives a mysterious message, and goes at once to assist his old friend.
“I am thrilled to be continuing to work with Sapere Books. Their experienced and hardworking team offers a soundly professional service, always on hand for support and advice, but with a uniquely personal touch.”
The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series is available from Amazon now.
Stay up to date with Linda’s news and latest releases here.
From enthralling historical mysteries and gripping wartime adventures to your next great listen on audiobook, there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
September’s Fiction Releases
The Governor’s Man by Jacquie Rogers is the first book in the Quintus Valerius Roman Mysteries, set at the time of the Roman Empire. When silver from the Emperor’s mines goes missing, Imperial Investigator Quintus Valerius is sent to Britannia. There, he uncovers a conspiracy of fraud and rebellion — but could his own life be in danger…?
Murder in Chains by C. P. Giuliani is the ninth book in the Tom Walsingham Mystery series: set during the Elizabethan era. When an old foe is suspected of leaking state secrets from inside the Fleet Prison, Tom Walsingham is sent to investigate. He soon discovers that any number of inmates could be responsible. As he gets himself into increasingly dangerous situations, can Tom find the mole before it’s too late…?
The Squandered Crown by David Field is the second novel in The Wars of the Roses Saga. Rebellion threatens the Plantagenet court in this medieval historical adventure.
Shadows by Douglas Scott is a gripping espionage thriller set during the Second World War. Ex-newspaper reporter John Abernathy is in a desperate race against time to expose a deadly Nazi plot.
Duty’s Call by William H Keith Jr is the eighth book in the SEALS: The Warrior Breed series: action-packed military adventures. The U.S. Navy’s elite commando demolition unit are given a secret mission behind enemy lines.
Calm Amid the Rage by David Clensy is the fifth book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventures. The war in Europe is coming to an end, but can Rom escape the brutal POW camp? Will he survive the Pacific campaign? And can brother Remmie find happiness with Adanna at last…?
Evocatus by Neil Denby is the seventh book in the Quintus Roman Thrillers series: historical military adventures set in Ancient Rome. A new task sees Centurion Julius Quintus Quirinius and his men offered the chance to return home. But will they all reach the gates of Rome in triumph?
The Conqueror’s Dilemma by Elizabeth Bailey is a compelling historical love story set in Georgian London. A gauche young woman yearns for a man who’s out of reach — but is there more to the Conqueror than meets the eye?
September’s Audio Releases
Lose yourself in a great audiobook this month!
617 Squadron: The Dambusters at War by Squadron Leader Tom Bennett DFM provides unique insight into the reminiscences of the men who flew in this crack Royal Air Force squadron during the last three years of World War Two.
The Road to Station X by Sarah Baring is the engrossing memoir of one woman’s journey from carefree debutante to working alongside some of Britain’s greatest minds at Bletchley Park at the height of the Second World War Two.
Anne Boleyn by Marie Louise Bruce charts the rise and fall of this remarkable young woman through the course of her short life, from her early days at Hever Castle, to the luxurious courts of France and England, to her terrifying last days in the Tower of London.
The Mighty Ocean by David Clensy is the third book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure series: action-packed adventures set during the Second World War. As their ships cut through the Arctic waters, will twin brothers Romulus and Remus Hutchinson survive the gauntlet of U-Boats, icebergs and icy seas?
The Clamorous Dead by David Field is the fourth historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series, set during the reign of Elizabeth I. As rumours of witchcraft infiltrate the county of Nottinghamshire, Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel is sent to arrest a local woman. But can he protect the innocent from a bloodthirsty witch-hunter…?
September’s Non-Fiction Releases
The Poor Bloody Infantry: 1939-1945 by Charles Whiting draws on numerous original sources and personal correspondence to reveal the true experiences of frontline soldiers. Having himself served in Belgium, Holland and Germany, Whiting captures the brutal reality of men pushed to the very limits of human endurance and often beyond, confronting constant danger and the ever-present threat of death.
The Merchant Navy at War by Captain Frank H. Shaw draws upon his experience of a lifetime at sea to reveal the brutal reality of wartime merchant service. He recounts extraordinary true stories of endurance, courage and sacrifice — ordinary seamen facing overwhelming danger simply to deliver vital cargo.
Hurricane at War by Chaz Bowyer provides a vivid, cockpit-level portrait of one of the Second World War’s most overlooked yet decisive aircraft — the Hawker Hurricane. Bowyer traces the Hurricane’s story from its pre-war development to its combat service over France and Britain, and across Russia, Malta, Sicily, Greece and even Burma.
The Princes of Wales by renowned broadcaster and journalist Wynford Vaughan-Thomas tells the dramatic story of the Princes of Wales — heirs to the throne whose lives shaped the destiny of a nation. Rich in drama, intrigue, scandal and political conflict, this is the extraordinary history of the men who held the title across six turbulent centuries.
Daring Military Operations of World War Two by C. E. Lucas Phillips brings to life three extraordinary operations carried out against overwhelming odds. From the dramatic destruction of the Normandie Dock at St Nazaire, to the audacious canoe raid on occupied Bordeaux, and the brutal jungle warfare of Burma, these are remarkable true stories of men who risked everything in some of the Second World War’s most daring missions.
The Battle of the Atlantic Collection by Sir Peter Gretton, one of the Royal Navy’s most distinguished convoy commanders, tells the story of the desperate struggle to keep Britain’s lifeline across the Atlantic open. From the bridge of an escort vessel battling wolf packs in the North Atlantic to the wider strategic campaign that ultimately defeated Germany’s U-boats, Gretton combines first-hand experience with masterful historical analysis.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
Vibrant Voices. Sensational Stories. Beautiful Books.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed three new instalments in The Lion and the Eagle Roman Thrillers series by Alistair Tosh: action-packed military adventures set during the early Roman Empire.
Here, Alistair tells us what to expect from the latest instalments:
“I am delighted to be working with Sapere Books again on three more books in The Lion and the Eagle Roman Thrillers. As a publisher Sapere has provided me with excellent editorial, artistic and marketing support so that together we can bring these adventures to life in a way that I hope readers will enjoy.
“Set against the backdrop of the closing years of the Second Punic War, the series will continue to intertwine historical events with the personal journeys of the protagonists — Masinissa, Juba and Rufus Laelius — whose courage, loyalty and sacrifice leads them towards the decisive African campaign and the final, fateful battle at Zama between the Roman army commanded by Scipio and Hannibal’s Carthaginian army, which will ultimately determine the future of the Mediterranean world.”
The Sons of Carthage and A War of Brothers are available from Amazon now.
Wondering what to read next? It might be that you’ve just finished a brilliant book and nothing else feels as good. Or it might be that it’s been a while since a book has really captivated you. A reading slump is something most readers will experience! If nothing on your existing reading list is getting you motivated, there are a number of ways you can find your next great read…
What should I read next?
If you’re not sure what to read next, here are ten ways to discover new books and find your next great read.
1.Revisit a Favourite Author
A favourite author can be an excellent starting point when you’re looking for your next book. Explore whether your favourite author has recently released new work, or perhaps has an older series or a book that you haven’t yet read.
If it turns out you’ve exhausted all of your favourite author’s works, why not try looking for a comparable author you may not have read yet? Conduct some research into your favourite author and search for who is commonly described as comparable, then simply look through their catalogue.
2. Try a Different Genre
It may be that you’re not in a reading slump, but in a genre slump. Take a step away from your regular genres and see if that helps you find something new to get excited about. You could either try similar genres — perhaps reading an adventure book if you’re a fan of crime fiction — or something completely different, giving romance a turn if you’re a horror fanatic. Give your new book an opportunity to surprise you! Remember, you don’t have to abandon your favourite genre forever, but you may just benefit from a change in scenery.
3. Explore a Book Series
Finding a series you enjoy can help take the stress out of choosing what to read next. You could explore series familiar to your current favourites, see if there’s a series by an author you love that you haven’t yet tried, or revisit an old series and see if there are any new additions! Reading a series is also a great option when you want your next book choice to feel familiar without simply rereading an old favourite.
4. Choose a Book by Its Setting
Sometimes the best way to choose a book isn’t to start with the author or genre, but with where the story takes place. Choosing a book based on setting can provide a unique and exciting angle for you. Perhaps you have a personal connection with the location, or it’s the destination for your next holiday? Reading a novel before or during your trip can give you a different perspective on the location and introduce you to its history, culture and landscapes.
5. Look for Books Inspired by Real Events
Whether fiction or non-fiction, discovering a novel that takes place during a real world event that interests you can be an excellent way to get excited by a book. It can help you learn more about the event and connect you with history, whether recent or not. Historical novels can bring real events to life through fictional characters and storylines, while non-fiction can help you to understand the people and circumstances involved. You might discover a new period of history simply because a novel caught your attention.
6. See What Other Readers are Enjoying
What others think can be really helpful when you’re trying to find your next book. Browse bestseller lists, book blogs, online reviews, social media, and book community sites to see which books have other readers excited!
Pay attention not only to the books themselves but also to why people are recommending them. Reviews can help you identify recurring themes, settings and writing styles. If several readers mention that a book has the same atmosphere as something you’ve already enjoyed, it could be worth investigating.
7. Ask Your Friends for a Recommendation
Sometimes your best option truly is word of mouth. Ask a friend if they’ve read anything they think you might enjoy, or what their favourite book of the year has been. Not only can this take you in surprising directions, but it also provides a new connection between you and your friend! You’ll have someone to discuss the story with, compare your reactions, and talk about what you thought of the ending.
8. Judge a Book by Its Blurb
Either browse online or visit a bookshop and read a variety of blurbs until something catches your interest. It can be easier to get excited by a book when you’ve been hooked by, well, a good hook! If you find yourself wondering what could possibly happen next, then you’ve likely found a good option for your next read.
Reading book descriptions can be a simple way to discover a new novel based purely on its story, characters or premise.
9. Browse a Publisher’s Catalogue
Browsing through a publisher’s catalogue is an excellent way to find a range of titles all in one place. You can browse the entire Sapere Books catalogue on our website. Simply browse by genre and see which books catch your attention. Whatever you’re looking for, browsing a publisher’s catalogue can provide you with plenty of possibilities for your next great read.
10. Pick Something at Random
Picking a book at random can introduce you to new authors and genres you may not have previously explored. It takes choice out of the equation and forces you out of your comfort zone. Simply choose a book at random from a bookshelf, ask a friend to pick one for you, or select a title from a publisher’s catalogue without overthinking it.
If this sounds exciting to you, then take the stress out of how to choose your next book. Here are five random Sapere Books novels — just click on a link to see where it takes you!
Find Great Reads with Sapere Books
If you’re on the lookout for a new book to read, subscribe to the Sapere Books mailing list today and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.
Looking for more book recommendations? Browse the Sapere Books catalogue to discover new novels across a range of genres and find your next great read.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed the ninth book in D. R. Bailey’s Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers series: action-packed aviation adventures set during the Second World War and featuring a team of vigilante pilots.
In D. R. Bailey’s words:
“The ninth book in the Spitfire Mavericks series will see the squadron going into action for D-Day and beyond. I can promise thrills and spills, plus the usual Jonty-style pranks and humour. Book eight sees the introduction of a new character, so watch out for more from him in book nine. Mavericks fans will not be disappointed.
“I would not work with any other publisher than Sapere Books. They have looked after me incredibly well, and been so supportive and helpful. The team really understands my writing and my characters, and that makes such a difference. I look upon it as a collaboration of the very best kind. As long as I can keep writing and Sapere keep publishing my work, I’ll keep signing up. I could not ask for a better publisher with such a fantastic team behind it.”
The Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers are available from Amazon now.
Visit D. R. Bailey’s website or follow him on Facebook and X.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed two new books in Christopher Cevasco’s King Arthur Origins series: early medieval historical novels based on the Arthurian legends.
Here, Christopher tells us more about the series and what to expect from the latest instalments:
“I’m thrilled that books four and five of the King Arthur Origins series are now slated for publication at Sapere Books. The series seeks to restore the Matter of Britain to its earliest literary roots while simultaneously reconciling those myths with the established history of sixth-century Britain. I’ve drawn my primary inspiration from Geoffrey of Monmouth, the twelfth-century Welsh cleric who wrote the very first narrative version of King Arthur’s reign and of Myrlin’s life and deeds.
“The new novels allow me to explore the final years of Arthur’s reign, during which the story broadens beyond Britain’s shores to encompass continental politics and military conflicts that help shape Western Europe for centuries to come. In the final book, we’ll see Myrlin’s own tale reach a bittersweet conclusion amidst court intrigue, mystic upheaval, and civil war, marking the transition from post-Roman to Anglo-Saxon Britain. Along the way, readers will learn the ultimate fates of Queen Gwenhwyfar, of Arthur’s sister Anna, of Myrlin’s twin sister Ganieda, and of Arthur’s young nephew Mordred.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Sapere on the first three novels in the series, and I can’t wait to move forward with the whole publishing team to bring readers this exciting conclusion!”
The Boar Foretold, the first book in the King Arthur Origins series, is available to pre-order from Amazon now.
Visit Christopher’s website to stay up to date with his news and latest releases.
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed two new instalments in the Legion of the Damned Roman Thrillers by Jeff Jones: action-packed, authentic historical military adventures set in Ancient Rome.
Here, Jeff tells us what to expect from the latest instalments:
“It’s been a whirlwind two and a half years since I first signed up with Sapere Books, during which time the first four books in my Legion of the Damned series have been published, with the fifth instalment, Tides of Blood, due for publication later this year. Now I am delighted to announce that Sapere Books have contracted another two books in the series.
“From the very start I knew I’d found the right home for these books, with everyone at Sapere being enthusiastic and supportive. I have learned so much from them and believe I am a better writer for it.
“So, what’s in store for Centurion Corvo and his men? Well, I can’t give too much away, but book six will see The Damned back in Rome, where they will have to adapt to face a new type of enemy. In book seven they will find themselves undertaking their most dangerous mission yet on the empire’s eastern border.”
Tides of Blood is available to pre-order now.
Stay up to date with Jeff’s news and latest releases here.
Authors are increasingly being targeted by publishing scams. Scammers may impersonate publishers, literary agents, famous authors, book promotion services, or other legitimate organisations in an attempt to steal money, personal information or sensitive data.
As many authors and publishing professionals will tell you, this issue is only becoming more pervasive. Utilising new AI tools, these scam artists are finding more sophisticated ways to try and manipulate authors. Staying vigilant is incredibly important to protect you and your work. Here are six quick tips to help keep you safe! But first…
What to Do If You’ve Been the Victim of a Publishing Scam
If you’ve been the victim of a scam, your first step should be to call your bank. Freeze your card and, where possible, block or dispute any unauthorised payments, protecting yourself from any further financial transaction. If your accounts have been compromised, change your passwords across your accounts, not just the compromised one. If they have accessed your technology in any way, please run a virus and malware scan.
After taking the immediate steps you can to control the impact, please report the scam to the relevant authorities in your country to help protect others. Additionally, you may wish to let your peers know what to look out for.
If you are based in the UK, you can report fraud here. If you are based in the US, you can report fraud here.
Remember: Being scammed is not something to be ashamed of. Scammers are experts at what they do and find methods to confuse and manipulate. Anyone can be a victim of a scam. The better equipped you are to recognise the signs, the safer you’ll be.
Six Warning Signs of a Publishing Scam
1. Be wary of unsolicited contact
Don’t automatically trust people getting in touch out of the blue. If it seems too good to be true, it likely is. All unsolicited contact should be treated with caution. Before you get excited, make sure to thoroughly check the credibility of the person reaching out. Remain sceptical until given reason not to be! Remember, with new access to technology, scams are becoming more complex and detailed. An official-looking website doesn’t necessarily mean that the contact is legitimate. Check for warning signs, research the company, and authenticate thoroughly using the steps below.
2. Check the details — not just the spelling.
One of your first steps when checking for scams is to check the spelling! If an email is filled with errors, it likely isn’t from a reputable source. However, double-check emails that look like they’re free of errors as well for small spelling errors in company names, titles, or in the sender’s name. For example, if you are contacted by someone claiming to be from a certain company, it may be that there’s an actual human working for that company with the same name, but the employee’s name is Erica and the scammer is using Erika to impersonate her. Small errors can make a big difference when uncovering scammers.
AI tools can make fraudulent messages appear more polished and convincing than they once were. Scammers may use AI to imitate professional writing, create convincing websites or generate realistic-looking promotional materials. As a result, spelling mistakes and poor grammar should no longer be treated as the only warning signs. Even if an email looks completely professional, check the sender’s identity, email domain, claims, and contact details independently.
3. Verify the email address and domain
Whilst you check spelling, you should also check the sender’s email address. Is it from an official email address associated with the company? Or is the address a slight variation and not a reputable email address? Thankfully, this is easy to check using a search engine. An example of this would be receiving an email from Penguin Author House instead of Penguin Random House.
Furthermore, an email from Gmail or another personal email service should prompt additional caution, particularly if the person claims to represent an established publisher, literary agency or other company. Verify their identity independently before responding or sharing information.
You may also receive unsolicited contact via social media; be sure to treat that with the same seriousness as any unsolicited email contact!
4. Don’t click before you verify
Avoid clicking links, downloading attachments or opening documents in an unsolicited message until you’ve independently confirmed who sent it. Instead, visit the organisation’s official website by typing the address into your browser or using a trusted bookmark. This will help you avoid the risk of phishing, a common cybercrime where scammers steal your information, sensitive details, and, potentially, your financial information.
5. Never pay unexpected upfront fees
If they’re asking for money, do not provide your financial details or make any payment. There should be no reason for an individual to reach out to you offering collaboration and demanding an upfront payment. Be thoroughly critical of any exchange that asks for a financial transaction.
In addition to this, do not provide any sensitive or personal information, such as passport details, ID, any account details, passwords, or unpublished work, without first authenticating the contact and also understanding the reason for the demand.
Take the time to research, authenticate, and hesitate, which leads to…
6. Don’t let scammers rush you
Urgency is a quick indicator for scam behaviour. There should never be a need for immediate transactions, confirmation, or other actions on your behalf. Do not trust any outreach that has a tight deadline or is encouraging you to act quickly. There is no incentive for this behaviour in an unsolicited email other than to speed you through the process of authentication. If it’s now or never, pick never.
Publishing scam warning signs to watch out for
- Unexpected contact from a publisher, agent or promoter
- Pressure to respond immediately
- Requests for upfront payment
- Requests for bank details or personal information
- An unfamiliar or slightly altered email domain
- Spelling mistakes or unusual wording
- Links that don’t lead to the organisation’s genuine website
- Attachments you weren’t expecting
- Claims that you’ve been “specially selected”
- Promises of guaranteed publication, sales or bestseller status
- Requests to keep the opportunity confidential
- Refusal to let you independently verify their identity
- An unnecessary rush or fast demands
What to Do If You’re Unsure Whether an Opportunity Is Legitimate
If it doesn’t feel right, please trust your gut! Authors are targeted as scammers know that writers are passionate about their work and want to succeed. As a result, we advise that you stay cautious. If you’re in doubt and it doesn’t feel right, please research the contact and platform, and pay attention to the small details, as listed above. Never be afraid to ask for help!
The more you know about common scam tactics, the better equipped you’ll be to spot them. Other publishers and major literary platforms are also encountering these problems. Hachette Book Group has released a fraud guide to help you stay informed. In addition to this, there are also fraud prevention pages and resources from Penguin, Bloomsbury, HarperCollins, Pan MacMillan, and Simon & Schuster. If you are contacted by someone claiming to represent a major publishing company, please research your contact and contact the organisation using an independently verified official email address to confirm the validity if you are unsure.
You can also find out more about how to avoid scams as an author by reading The Authors Guild’s ‘Avoiding Publishing Scams’ and ‘Publishing Scams’ by Writer Beware.
How to Verify a Genuine Sapere Books Contact
We are aware of the fact that scammers may impersonate Sapere Books. Please be cautious if you receive any unexpected contact from ‘us’. Genuine emails from Sapere Books will always come from a @saperebooks.com email address. In addition, authors and readers are encouraged to verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent Sapere Books by checking our About Us and Team page. You can also contact us directly at amy@saperebooks.com to verify any contact.
More From Sapere Books
Stay up to date with Sapere Books! Discover new novels from Sapere Books authors and subscribe to the Sapere Books mailing list today. You can also keep in touch with Sapere Books by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.
