Congratulations to Eric Helm, whose nail-biting military drama, Pioneer Post, is published today!
Pioneer Post is the twenty-eighth book in the Vietnam: Ground Zero series: action-packed,
authentic historical thrillers set during the Vietnam War.
Hawaii, 1969
U.S. Army Special Forces Major Mack Gerber and Sergeant Major Anthony Fetterman knew the promise of R&R in Hawaii was too good to be true.
Barely a day into the trip, they are called into a top-secret meeting to discuss classified intelligence. But when they get there, the generals in charge seem reluctant to share any information.
Gerber and Fetterman have recently come back from a mission in Vietnam. Though they were successful, the location where they established their base camp went against instructions from their superiors – and they covered certain things up in their final debrief reports.
All had seemed well when they first returned to the US, but now Gerber is suspicious that a case is being built against them.
Gerber and Fetterman are told they have been called to Hawaii to share base-building tactics with a new team working on the set up of a mission that will take place in Vietnam. But are they really being used for their expertise, or is someone setting them up for a fall?
How loyal are the fellow green berets who served with them in combat? Will secrets be spilled about their time in the jungle?
And will Gerber and Fetterman’s illustrious careers end in tatters…?
Congratulations to Austin Hernon, whose absorbing Medieval saga, An Empire Lost, is published today!
An Empire Lost is the third historical novel in The Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy: Early Plantagenet novels set during the Third Crusade and the reign of Richard the Lionheart.
1192
Having defeated Saladin’s forces in Jaffa, Richard the Lionheart has sent his queen, Berengaria of Navarre to Rome while he handles business elsewhere.
Not knowing when the king will return, Berengaria sets about making diplomatic connections with Pope Celestine III and Rome’s high-ranking cardinals.
Disaster strikes when the news arrives that Richard is being held hostage by Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI — a major political rival. Horrified, Berengaria and the king’s mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, begin to raise funds to pay his ransom.
But not everyone is so eager to see Richard’s release. Having designs on England’s throne and the king’s French possessions, Richard’s brother, Prince John, has revolted in his absence, supported by King Philip of France. Together, they conspire to prolong Richard’s captivity.
With tensions rising throughout Europe, Berengaria worries that she will once more be caught in the middle of a war. And without her husband by her side, she begins to despair of ever producing an heir to secure England’s unwieldy throne…
Will Berengaria and Richard ever be reunited? Will they be able to secure England’s line of succession and their lands in France?
Or is Richard’s empire destined to fall…?
Congratulations to Amy Licence, whose intriguing Tudor drama, Lady of Misrule, is published today!
Lady of Misrule is the fourth book in The Marwood Family Tudor Saga.
1528
The mood at court is sombre. The fractures in the royal marriage are spreading and King Henry’s desires are threatening the stability of the realm.
Eighteen-year-old Thomasin Marwood feels aged beyond her years in service to Queen Catherine of Aragon.
Her time as a lady-in-waiting has exposed her to intrigues and dark plots that have cast a shadow over her future.
And now King Henry is becoming more open in his plot to divorce the queen and marry Lady Anne Boleyn.
Queen Catherine has sent for her daughter, Princess Mary to join her at court and remind Henry of his fatherly duties. But Anne Boleyn is always at Henry’s side, resplendent in her lavish gowns, reminding the king of her youth and ability to carry an heir.
Thomasin is loyal to her mistress, Queen Catherine, but she finds herself noticed by the Boleyns and she fears her position at court may soon change.
What will happen to Thomasin if the king is successful in his petition for a divorce? Will Queen Catherine be cast out of court?
And will Lady Anne Boleyn finally get the throne she has been lusting after…?
Lynne Reid Banks, author of over forty published books for children and adults, has died at the age of 94.