To mark the publication of Indomitable, the second book in the Newt Beresford Naval Adventures, author Jonathan Eyers takes a closer look at the Battle of the Chesapeake — one of the most crucial naval engagements in United States history.
In the 250 years since the United States declared its independence from Great Britain, the American struggle for freedom has become a key part of the country’s glorious story. Most of the story is true, of course, but it is also fair to say that the level of accuracy depends on who is telling it.
Ask your average American what the turning point for the war was and most will say the Battle of Yorktown in October 1781. And they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. This was the last major land battle of the War of Independence; the British didn’t just lose, but were forced into the humiliation of surrendering an entire army. It led to the resignation of the British Prime Minister and a subsequent vote in Parliament to begin negotiations to end the war — in effect, recognising American independence.
But ask historians, especially maritime historians, what the turning point for the war was and most will that say the Battle of Yorktown was only lost by the British because a month before they had also lost the Battle of the Chesapeake. Once you look at who fought in this battle, also known as the Battle of the Capes, you start to understand why it is so little known, despite being so important.
After all, it’s arguably the most decisive battle of the American War of Independence — but not a single American fought in it.
At this point it’s crucial to understand the broader context of the entire war from a European perspective. For the British, what started as a bit of unrest in Massachusetts, which they expected to be able to put down with the same ease they put down unrest elsewhere in the Empire, had turned into a prolonged, deeply unpopular war. For the Crown and the government, the need to keep fighting it was a matter of pride. For a lot of the British, however, the American colonies were an offshoot of the motherland, full of their own relatives (however distant), unlike most other British colonies.
For the French, meanwhile, the War of Independence was a splendid opportunity. It was entirely in the interests of the French that the British, their main rival for power not just in Europe but across the entire world, get bogged down, distracted and exhausted by a fight an ocean away. Cities and schools across the US are named after the Marquis de Lafayette, but the French contribution to the American cause was far more extensive than its most famous volunteer.
Indeed, France poured so many resources into what for them effectively became a proxy war with the British that it almost bankrupted itself. It continued to support it, however, in the expectation that after finally winning independence due to French assistance, the newly free United States would be so grateful to France that it would become almost a vassal state, with American trade dominated by France. Instead, the likes of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton pushed to begin trading with Great Britain again almost immediately there was peace. France had no way to recoup its huge financial losses, and the resulting financial crisis was a key factor in France’s own Revolution. But that’s another story.
Even before George Washington’s men arrived at Yorktown, on the southern bank of the York River in eastern Virginia, Lafayette was there making trouble for the British. The British had been led to believe the American and French forces were preparing for a major attack on New York, and here General Cornwallis was mustering his forces. He soon found his army surrounded and besieged by the Americans and the French, at which point he became dependent on the Royal Navy either bringing reinforcements or evacuating British forces via Chesapeake Bay.
So the French blockaded it. Cornwallis’ position was soon rather dire. If the Royal Navy didn’t break that blockade, he stood little chance against the combined forces of the Continental Army and their French allies. Under Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves, a British fleet of nineteen ships of the line sailed from New York. The French fleet of twenty-four warships, under Lieutenant Général des Armées Navales François Joseph Paul de Grasse, left Chesapeake Bay to meet them.
The British initially had the weather gauge, so believed they had the advantage, even if they were outnumbered. Ships of the line were so named precisely because they were intended to sail in single file, parallel to the enemy’s line, firing broadsides at the other side until one side lost sufficient ships to realise they couldn’t win, so disengaged and withdrew.
In the Battle of the Chesapeake, however, the British and French fleets converged at an angle, rather than forming parallel lines. This meant the vanguard saw brutal close-quarters fighting, whereas ships bringing up the rear on both sides barely participated in the battle at all. Much has been written about why the Royal Navy fleet failed, beyond being somewhat unexpectedly outnumbered, but that loss sealed the fate of General Cornwallis and his army. Without relief or escape by water, the British forces at Yorktown were brought to surrender in under six weeks.
You can see why the story of the Battle of the Chesapeake doesn’t get told quite so often as that of the Battle of Yorktown, or the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, which convinced France to ally with the American revolutionaries in the first place. No Americans fought in it, so it’s not as glorious a part of the narrative as Yorktown. The British lost it, and with it the war, and defeats never get quite the same attention as victories. And as for the French, it was the last major naval victory of L’Ancien Regime, which lost its heads a few years later precisely because it impoverished the French to bolster the Americans.
But it’s a fascinating and exciting battle to explore in fiction, which is why I have put it at the heart of Indomitable, the second book in the Newt Beresford series. To the men of Royal Navy ships like the fictional third-rate ship of the line HMS Indomitable, caught up in the noise and terror of a sea battle, they would have been unaware that history was being written all around them. For Newt and his fellow midshipman Banks, the Chesapeake is a battleground of another sort, as their rivalry mirrors that of the British and the French. Only one of them can come out of it with all the glory, too.
Tenacious and Indomitable are available from Amazon now.
From naval adventures and military thrillers to the biography of an aviation legend, there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
August’s Fiction Releases
Silver’s Phoney War by Carlo Gibbs is the first book in the Oscar Silver WWII Naval Adventures series. With Britain’s war effort gathering pace, young Oscar Silver has received his conscription orders. But while Oscar tries his best to get to grips with life in the Navy, the enemy is lurking just around the corner…
In Harm’s Way by William H Keith is the seventh book in the SEALS: The Warrior Breed series: action-packed military adventures following the U.S. Navy’s elite commando demolition unit. The unit are tested as never before — on a daring rescue in a desert land that’s ready to explode…
Expanding Crisis by Eric Helm is the third book in the Global War Military Thriller series. The global threat is heating up in this alternative-history military adventure set in the late twentieth century.
Indomitable by Jonathan Eyers is the second book in the Newt Beresford Naval Adventures series: Age of Sail historical adventures set in the 18th century. Will British naval officer Newt Beresford manage to prove his worth in the most decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War?
Die for the Queen by Douglas Scott is a wartime naval thriller full of military action and adventure. As the world’s biggest ship begins her maiden voyage, it should be a famous day for Britain, but the occasion is marred by a smokescreen of secrecy, bluff and counterbluff. Out of a background of peacetime intrigues, conflicting loyalties and star-crossed romance, a story of compelling power emerges — which surges to a nail-biting climax as the Queen Elizabeth slips from the Clyde and heads to the open sea…
The Sons of Carthage by Alistair Tosh is the first book in the Lion and the Eagle Roman Thrillers series: military adventures set in Ancient Rome. Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca leads his formidable army across the treacherous Alps, intent on striking at the heart of Rome itself. But as the armies of Carthage and Rome clash for control of Iberia, only one can emerge victorious…
Legacy of Steel by C.F. Dunn is the fourth book in The Tarnished Crown series: Wars of the Roses historical fiction set in Medieval Europe. Isobel Langton’s husband, Robert, has returned from North Africa, but he is not the man who left almost a year before. His exploits at sea defeating Barbary pirates are hailed as a great victory, but they have left him unpredictable and withdrawn. While Isobel struggles to preserve her marriage, King Edward fights for his reputation. Will Isobel lose her husband forever? And can she find a way to prove her family’s loyalty to the Crown…?
The Count’s Charade by Elizabeth Bailey is a heart-pounding love story set in Georgian England. Grace Dovercourt never thought she’d ever fall in love. But her settled life is turned upside down when she discovers a fugitive hiding in one of her outbuildings — and at death’s door. Will she risk all to keep him alive? And can she trust him with her heart?
August’s Fiction Backlist Releases
We are pleased to announce that two new action-packed submarine adventures by Gilbert Hackforth-Jones are out now!
Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Charles Compton is recalled to take command of H.M. Submarine N27. Compton is thrown straight into the deep end and must use every ounce of his ingenuity and energy to survive.
HMS Steadfast is patrolling for enemy raiders. The weather worsens. It becomes impossible to distinguish friend from foe, but destroying an enemy vessel could change the course of the war…
August’s Audio Releases
Lose yourself in a great audiobook this month!
The battle-hardened Legion of the Damned return in this Roman military adventure in Forests of Death by Jeff Jones.
Discover an engrossing biography of one of the greatest rulers of the medieval period in The Emperor Charlemagne by E. R. Chamberlin.
Thief turned espionage agent Gwynnie Wightham is tasked with hunting down a spy in the Tudor court in Death at the Tower by Adele Jordan.
Don’t miss the moving World War Two memoir that uncovers a forgotten naval catastrophe in Arctic Rescue by Ronald Healiss.
August’s Non-Fiction Releases
Target Eisenhower by Charles Whiting sheds new light on the hidden story of military and political assassination during World War Two. Whiting exposes this clandestine conflict, revealing the operations, agents, and motives behind both Allied and Axis assassination attempts which, had they succeeded, could have changed the direction of the entire war.
Odysseys and Oddities: Maritime Memoirs of a Seafaring Captain by Frank H. Shaw recounts his extraordinary career in the Merchant Navy and his service as a captain during the First World War. With warmth and humour, he recalls the curious characters he sailed with, the hardships and pleasures of life afloat, and the remarkable adventures he experienced both at sea and ashore.
Mosquito at War by renowned aviation historian Chaz Bowyer charts the story of the RAF’s most versatile aircraft in World War Two, from conception through every theatre in which it served, from Britain to Burma, revealing why this much-loved aeroplane proved uniquely suited to such a wide range of wartime roles.
Wales: A History by Wynford Vaughan-Thomas is the perfect read for anyone interested in the development of the Welsh nation, from the arrival of the Celts, the Saxon invasions and the Norman Conquest, through the age of the Princes, the forced union with England and the rule of English monarchs, to the rise of Methodism, the Industrial Revolution and the devastation of the two world wars. This is an essential introduction to a remarkable nation’s story.
John ‘Cat’s-Eyes’ Cunningham: The Aviation Legend by John Golley tells the extraordinary life of one of Britain’s greatest aviators. Golley’s biography follows John Cunningham’s remarkable career from pre-war training to wartime combat, and into the high-risk world of post-war test flying. It is the portrait of a pioneering aviator at the forefront of aviation’s most dramatic advances.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
Vibrant Voices. Sensational Stories. Beautiful Books.
For booklovers, sharing your enjoyment of books online can connect you to new communities, help you discover new favourite reads, and help support the authors you’ve come to love. If you want to make your voice and opinions heard, there are plenty of book spaces online to do so in. There may be more ways that you can shout out to your favourite authors and share your love for your favourite books than you know.
If you want to know five ways you can share your love of books online, make a difference to the authors you love, and find a community with like-minded readers, read on…
How To Share Your Love Of Books Online
If you want to share your love of books digitally, here are five simple approaches for you to try out:
Join Virtual Book Clubs
No matter where you are around the globe, there’s a book club waiting for you. Virtual book clubs are incredibly popular and take a variety of forms. Some clubs will host online discussions via video chat, some will have platforms for discussing the novels via text, others will act more as book communities with recommended novels. Additionally, you can find book clubs that surround certain genres, connecting you directly with others who are interested in what you’re interested in.
Book clubs can be a fantastic resource for finding community and for finding new novels, alongside trying out novels you may have not initially considered. They can also be a fantastic avenue for finding new perspectives and expanding your understanding of your favourite texts. It may not be the case for all book clubs, but many will take suggestions from members on novels to be read; this means you can shout about your favourites and share them with your peers!
Leave Reviews
Leaving reviews on Amazon or Goodreads can be an excellent way to share your love of books online. These platforms allow for a direct connection between readers and authors. You can explore your favourite author’s other titles and favourite reads, discovering what else they have to offer you. You can connect with other readers with similar interests and tastes to yours. If you want to discover new titles and have your say on what you’ve read, engaging with platforms like this is an excellent way to go about it.
Additionally, it creates a public presence where you can list each book you’ve read and what you’ve enjoyed. Many sites also allow you to create a ‘to be read’ list. It can be an excellent method to ensure you get the books you want when the loved ones in your life are looking to get you a gift…
Post On Socials
Many people don’t consider utilising social media to be social regarding books. However, there’s plenty of ways you can use social media to share your love of books online.
Firstly, you can follow reviewers and publishers, keeping up to date with new releases. If you want to stay up to date with book news, social media is a fantastic avenue to do so in.
Secondly, you can join online communities. There are communities across different social media platforms, often built around certain genres. This can be an excellent way to make connections, discover new reads, and share your favourites with the world.
Thirdly, you can post about them! Tag the author or the publisher and share your opinions with the world via your own social media presence.
Kindle Highlights
Utilising the Kindle highlights feature not only gives you a reference point for favourite quotes and important moments, it can also give you an opportunity to connect with your reading community. With the right settings, you can see what others are highlighting, giving you a collective feel to your singular read. You can also link your accounts and utilise settings to sync your Kindle and Goodreads account. You can share your favourite sections to your Goodreads connections and utilise them whilst making reviews, something a lot of Kindle readers never consider utilising!
Follow Your Favourites
Share your love of books online by following your favourite authors! This is especially useful if they’re a new or independently-published author. Subscribe to their newsletter, follow them on social media, and check out their website. You can shout your support on social media and share your love of books by sharing their posts.
How To Find The Right Way For You
Finding the right method of sharing your love of books online may take some time. It may end up being all of the above, none of them, or some of them, but be sure to try them all and see what you enjoy the most! Although an individual activity, finding ways to enjoy the collective experience of reading and enjoying books can help you love your reading even more. Find your next new favourite novel, connect with an author you admire, and be sure to explore all of your avenues!
How Sharing Your Love Of Books Can Help Authors
For authors, getting their books seen by new readers is harder than ever. That’s why authors rely upon reader recommendations, social media engagement, reviews, and online communities to get the word out. All of these can significantly impact a book’s success by increasing visibility and helping new readers find it. While a single review may have little effect on a bestselling title, it can make a meaningful difference for an independent author.
Stay In Touch With Sapere Books
At Sapere Books, we’re proud to work with authors in genres such as historical fiction, crime fiction, romance, military fiction, and non-fiction. If you want to discover new novels from Sapere Books authors before anybody else, alongside hearing about your favourite genres, subscribe to the Sapere Books mailing list today.
You can also stay up to date with Sapere Books by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.
You can also find out more about how to support Sapere Books authors by reading our blog ‘9 Easy Ways A Reader Can Support Their Favourite Author’!
Writing advice can help you change your process, develop your characters, improve your prose, and give you the confidence to submit your work. You never know which piece of advice might change everything.
We have gathered ten pieces of writing advice from our Sapere Books authors, ordered alphabetically, straight from them to you, to help you take your writing further.
D.R. Bailey
“The most useful thing I’ve done with my writing is to adopt a particular discipline. It’s inspired by the Pomodoro technique. I have a tomato timer app on my desktop, which I use to time 25-minute writing stints. So I sit down to write, and I hit the start button. For twenty-five minutes, I have to write and do nothing else but get words down. I may also edit the scene as I go, but focusing for 25 minutes at a time is what works. I can do two or three tomatoes (as I call them) a day, or sometimes more, but by this method, I get my books written. I also keep writing stats, word counts, number of tomatoes, how many words to go, things like that. I’ve been doing this for years now, and that’s how I have maintained my production record. PS – during a tomato nobody is supposed to bother me, but apparently my cat doesn’t understand the rules!”
Discover more from D.R. Bailey here.
David Clensy
“You need to read a lot of other peoples’ work. Writing novels isn’t something you can do in cultural isolation. Storytelling is a cumulative process that builds over generations. When it’s finally your turn to sit down and start writing your novel, you’re standing on the shoulders of lots of other writers who came before you.
Once you do start writing, my simple piece of advice is to keep writing. Creating a novel can seem intimidating at first. But it’s a bit like climbing a mountain. Don’t stand there looking at the mountain – work out how you get up the next few steps. If you can find the discipline to get a certain amount written each day and stick to it, you will get there eventually. I am fairly strict with myself when I’m working on a novel. I have to write 5,000 words a week. But when you break that down to a daily figure, it’s perfectly manageable. Within just a few months, as if by magic, you have a full first draft manuscript. It’s important to battle on, even if you don’t feel like writing that day. If you wait for some magical muse to work her magic, your book will forever remain a pipe dream.”
David’s other piece of advice focuses specifically on writing historical fiction.
“My novels always contain a combination of real historical characters alongside entirely fictional characters. I am creating fiction, but I’m always conscious of the responsibility that comes with a literary resurrection of real people. I always approach this process with a sense of respect for the dignity of their memory. They do, of course, become “fictionalised” characters, but it’s vital to always keep front of mind that they lived and breathed – they were people with real lives and emotions. The fact that they’re no longer alive does not negate the importance of remembering this at all times when you’re briefly writing them back into existence.
As a writer, you have to make constant judgements as you fictionalise them – assessing what their reactions would have been. So you build up a real sense of understanding of their nature and it’s not too much of an exaggeration to say that by the end, you do feel as if you know them, as you might know a real person. There’s a kind of writer-character relationship that builds up in your mind.”
Consequently, David feels it’s important to go through a process of “getting to know” his characters. Wherever possible, this involves researching – not just plain “facts” about their lives – but visiting places they would have experienced and walking in their footsteps. He has recently travelled around northern Germany to build a picture of the locations his characters will inhabit in his forthcoming U-boat Aces series. You can watch a short film about his experience on his website at www.davidclensy.com
“It adds so much, if you can get out and invest a bit of time in doing that. You’re creating something that is as authentic as possible and when you get that right and come to read it back, as a writer you can feel that. It’s very rewarding to have that sense of having crafted something from nothing.”
David Clensy writes the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure Series, which follows the story of twin brothers serving in the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy during the Second World War and is currently working on a new historical fiction series based on the German U-boat aces of the two world wars.
You can keep track of what David is currently working on by signing up for his newsletter or following him on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, X, Threads, and Substack.
Daniel Colter
“Readers often ask how much time I spend in research. The answer is both confusing and confounding — more than I should but never enough.
By that I mean research rabbit holes are fun to explore but can waste hours (days?) better spent writing. An author can’t know too much about the period in which they work, though, and that requires time. Knowledge allows one to write authentically and to show a period as it likely was — I say ‘likely’ because uncertainties increase the further back in history we travel.
I don’t create detailed outlines and rarely know how a book will end when I begin writing (the few times I knew, I later proved myself wrong). So how do I use arguable history to craft a half-formed story?
The ‘large history’ is fleshed out at the start, of course. This can take weeks. I recently crafted The Eagle and the Serpent, a story set within the Great Illyrian Revolt of A.D. 7 to 9, one of Rome’s lesser-known wars. I began by researching the historical players, the setting (geography, cultures, etc.), and the major events. In the process I purposely sought the holes and contradictions.
History provided many of both, fortunately, because these grey areas are where historical novelists run and play. They’re where we plant fictional stories; invent characters, wants, conflicts; where we weave events that might have happened with what history says happened.
As the story grew, my research became fine-grained, done in small batches, multiple times a day. What would a Roman legionary eat, for example? Learn that, then the issue becomes one of application — meaning, how to weave diet into story, to provide ‘flavour,’ while not making the reader drowsy?
Carve away the minutiae that distract from the story, for one. Another tool is to tuck details into the character’s interactions with their world, make the history bits relevant to the story, so the two flow together. Describing what a legionary carried is a bit flat. Better to show how heavy the character’s kit is, that it slows him, that it blisters his palms, that he arrives to the battle late, tired, and sore.
At the end of the journey, readers want to be entertained without being bored by overexplaining, or offended by egregious anachronisms. Details matter, knowing which to include is a fine balance, but crafting a believable, well-flavoured story is what matters.”
You can find Daniel’s book, The Eagle and the Serpent, or find Daniel on Facebook.
Claire Dunn
“If I have one thing that I come back to time and again it is a personal mantra that goes something like this:
Always try to remain true:
– to the subject of your novels and the characters within,
– to your readers who invest time, money and themselves in your books,
– to your publisher who believes in you, and
– to yourself, the author, who sees the world through a different lens and must never lose sight of the vision that drove you to pick up the pen in the first place.”
Claire can be found on her website, Facebook, and on Linktree. Subscribe to Claire’s newsletter here.
Rozsa Gaston
“Do not let anyone get in your way during your writing hours. Mine are 8:30 am – 3 pm, Mon. – Fri.
If a family member needs something from you, answer in monosyllables, then shut the door of your writing room once they leave, so they understand that you are WORKING.
If someone texts or emails, DO NOT look at the message until you have finished the scene you are working on.
If someone calls, answer with a terse “Hi, I’m on deadline.” If there’s follow up, tell them to text or email you, rather than call so you’re not interrupted.
Compliment your family member every time one of them solves a problem for themselves instead of asking you for something. Say you are proud of them for taking care of it themselves during your WORK HOURS, so you can get your manuscript done by its due date. Your children will understand because they have school assignment deadlines. Your husband will be a harder nut to crack, but he will enjoy being complimented, so keep buttering him up when he figures out how to do something on his own.”
Rosza Gaston’s work can be found on Amazon.
Jeff Jones
1.“One piece of advice you will often hear from people within the publishing industry is to conduct research on what is selling well and write a book that fits in with that current trend. I tried it once and by the time I had spent the best part of a year writing and polishing the manuscript, tastes had moved on and the book subject was no longer in vogue. So my tip for any aspiring writer would be to write the book you want to write and that you’d enjoy reading and worry about its place in the market later. Who knows, you might start your own sub-genre.
2. When I am not writing I am usually working as a proofreader or copy editor and the best piece of advice I was ever given and that I try to impart to my clients, is to keep it simple. Don’t use a word that is so obtuse that it has people reaching for a dictionary – nobody likes that – use simple everyday words. Impress your readers with a great plot and characters, not your vocabulary.
3. One piece of good writing advice I was given over the years was just to get the novel written. Don’t worry about crafting the perfect page or chapter – that’s what the editing process is for – write your book as it comes to you, you can worry about smoothing those edges off later.”
Discover more from Jeff Jones here.
Richard Kurti
“Be Kind … then be Cruel!
“How do I know if what I’m writing is any good?”
It’s the question which plagues everyone who puts pen to paper. You may think it’s a work of genius, only to have your best friend read it and go, “Meh. It’s alright. A bit slow.”
Which is why you always try to be your own critic, questioning every sentence and every plot twist, constantly asking if something could be improved.
But then you end up so full of self-doubt, it becomes impossible to put any words on paper at all. “If it’s not perfect, it must not be typed!” is the quickest route to writer’s block.
Over the years, I’ve developed a method to square this circle by leaning into Multiple Personality Syndrome. So, when I’m actually typing words, laying down the first draft, I am full of encouragement. “Great line!” I enthuse to myself. “Nice twist! Lovely rich thematics!”
I live in this cloud of self-congratulatory enthusiasm until I have completed the first draft. Then I put it aside for a few days, and when my mind has cleared, I switch into Grumpy Reader Mode. Then I pick up the Kindle and imagine that I’ve paid hard-earned cash for this book. I picture myself on a train after a gruelling day in the office, wanting to be entertained/thrilled/intrigued/hooked by the time the train rolls into Sevenoaks.
And reading with the eyes of a stern consumer, I pick holes in my draft. “Too wordy. Too long to get going. Cliché. Confusing. Why should I care about any of this?” get scribbled across the draft in an outpouring of discontent.
When I get to the end, I switch mindset again and become Conciliatory Writer: “Okay, the reader wasn’t happy, and I don’t want to get any one-star reviews, so let’s see if I can sort this out…”
And so it goes on, back and forth, alternating between being my greatest fan and my cruellest critic, until I’m at my wits’ end. Only then do I submit to the publisher!”
Find Richard Kurti at www.richardkurti.com.
Patrick Larsimont
“When writing historical fiction, I think you need to do at least some plotting. If nothing else, to ensure your character’s story fits with the sequence of historical events. Typically, I write about three sentences per chapter, to clarify to myself what I need to cover in the 2K-3K of my chapter. I don’t have to have the whole novel laid out, just the start and endpoint, then about the first two thirds of the story before I start writing.
I’ve heard the analogy that writing a novel is a bit like knowing your destination is say Edinburgh and you are driving from London. You know where you are and where you need to get to. It’s a dark, stormy night, you have no map, just know you must head north and that you can only see as far ahead as far as your headlights. You set off, full of fear, trepidation, hope and anticipation. You’re excited, a little scared, but you’ll get there.
One other technique I use, I call the ‘sling shot.’ It involves knowing where a scene needs to get to, but ending my writing for the day, leaving it uncompleted. The next day, I review what I wrote yesterday, tweak it once and then get catapulted forward into finishing the scene / chapter. This helps avoid the ‘tyranny of the blank page’, staring at the screen, thinking, now what do I write? The ‘slingshot’ helps me hit the ground running.”
Explore Patrick’s website and Patrick’s Linktree.
Ros Rendle
“When I was a new writer, one of the best pieces of advice I was given was ‘go deeper, not wider’.
To illustrate this – it’s not the kiss, but the build up to it. The scent, the sensations of touch, the pauses which involve deep emotions. There may be anticipation or nervousness; perhaps willingness; a complex mix of emotions.
The lead in to a battle will ensure the reader is engaged. It will be the subtle sounds in the distance, the smells of fabric or armour. Clothing may itch or feel too hot and scratchy. There will be other sensations of touch that may result from apprehension, fear or excitement, that build before the moment of fighting and gore. Sight will play its part in the anticipation of what is to follow.
Exploration and use of the five senses, and ensuring powerful verbs are in play, will create strong writing and a vivid, emotional experience for the reader.”
Find Ros Rendle on her website.
Linda Stratmann
“Writing methods are individual and deeply personal. Approach your writing in the way that feels natural to you. Don’t try and fit in with another person’s approach, it might not suit you. Find your own style and method.
This is one rule I always follow: the characters in a book should drive the development of the plot, so events flow naturally and believably. The story will be convincing and the characters relatable.”
For more from Linda, explore her website and Facebook.
Sapere Books
Be sure to follow Sapere Books on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky to stay up to date with our upcoming novels and new releases.
If the advice of some of our Sapere authors makes you want to give back, read our blog ‘9 Easy Ways A Reader Can Support Their Favourite Author’ for examples of quick, simple, and free ways that you can make a difference.
From wartime action in the skies to a brand new Age of Sail adventure, there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
July’s Fiction Releases
Come Fly With Me by Natalie Kleinman is a feelgood contemporary romance about family ties, second chances and unexpected love. Will Olivia find the courage to embrace her newfound family and the future she never planned?
The Stealth Hunters by D. R. Bailey is the third book in the Cooper’s Renegades Aviation Thrillers, set during the Second World War and featuring a squadron of American and British fighter pilots. Cooper Donahue and his Renegades are sent on a top-secret mission — one that could change the outcome of the war.
The Eagle and the Serpent by Daniel Colter is the first book in The Legionary of Rome Military Thrillers series: historical adventures set in Ancient Rome. When Roman citizen Lucius Virius Sura is conscripted into the legions to help quell the Illyrian revolt, he finds himself thrown into the cauldron of war. With no experience and little training, he must learn to fight — or die.
Absolute Honour by C. C. Humphreys is the second book in the Jack Absolute Military Adventure series: a swashbuckling historical saga set in the 18th century. Jack Absolute is returning to England. On the voyage home, he helps in the defeat of a privateer, gaining a new friend, a large share of the prize money, and a nasty dose of cholera. Jack convalesces in Bath, where he falls in love with his friend’s beautiful cousin. But things are not as they seem, and when tragedy strikes, Jack escapes with his life but loses something more important to him: his honour.
First Voyage by Anthony Palmiotti is the first book in the Patrick Welch Naval Thriller series: page-turning nautical adventures set at the outbreak of the Second World War. Patrick Welch, a young American seaman, manages to find a job as third mate aboard an old tramp freighter, the Arrow. He works hard to win the respect of the rough and ready crew, but the reality of the Nazi Germany that awaits them in Hamburg is worse than any of them could have imagined…
The Veiled Bride by Elizabeth Bailey is a compelling Georgian romance with a dramatic secret at its heart. An orphan without means, Rosina Charlton answers an unusual advertisement. But what kind of man advertises for a wife in the local newspaper? Desperate to find refuge, Rosina has few choices in life — but a shock awaits her at the altar…
The Burning of the Ships by Douglas Scott is an action-packed thriller set during the Second World War. When merchant seaman John Rennie is betrayed whilst attempting to escape a French prison camp, he determines to find out who the traitor is. But could he also hold the key to unmasking a Nazi spy?
The Privateer by Dan Donato is the first book in the Gideon Locke Naval Adventures: action-packed maritime adventures set in the 18th century. When Gideon Locke is recruited aboard a privateer, he hopes his luck is about to change for the better. But Gideon soon realises the captain is hiding a dark secret, and his fortunes looks to be once more on a downward spiral. Can Gideon rebuild his reputation? Or will his first foray into privateering be his last…?
Bouncer’s Buzz Bomb by Tony Rea is the fifth book in the Gus Beaumont Aviation Thrillers, military adventures set during the Second World War. Recovering in an RAF convalescent hospital in South Devon, pilot Gus ‘Bouncer’ Beaumont is caught up in a deadly attack by German FW 190 tip and run bombers. Vowing vengeance, Gus asks to be posted to a Typhoon squadron, as these are the only fighters that can catch the German fighter-bombers. But with D-Day on the horizon, can Gus survive another epic battle…?
Caged Eagle by Richard Rohmer is a classic thriller covering the end of the Second World War and the turn of the century. Fighter pilot Garth Peters is training with the Royal Canadian Airforce when he falls in love on a night out. But when the woman of his dreams marries a rival pilot and member of his squadron, Peters vows to take his revenge.
July’s Audio Releases
Lose yourself in a great audiobook this month!
The Bad Popes by E. R. Chamberlin is a dramatic account of some of the most notorious figures of medieval and Renaissance history who ruled from the Eternal City.
In Danger’s Hour by David Clensy is the second book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure series: historical adventures following twin brothers fighting with the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy during World War Two.
Don’t miss one of the finest SOE memoirs to come out of the Second World War in Albanian Assignment by David Smiley.
County Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel fights to clear his colleague’s name in Tudor mystery The Slaughtered Widow by David Field.
July’s Non-Fiction Releases
The March on London by Charles Whiting uncovers one of the last great secrets of the Second World War — a clandestine German plan to spark a mass prisoner-of-war uprising. This thoroughly researched account — based on interviews and writings from German POWs and British guards — uncovers the true story behind this remarkably bold plan: who was involved, what was intended, why it was ultimately abandoned, and the brutal repercussions that followed. This little-known episode of the Second World War makes for a gripping read.
Epic Naval Fights of World War Two by Captain Frank H. Shaw is essential reading for anyone interested in learning more about some of the most important but often forgotten battles of the Second World War. From the Arctic to the South Atlantic, Shaw provides a fresh perspective on World War Two at sea and shows just how close the Allies came to losing the war in its early years. From the sinking of HMS Rawalpindi by the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau just two months into the war, to the Battle of the River Plate on the other side of the world, Shaw takes us on a journey across the world’s oceans, exploring how the Allies overcame the aggressive Kriegsmarine and gained control of the seas.
The Big Drop by John Golley tells the dramatic, bloody story of how the 9th Parachute Battalion fought to capture and neutralise the Merville Battery. The destruction of this formidable coastal stronghold became one of the most daring and crucial missions of D-Day. Drawing on original wartime documents and first-hand accounts from British and French survivors, Golley vividly reconstructs one of the most daring and decisive raids of the Second World War.
Anzio by war correspondent Wynford Vaughan-Thomas brings one of the Second World War’s most dramatic campaigns to life. Drawing on first-hand experience, interviews with senior commanders, and extensive documentary sources, Vaughan-Thomas captures the brutal reality of life on the front line, while also revealing the tensions and misjudgements within the Allied High Command that contributed to the heavy loss of life. This is the definitive story of Anzio — from bold ambition to bitter struggle, and ultimately to hard-won victory.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
Vibrant Voices. Sensational Stories. Beautiful Books.
How we found the Mary Rose
‘Henry VIII was an enthusiastic shipbuilder, whose pride in his “Army by Sea” would see his fleet grow from five at the start of his reign to 53 by the time of his death in 1547. While he may have had many ships, it is the Mary Rose that is remembered as his favourite.’
Built in 1510/1511, the Mary Rose was one of King Henry VIII’s favourite ships for 34 years until it sunk in 1545. It stood out amongst the fleet, known for its speed, the length of time it spent in service, and its cutting edge approach to weaponry.
The Mary Rose sank on the 19th of July 1545, almost 500 years ago. Its location remained a mystery for centuries, causing much fascination to historians. If you want to discover more about this infamous ship, its sinking, and its recovery, read on…
What was the Mary Rose?
The Mary Rose was a famous Tudor warship built in Portsmouth alongside sister ship, the Peter Pomegranate. It was 600 tons and carried a small amount of heavy guns for use against enemy ships and smaller guns intended for use on personnel. After only one year as a navy vessel, it was used as flagship in The Battle of St Mathieu on the 10th August 1512. It was a favourite of King Henry VIII’s and a point of pride for the Tudor navy. The Mary Rose was a prominent piece in battles against the French in its 34 years of service up to, and including, its sinking.
Why did the Mary Rose sink?
As infamous as the Mary Rose was, its sinking has become the largest part of its legacy. The exact reasoning behind why it sank is unclear, but there are strong theories.
What happened on 19 July 1545?
The Mary Rose sank during the Battle of the Solent, a confrontation between French and English troops on the Isle of Wight, as well as a face-off between their respective fleets in the Solent between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth.
Eyewitness accounts claim that the Mary Rose had fired its starboard side guns and was manoeuvring through a turn when suddenly the ship took aboard water via its open gunports. Exactly why the ship was at such an angle to be able to do this is unclear.
Whilst we may never know for sure, common theories as to why the ship sank include:
- Human error – it was Sir George Carew’s first command of a naval vessel and it is theorised that he simply could have given an order that was beyond the ship’s capabilities, or was misunderstood by his men.
- Weather conditions – it was theorised that a sudden gust of wind could have caught the sails as the ship manoeuvred, pushing it onto its side.
- Weight – whilst this theory is not an academic favourite, there is a possibility that the ship was overloaded with guns and men to the point it was past the ship’s capacity to safely sail. However, the ship managed to reach battle without issue, causing this theory to be frequently dismissed.
- French gunfire – French eyewitnesses claim that the Mary Rose was struck, perhaps causing the ship to take the quick turn that lead to its sinking.
Whatever the cause, the Mary Rose sank within minutes, taking the majority of her crew down with her. Of the estimated 500 men aboard, only approximately 35 survived the sinking.
Alastair Miles, Collections Manager at The Mary Rose Trust, said:
‘The hull and her crew remained largely undisturbed on the seabed for over four centuries until the rediscovery of the site in the early 1970s. The subsequent excavations culminated in the recovery of the Mary Rose on 11th October 1982. In addition to the 19,000 artefacts brought ashore from the site, the remains of up to 300 of the crew were also recovered. These have remained under the careful stewardship of the Mary Rose Trust ever since.
The Mary Rose Museum is dedicated to preserving the memory of those lost, but there is also a dedication within Portsmouth Cathedral. On 19th July 1984, one of the ship’s company was reburied in a symbolic act of remembrance. Nothing is known about the individual that was chosen for the reburial, but it is through his anonymity that he stands as a poignant representative for the entire crew – and all those who have lost their lives at sea.’
The search for the Mary Rose wreck
Although contemporaries knew roughly where she had sunk, shifting sands and changing tides gradually concealed the wreck beneath the seabed. Numerous attempts were made to locate her over the following centuries, but none succeeded. The Mary Rose remained undisturbed from 1545 to the 1970s, over 400 years.
Everything changed in the late 1960s. Historian, novelist, journalist, diver and amateur archaeologist Alexander McKee became determined to solve one of Britain’s greatest historical mysteries. Drawing together divers, historians, and volunteers, McKee established a search that combined painstaking archival research with innovative underwater surveying.
After years of collaborative investigation, the team finally located the wreck in 1971, beginning one of the most ambitious maritime archaeological projects ever undertaken.
The discovery captured international attention and ultimately led to the remarkable salvage operation that culminated in the raising of the Mary Rose in 1982. The ship was then carefully preserved and can now be visited in person in Portsmouth at The Mary Rose Museum.
Alongside uncovering the remains of the Mary Rose itself, discovery of the wreckage also came with the discovery of over 19,000 artefacts. These included weaponry, military and navy gear, provisions, and personal effects, alongside the oldest known fiddle in Europe. It provided a unique and fascinating portal to the Tudor era, providing unique insight and perspective on daily life in the Tudor Navy.
You can discover more about the exact timeline of the Mary Rose’s recovery on the Mary Rose Trust website.
How We Found the Mary Rose tells the extraordinary story
Many books have been written about the Mary Rose, but few can match the authority of Alexander McKee’s How We Found the Mary Rose.
Unlike later historians looking back on events, McKee writes as the man who led the search from its earliest stages. His account takes readers behind the headlines, sharing the determination, setbacks and breakthroughs that eventually led to the discovery of the wreck.
The search was never a matter of luck. McKee describes the meticulous historical research, underwater exploration and collaboration that gradually narrowed the search area until the long-lost flagship was finally found. His book reveals the detective work behind one of Britain’s greatest archaeological achievements.
More than half a century after the wreck’s discovery, the Mary Rose continues to capture the imagination. It is a story of Tudor history, maritime innovation, archaeological perseverance, and human curiosity. McKee’s insider perspective allows readers to experience the excitement of the discovery as it unfolded, making How We Found the Mary Rose an essential read for anyone interested in Britain’s Tudor and naval past.
Celebrate 55 years since the discovery of the Mary Rose
Fifty-five years after the discovery of the wreck, the story of the Mary Rose continues to captivate historians, archaeologists and readers alike. For anyone fascinated by Tudor history, maritime archaeology or one of Britain’s greatest historical discoveries, How We Found the Mary Rose by Alexander McKee offers the definitive first-hand account of the search that brought Henry VIII’s flagship back into the light.
Discover the remarkable true story behind one of Britain’s greatest archaeological discoveries. Order your copy of How We Found the Mary Rose by Alexander McKee from Sapere Books today.
From leaving book reviews on Amazon and Goodreads to pre-ordering new releases and recommending books, there are so many simple ways readers can support authors and improve book discoverability. If you’re a reader who wants to support authors, independent publishers, and improve book discoverability, these simple actions can make a real difference.
Why Supporting Authors Matters
Reader recommendations, social media engagement, and reviews can significantly impact a book’s success by increasing visibility and helping new readers find it. While a single review may have little effect on a bestselling title, it can make a meaningful difference for an independent author.
Many successful indie books gain traction through reader enthusiasm and word-of-mouth marketing. If you’d like to support independent authors and smaller publishers, here are some of the most effective ways to do so.
How to Support Your Favourite Authors
1. Buy Their Books
The most direct way to support an author is to purchase their work. Every sale contributes to the author’s success. Sales figures can influence retailer recommendations, future publishing opportunities, advertising budgets, and overall visibility.
2. Follow Authors on Social Media
Following an author on social media is a simple but powerful way to show support.
Social media platforms use engagement signals to determine which content gets shown to larger audiences. When readers like, comment on, save, or share an author’s posts, it increases the likelihood of those posts reaching potential new readers.
3. Subscribe to Author Newsletters
Email newsletters remain one of the most effective marketing tools available to authors.
Unlike social media platforms, where visibility depends on constantly changing algorithms, newsletters allow authors to communicate directly with readers who are genuinely interested in their work. For authors, every subscriber represents a reader who wants to stay connected and support their journey. Plus, it can be a fantastic way to stay up to date and see more behind the scenes.
4. Recommend Books to Friends and Book Clubs
Word-of-mouth marketing remains one of the most powerful forms of book promotion. When readers recommend books to friends, family members, book clubs, online communities, or fellow readers, those recommendations often carry more weight than traditional advertising. A genuine recommendation from a passionate reader can introduce an author to an entirely new audience.
5. Share Book Posts and Announcements
Sharing a cover reveal, release announcement, review, or author update can help introduce a book to new readers. Even a single share may reach someone who becomes a lifelong fan!
6. Attend Author Events and Signings
Book launches, signings, conventions, and literary festivals provide valuable opportunities for authors to connect with readers. Attendance and engagement help make these events successful and encourage organisers to host similar events in the future.
7. Request Books at Your Local Library
Library requests can have a surprisingly large impact on an author’s success. Many libraries purchase books based on reader demand, meaning a single request can result in a book being added to a collection. This not only supports the author financially, but also introduces their work to new readers who may later purchase other books in the series.
8. Pre-Order
Buying a book before release day can make a big difference. Penguin Random House in their article ‘All About Pre-Orders’ says:
‘For an author, pre-orders can alert retailers and consumers that they should pay attention to your book. From the bookseller perspective, the pre-order quantity is a good early indicator of a book’s success, and can lead to retailers increasing their initial orders.’