Born in Barnes, London in 1929 to a Scottish doctor and an Irish actress, Lynne was evacuated to Canada at the start of the Second World War, where she spent five years. She returned to London and attended RADA before working at ITN as one of the UK’s first female television journalists. Her first novel, The L-Shaped Room, was published in 1960 and despite causing outrage at the time for its portrayal of an unmarried mother-to-be, was later adapted for cinema to great critical acclaim.
In the early 1960s Lynne went to live in Israel with her husband, the sculptor Chaim Stephenson, where she taught English. In 1971 she brought her family back to London where she continued to write, including the 1980 bestselling children’s book, The Indian in the Cupboard.
In 2013 Lynne won the prestigious J.M. Barrie Award ‘in recognition of a lifetime’s achievement in delighting children’.
We at Sapere Books were honoured to be chosen to reissue some of Lynne’s backlist over the past five years.
Lynne Reid Banks (31 July 1929 — 4 April 2024)
Congratulations to Tony Rea, whose fighter pilot adventure, Bouncer’s Battle, is published today!
Bouncer’s Battle is the first book in the Gus Beaumont Aviation Thrillers series: action-packed military adventure novels set during the Second World War.
England, 1939
When Gus Beaumont completes his training in June 1939, he is given the nickname ‘Bouncer’ for his less than smooth landings.
Despite that, he is an excellent flyer, and his Polish-British heritage inspires the secretive Wing Commander Sir Alexander Peacock to set him on a mission.
The British are aware that Poland is likely to fall to Germany and they are desperate to get the Polish fighter pilots to safety beforehand so they can continue fighting against the Reich.
Gus’s cousin, Staś Rosen, is a Polish fighter pilot and Gus is sent to persuade him to pass the message on to those in charge.
By the time Gus returns to England, war has been declared, and after some tough battles against the Luftwaffe, Staś manages to escape from Poland.
Gus is jealous of Staś’s tales of adventures as he finds himself once more stuck in training, and failing to see any action.
But all that will change when Gus is sent to fight in the Battle of Britain…
Can Gus ‘Bouncer’ Beaumont make his mark? Will he find himself fighting alongside his cousin?
Or will the realities of war prove to be more than he can handle…?
Congratulations to Keith Moray, whose gripping Medieval mystery, The Minstrel’s Malady, is published today!
The Minstrel’s Malady is the fifth book in the Sandal Castle Medieval Thrillers series: historical murder mysteries set in Yorkshire.
1330, Yorkshire, England
Edmund of Woodstock, the Earl of Kent, is executed for High Treason against King Edward III.
At his trial, it is claimed that a demon was conjured up by a monk versed in the Dark Arts, who told him that his brother, King Edward II, still lived.
Keen to quell rumours of sorcery that could do untold damage to the royal house and to the country, Sir Richard Lee, Sergeant-at-Law, is instructed by Sir Roger Mortimer and Queen Isabella, the king’s mother, to seek out the monk who delivered the message.
When a minstrel is struck down by a seizure before Sir Richard’s court, many believe the man to be possessed of a demon. Richard’s assistant, Hubert of Loxley, is given the task of riding to Cawthorne Priory to deliver the minstrel into the care of the monastery hospital.
Also at the priory is the anchorite, Sister Odelina, blessed with visions and the power to heal the sick.
But when a number of sinister deaths take place at the priory, blame falls upon the minstrel and the demon inside him.
Are the deaths the work of evil spirits? Or is there a murderer in their midst…?
With panic on the rise, can Sir Richard discover the truth before evil strikes again…?
Congratulations to Tim Chant, whose gripping naval adventure, The Guns of Zanzibar, is out now!
The Guns of Zanzibar is the fourth book in the Marcus Baxter naval thriller series: action-packed historical adventures following former Royal Navy officer Marcus Baxter during the early 1900s and through the first world war.
August, 1914
Lieutenant Marcus Baxter has been sent from cold, grey London to the tropical climes of Zanzibar in East Africa on the pretence of carrying out a survey on the local naval station.