Book launches are often driven by momentum. Early support can encourage retailers, reviewers, influencers, bloggers, and other readers to pay attention. The more momentum a book builds before launch day, the greater its chances of reaching a wider audience after publication.
Many retailers count pre-orders toward a book’s launch-week sales performance. As these sales are concentrated around release day, they can help improve chart rankings and visibility during a crucial period. A strong launch can create additional opportunities for discovery, recommendations, and media coverage.
9. Leave A Review
Corrin Foster, Sr. Director of Book Marketing & Promotions at Forbes Books, says on her guest post, The Benefit of Reader Reviews on NetGalley, that:
“Reader reviews are the social proof that helps to convert browsers into buyers.”
Reviews don’t just help authors; they help future readers make informed purchasing decisions. Seeing positive reviews can reassure potential buyers that a book is worth their time and money. In many cases, readers discover new books specifically because they were intrigued by another reader’s review.
Reviews also play an important role in how books are displayed on major retail and discovery platforms. While no platform publicly reveals its exact algorithm, books with higher levels of reader engagement are generally more likely to appear in recommendation feeds, search results, and “customers also bought” sections. More reviews can therefore increase a book’s visibility, helping it reach readers who may never have found it otherwise.
There are several places where readers can leave book reviews, including:
You can also share reviews through:
- Personal blogs
- Instagram posts
- Facebook recommendations
- Threads and Bluesky posts
If you post reviews on social media, tag the author. Not only does this allow them to see your review, but it can help introduce their work to your followers!
How Can You Support Sapere Books Authors?
Whether you enjoy historical fiction, crime fiction, thrillers, mysteries, romance, or non-fiction, every action you take can make a meaningful difference to an author’s success.
You can help Sapere Books authors by:
- Leaving a review
- Pre-ordering upcoming book releases
- Recommending books to friends, family, and book clubs
- Sharing your favourite titles on social media
- Following authors on social media
- Following Sapere Books on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky
- Subscribing to author newsletters
- Subscribing to the Sapere Books mailing list
What may seem like a small gesture can have a lasting impact on an author’s career and help ensure more great books are published in the future. Browse our latest releases, discover new authors, and join our growing community of readers who help support independent publishing every day.
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed two new Regency novels by Graham Ley: A Gentleman’s Daughter and The Gentleman’s Banker.
Book 1 in the Wentworth Family Regency Saga
Graham is the author of the Wentworth Family Regency Saga series: absorbing historical novels set between England and France during the French Revolution.
In Graham’s words:
“I am absolutely delighted to have my two new books, A Gentleman’s Daughter and The Gentlemen’s Banker, under contract. I chose Bath in 1793 for A Gentleman’s Daughter because the city is already poised for Regency splendour but finds itself rocked by the revolutionary turmoil in France, with confidence shaken and corruption in the air. How surprising is it, then, that the city is full of people from different classes of society who are not who they claim to be, acting out a masquerade with lives and reputations at stake? And when the city becomes too hot for one young woman escaping from her oppressive brother, the attractions of a different life on the Devon coast bring her into contact with the romance and the harsh realities of smuggling in The Gentlemen’s Banker.
“I have always been attracted to the Napoleonic era and in particular to the 1790s, with Britain caught up in the waves of disturbance flowing from Paris, and people wrestling with the new world of unaccustomed freedoms. I have been determined in all my novels to convey an intimate picture of this time, relaxed and almost familiar, so readers will sense the feelings and the difficulties of my characters — as if they were standing in the same room, or the same street, or smelling the same wax candles.”
Jacquie Rogers is the author of the Quintus Valerius Roman Mysteries.
In about AD 224, 9,262 silver denarius coins were neatly wrapped, stacked in leather bags, and carefully stored under the floor of a courtyard villa at Shapwick in the low Polden Hills of Somerset. It was the largest and most valuable silver hoard so far uncovered across the Roman Empire (equivalent to over £250,000 today). The villa was demolished almost immediately, though more modest dwellings on the same site were built and inhabited for many more decades. Archaeologists believe the deposition of the hoard and the demolition were closely related events (Aston and Gerrard, 2013).
Coins from the Shapwick Hoard on display at the Museum of Somerset
Nearly 1,800 years later I moved to the Somerset Levels, living between the Mendips to the north and the Poldens to the south. Being a lifelong Romanophile, I had already seen Roman lead ingots from the silver/lead mines of the Mendips, in the British Museum. At least one such ingot has been found by modern assays to be fraudulently stamped, declaring the native silver in the lead removed. The failure to remove silver and send it to the imperial coffers, as obligated by Roman law, was treason. It wasn’t a far step to ponder the links between fraud at the nearby Cheddar mines, a massive hidden hoard of silver coins (some of which were counterfeit, by the way), and the simultaneous demolition of Shapwick villa, leaving the hoard unrecovered.
Like any keen reader of historical fiction, I wondered if this story was already out in the world. Apart from Lindsey Davis’s excellent Falco novel, The Silver Pigs (set long before the hoard was deposited), it was an untold story. So I decided to write it myself.
At that time, I was between jobs as a university lecturer. Not that I taught any particularly relevant subject at university. Apart from A Level Ancient History, I am self-taught with regard to Roman history. But I was partway through an Open University diploma in creative writing, and used the Shapwick story to develop my end-of-course short story assignment. My tutor (author Jane Elmor) suggested that my short story would do better as a novel. But then I resumed work at the University of the West of England in Bristol, and the novel idea went on the back burner. Even when I had more free time to write, I resisted the concept of a novel. It was too scary. The length envisaged (around 90,000 words) was even longer than my doctoral thesis, and I’d sweated enough over that! Besides, I’d already begun a science fiction novella. That was completed, and is now rightly languishing in the fabled bottom drawer all writers have.
But the story wouldn’t go away. It turned into an account of theft, arson, murder and rebellion. Eventually I developed an outline and some opening chapters, which I took to an independent editor friend for developmental advice. ‘It’s got promise,’ she told me. ‘But not as the coming-of-age YA book you’ve outlined.’
I was taken aback. ‘What do you mean?’ I asked, thinking wistfully of the many hours that had gone into the book already.
‘You’ve got a mystery here, a full-blooded one,’ she said. ‘And these characters here —’ she said dismissively of my two main characters — ‘they’re not the ones you’re keen on. It’s this scarred army officer, and that thirty-something woman, Julia, who really interest you, isn’t it?’
Of course, she was right. Quintus Valerius, detached from the Praetorian Guard in Rome and sent back to Britannia to investigate the emperor’s missing silver, and his lost Romano-British love, Julia Aureliana, were very close to my heart. Once I’d understood that, the book flowed out. The Governor’s Man is the result, and will be followed by three more Quintus Valerius mysteries, set variously across Britannia, Rome, Gaul, York, Caledonia and Aquae Sulis (Bath). A high-stakes mission to Tara of the High Kings in Ireland will follow and along the way, Quintus will join forces with a Londinium-born-and-bred subaltern, Tiro, who mostly enjoys the wealth of adventure offered to a Roman military investigator, but remains convinced that Londinium is the greatest city in the world.
Reference
Aston, M. and Gerrard, G. (2013) Interpreting the English village: Landscape and Community at Shapwick, Somerset. Windgather Press, Oxford.
The Governor’s Man is available to pre-order from Amazon now.
Jacquie’s Substack newsletter, YouTube channel, magazine articles and social media can all be accessed via Linktree.
Image credit: The image of the Shapwick Hoard is from Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
From thrilling wartime adventures and historical romances to a twisty detective case, there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
June’s Fiction Releases
Sherlock Holmes and the Aeronauts by Linda Stratmann is the eleventh instalment in the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series. The death of a young mathematician appears to be accidental, but young Holmes suspects a cleverly planned murder may have taken place.
The Royal Hammer by David Field is the first historical novel in the Wars of the Roses Saga. As royal power changes, so too do the fortunes of those who serve it.
The Hunters and the Wrath by Patrick Larsimont is the seventh book in the Jox McNabb Aviation Thrillers. Fighter pilot Jox McNabb is tasked with fighting off the German counterattacks against the fragile Normandy beachheads. But Hitler has deployed new vengeance weapons, unleashing his wrath on Britain. Can Jox help stop Germany’s retaliation? Or will his new wing collapse against the might of the Luftwaffe?
The Ladies of Mount Street by Dorothy Mack is a spellbinding romance set in Regency London. Can Laura find the courage to take a chance on love?
Queen of Diamonds by Rozsa Gaston is the third book in the Anne Boleyn Chronicles. Can a young Anne Boleyn learn to navigate the rivalry, gossip and intrigue of the French royal court?
A Deadly Prank by Coirle Mooney is the first book in the Thomas Middleton Mysteries, set in Elizabethan England. When a member of Tom’s household is murdered, the aspiring playwright’s mother becomes the chief suspect. Can Tom find the real killer and clear his mother’s name?
Murder at Cirey by Cheryl Sawyer is the first instalment in the Victor Constant Investigations. When a young man is shot dead on an estate in the picturesque Champagne region of France, military policeman Victor Constant is determined to find out why. But can he bring the killer to justice without jeopardising his career, and his life?
Friday Dreaming by Elizabeth Bailey is a heart-warming historical romance set in Georgian England. Can a bookish young woman make her lifelong dream come true?
The Tudor Vanishing by Adele Jordan is the fifth book in the Shadow Cutpurses Tudor Thrillers, set during the reign of King Henry VIII. When a man goes missing, thief-turned-espionage-agent Gwynnie Wightham soon finds herself embroiled in a much deeper conspiracy.
Sisters of Sorrow by Aola Vandergriff is a chilling Gothic mystery set in 1970s America. When Shannon Shelby’s twin sister disappears after travelling to claim their joint inheritance — a house called Sorrow — Shannon follows her. But what follows is a nightmare she could never have imagined.
June’s Audio Releases
Lose yourself in a great audiobook this month!
Find out how two hundred and fifty men made it back across the Rhine to Allied lines with the aid of the Dutch Resistance in The Grey Goose of Arnhem by Leo Heaps.
Don’t miss the staggering history of the 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion’s journey through the First World War in The Suicide Battalion by J. L. McWilliams and R. James Steel.
Discover the incredible account of one prisoner-of-war’s struggle to survive five years of Nazi imprisonment in The Long Road Home by Adrian Vincent.
The Secret Sirens take to the skies in this military wartime adventure in The Fire Maidens by D. R. Bailey.
Tom Walsingham is once again embroiled in murder and double-dealings in Elizabethan England in A Treasonous Path by C.P. Giuliani.
June’s Non-Fiction Releases
Hemingway Goes to War: Travels with a Gun, 1944-45 by Charles Whiting is a meticulously researched account of Ernest Hemingway’s journey through war-torn Europe, offering an alternative view of Hemingway’s life as a World War Two correspondent. How truthful were his accounts? How close to the action was he? And did he ever really know what life was like for the average American GI?
The Day of the Typhoon by John Golley is a vividly authentic account of rocket Typhoon operations during Operation Overlord. Drawing on his own experience with 245 Squadron, Golley provides a pilot’s-eye view of what it was like to fly this often-overlooked aircraft in the heat of battle.
The Royal Air Force: 1939-1945 by Chaz Bowyer is a comprehensive examination of every aspect of the RAF during World War Two, from organisation to operations. Bowyer, a renowned aviation historian, draws upon meticulous research to provide a compelling overview of how the RAF was instrumental in securing Allied victory.
The Cry is War, War, War by Michael W. Taylor draws upon the personal correspondence of two young lieutenants from the 34th North Carolina Regiment in the Pender–Scales Brigade of the Light Division to present a vivid, human view of the American Civil War.
The Last Wilderness by Nicholas Luard is a remarkable chronicle of the writer’s two-thousand-mile expedition across the Kalahari Desert, searching for the elusive black leopard and for answers to why humankind should love and respect the wilderness. This book is a true homage to the Kalahari tempered by Luard’s profound sadness at the loss of unique wildlife and habitat.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
Vibrant Voices. Sensational Stories. Beautiful Books.
On July 4, 2026, the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a milestone known as America250. Across the United States, commemorative events, exhibitions and educational programmes are exploring the people, ideas and conflicts that shaped the birth of the nation.
David Armitage says in The Declaration of Independence in Global Perspective that:
‘No American document has had a greater global impact than the Declaration of Independence. It has been fundamental to American history longer than any other text because it was the first to use the name “the United States of America”: in this sense, the Declaration was the birth certificate of the American nation.’
The Declaration of Independence can be found and read online via The National Archives’ collection of America’s Founding Documents. As the first successful declaration of independence in history, the Declaration of Independence continues to influence nations around the world. Over 192 countries represented at the United Nations now have a similar declaration, many of which were inspired by or directly influenced by the American example.
While the Declaration of Independence was signed on 4 July 1776, it was the culmination of years of political debate, military conflict and revolutionary activism. For readers looking to learn more about the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers and the struggle for American independence, non-fiction history books offer an ideal starting point.
To commemorate America250 and Independence Day, here are five fascinating books that explore the creation of the United States.
Why These Books?
This reading list explores the military leaders, political thinkers, international allies, opposing forces, and eyewitnesses who experienced the birth of the United States firsthand. The figures featured in the novels below, George Washington, Samuel Adams, and Lafayette, helped shape the ideas and events that transformed thirteen British colonies into the United States of America. Together, these books provide a broader understanding of the American Revolution and the remaining legacy of the Declaration of Independence 250 years later.
Essential Books for the 250th Anniversary of Independence
1. George Washington: First in War, First in Peace by James A. Crutchfield
For five years George Washington led the fledging thirteen colonies against the overwhelming might of Great Britain, he helped shaped the foundations of the country at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and served as the first president of the United States for two terms.
George Washington: First in War, First in Peace reveals a leader whose outward simplicity concealed a quick, analytic mind, capable of learning from mistakes, and who made decisions with the forethought of how they would impact the young nation he was helping to build.
While Washington became the public face of the Revolution, Samuel Adams helped create the political movement that made independence possible.
2. The Grand Incendiary by Noel B. Gerson
John Adams, the second President of the United States and a second cousin of Samuel Adams, claimed, “The Revolution was Sam’s personal creation.” Yet, how did this man, who had failed at business and mishandled his inheritance, emerge in middle age as one of the most important of America’s Founding Fathers?
While other figures like George Washington or Thomas Jefferson may be more well-known today, during the years of the American Revolution and for many years afterward, Samuel Adams was regarded as the first citizen and a leading statesman of the new nation. Such was his influence that on the eve of the Revolution, General Thomas Gage put a price on Adams’ head and declared him “the most dangerous man in the New World.”
No account of American independence is complete without the Marquis de Lafayette, the French officer whose military support proved crucial to the Revolutionary cause.
3. Statue in Search of a Pedestal by Noel B. Gerson
“Liberty for all is worth any sacrifice.” So said Gilbert Motier de Lafayette, the French visionary who championed freedom and equality, but whose devotion to the cause of democratic government came at a great personal sacrifice.
Born into one of the oldest aristocratic families in France, as a teenager the idealistic Lafayette volunteered to fight under George Washington for America’s independence in the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, a decisive victory which brought him lasting military renown and made him one of the true heroes of the American Revolution.
Elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1818 following two decades in political exile, Lafayette continued to fight for freedom of speech, press, assemblage, and worship, arguing that these were rights that belonged to all people and could not rightly be taken from them by any government.
Drawing on contemporary material, including private letters and Lafayette’s own memoirs, Noel B. Gerson paints a vivid picture of a man of physical and moral courage, whose fight for the cause of liberty earned him the title the “Hero of Two Worlds”.
To fully understand the American War of Independence, it is important to examine the wider international conflict that surrounded it. Admiral Rodney offers a British perspective on the struggle that reshaped the Atlantic world.
4. Admiral Rodney: The Man Who Broke the Line by Donald Macintyre
George Brydges Rodney, better known as Admiral Rodney, was one of the Royal Navy’s greatest commanders during the Age of Sail. Remembered most for his decisive victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782 during the American War of Independence, he was also involved in numerous raids against the French during the Seven Years’ War and saw his first action in the War of the Austrian Succession. Rodney is credited with reimposing discipline in a mismanaged, neglected Navy and initiating important tactical reforms in battle.
Captain Donald Macintyre presents a thoroughly researched and absorbing account of the life, career, and character of one of the most compelling figures in the history of the British Navy. Drawing on a wide range of historical sources — including contemporary accounts and personal letters — Macintyre balances official records with vivid testimony from those who served alongside Rodney. The result is a fascinating insight into a system of rank and command in which factions ruled and disloyalty and back-biting were rife.
To fully comprehend the context into which the Declaration of Independence was signed, the years after, and its impact to this day, a wider look at American History is a must.
5. Eyewitness to American History by James A. Crutchfield
Eyewitness to American History brings the past to life through the voices of those who were there.
Ranging from the 1750s to the 1850s, these thirty-five accounts are set in a wide variety of locales throughout the United States and include incredible first-hand tales of adventure and bravery, hardship and danger. Read about Roanoke Island’s lost colony, the fur trade era, the joys of early steamboat travel, Chief Blackbird of the Omahas, the Oregon Trail, and the tribulations of the early frontier military troops. Along the way are some surprising and humorous episodes from American history, such as the court-martial of a Revolutionary War veteran for refusing to cut his hair, as well as more dramatic events, including the massacre at Frenchtown and the first presidential assassination attempt.
James A. Crutchfield has drawn together a range of narratives from people from all walks of life — explorers, trappers, diplomats, soldiers, and politicians, among others — whose eyewitness accounts of everyday American life shed a valuable light on a legendary era.
America250 Reading List: Why Revolutionary-Era History Still Matters
Two hundred and fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the lives of figures such as George Washington and Samuel Adams continue to shape discussions about democracy, liberty and national identity. Debates that shaped the American Revolution remain surprisingly relevant. Questions about liberty, representative government, national identity and civic responsibility continue to influence public life in the United States and beyond.
By exploring biographies of those involved readers can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the Revolutionary generation and the decisions that helped create a new nation.
Whether you are celebrating the Fourth of July, participating in America250 events or simply looking to expand your knowledge of American history, these books provide valuable insight into one of the most important turning points in world history.
Celebrate the Fourth of July with These Must-Read Revolutionary War Histories
As America250 commemorates the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, these books offer an opportunity to look beyond the famous date of 4 July 1776 and explore the people, battles, ideas and international alliances that made American independence possible. Whether you are a lifelong student of history or simply looking for a meaningful Fourth of July read, these titles provide an excellent introduction to the revolutionary generation.
Discover these titles and more in our History & Biography books.
As we celebrate National Crime Reading Month, an annual initiative spearheaded and developed by the Crime Writers’ Association which runs throughout the month of June, we asked C. V. Chauhan, author of the Inspector Sharma Thrillers set in Leicester, to tell us what crime fiction means to him and how it has influenced his own writing.
“I was born and brought up in a small town in the Rift Valley in Kenya. Despite the breathtaking natural beauty of the location, my childhood was highly deprived. My local school had ninety-seven pupils, but no resources and no library. At home, my six siblings and I shared three books. I still remember them vividly, because they kickstarted my love affair with reading. Two featured European fairy tales: Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella and Rapunzel. The third book was about Greek myths and legends. They were probably given to my father, a cobbler, by an ex-pat British customer. I read and re-read those books by the light of a hurricane lamp in the evening, fascinated by the magical world of fairy tales and the adventures of Perseus and Medusa, Theseus and the Minotaur. This is where my fascination with heroes tussling with dark forces and sinister figures began.
“At the age of eleven I moved with my family to a Victorian terraced house in Leicester and joined a small secondary school without any playing fields. For all its faults, it did have a library, from which I borrowed copious books, and a good English teacher who introduced us to Shakespeare — I loved the themes of passion, greed, power and corruption in Macbeth, Hamlet and Julius Caesar. The battle between good and evil was a constant theme in many of the books I read.
“As an undergraduate at the University of York, my reading became turbocharged. I suddenly had access to thousands of books and met many like-minded people who were hungry for knowledge. In addition to reading the core textbooks for history and economics, I started reading more widely: Graham Greene, Agatha Christie, Aldous Huxley, James Baldwin, George Orwell. I was such a voracious reader that I often read three books simultaneously — a few chapters from one, a few from another, and so on until I went back to the first. My contemporaries thought I was mad, but I was happily lost in the many different worlds and characters created by these fabulous writers.
“Immersing myself properly in crime fiction came not long after. I trained to be a teacher and taught history in some challenging secondary schools in London and Birmingham. At one of these schools, I became good friends with an English teacher called Jim MacLachlan. He introduced me to a wonderful range of crime fiction authors, many of whom I wasn’t previously aware. I soon became embroiled in the lives of the characters in the 87th Precinct series of police procedural novels by Ed McBain, as well as the thrilling plots created by Elmore Leonard, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Raymond Chandler, Lawrence Block, Donald E. Westlake, Patricia Cornwell and Joseph Hansen. Like Shakespeare, the genre delved into complex human behaviours, grappling with morality and justice whilst immersing the reader into danger from a safe distance. I was hooked.
“As a writer, I continue to read widely in all genres. Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and James M. Cain are perennial favourites, as are Lee Child, Stephen King, Jeffery Deaver and James Lee Burke. The Laidlaw books by the late William McIlvanney are fabulous. I also love historical fiction with a criminal element and, more recently, have discovered the many wonderful Japanese writers of crime fiction.
“I gave up full-time work a few years ago to focus on writing crime-fiction. My thrillers are set in Leicester and feature Inspector Rohan Sharma and his idiosyncratic African Grey parrot, Fernando. I have drawn upon my love of detective fiction and police procedurals to write about the city I live in, whilst exploring contemporary themes of diversity, organised crime and human trafficking.
“As we celebrate Crime Fiction Month this June, I often reflect on the fact that crime fiction is a wonderful vehicle through which to examine social and moral dilemmas. I try to bring that to the forefront in my writing and if a reader reflects on something they have read in one of my books, then I’m happy. It’s how I remember the books that have made an impression on me. Even today, I still remember the stories of Perseus and Medusa, Theseus and the Minotaur.”
Visit C. V. Chauhan’s website for all his latest news.
For more information on National Crime Reading Month, visit: https://crimereading.com/
From historical sagas and legal thrillers to a pilgrim’s journey across France and Spain, there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
May’s Fiction Releases
The Crowned Viper by Amy Licence is the sixth book in the Marwood Family Tudor Saga Series, set at Henry VIII’s court. When her uncle dies, newly-married Thomasin travels to London to settle his estate, and once more finds herself at the centre of court intrigue.
Shadows at the Manor by Cara Clayton is the third book in the Tapestry Tales Medieval Sagas. After a spate of robberies occur on the roads around the manor, seventeen-year-old Grace Amundeville d’Albert is determined to work out who is behind them. But could the culprit be close to home?
The Hunt for Boudica by Jeff Jones is the fourth instalment in the Legion of The Damned Roman Thrillers. Centurion Marcus Corvo and his Legion of The Damned are given a choice: face execution or accept another suicide mission — hunt down and capture Queen Boudica.
House of the Dancing Dead by Aola Vandergriff is an atmospheric Gothic mystery set in New Mexico. Abandoned by her partner and grieving the death of her mother, Christie Lynne agrees when her boss offers a year’s paid vacation in the mountains. But regrets are swift to follow when she arrives at the remote Harper abode, whose strange inhabitants sleep all day and dance all night. And when a horrifying discovery is made, everything around her is thrown into question.
The French Vendetta by Simon Michael is the eleventh novel in the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers. When a rare gap opens in barrister Charles Holborne’s court diary, he and Sally seize the chance for their long-postponed honeymoon. But deep in the heart of rural Gascony Charles discovers a community still fighting the Second World War, where old crimes refuse to stay buried.
The Restless Wave by David Clancy is the fourth book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventures, set during the Second World War. While Romulus sees action in the Mediterranean for the Allied landings at Sicily and Salerno, as well as helping to lift the siege of Malta as part of Operation Pedestal, his twin brother Remus is once again unlucky enough to experience the wrong end of a torpedo strike.
The Scattering Murders by Keith Moray is the eighth crime thriller in the Inspector Torquil McKinnon Mystery Series, set on a remote Scottish island. When a well-liked farmer is found dead, Detective Inspector McKinnon soon finds himself with more than one mystery to solve.
An Angel’s Touch by Elizabeth Bailey is a touching Georgian romance featuring a spirited and passionate heroine. Can a young woman’s love bring a grieving recluse back into the world?
May’s Audio Releases
Lose yourself in a great audiobook this month!
Professor, friend, Soviet spy; who was the real Hugh Hambleton? Find out in Hugh Hambleton, Spy by Leo Heaps.
Two brothers are keen to start their naval careers. But could it all be over before they’ve barely begun? Find out in For Those in Peril by David Clensy.
Don’t miss this unique account of the Battle of the Atlantic from the perspective of a British destroyer captain in U-Boat Killer by Donald Macintyre.
Discover the unforgettable history of French intelligence agents and courageous British pilots who risked everything in the fight against Hitler in A House for Spies: SIS Operations into Occupied France from a Sussex Farmhouse by Edward Wake-Walker.
May’s Non-Fiction Releases
Hurricanes over Murmansk by John Golley tells the remarkable story of the RAF’s daring defence of the Soviet Union against the brutal Nazi onslaught of 1941. Drawing on first-hand accounts from RAF pilots as well as senior Soviet officials, Golley has crafted a thoroughly researched, vividly told account of bravery, sacrifice, and wartime ingenuity.
The Battle for European Skies by Chaz Bowyer is a comprehensive account of the savage aerial war fought over Europe during the Second World War. This book stands as a poignant tribute to the bravery and dedication of the men on both sides who took to the skies time and again, uncertain of their fate, in the service of their country.
To Drive the Enemy from Southern Soil by Michael W. Taylor draws upon the personal correspondence of Confederate Colonel Francis Marion Parker to recount the history of the brave men of the 30th Regiment North Carolina Troops, from its inception in September 1861 to its final surrender at Appomattox in 1865. The result is a deeply personal record of the daily life and cares of a Civil War soldier.
The Field of the Star is a searingly honest account of author Nicholas Luard’s pilgrimage along the Camino de Compostela, undertaken after the devastating illness and death of his eldest daughter.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
Vibrant Voices. Sensational Stories. Beautiful Books.
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed three new instalments in the Tom Walsingham Mystery Series by C. P. Giuliani.
The series follows the espionage adventures of Tom Walsingham during the Elizabethan era in Tudor England.
In C. P. Giuliani’s words:
“I’m thrilled to be working with Sapere Books on three more instalments in my Tom Walsingham mystery series. As I researched the previous books, I kept coming across material and inspiration for more stories, so I proposed them to Amy Durant, and she accepted at once. This is one of the reasons why working with Sapere is so rewarding: the enthusiasm of a very skilled and friendly team.
“Following the death of Tom Walsingham’s influential kinsman and mentor, spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham, Tom thinks his career in intelligence is finished — but he will soon discover that one is never quite done with a life in espionage! As he becomes reluctantly entangled in the troubles of wayward poet Kit Marley and Queen Elizabeth’s physician Dr Roderigo Lopes, Tom will encounter new foes, new allies, visit new places, and grapple with new cases of murder and intrigue — and he will have to do it all without Sir Francis’s powerful network at his back.
“I can’t wait to plunge into Tom’s new adventures — actually, I’m already at work on Book Ten — and all because the lovely team at Sapere still make the journey as enjoyable and stimulating as they did with Book One.”
Death at Home is available from Amazon now.
Visit C. P. Giuliani’s website for all her latest news or follow her on X.
Ahead of the publication of The Restless Wave, the fourth book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure Series, author David Clensy takes a closer look at why Operation Pedestal was such a critical moment in the Second World War.
By the summer of 1942, Malta was perilously close to defeat. Isolated in the centre of the Mediterranean, the island had endured almost two years of relentless siege. Axis aircraft and submarines had reduced its ports, airfields and towns to rubble, while starvation and fuel shortages threatened to bring military operations to a standstill. Yet Malta remained strategically indispensable. From its harbours and airstrips, British forces could strike at Axis supply lines to North Africa, choking Rommel’s Afrika Korps just as it prepared for a decisive push towards Egypt.
Operation Pedestal was the Allies’ last throw of the dice to save the island. Conceived as a massive convoy operation and executed at extraordinary risk, it stands as one of the Royal Navy’s most hard-fought and costly triumphs of the Second World War.
It is at the heart of The Restless Wave, the fourth book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure series: action-packed, authentic historical adventures following twin brothers fighting with the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy during the Second World War.
Rom is now a first lieutenant, rapidly getting the chance to show his mettle on the bridge, seeing action in the Mediterranean for the Allied landings at Sicily and Salerno, as well as helping to lift the siege of Malta as part of Operation Pedestal.
In this blog, I wanted to take a closer look at why the operation was so significant.
Malta under siege
By mid-1942, Malta’s position was desperate. Previous attempts to resupply the island had suffered severe losses, with convoys harried from the air by the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica, and attacked at sea by submarines and fast torpedo boats. Fuel for aircraft and ships was critically low, forcing the RAF to limit operations at the very moment when air defence was most urgently needed. Food stocks were so reduced that rationing had reached near-starvation levels for both civilians and servicemen alike.
HMS Victorious’ flight deck showing HMS Indomitable and HMS Eagle
Despite this, the island continued to disrupt Axis operations. Intelligence from signals interception and reconnaissance imposed a heavy toll on shipping bound for North Africa. The Axis understood that neutralising Malta was essential. The Royal Navy knew that losing it could turn the Mediterranean decisively against the Allies.
Launched in August 1942, Operation Pedestal was the largest and most heavily escorted convoy yet to attempt to supply the island. Fourteen merchant ships were assembled, carrying food, ammunition and fuel. Their cargo included aviation fuel in bulk and, most critically, the oil tanker SS Ohio, the survival of which would prove vital to keeping the island in Allied hands.
The escort was formidable. Under the command of Admiral Sir Neville Syfret, the Royal Navy committed two battleships, four aircraft carriers, seven cruisers and more than thirty destroyers. It was an extraordinary concentration of naval power, reflecting the strategic stakes involved. Even so, planners knew losses would be heavy. The convoy had to pass through the narrow Sicilian Channel, within range of Axis airfields, submarines and surface craft.
Running the gauntlet
The convoy sailed from Gibraltar on 10 August 1942. Almost immediately, it came under attack. Axis aircraft struck repeatedly, launching coordinated bombing and torpedo attacks designed to overwhelm the escorts. U-boats and Italian submarines waited ahead, while fast torpedo boats prepared night assaults.
The Royal Navy’s carriers played a crucial early role, providing fighter cover that blunted the worst of the air attacks in the opening days. However, as the convoy pressed eastwards, the carriers were forced to turn back in accordance with operational limits, leaving the merchant ships increasingly exposed.
SS Ohio arrives at Malta
Losses mounted. The aircraft carrier HMS Eagle was sunk by submarine attack. Several cruisers and destroyers were badly damaged or sunk while defending the convoy. Merchant ships were picked off one by one, yet the escorts continued to fight tenaciously, laying smokescreens, counterattacking submarines and engaging enemy surface forces at close range.
At the centre of the drama was SS Ohio. Heavily damaged by bombing and torpedo strikes, the tanker was left barely afloat. Her engine failed, her deck was shattered, and she was down by the bows. Yet abandoning her was not an option. Without her fuel, Malta’s air defences and naval forces would grind to a halt.
In one of the most remarkable episodes of the naval war, Royal Navy destroyers and minesweepers refused to give up. Ohio was lashed between escorting ships and painstakingly shepherded towards Malta, under constant threat of further attack. When she finally entered Grand Harbour on 15 August, broken-backed but still afloat, she was greeted by cheering crowds. It was also the Feast of the Assumption, later commemorated on the island as the day Malta was saved.
A landmark moment
Of the fourteen merchant ships that set out, only five reached Malta. The Royal Navy suffered grievous losses: a carrier, two cruisers, a destroyer and numerous aircraft. By any conventional measure, it was a costly operation.
Yet strategically, Operation Pedestal was a success. The supplies that arrived, especially the fuel carried by Ohio, enabled Malta to survive the siege. Within weeks, the island’s air and naval forces were back in action, once again savaging Axis supply lines to North Africa. This pressure played a significant role in undermining Rommel’s offensive and set the conditions for the Allied victory at El Alamein later that year.
For Malta, the convoy became a defining moment, later recognised through the award of the George Cross to the island as a whole. For the Royal Navy, Pedestal remains one of its most hard-fought convoy battles, a stark reminder that maritime logistics, often overlooked, can determine the outcome of entire campaigns.
The Restless Wave is available to pre-order now.
Stay up to date with David’s news and latest releases here.
Image credits: Operation Pedestal Carriers and SS Ohio are from Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Linda Stratmann is the author of the Mina Scarletti Mysteries and the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series.
Sherlock Holmes and the Aeronauts is set in 1879, at which time there had never been a successful crossing of the Channel from France to England by balloon due to unfavourable wind currents. One of the key themes in my book is a proposed competition to be first to make such a flight, with a large prize for the winner.
Some histories of ballooning include only brief accounts of the first east-to-west Channel flight which was made in 1883 by a Monsieur L’Hoste. Some histories do not even mention him. I determined to find out more about this neglected pioneer of aviation.
François L’Hoste was born in Paris on 2 August 1859, the second son of a well-to-do manufacturer of wrought iron goods. Aged twenty, he entered the aeronautical academy as a voluntary student, where he impressed his instructors with his skill, composure and courage. He was particularly inspired by a stirring lecture on the use of balloons during the siege of Paris, and the heroism of aerial experiments. His instructors had only one criticism: he was too eager — his enthusiasm and passion for adventure could barely be tempered even by the wisest advice.
The year 1883 was an important milestone in aviation history, the centenary of the first public demonstration of the Montgolfier hot air balloon. That May, during an ascent from St Omer in his gas balloon, L’Hirondelle, L’Hoste formed a new and all-consuming ambition. On arriving at Calais, he had encountered a southeast wind, which carried him over the Channel to within eight or nine miles of the English coast. A change in the wind reversed his direction, and he eventually landed in Holland. He was convinced that if he could locate and make use of favourable currents, it should be possible to cross from France to England. He shared this information with his friend and fellow enthusiast Monsieur Eloy, and they agreed to make the attempt on 5 June.
Their new balloon was named Pilâtre de Rozier in honour of the aeronaut who had first attempted the east-to-west crossing in 1785 in a hybrid hot air and hydrogen balloon. On that occasion, the balloon made little progress from Boulogne, before it was blown back over land. Soon afterwards it caught fire and plunged to earth. De Rozier and his associate, Romain, were both killed.
L’Hoste’s first attempt at a crossing was postponed due to an unfavourable wind. When he and Eloy set off on 6 June, they were heartened to find a southeast current, but it soon disappeared and they were carried back to France. After going back and forth twice more through torrential rain and fog, they made a hard landing in Lottinghen, east of Boulogne.
This failure only increased their determination. The next attempt was on 7 June, and L’Hoste decided that his chances would be better if he reduced the load by carrying only one man. He went alone. After some hours, his location largely obscured by fog, he descended for a better view. There was a large city below, and he thought he was in England, but on reaching land, he discovered he was in Dunkirk. Taking off once more, he soared above the clouds, hoping to detect where he was by the sound of waves, as he could see almost nothing through the fog. The balloon descended rather more than he intended, and he kept throwing out ballast until there was none left. The basket ditched in the sea and overturned, tipping L’Hoste into the water, where he tried to keep hold of the collapsing fabric of the balloon. Luckily, a sailing ship appeared on the scene. His cries for help were heard, and a rowboat was sent to rescue him. Soaked and exhausted, he stayed on board the ship for three days and he and his balloon were landed at Flushing.
On 14 July he tried again, but the winds were once more against him as he sailed through darkness and storms. After colliding with some treetops, he was carried across a canal and finally came to rest on some railway tracks. He barely had time to pull the basket off the line before the Rotterdam to Flushing express sped past. Two railway employees came to help him.
His next attempt on 13 August 1883 again ended in the sea, where he was rescued by a Dutch steamer, which took him to Amsterdam.
On 9 September, still confident of success, he started from Boulogne in a new balloon, the Ville-de-Boulogne. Descending sufficiently to enquire of some fishermen as to which level of current blew from the east, he continued to Cap Gris Nez, then descended into the easterly current. A little later, he saw the lighthouses of Dover. At 10.15 at night, he crossed the English coast and finally came to rest in a meadow. All around him were sheep. He decided to eat some pâté, sleep, and wait for daylight.
He was discovered in the morning by a shepherd called James Austin, and since neither spoke the other’s language, they were obliged to communicate with gestures. Austin eventually brought L’Hoste back to his farmhouse, where he met the family and was given tea. He was in Ruckinge, Kent. A farm wagon was hitched up to carry the balloon to the nearest railway station at Smeeth. L’Hoste arrived at Folkestone and a ship took him to Boulogne, where he was able to give the good news. English newspapers which had previously referred to L’Hoste’s repeated failures with some amusement, gave far less space to his success, although the Kent Times records both his voyage and discovery on a sheep farm.
L’Hoste’s crossing was no fluke. He repeated it on 7 August 1884. Then, on 29 July, 1886, he made the crossing a third time, accompanied by a new associate, Joseph Mangot. (Monsieur Eloy had made an ascent from the coastal town of Lorient on 14 July 1885 and was swept out to sea and lost.)
Joseph Mangot was born in Montdidier on 17 January 1867. He and L’Hoste made several ascents with the intention of experimenting with extended voyages, assisted by small satellite balloons to provide extra gas. In July 1886 they made a Channel crossing together from Cherbourg in a new balloon, Le Torpilleur (Torpedo boat). L’Hoste had already envisioned the possibility that balloons might be used for warfare and on the way, he demonstrated this by throwing artificial torpedoes onto passing ships. In England they launched artificial torpedoes at the docks and arsenals of London, before seeking a landing place.
Their departure for a longer flight to Eastern Europe took place on 6 November 1887. Le Torpilleur had been refurbished and renamed L’Arago after the astronomer François Arago. A passenger who travelled with them went only as far as Quillebeuf, and on 13 November, L’Hoste and Mangot headed out across the sea. They may have lost their bearings in the darkness, and it is thought they crossed the English Channel and passed quickly over the narrow Cornish peninsula into the Bristol Channel, and thence into the Atlantic. Neither L’Arago nor the young adventurers were ever seen again.
No pioneer is entirely forgotten. In 1896, a monument to L’Hoste and Mangot was erected in le Jardin des Tintelleries Boulogne. A modern hybrid balloon, which combines hot air and helium, is known as a Rozière.
References
La Catastrophe du Ballon l’Arago by Wilfrid de Fonvielle (Paris, 1888, Spectateur Militaire) This publication also includes Mes Ascensions Maritimes by François L’Hostehttps://archive.org/details/lacataastrophed00fonvgoog/page/n8/mode/2up
Traversée de la Manche de Cherbourg à Londres by Jospeh Mangot, précedée par La Préface d’un Frère (Paris, 1888, Spectateur Militaire)https://archive.org/details/traverseedelama00manggoog/page/n12/mode/2up
Kent Times, Saturday 15 September 1883, page 6, and other contemporary newspapers.
1881 English census: James Austin, shepherd and family, registration district East Ashford, Piece 949, folio 45 page 1.
From action-packed naval thrillers and gripping stories of military heroism to captivating travel memoirs, there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
April’s Fiction Releases
Tenacious by Jonathan Eyers is the first book in the Newt Beresford Naval Adventures series: Age of Sail historical adventures set in the 18th century. When Newt Beresford joins the frigate HMS Tenacious, he soon finds himself increasingly isolated on a ship full of whispered secrets, coded names, mysterious symbols and threatening messages.
A Miracle of Deliverance: A Dunkirk Short Story Anthology is a collection of linked short stories that commemorate the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. From a British soldier reflecting on the chaos of war, to a naval lieutenant doing his best to save the army from complete disaster, each of these stories reveals the heroic actions and deeply moving stories of the men and women who took part in this remarkable evacuation.
The Blooding of Jack Absolute by C. C. Humphreys is the first book in the Jack Absolute Military Adventure series: page-turning historical thrillers set in the 18th century. Can young Jack endure bloody battles in a wild landscape?
The Cold Light of Day by Stephen Taylor is the second book in the Augustus Swift Investigations series: chilling historical mysteries set in 18th-century London. Can Augustus Swift track down the ‘Beast of London’ before there are any more deaths?
Border Winds by Eric Helm is the second book in the Global War Military Thriller series. The world war has reached America’s backyard in this alternative-history military adventure set in the 20th century.
A Trace of Memory by Elizabeth Bailey is a quirky historical romance set in Georgian England with an intriguing twist. How can Elaine trust her heart if she can’t remember who she is?
Speculator by Neil Denby is the sixth book in the Quintus Roman Thrillers series. Centurion Julius Quintus Quirinius and his comrades are pushed to their limits in this action-packed military adventure set in Ancient Rome.
April’s Fiction Backlist Releases
We are pleased to announce that Flotilla Attack and Operation Chariot by Charles Whiting writing as Duncan Harding are now available from Amazon. Don’t miss these page-turning historical naval adventures set during the Second World War.
April’s Audio Releases
Lose yourself in a great audiobook this month!
Can an enterprising thief unmask a murderer? Find out in Murder at Greenwich Palace by Adele Jordan.
Discover a thrilling police procedural with an unexpected twist in Lying and Dying by Graham Brack.
The war is intensifying for the Secret Sirens in The Night Angels by D. R. Bailey.
A young centurion is sent on a suicide mission in Fortress of Steel by Jeff Jones.
April’s Non-Fiction Releases
Bomber Barons by Chaz Bowyer is a powerful and compelling history of Bomber Command and the extraordinary men who risked everything in the skies over Nazi Germany.
Pommie Migrant by Sydney Hart is a vivid and entertaining memoir of a “Ten Pound Pom” who left post-war Britain to begin a new life in Australia, capturing both the highs and lows of the migrant experience.
Andalucia by Nicholas Luard offers a vivid portrait of the region’s landscapes, traditions, and tumultuous past — a must-read for everyone who loves travel, history, and Spain.
British Liberation Army: 1944–1945 by Charles Whiting is a gripping account of the British Infantry’s final push to liberate Europe from Nazi control in the last year of the Second World War, 1944–1945.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
Vibrant Voices. Sensational Stories. Beautiful Books.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed the eighth book in D. R. Bailey’s Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers series: action-packed aviation adventures set during the Second World War and featuring a team of vigilante pilots.
Additionally, we have signed the fourth book in the Secret Sirens Aviation Thrillers series: heart-pounding World War Two escapades with strong female leads.
In D. R. Bailey’s words:
“I’m very happy to be able to continue the journey of the Mavericks and the Sirens. I am grateful for the support and continuous care that Sapere Books has offered me as an author. Through Sapere, my fiction has had a chance to reach a wider audience, which is something every author desires.
“The eighth Spitfire Mavericks book will focus on the squadron’s role as part of D-Day and beyond, protecting the skies over Britain as Hitler unleashes his latest weapon on an unsuspecting populace. The fourth Secret Sirens novel will continue their adventures with dangerous stealth missions. Meanwhile, the banter, humour and general mayhem surrounding the respective characters will, of course, carry on unabated.”
We are delighted to announce that we have signed the fourth book in C V Chauhan’s Inspector Sharma Thrillers: page-turning police procedurals set in Leicester and packed full of suspense.
Here, C V Chauhan tells us what to expect from the latest instalment:
“The plot for the fourth book in the series, A Grave Mistake, is set in motion when a young South Asian man’s body is discovered in Leicester’s historic Welford Road Cemetery, laid out on the grave of Thomas Cook, the travel agent. The body shows signs of surgical intervention: a long scar, expertly stitched. When pathologist Dr Nasreen Khan performs the post-mortem, she discovers a syringe containing a cryptic note addressed to Detective Inspector Sharma inside the body.
“So starts a fast-paced thriller which takes DI Sharma and his team across Leicestershire and further afield as they delve into the sinister world of organised crime and human trafficking.
“A Grave Mistake is more than a police procedural; it is about contemporary British society. It explores issues of immigration, racism, the exploitation of vulnerable people, and the challenges of policing in a diverse, urban environment. The novel also delves into the personal cost of police work, the importance of family, and the resilience required to confront both external and internal demons. This book, as with the previous three in the series, reflects my deep affection for the city of Leicester and its diverse communities.
“I am delighted that Sapere Books have offered me the opportunity to continue writing the DI Sharma series. I couldn’t have done it without their support and encouragement, as well as all the people who enjoy reading my books.”
Visit C V Chauhan’s website for all his latest news.
From medieval intrigues and Tudor mysteries to absorbing accounts of momentous battles, there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
March’s Fiction Releases
Malta Inferno by Justin Fox is the fourth book in the Jack Pembroke Naval Thrillers series. In this instalment, Lieutenant Jack Pembroke and his small escort ship, HMSAS Southern Gannet, join a secret convoy from Egypt to relieve the beleaguered island of Malta.
Tyranny of Indulgence by Richard Kurti is the fifth book in the Basilica Diaries Medieval Mysteries series. Determined to accelerate the building of St Peter’s Basilica, the new Pope, Leo X, initiates the selling of indulgences, whereby the rich can buy forgiveness for their sins.
Matrons of Dishonour by David Field is the thirteenth book in the Esther & Jack Enright Mysteries series. Jack is tasked with assuring his superiors that rumours of unlawful assaults on suffragettes in police custody are baseless. But when he learns otherwise, he is obliged to reassess his loyalties.
A Parisian Intrigue by Suzanne Parsons is the first book in the WWII Aviatrix Adventures series. Miriam Nugent and her fiancé, Archie Bowater, are both doing their bit for the war effort. While Archie struggles to get to grips with flying Spitfires, at Bletchley Park Miriam quickly makes her mark fixing the machines that will decode enemy messages.
Grave Merriment by Angela Ranson is the third book in the Catrin Surovell Tudor Mystery series. It’s Christmas at Whitehall Palace, but Lady Catrin Surovell cannot find her celebratory spirit. The queen has asked her to stop a brute who has forced the waifs of London to work for him. And it seems the culprit may be someone at court…
A Valiant Endeavour by D. R. Bailey is the second book in the Cooper’s Renegades Aviation Thrillers series. American pilot Cooper Donahue has been sent to the RAF base at Banley to train with the British Mavericks Squadron. Before long, he finds himself flying sorties along the Sussex coast, where the threat of dogfights with the Germans lurks around every corner.
A Lady in Name by Elizabeth Bailey is a heart-warming Georgian romance. When Lucinda Graydene’s father imparts a shattering secret on his deathbed, her world is turned upside down. Bereft, she confronts the author of her unorthodox origins — but instead she finds his heir. And the autocratic Stefan Ankerville, Earl of Pennington, takes charge of her life, despite her protests.
March’s Fiction Backlist Releases
We are pleased to announce that the fourth, fifth and sixth instalments of H. Jay Riker’s gripping SEALS: The Warrior Breed series are out now. Don’t miss these action-packed military adventures, following the U.S. Navy’s elite commando demolition unit.
March’s Non-Fiction Releases
Fighter Pilots of the RAF by Chaz Bowyer is a powerful and deeply human portrait of the men who risked everything in the skies over Europe. Drawing on meticulous research, Bowyer goes beyond the famous names to uncover the untold stories of twenty pilots — many of whom received little public recognition, yet were crucial in the fight against the Luftwaffe.
The Burnside Expedition in North Carolina by Richard A. Sauers is a definitive account of Union General Ambrose E. Burnside’s North Carolina Campaign — a pivotal moment in the American Civil War.
A Short History of the Arab Peoples by Sir John Bagot Glubb draws on the author’s considerable knowledge of the Arab world gleaned from his time spent living and working in the region to explore its history, culture and politics. Spanning from the seventh century to the mid-twentieth century, this book brings to life several tumultuous and extraordinary periods of history.
Hunters From the Sky by Charles Whiting tells the fascinating true story of the Fallschirmjäger — the elite German Parachute Corps — and their role during the Second World War, 1940–1945.
Trafalgar: Nelson’s Great Victory by Donald Macintyre charts the dramatic prelude to the momentous battle — from Horatio Nelson’s rise to fame at the battles of the Nile and Copenhagen, to Pierre-Charles Villeneuve’s bold attempt to unite French naval forces in the Caribbean, before slipping past the British blockade to challenge their command of the seas.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
To mark the publication of the first book in the WWII Aviatrix Adventures, author Suzanne Parsons takes a closer look at the inspirations behind the series.
Entering Sapere Books’ first writing competition back in 2021, I was thrilled to be awarded a contract for a three-book series. Strong female characters, wartime espionage and aviation — what a brief! The WWII Aviatrix Adventure series is the result. Before long I was immersed in everything to do with the Second World War, especially those members of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) who in Churchill’s words ‘set Europe ablaze’. There were so many inspirational stories, like that of the beautiful Violette Szabo, who worked as a courier for the SOE and was posthumously awarded the George Cross for bravery, and wireless operator — or ‘pianist’ — Noor Inayat Khan, an Indian princess. There were other stories deemed unnewsworthy, so I was determined my female protagonist would be part of that group: unremarkable, unobtrusive, someone who might even make the odd mistake.
Enter Miriam Nugent, who enjoys hill-walking, dancing and reading. Her journey to France is convoluted, beginning at that place of codes and Enigma machines, Bletchley Park, before the draw of the SOE proves irresistible. Miriam is young, naïve, and away from home for the first time. But she is a fast learner. The training is tough, the assault course at Arisaig House in the West Highlands worthy of the SAS. The gadgets are also extraordinary, making those in any Bond film appear dull, but the message is clear: war turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. Years ago, I met a work colleague’s mother. There was always something behind her warm smile and friendly manner. What was it? Then I was told she had been an SOE spy.
The spectre of World War One loomed large for those in this war, and having read The General by C. S. Forester, the image of a man who sips tea and discusses fine wine in a French château as his men go ‘over the top’, was strong. What would any man think of that, twenty years on?
Enter Archie Bowater, who is ashamed of his father. He is also desperate to join the RAF and goes to extraordinary lengths to do so. He drifts from plane to plane, flying Spitfires, Hurricanes, Bristol Beaufighters and the wooden De Havilland Mosquito in his quest to be the hero his father never was.
The Moon Squadrons that supported the SOE were another inspiration, the iconic painting They Landed by Moonlight by Robert Taylor — capturing a night landing in an isolated field — hard to forget. Flying deep into France under a full moon, transporting agents and rescuing downed airmen, was dangerous. But what if a woman flew those missions? In wartime, women attracted less suspicion than men, their role to nurture uppermost in most minds. Surely an experienced aviatrix could pull off flying a bulky Lysander Mark II? In Britain, women only ever flew as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), but then, isn’t fiction all about the what ifs?
In book two, Red Sky at Night, the ATA takes a prominent role, we see a new aviatrix in action, and a spy is sent to Russia, where she encounters the ‘Night Witches’.
A Parisian Intrigue is available from Amazon now.
You can follow Suzanne on Facebook and X.
All images are from Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
We are delighted to announce that we have signed an exciting new series of Roman mysteries by Jacquie Rogers.
In Jacquie’s words:
“The Quintus Valerius series is a companion to my Otto Cornelius series. Set in third-century Roman Britain and across the Roman empire, these mystery-thrillers are centred around ex-Praetorian Imperial Investigator Quintus Valerius; his British associate, Tiro; and Lady Julia Aureliana, a healer and noble of the Durotriges tribe of southwest Britain.
“A survivor of Emperor Septimius Severus’s massive invasions of Caledonia, Quintus takes on a comprehensive role for the new British governor. He returns to Britannia in the first book in the series to investigate counterfeiting and rebellion in Somerset, where his own painful past is revealed. Successive novels plunge the trio into political assassination in Rome; a Pictish uprising north of Hadrian’s Wall; sacrilegious murders in Bath; and treachery at the court of the Irish High King.
“It’s such a thrill to extend my association with Sapere Books. Thank you, Amy and colleagues!”
Jacquie’s Substack newsletter, YouTube channel, magazine articles and social media can all be accessed via Linktree.
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed the next three books in the Anne Boleyn Chronicles by Rozsa Gaston.
Set during Anne Boleyn’s formative years, the series follows Anne through the Habsburg Netherlands to France, then back to England before rising to become one of England’s most legendary queens.
In Rozsa’s words:
“The adventure of chronicling Anne Boleyn’s teenage years in Europe has catapulted me far beyond my original plan for a three-book series. Anne’s story deepened as I researched the historically significant figures who shaped her, both psychologically and politically, including Margaret of Austria, the future Charles V, Erasmus, Francis I of France, Mary Tudor, Louise of Savoy, Diane de Poitiers, Clément Marot, and Leonardo da Vinci.
“The next three books in the Anne Boleyn Chronicles see Anne at the 1520 Field of the Cloth of Gold, where her unique advantage as an Englishwoman with French sensibilities allow her to stand out. Her final year in France, however, is fraught with rumblings of religious reformation spurred by Martin Luther, and the coming war with England.
“In 1521 Anne is summoned home to England, where she shines after eight years spent at two of the most powerful courts in Europe. Her father is determined to see Anne marry well. But Anne’s sights are set even higher than her father’s. In book six we shall see how high she soars following her extraordinary years abroad.”
Queen of Diamonds is available to pre-order now.
From Georgian romance and Tudor espionage to compelling tales of wartime bravery — there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
February’s Fiction Releases
The Queen’s Maid by Rozsa Gaston is the second book in the Anne Boleyn Chronicles: historical novels set in sixteenth-century Europe. In this instalment, Anne arrives at the Palace of Tournelles, only to learn that not everyone is pleased about the union between the ageing French king and his young English queen.
A Fragile Mask by Elizabeth Bailey is a touching historical love story set in Georgian England with a courageous heroine at its heart.
Death at Home by C. P. Giuliani is the eighth book in the Tom Walsingham Mystery series: page-turning espionage adventures set during the Elizabethan era. When his older brother dies suddenly, Tom Walsingham finds himself a suspect in a murder investigation.
The Mighty Ocean by David Clensy is the third book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure series: action-packed adventures set during the Second World War. As the twins’ ships cut through the Arctic seas, will the brothers survive the gauntlet of U-Boats, icebergs and icy seas?
The King’s Stolen Jewels by Adele Jordan is the fourth book in the Shadow Cutpurses Tudor Thrillers, set during the reign of King Henry VIII. When her mother returns to Whitehall Palace during the Christmas festivities, thief-turned-espionage-agent Gwynnie Wightham must decide whether to help her once more or renounce the Shadow Cutpurses for good.
February’s Non-Fiction Releases
They Died to Make Men Free by William M. Anderson tells the gripping story of the 19th Michigan Infantry Regiment, fighting for the Union in the American Civil War. Drawing on more than 800 preserved letters and diaries, it is essential reading for everyone interested in the American Civil War, military history, and the enduring sacrifice of ordinary soldiers.
Britain and the Arabs by John Glubb is a comprehensive history of British–Arab relations over fifty years, spanning two world wars and the struggle for independence — and offering vital insight into the roots of today’s Middle East conflicts.
Hitler’s Werewolves by Charles Whiting is the terrifying true story of how a secret guerrilla force were recruited and trained by SS General Gutenberger to terrorize and murder not only the Allies but fellow Germans who might collaborate with the enemy.
Sea Power in the Pacific by Donald Macintyre charts the fierce struggle for supremacy over the world’s greatest ocean — the Pacific — from the sixteenth century to the Korean War.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
We are pleased to announce that we have signed an exciting new series of Tudor mysteries by Paul Walker.
In Paul’s words:
“History, in pictures, books or old buildings, has always prompted my imagining of what it must have been like all those years ago. The sixteenth century was filled with intrigue, politicking and socio-religious turmoil, and that is where I’ve put my protagonist, Doctor William Constable.
“Constable is a physician and mathematician of the stars, with a house in West Cheap, central London. He becomes involved (unwillingly, at first) in foiling plots against Queen Elizabeth, under the watchful eye of Sir Francis Walsingham.
“I am delighted to have the first four books in the series scheduled for publication by one of the most prized names in historical fiction, Sapere Books. These books cover the years 1578 to 1585 and include some well-known events and names. Work is underway on books five and six.”
Visit Paul’s website to stay up to date with his news and latest releases.
Following the success of his Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure Series, we are delighted to have signed a new naval military series by David Clensy.
In David’s words:
“U-Boat Aces will be a sweeping, seafaring saga that charts the rise and fall of Germany’s submarine elite across two world wars.
“Spanning three decades, from 1914 to 1945, the five-book series will follow a handful of officers from idealistic cadets to disillusioned veterans, set against the relentless evolution of undersea warfare. Readers will travel the world alongside some of history’s most ruthless U-boat commanders, in a series that will be charged with the claustrophobic conditions of life aboard the German U-boat fleet.
“I am delighted to be working with Sapere Books once again on a second series of action-packed, authentic historical adventures. The team at Sapere brilliantly understand the passions of their audience, making them an absolute delight to work with.”
The Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventures follow twin brothers fighting with the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. The third instalment in the series, The Mighty Ocean, is available to pre-order now.
Sign up to David’s newsletter and stay up to date with his news and latest releases here.
Featured image credit: German U-boat UB 14 with its crew from Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Richard Kurti is the author of the Basilica Diaries Medieval Mysteries: historical thrillers set in fifteenth-century Rome and featuring a brother and sister investigative duo. The fifth book in the series, Tyranny of Indulgence, is now available to pre-order.
I can write pretty much anywhere. As long as I have headphones and Spotify on my mobile, the words will flow. Particular favourites are writing on trains and in coffee shops, as the continual bustle of people always fires my imagination.
But it’s important to have a base, especially when writing historical fiction, as I need a place where I’m surrounded by all my notes and reference books.
When we moved to Ely in Cambridgeshire three years ago, I snapped up one of the front rooms, as it has sunlight all day and a big window to watch the world go by. The only downside is that it’s the closest room to the front door, so whenever the Amazon driver rings the bell, it’s always me who has to get up and answer it.
The room to the left of this one is lined with shelves groaning under the weight of reference books, but this room is dedicated to putting words on the page. As you can see, a pair of loudspeakers is in prime position, so that I can listen to music all day.
Incidentally, the folders on top of the printer are where I indulge my only writing superstition. When I finish a chapter, I always print it out and put it in a large file. This is because my secret fear is that one day there will be a massive solar flare that will knock out the Google Drive and OneDrive servers and wipe the discs of all my computers … so I like to have a paper copy as well, just in case!
Ahead of the publication of The Mighty Ocean, the third book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure Series, author David Clensy takes a closer look at the infamous Arctic Convoy PQ17, which plays a central role in the story.
In the summer of 1942, a fleet of merchant ships set out from Iceland on a mission that would become one of the most extraordinary episodes of the Second World War. Convoy PQ17 was tasked with delivering vital supplies to the Soviet Union via the Arctic route — a lifeline for the Eastern Front. What followed was a disaster on a route that Churchill himself described as “the worst journey in the world.”
The Arctic convoys were not for the faint-hearted. Ships faced freezing seas, drifting ice, and relentless daylight that made them easy prey for enemy aircraft. PQ17 comprised thirty-five merchant vessels carrying tanks, aircraft, ammunition and food — escorted by destroyers, cruisers, and a distant covering force, including battleships. The stakes were immense: without these supplies, Soviet resistance against Hitler could falter.
The shadow of the Tirpitz
As PQ17 steamed towards the Barents Sea, British intelligence warned that the German battleship Tirpitz might sortie from its Norwegian fjord base. The mere threat of this leviathan — supported by cruisers and U-boats — was enough to trigger alarm in the Admiralty. On 4 July 1942, First Sea Lord Admiral Dudley Pound made a fateful decision: he ordered the convoy to scatter and the escorts to withdraw.
The order to scatter left the merchant ships defenceless in hostile waters. German aircraft and U-boats pounced. Over the next few days, PQ17 was decimated. Of the thirty-five ships that sailed, only eleven reached Archangel. Twenty-four were sunk, along with thousands of tons of cargo and hundreds of sailors. It was the worst loss in the history of the Arctic convoys.
Survivors recalled scenes of horror: ships ablaze, men clinging to rafts in freezing seas, strafed by enemy aircraft. Rescue was often impossible. Yet amid the carnage, acts of courage shone through — crews who stayed at their guns until the end, and those who risked their lives to save shipmates. For many, the ordeal lasted days as they drifted in icy waters, praying for a miracle.
HMS Ayrshire
Lieutenant Leo Gradwell RNVR commanded HMS Ayrshire (FY 225), a modest anti-submarine trawler pressed into convoy escort duty for PQ17. When the Admiralty ordered the convoy to scatter, Gradwell refused to abandon his charges. Instead, he gathered three merchant ships — Troubadour, Ironclad and Silver Sword — and led them northwards toward the Arctic ice pack, determined to seek safety rather than face destruction.
With no charts at hand, Gradwell navigated by sextant and a pocket geographic guide, eventually finding refuge amid the ice fields. When the convoy became stuck, he orchestrated an ingenious defence: the vessels were all painted white — with linen covering the decks — and their cargo of Sherman tanks formed a defensive perimeter armed for anti-aircraft use. This silent white convoy successfully eluded Luftwaffe aircraft while trapped in the ice.
Eventually, the vessels slipped free of the ice and made their way to Matochkin Strait, where they were met by Allied corvettes. Together, they completed the journey to Archangel, arriving on 25 July 1942 — a remarkable feat, given the chaos elsewhere in PQ17. For his outstanding improvisation and leadership under fire, Gradwell was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross later that year.
The PQ17 disaster sparked outrage and soul-searching. Critics condemned the scatter order as premature, arguing that Tirpitz never engaged the convoy. The episode strained Allied relations, with Stalin furious at the losses. Yet the convoys continued, and lessons were learned: future operations featured stronger escorts and better coordination. Despite the risks, the Arctic route remained a vital artery until war’s end.
The Mighty Ocean is available to pre-order now.
Stay up to date with David’s news and latest releases here.
Image credits: Both the image of PQ17 in Hvalfjord and HMS Sheffield are from Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
From twisty mysteries and Roman adventures to exciting tales of historical privateers — there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
January’s Fiction Releases
Sherlock Holmes and the Widow’s Key by Linda Stratmann is the tenth book in The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series. In this instalment, Holmes and Stamford investigate the death of a mysterious widow — and make a gruesome discovery in the process.
Nun Shall Sleep by Graham Brack is the ninth book in the Master Mercurius Mystery series: atmospheric crime thrillers set in seventeenth-century Europe. In his latest adventure, Mercurius is drawn into strange — and possibly sinister — happenings at a convent.
Islands of Mist by Jeff Jones is the third book in the Legion of the Damned Roman Thrillers series: action-packed military adventures set in Ancient Rome. For their latest mission, Centurion Marcus Corvo and his men must prevent or crush a suspected rebellion in Britannia.
Dawn of Conflict by Eric Helm is the first book in the Global War Military Thriller Series. In this alternative-history thriller set in the late twentieth century, a series of stunning geopolitical changes destabilizes a dozen major governments around the globe, pitching the armies of each nation into world warfare.
Flight to Freedom by Anthony Palmiotti is a tense World War Two naval adventure. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, the United States is plunged into war. As one of the few remaining ships in the region, the Tanager is called to evacuate Army nurses and those fleeing from the enemy.
His True Wife by Amy Licence is the fifth book in The Marwood Family Tudor Saga series. In the latest instalment, Catherine of Aragon prepares for the Legatine Court, while lady-in-waiting Thomasin Marwood awaits a marriage proposal from the man she loves.
January’s Fiction Backlist Releases
We are pleased to announce that the fifth, sixth and seventh instalments of Gilbert Hackforth-Jones’ gripping Paul Dexter Naval Adventures series are out now! Don’t miss these entertaining and action-packed tales of life at sea.
January’s Non-Fiction Releases
The Story of the Arab Legion by John Bagot Glubb is a fascinating personal account of the development of the Arab Legion as a formidable fighting force from the 1930s to the Second World War.
SS Kommando by Charles Whiting is a compelling read for anyone interested in Kommando operations throughout World War Two — the men involved, their leaders and rivals under the Führer, and the desperate tactics employed in the face of defeat.
The Privateers by Donald Macintyre charts the golden age of privateering — from its Elizabethan origins, through the daring exploits of British and French buccaneers against Spanish treasure ships, to its eventual outlawing and brief revival during the American Civil War.
Eugene Esmonde, V.C., D.S.O. by Chaz Bowyer is a moving biography of a remarkable pilot who received a posthumous Victoria Cross for courageous but fatal actions during World War Two.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
From medieval adventures and Gothic mysteries to gripping accounts of military heroism — there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
December’s Fiction Releases
Death at the Altar by Donna Gowland is the third book in the Mary Shelley Investigations. In this instalment, Mary puts her grief aside as she and Percy investigate the murder of a curate at a friend’s wedding.
The Tipping Point by D. R. Bailey is the first book in the Cooper’s Renegades Aviation Thrillers, action-packed aviation adventures set during the Second World War and featuring a team of fighter pilots. When war is declared on Japan by the U.S., American pilot Cooper Donahue soon finds himself in the thick of the action.
Mutiny at the Manor by Cara Clayton is a thrilling tale of romance and rebellion in medieval England. Will this troubled period in history bring ruin to all Elizabeth Amundeville holds dear?
The Rapids and the Abbey by Patrick Larsimont is the sixth book in the Jox McNabb Aviation Thrillers. In this instalment, fighter pilot Jox McNabb takes to the war-torn skies of Italy and the capture of Monte Cassino.
The Prisoner of Raven’s Gaze Hall by J. C. Briggs is a gripping Gothic novel set in Yorkshire. When Catherine Sisley arrives at Raven’s Gaze Hall to nurse an elderly lady, she soon realises that the house — and its occupants — are not all they seem.
The Footlights Murder by David Field is the twelfth crime thriller in the Esther and Jack Enright Mysteries. In this instalment, Jack and Esther take up amateur dramatics in an attempt to track down a murderer and clear Jack’s sister’s name.
December’s Fiction Backlist Releases
We are delighted to announce that the first three instalments in William H. Keith Jr’s adrenalin-fuelled SEALS: The Warrior Breed series are out now! Don’t miss these action-packed military adventures following the U.S. Navy’s elite commando demolition unit.
December’s Non-Fiction Releases
A Captain’s War by Herbert M. Schiller is the remarkable first-hand account of life as a young Confederate officer during the brutal years of the American Civil War.
Disaster at Kasserine by Charles Whiting is a dramatic account of the Allied disaster at Kasserine Pass, where inexperienced American troops clashed with Rommel’s battle-hardened Afrika Korps in North Africa.
Admiral Rodney by Donald Macintyre is a fascinating biography chronicling the life of one of England’s greatest sea commanders, famed for his decisive victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes during the American War of Independence.
Men of Bomber Command by Chaz Bowyer tells the epic, untold story of the Allied bomber crews who helped turn the tide of World War Two.
Fighting for Defeat by Michael C. C. Adams provides a new perspective on the American Civil War and the reasons behind the Union Army’s early defeats, despite its superiority in manpower, wealth, and industry.
Happy New Year and Happy Reading! Team Sapere
We are delighted to announce that we have signed two new books in Angela Ranson’s Catrin Surovell Tudor Mystery series: exciting historical thrillers set at the court of Elizabeth I.
Here, Angela tells us more about the series and what to expect from the latest instalments:
“I started working with Sapere Books in March 2022, when I was named as a runner-up in their first writing competition. From the very first, the people at Sapere have brought light and positivity to my writing life. They have offered real help and support, and their editing process has improved my writing enormously. Sapere has helped me understand and appreciate the many stages of writing a book.
“Or, as it has turned out, a series of books. We started out with three Catrin Surovell Tudor mysteries, and then it grew to five, and just last month it grew to seven. I was so excited to receive the latest contracts and know that I could continue to explore the character of Lady Catrin, Countess of Ashbourne and favoured lady of the bedchamber for Queen Elizabeth I. Lady Catrin is a clever and courageous woman in a dangerous world — much as Elizabeth’s real ladies of the bedchamber would have been. It was not all music, gossip, fine clothes and embroidery for these women, despite the way they are portrayed in modern movies. In real life, they had difficult battles to fight.
“Thus far, Lady Catrin has remained close to her queen at court. She has battled many villains who have tried to remove Elizabeth from her throne, or destroy the reforms the queen has put in place. She has fought against religious zealots, royal traitors and court conspirators, all with the help of her close friend Lady Lucy and a collection of people as dedicated to the queen’s service as she is. In the fourth book, Grave Merriment (which will be released in March 2026), Lady Catrin will battle two villains, each with a specific goal but one area of common ground: the desire to destroy all the queen holds dear, at the most festive time of the year.
“It is important to me that Lady Catrin’s adventures could have happened and that Lady Catrin herself could have investigated and unmasked the villains. I try very hard not to change history or give Lady Catrin more power than she would have had. I do, however, often answer historical questions that have never been answered, or create fictional scenarios that take place in parallel with a known event. That is why the fifth book in the series will focus on an event that never took place: a meeting between Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. This meeting has been included in many fictional accounts of these two queens. Usually, the wise queen of England grows frustrated with how the reckless and impulsive Queen of Scots always ‘feeds her with fair words’ that mean nothing.
“Instead of following this trend, the fifth Catrin Surovell mystery will follow history more closely, and focus instead on why that meeting didn’t happen. Lady Catrin will be the one who learns the secret that keeps these ‘fair cousins’ apart … just in time to save their lives.”
Grave Merriment is available to pre-order now.
Visit Angela’s website to stay up to date with her news and latest releases.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed the fourth book in Justin Fox’s Jack Pembroke Naval Thrillers series: action-packed British Navy stories set during the Second World War.
Below, Justin tells us more about the series and what to expect from the latest instalment:
“During my national service in the South African Navy back in the 1980s, I learnt about the clashes that took place in the South Atlantic during World War Two. Most South African warships were converted fishing trawlers or Norwegian whalers, hastily fitted with a few guns and depth charges to take on Nazi U-boats and raiders. I was astonished to learn that more than 150 Allied ships had been sunk in South African waters, mostly by German and Japanese submarines.
“Before embarking on my series of novels, I needed to do a lot of research to get the period and events right. I spent time in the British National Archives, Imperial War Museum and the British Library in London, as well as the archives of the South African Naval Museum in Simon’s Town.
“The first two novels in the series tell the story of Jack Pembroke, posted from Britain to serve on escort ships based at the Cape. In the next two novels, Pembroke and his ship HMSAS Gannet are sent up north to Egypt, where they join a flotilla escorting Allied convoys around the eastern Mediterranean. Malta Inferno deals with a fateful convoy to the beleaguered island and Pembroke’s traumatic time there. Each novel can be read as a standalone story.
“Given my background as a travel journalist, I’m the kind of writer who needs to visit and experience the locations of my novels. So, for this novel, I spent considerable time in Malta, trying to find the old haunts of the sailors during the war. Visiting the locations brings valuable authenticity to the writing … and it’s also a good excuse to travel to fascinating places. The next Jack Pembroke novel is set in Madagascar, so that’s where I’m bound!”
Malta Inferno is available to pre-order now.
Visit Justin’s website for all his latest news.
From Tudor adventures and World War Two thrillers to fascinating accounts of historical battles — there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
November’s Fiction Releases
The Queen’s Game by Raymond Wemmlinger is a thrilling novel of succession set at the Tudor Court. Will Lady Mary Grey see her family name rise to victory, or tumble into obscurity…?
Despair and Triumph by David Mackenzie is the third book in the John Noble Fighter Ace Thrillers series. In this instalment, John finds himself sent on a mission halfway around the world.
The April King by Isolde Martyn is a compelling and romantic biographical historical mystery novel set in Tudor Elizabethan England.
The Man from Morocco by C. P. Giuliani is the seventh book in The Tom Walsingham Mysteries series: page-turning espionage adventures set during the Elizabethan era.
In Danger’s Hour by David Clensy is the second book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure series: authentic historical adventures following twin brothers fighting with the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. With Operation Dynamo around the corner, will the Hutchinson brothers both make it out alive…?
November’s Fiction Backlist Releases
The Starling by Doris Leslie is a compelling historical novel of passion, new beginnings and the nature of true love, set in London and Florence, Italy.
November’s Non-Fiction Releases
Patton’s Last Battle by Charles Whiting tells the dramatic story of American General George Patton’s final months of command in World War Two.
Jutland by Donald Macintyre uncovers the dramatic, in-depth story of the Battle of Jutland, the most significant naval clash of World War One.
Soldiers of Fortune John Bagot Glubb explores the captivating history of the Mamluk Empire, one of the Middle East’s most powerful forces from 1250 to 1517.
Men of the Desert Air Force by Chaz Bowyer is a gripping, real-life account of the brave pilots who flew over the deserts of North Africa and the Mediterranean during World War Two.
Happy reading! Team Sapere
Linda Stratmann is the author of the Mina Scarletti Mysteries and the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series.
There are many different interpretations of Sherlock Holmes created by authors inspired by the works of Conan Doyle. They might sometimes appear to conflict, but it was my love of science fiction that made me realise that the different versions can all be valid at the same time if they exist in parallel universes. One such interpretation is that Holmes is not human but alien, or possibly even an android.
The Holmes in my books is a human, if an unusual one, but can a good case be made for him not being human? The basis of the case must, I believe, be derived from what I call ‘the canon’ — the original Holmes fiction of Conan Doyle.
So let us examine the canon and look for the clues.
Our first evidence is from Dr Watson himself. In an uncharacteristic feat of observation in The Sign of Four, he declares, ‘“You really are an automaton, — a calculating machine. […] There is something positively inhuman in you at times.”’ Holmes, he says in ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’, is ‘the most perfect reasoning and observing machine the world has seen.’
But what other clues do we have? There are many.
Clue one: An alien or android has no family tree, and Holmes is extremely cagey about his ancestors.
In ‘The Greek Interpreter’, Watson states that Holmes’s gifts for observation and deduction must come from his systematic training, and not his ancestry. Holmes agrees that this is true to some extent and reveals that his ancestors, who he does not name, were country squires who led the life ‘“natural to their class”’. However, he attributes his powers of observation to descent from a family of French artists. His grandmother was the sister of the French artist Vernet. There must, he believes, be some hereditary principle, as his brother Mycroft has the same talent.
If Holmes was an alien or android, a vague reference to unnamed county squires and an artist whose family connections could not have been easily researched would have satisfied Watson’s curiosity. Watson saw some similarities between Holmes and Mycroft, and if Holmes was an alien or android, it would suggest that Mycroft was as well.
Clue two: Holmes has strangely superhuman strength.
Holmes is not a burly man. In ‘The Red-Headed League’, ‘He curled himself up in his chair, with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk -like nose.’ Yet he obviously had a sinewy strength and was skilled in boxing, singlestick and swordsmanship.
To maintain bodily fitness over many years, regular exercise is usually necessary, but with Holmes this is not the case. ‘I have a curious constitution,’ he says in The Sign of Four. ‘I never remember feeling tired by work, though idleness exhausts me completely.’ He then heads off for a smoke.
In ‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’we have this extraordinary incident. Holmes receives a visit from tall, broad and fierce Dr Grimesby Roylott. Roylott tries to intimidate Holmes by picking up a steel poker and bending it into a curve before flinging it down. After his departure, Holmes picks up the poker ‘and with a sudden effort, straightened it out again.’ Is that even humanly possible?
In ‘The Adventure of the Yellow Face’, Watson tells us that Holmes ‘seldom took exercise for exercise’s sake’ and that he regarded ‘aimless exertion’ as ‘a waste of energy’. Yet he also tells us that ‘Few men were capable of greater muscular effort’ and Holmes was ‘one of the finest boxers of his weight that I have ever seen.’ When there was a requirement for action, he was ‘untiring’. By the time this story was published in 1893, Conan Doyle might have sensed that he needed to explain to his readers the anomaly of a man who hardly ever exercised but excelled at physical activity. ‘That he should have kept himself in training under such circumstances is remarkable,’ says Watson, who goes on to say unconvincingly that ‘his diet was usually of the sparest and his habits were simple to the verge of austerity.’ Holmes, he adds, ‘save for the occasional use of cocaine […] had no vices.’
Clue three: Holmes uses drugs and smokes, apparently without adverse effects.
Conan Doyle introduces us to Holmes’s use of cocaine in The Sign of Four, which includes a brief single reference to the recreational use of morphine. (It is only ever used once again by Holmes, given medicinally in ‘The Adventure of the Illustrious Client’). In ‘The Adventure of the Yellow Face’,published three years after The Sign of Four,ConanDoyle obviously feels the need to dial back, perhaps after some disapproval expressed by his readers, and tells us that ‘he only turned to the drug as a protest against the monotony of existence, when cases were scanty and the papers uninteresting.’ Holmes’s heavy smoking of strong tobacco is never seen by Watson as a vice, or as something that might affect Holmes’s health.
There are numerous references in the stories to Holmes smoking heavily. In ‘The Man with the Twisted Lip’, Holmes smokes an ounce of shag tobacco while deliberating, leaving his room ‘full of a dense tobacco haze.’ In ‘The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb’,his before-breakfast pipe is ‘composed of all the plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the mantelpiece.’ If Holmes is an alien or a machine, that explains his apparent imperviousness to the harmful effects of drugs and tobacco. In later adventures, Conan Doyle does however make him more believable by showing Holmes exhausted by his burden of work as he ages. The last year in which a Holmes story is set is 1914 (His Last Bow, published in 1917), by which time he is sixty years of age, and to Watson’s eyes, has hardly changed.
Clue four: Holmes shows little emotion.
Science fiction readers and writers have compared Holmes to an android like Star Trek’s Data, lacking emotion of any kind. If he is an alien, he most closely resembles Star Trek’s coolly logical Vulcans. They have emotions but restrain them; however, they are obliged to let them all out once every seven years in a ritual called pon farr. Does this fit with Holmes’s behaviour? Does a restriction of emotions cause Holmes any stress? If he was a Vulcan, like Mr Spock, could this explain what was really happening in 1891 when Holmes rushed away to the Reichenbach Falls and did not return for three years? Did he feel the approach of pon farr and have to quit England before it took him over? If so, there would be other absences at similar intervals.
I counted back seven years and then I saw it. There are no adventures chronicled by Watson for the years 1884 and 1885. Was this because of a previous pon farr? Holmesian scholars have assumed that during these years Watson was away, perhaps in America, but there might be another explanation? Was Watson with Holmes during these absences, his account carefully crafted to conceal the truth about his friend? Looking ahead another seven years from 1892, there are no adventures dated from between January 1899 (‘The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton’) and June 1900 (‘The Adventure of the Six Napoleons’). There are no adventures dated 1906, or 1913. This is all supposition, of course, but the timeline is compelling.
Clue five: Holmes does not wish to marry.
Not only is Holmes averse to marriage, he appears to have no romantic or intimate connections with anyone. If he is not human, this is something he would avoid, or his masquerade as a human might be discovered. Conan Doyle is careful to avoid any suggestion of Holmes having hidden desires which would have alienated his readers. According to Watson, Holmes’s only such interest, is a woman, ‘the woman’, as he calls her, Irene Adler, whom he clearly admires but without allowing any emotions to disturb his finely balanced mind.
On what principles was the alien or android Holmes constructed or programmed?
If Holmes was sent to Earth programmed to solve crimes, he needed to be constructed from many parts. Superhuman strength and constitution. Numerous useful skills. Impervious to the ravages of smoke and drugs. A brilliant reasoning machine undistracted by emotions. The aliens who made or trained him would have studied other detectives of the era and used elements of the finest to create Holmes.
There are three main candidates:
Joseph Bell (1837–1911) was a Scottish surgeon and lecturer who advocated the importance of careful observation. Conan Doyle was a student of Bell from 1877 to 1878. Bell used his observational talents to deduce personal details about complete strangers, a skill which Holmes frequently employed.
Edgar Allan Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin is considered to be the first fictional detective, who used advanced reasoning to solve mysteries. Through observation, he is able to follow the train of thought of his companion, an ability with which Holmes astonishes Watson in ‘The Adventure of the Cardboard Box’.
Le Chevalier Lecoq, a fictional French policeman, inspired by a real criminal investigator, Eugène-François Vidocq (1775–1857). In the works of Émile Gaboriau, published in 1869, Lecoq’s methods when making a detailed examination of a crime scene, using a magnifying glass, are strongly reminiscent of Holmes’s scientific approach. In A Study in Scarlet, Holmes dismisses Dupin as ‘a very inferior fellow’ and Lecoq as ‘a miserable bungler’.
My case is complete. I have laid the facts before you. Make of them what you will.
NOTE:
There were several artists in the Vernet family but only one, Emile Jean Horace (1789-1863) fits the timeline as Holmes’s most probable great uncle. A number of Conan Doyle’s family members were artists, and a friend was a collector of Vernet.
With the forthcoming publication of In Danger’s Hour, the second book in his Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure Series, author David Clensy takes a closer look at the events surrounding Operation Excess during the Second World War.
In January 1941, the Mediterranean was a tense theatre of war. The British Royal Navy, stretched thin and under constant threat from Axis forces, launched a bold and complex operation known as Operation Excess. It was a high-stakes convoy mission designed to deliver vital supplies to Malta, Greece and Alexandria, while simultaneously striking a blow against enemy naval and air power in the region.
The convoy itself was a patchwork of merchant vessels and warships, departing from Gibraltar and heading eastward through waters teeming with danger. Malta, then under siege and of immense strategic importance, was a key destination. Supplies were desperately needed to sustain its defences and civilian population. The convoy was escorted by a formidable force of Royal Navy ships, including aircraft carriers, cruisers and destroyers, all tasked with protecting the vulnerable merchantmen from attack.
Operation Excess was a particularly challenging task for the Allied forces. Italian and German aircraft launched repeated assaults, particularly as the ships neared Sicily. The Royal Navy’s carrier-based aircraft, including Fairey Fulmars and Swordfish, fought valiantly to repel the attacks, often flying in difficult conditions and against superior numbers.
One of the most dramatic episodes of the operation occurred on the 10th of January, when HMS Illustrious, a key British aircraft carrier, came under ferocious air attack near Malta. The damage was severe, and casualties were high. Yet the carrier remained afloat and was eventually able to limp into Grand Harbour, where she became a symbol of resilience for the Maltese people.
Meanwhile, other elements of the operation were unfolding. British forces used the opportunity to launch diversionary attacks against Italian positions in the Dodecanese and to reinforce troops in Greece.
As part of Force B, HMS Southampton’s role was to transport troops from the Aegean to Malta before joining the main convoy. On the 11th of January, while operating south of Sicily, HMS Southampton came under sustained attack from German dive bombers of the Luftwaffe’s X Fliegerkorps. The Stukas struck with deadly precision, scoring multiple hits that ignited fires and caused catastrophic damage. With the cruiser listing and engulfed in flames, the order was given to abandon ship. HMS Southampton was eventually scuttled by torpedoes from HMS Gloucester to prevent her from falling into enemy hands.
Though the operation came at a cost, it was ultimately deemed a success. Supplies reached their destinations, and the Royal Navy showed it could still operate effectively in contested waters. Operation Excess was more than a supply run. It was a statement of intent, a show of defiance against Axis control of the Mediterranean.
November 2025 sees the release of In Danger’s Hour, the second book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure Series. Following their earlier adventures in For Those In Peril, we follow twin brothers Romulus and Remus throughout 1941, from the Mediterranean to the coast of West Africa. It covers a series of key strategic operations, including Operation Demon — the British-led evacuation of Allied forces from mainland Greece in April 1941. At the opening, readers will join our central character, Rom, as he faces an enemy attack while serving on HMS Southampton at the height of Operation Excess.
In Danger’s Hour will be published on the 28th November 2025.
Stay up to date with David’s news and latest releases here.
From Medieval Europe and Georgian England to naval warfare and military autobiographies — there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
October’s Fiction Releases
The Misfit Maid by Elizabeth Bailey is a lively, humorous historical romance set in Georgian England with an engaging and unconventional heroine.
Degrees of Affinity by C. F. Dunn is the third book in The Tarnished Crown series: historical fiction set during the Wars of the Roses. Isobel Fenton has overcome her enemies and regained her manor of Beaumancote. Now she looks forward to a future with the man she loves. But when she is unwittingly drawn into the political intrigue at Court, Isobel’s life is once more thrown into turmoil.
The Thirteenth Apostle by R. M. Cullen is the third historical murder investigation in the Richard Brinsley Sheridan Mystery Series: eighteenth-century crime thrillers set in London at a time of Revolution. Can Sheridan unmask a ruthless killer stalking the streets of London?
Brotherhood of Death by Stephen Taylor is the first historical murder investigation in the Augustus Swift Investigations Series, a new detective series set in Georgian England. When a series of cabinet members are poisoned, physician Augustus Swift must employ science and logic to prevent more deaths.
October’s Fiction Backlist Release
We are delighted to announce that the first book in the Robert Porter Alternative History Thrillers is out now! Ultimatum by Richard Rohmer is a heart-pounding political thriller that hits close to home. The fate of millions hangs in the balance when a crisis right out of today’s headlines sets the President of the USA on a course from which there can be no retreat.
October’s Non-Fiction Releases
Fighting Ships and Seamen: Life Aboard in World War I and World War II by Donald Macintyre charts the experiences of sailors and their ships during naval engagements and is an essential account of naval warfare across the two world wars.
The Changing Scenes of Life: An Autobiography is a gripping account of the life and legacy of Sir John Bagot Glubb — soldier, scholar, and legendary commander of the Arab Legion.
Men of Coastal Command: 1939-1945 by Chaz Bowyer is an eye-opening account of a much-overlooked branch of the Royal Air Force, who protected Britain’s seas from the air during the Second World War.
Autobiography of Major General William F. Smith: 1861-1864 by Herbert M. Schiller is a candid autobiography of one of the Union’s most controversial generals — praised as a saviour, condemned as a scapegoat.
Happy reading! Team Sapere
C. F. Dunn is the author of The Tarnished Crown Series: Wars of the Roses historical fiction set in Medieval Europe.
“Double, double toil and trouble” — Shakespeare’s famous refrain from Macbeth — remains one of the most recognisable lines in Western literature. When it was first performed in the early seventeenth century, Shakespeare was drawing on a long tradition of folklore and belief that his audience would have immediately understood. Even if some of the finer details escaped them, they knew the framework: witchcraft, prophecy, and the unsettling idea that unseen forces might determine human fate.
Fast forward to the twenty-first century, and many still imagine witches as medieval figures — women ducked, pricked, and burned amid cries of superstition. In truth, the great witch hunts of Europe belong not to the Middle Ages but to the Early Modern period, from the sixteenth century onwards. From a medieval perspective, witchcraft as we now think of it was relatively uncommon. The frenzied persecutions of later centuries would have seemed alien to most people of the fourteenth or fifteenth centuries.
In fifteenth-century English law there was no specific statute making witchcraft a capital offence. The Church regarded it largely as a form of heresy — a spiritual error, not a criminal conspiracy. It was not until the Witchcraft Act of 1542 that England paved the way to criminalise witchcraft as punishable by death. Before then, most cases resulted only in fines, penance, or public admonition.
The meaning of ‘witchcraft’ in the Middle Ages also differed from the later concept. The boundary between magic and medicine was fluid. Healing practices incorporated charms, incantations, astrological timing, and a range of -mancies — divination by fire (pyromancy), by names (onomancy), or by reflections in mirrors or water (scrying). Medieval healers drew on classical learning, Christian devotion, and folk wisdom alike. A prayer could be as powerful as a potion, an amulet as trusted as a relic.
This was not sorcery in the later, sinister sense, but an expression of a worldview in which the divine and natural worlds were deeply intertwined. The medieval cosmos was one in which the supernatural existed alongside the physical — a realm of possibilities where God, angels, and spirits could all play a part in human health and fate.
By the later Middle Ages, however, witchcraft and divination began to intersect with politics. When accusations touched those close to the throne, the implications became far more serious. The Church might have seen such practices as misguided or at worst, heresy; the state viewed them as potentially treasonous.
Terminology was crucial. ‘Witchcraft’ often implied healing or protection and was tolerated to a degree. But necromancy—a form of divinationthat involved summoning the dead to foretell the future — crossed a dangerous line. When divination involved predicting the monarch’s death, it fell under the crime of “compassing or imagining the death of the king”, one of the key clauses of Edward III’s Treason Act of 1352. Necromancy became not only a spiritual threat but a political weapon.
An infamous example is that of Eleanor de Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester. Accused in 1441 of “treasonable necromancy” for attempting to divine the death of Henry VI, she was sentenced to life imprisonment. Her alleged accomplice, Margery Jourdemayne, the Witch of Eye, was convicted of heresy and burned at the stake. Eleanor’s real offence, however, was more political than supernatural: she denied the allegations of necromancy and treason, but admitted to having sought potions to help her conceive a child with her husband, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, whose proximity to the line of succession made him many enemies.
Eleanor’s case was not unique. Similar accusations were levelled against Walter Langton, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield in the early fourteenth century, and later against Jacquetta of Luxembourg and her daughter Elizabeth Woodville, queen to Edward IV. Each was a figure of power and influence, close to the throne and a focus for political attack. When an enemy could not be defeated in open conflict, an accusation of sorcery could prove equally effective and more difficult to defend.
In 1477, the Oxford scholar John Stacy, a man with previous form and known as a magnus necromanticus (great sorcerer) and astrologer of repute, was accused of “imagining the king’s death by necromancy.” Under torture he implicated Thomas Burdet, a member of the household of George, Duke of Clarence, brother to King Edward IV. It was perhaps no coincidence Burdet was also a main suspect in the penning and deployment of seditious writings that questioned Edward IV’s legitimacy and his right to rule — as well as that of his heir.
The oft quoted, but unsubstantiated Prophecy of G has also been linked with subversive writings supposedly foretelling that Edward IV’s rule would be followed by someone with a name beginning with G. As Edward’s son and heir was another Edward, the prediction in itself was treasonable.
It might have been an unfortunate coincidence for the hapless duke that his name was George, or perhaps convenient for those who would malign him before — or after — his death. Whether the Prophecy of G was merely apocryphal, the reference to it in later writings nonetheless reflected a common perception that the power of divination could — and did — exist.
When Clarence publicly defended Burdet and questioned the justice of his trial, he drew attention to himself. His criticism of royal authority and his association with alleged necromancers were enough to throw his loyalty to the Crown into question. Nor did Clarence hold back from accusing Edward of using the black arts to “poison his Subgettes, suche as hym pleased”.
Were accusations of witchcraft and necromancy simply cynical tools to eliminate rivals? At times, perhaps, yet they also reflected genuine belief. When Henry VI heard predictions of his own death, he did not dismiss them as nonsense or political machinations; he ordered his astrologers to investigate. To medieval minds, the natural and supernatural were interwoven. The heavens, the body, and the soul were all thought to lie under divine influence — and, by extension, vulnerable to darker forces.
The fear of the dark arts in late medieval England was not born of ignorance but of imagination — the conviction that unseen powers could alter the course of events. To “imagine the king’s death” through necromancy was not simply treasonous speech; it was a symbolic act that might disturb the divinely ordered world. The real danger from divination in the later Middle Ages was not the village healer or the cunning woman, but the whisper of sorcery at the heart of the royal court.
Notes
The question of magic and politics in England during the later medieval period challenges my ability to encapsulate such a myriad and vast subject in so short a blog. For the curious, there are many useful works available, including the few listed below:
Courting Disaster: Astrology at the English Court and University in the Later Middle Ages by Hilary M. Carey, Palgrave Macmillan, 1992
‘Medieval necromancy, the art of controlling demons’ by Sebastià Giralt. View via Sciencia.cat: https://www.sciencia.cat/temes/medieval-necromancy-art-controlling-demons
Magic in the Middle Ages by Richard Kieckhefer, Cambridge University Press, 2021
‘Thomas Burdet of Arrow, MP for Warwickshire in 1455, and the execution of George, duke of Clarence’ by Simon Payling: https://historyofparliament.com/2022/08/02/thomas-burdet/
‘Witch Hunts in Medieval England: The Trial of Walter Langton’ by Kathryn Walton: https://www.medievalists.net/2021/03/witch-hunts-medieval-england/
Magic as a Political Crime in Medieval and Early Modern England by Francis Young, Bloomsbury, 2020
Clare Hawkins was born and brought up in Scotland and now lives in Essex. She is the author of the forthcoming Gothic House Mystery series for Sapere Books.
My earlier life in Scotland is now distanced by more decades than I like to admit, but the country and its history, landscapes and languages have had a powerful influence on my writing. (The books in my forthcoming Gothic House Mystery series all have Scottish settings.) Personal recollections sometimes surface with surprising vividness too. For example, my grandchildren’s excitement at the prospect of trick-or-treating reawakens memories of how we as children celebrated Hallowe’en in the 1950s in the west of Scotland.
The practice of ‘guising’, or dressing as something other than oneself, has existed in Scotland for hundreds of years. It may even be related to the pagan tradition of ‘Samhuinn’, Summer’s End, the transition from summer to winter, when grotesque spirits of the dead roam abroad, intent on mischief. The best protection is to disguise oneself as one of them.
So we children became a fearsome collection of little witches and ghouls in our homemade cardboard masks, witches’ cloaks and hats made of old blackout curtains, with props such as inky pipe-cleaner spiders and lurid papier mâché severed fingers. We visited our neighbours’ houses, armed with torches and high expectations of receiving sweet treats. However, these gifts were not entirely free; some sort of entertainment had to be provided by us, the guisers, in return. Our sheepish, tuneless renditions of such ditties as ‘Donald where’s yer troosers?’ or ‘Ye cannae shove yer granny aff a bus’ were greeted with sympathetic applause and a handful of sweets from the adults, who no doubt had to suppress their laughter after a few drams as their own celebration of Hallowe’en.
Visit Clare’s website to stay up to date with her news and latest releases.
Featured image credit: Photo by Szabó János on Unsplash.
Patrick Larsimont is the author of the Jox McNabb Aviation Thrillers, which follow a fighter pilot through World War Two, and The Brookwood Boys, a paranormal thriller with flashbacks to the lives of deceased soldiers.
In my paranormal military thriller, The Brookwood Boys, ‘Mouse’ Forsyth has watched over Brookwood Cemetery since his death in 1917. For a hundred lonely years, he’s been the caretaker of lost souls, greeting the good, the bad, the damaged, the mad and the sad. Then one day, he is seen and can communicate with the living for the first time. He and his band of fellow soldiers from World War One and World War Two work together to help find a missing living girl. But what was the inspiration for this story and the historical flashbacks about the lives and deaths of the soldiers who are buried here?
My setting is Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England, the largest in the UK, set within what was once the largest cemetery in Western Europe. Created in the Victorian era, it was destined to hold all of London’s relocated dead and cater for future bodies delivered directly from London Waterloo. It never achieved this goal but is the final resting place of over a quarter of a million souls.
My first interactions with Brookwood began during the COVID-19 lockdowns. It was a quiet place where I could walk and not encounter too many people. I’ve always been fascinated by cemeteries, particularly military ones, and the more I visited, the more I realised the countless rows represented characters in a story — their own, but also our collective one. I thought, in a place like this, there must be ghosts, stranded by trauma and suffering. What if they told their story and together resolved something that happened in the living world?
Those familiar with my stories will know I include real people in my fiction, and there are no shortage of fascinating stories to be told in Brookwood: secrets, scandals, tragedies and horror. Many have made it into the novel and here are a few which you may find interesting.
Hedwig ‘Hattie’ Raithel was a thirty-three-year-old American nurse who died of influenza in 1918, at a time when she could have been caring for patients in a war-weary world struck by Spanish flu. This frustration has kept her spirit here in my story, as a gentle, mother-like spirit to the others gathered here. The parallels between the deadly outbreak that led to the crowded graves at Brookwood back then, and the mass fatalities resulting from the current global pandemic were not lost on me.
Pilot Officer John B. Ramsay and Sergeant J. ‘Hugh’ M. Ellis couldn’t have been more different in life. Both were fighter pilots during the Battle of Britain, one a public schoolboy from Dorset, the other nicknamed the ‘Cockney Sparrow’ by his squadron mates. Both were just twenty-one, killed within two weeks of each other during the terrible summer of 1940. Both were lost without a trace. It wasn’t until 1983 that Hugh was found and given a full military funeral at Brookwood, followed by John in 1993. They now lie side by side.
In my story, they become brothers, ‘haunting’ another ghost who might have shot them down. Leutnant Kurt Sidowwas a Luftwaffeace, aged twenty-four, who is also buried at Brookwood with about fifty of his Kameraden. In my story, he is an antagonist, an unrepentant Nazi. But after interacting with John and Hugh, he finds some redemption.
The youngest soldier buried in Brookwood is Tommy Knowles. This is his gravestone on a snowy winter’s day. He too was killed by influenza on the very same day as nine other South African men in the same hospital ward, who never made it to the trenches to do their bit for King and Country. In my story, Tommy plays endless games of football with his friends amongst their gravestones.
There are many other true stories in The Brookwood Boys. What was the fate of the US soldiers killed during rehearsals for D-Day? Who were the US Army’s murderers, and where were they buried after being hanged? Where were the casualties from the Dieppe raid who made it back to Britain buried? Where are the graves of the victims who were killed when the V1 ‘Doodlebug’ landed on the Guards’ Chapel just days after D-Day? And what happened to the countless soldiers of many nations who fought by Britain’s side during the dark days of World War One and World War Two? All are or were at Brookwood. I hope you’ll come and visit.
Image credits:
Image of Hedwig ‘Hattie’ Raithel sourced from Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
All images of graves taken by Patrick Larsimont.
Following the success of his standalone historical novels, Stephen Taylor is now writing the Augustus Swift Investigations: a new detective series set in Georgian England.
The first instalment — Brotherhood of Death — will be released at the end of October, and we are thrilled to have signed the third book in the series.
In Stephen’s words:
“My new series is set in the 1790s, thirty years before the first Metropolitan Police force and fifty years before the first Criminal Investigation Department was founded. The detective I have created is Augustus Swift: a physician and apothecary who has studied modern medicine and logic at Edinburgh University. But he has also travelled to Egypt to study Islamic philosophy and doctoring. He is a humanist who looks to science to explain the world rather than religious beliefs.
“It is the age of the Enlightenment, yet political control is still firmly in the hands of the aristocratic landowners, as it has been for centuries. Dr Swift, however, is a man of the Enlightenment.
“Yet fate raises a capricious eyebrow in his direction when he is recruited by the Home Department to advise on poisons. His life is dedicated to upholding the physician’s ethical principles, but now, by working for the government, his actions perpetuate the injustices of those in power.”
Keep up with Stephen’s latest news via his website.
Following the success of his Quintus Roman Thrillers series, we are thrilled to announce that we have signed a new trilogy by Neil Denby.
In Neil’s words:
“The Leinster Chronicles are set in twelfth-century Ireland, a time and place little covered by contemporary historical novels, but one rich in story.
“Geographically, there are three major groups involved in the timeline — the native Irish, the invading Vikings and the Normans across the water.
“The Irish were bound by ancient law. Brehon law was a detailed system with compensation for criminal acts called éraic at its heart. It was not Roman law, but a system better suited to its times. Included was the rule that kings did not inherit their titles. The chieftain was elected — from an eligible pool of royal blood — by his family or clan.
“They were also Christian. St Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century, but there was tension between Christian law and Brehon law. The Church in Rome saw the Irish Church as rebellious and depraved, in dire need of reform. The Roman Church was happy to grant overlordship of Ireland to the ‘good’ Christian Norman lords of England and France.
“The Vikings had been raiding and trading for hundreds of years. There were many holy houses for them to plunder, carrying precious relics, silver and slaves back to their homelands. Eventually they settled. There were established Viking trading ports, the chief amongst them being Dublin, probably the biggest slave-trading port in the northern hemisphere. Further south sat Wexford, Waterford and Cork. Other centres were at Wicklow and Arklow (which yielded silver). On the Shannon river, navigable to longships, sat Limerick.
“At this time Ireland had over a hundred kings, many little more than local chieftains. The senior kings ruled the seven kingdoms of Leinster, Munster, Connaught, Meath, Ailech, Airghilia and Ulaid. (The last three later became known as Ulster.)
“From these was drawn the ‘Ard Rí’, the High King of Ireland, traditionally — for at least five hundred years — one of the northern branch of the Uí Neill, whose high seat was in Tara. Though the title sounds impressive, in actuality it bestowed little unless the holder could keep it, usually by invading enemy territory and demanding hostages.
“Many battles were fought between greater kings and lesser kings. The tradition was to let a battle decide an argument; the losing side would then give up hostages against their good behaviour. The warriors would head home.
“These books will tell the tale of one of these kings — one who was castigated and damned in terrible terms by the Victorians for inviting the Normans into Ireland. But the story is more complex than that, the reasons more nuanced; perhaps the central character is not as evil as is made out.
“It is a tale I have wanted to tell for some time and I am grateful to Sapere Books for giving me the opportunity to share it.”
IN THE QUINTUS ROMAN THRILLERS SERIES:
BOOK ONE: Legionary
BOOK TWO: Decanus
BOOK THREE: Optio
BOOK FOUR: Centurion
BOOK FIVE: Scutarius