In reality, the Royal Navy’s Intelligence Division have sent Baxter to find out if one of their ex-members, Mr Arbuthnott is now working for a potentially hostile foreign power and sharing British secrets.
Baxter is under strict orders not to reveal his true mission to anyone in the small naval contingent he’s been sent to, which makes executing his orders complicated.
He leaves the British protectorate of Zanzibar and crosses the water to the German-occupied port of Dar Es-Salaam to try and subtly gain intelligence.
But once he arrives, he is certain he is being followed.
Returning to Zanzibar, he discovers that the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand has been shot, escalating tensions between the British and German forces and making Baxter’s mission more urgent.
Where is Arbuthnott? Is he betraying the British?
Can Baxter complete his mission before his shadowy stalker catches up with him…?
Congratulations to
A Deadly Complot is the fourth book in The Tom Walsingham Mysteries series.
England, 1586
Tom Walsingham has been tasked with keeping watch over the network of spies recruited by his spymaster cousin, Sir Francis Walsingham.
After intercepting a series of letters sent to and from Chartley Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots has been imprisoned, the spies have infiltrated a ring of Catholic plotters. Led by the zealous Anthony Babington, the conspirators plan to murder Queen Elizabeth and replace her with Mary, thus restoring Catholicism to the realm.
With most of the plotters under careful observation, the spies have only to wait for the right moment to have them arrested. However, when one of the spies’ couriers — Isaac Finch — is murdered, it seems that Babington’s conspirators may suspect that they have informers in their midst.
Fearing that Finch may have been forced to reveal the spies’ plans, Tom vows to find out who killed him.
As he follows the sinister trail, Tom discovers that there is no shortage of people who may have wished Finch harm. And with the queen and the realm under threat, the pressure is on to solve the mystery before any more of Sir Francis’s recruits are lost…
Have Sir Francis’s spies been discovered? Is there a traitor in their midst?
And can Tom unravel the courier’s fate before Babington’s plotters act on their treasonous scheme…?
Congratulations to David Field, whose absorbing historical thriller, The Assassination Players, is published today!
The Assassination Players is the second instalment in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.
Nottinghamshire, England, 1591
Two of Queen Elizabeth I’s justices have been murdered within a week of each other, along with a woman who was involved with one of them and a man who had been awaiting trial by the other.
County Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel and Town Bailiff Francis Barton are tasked with investigating the deaths, but they are thrown off course by a visit from the queen’s secretary, Baron Burghley.
Burghley has discovered a plot to kill the Protestant queen and replace her with a Catholic alternative.
He tasks the bailiffs with journeying into a neighbouring county to infiltrate the gang of suspected traitors.
Time is of the essence as the threat already seems to have infiltrated Elizabeth’s court.
But the men behind the plot are ruthless and the path to discover them is fraught with danger.
Will Mountsorrel and Barton unmask the traitors? Who is behind the plot to kill the queen?
Can the bailiffs stop them before they change the course of history forever…?
Congratulations to Richard Kurti, whose twisty biographical crime novel, Requiem of Revenge, is out now!
Requiem of Revenge is a page-turning historical thriller based on the mystery surrounding the death of J S Bach.
Bath, England, 1761
A gruesome discovery is made in one of the city’s wealthiest townhouses. A man has been imprisoned and blinded; left to die in his own home.
He is rescued and his wife, Lady Arabella Taylor is arrested for the crimes.
Doctor Erasmus Harvey examines the victim, and finds out he is Chevalier John Taylor, an esteemed surgeon. The chevalier is keen to see his wife punished and Harvey is sent to take her confession.
But when Harvey meets with Arabella, he is astonished to find she shows no remorse. In fact, she insists her crimes were justified.
Repulsed by this she-devil, Harvey is unsure whether to declare her insane. But as he hears her testimony, what she reveals shocks him to his core.
And he soon realises he is not only unravelling the truth behind the crimes inflicted on the chevalier, but also the death of the celebrated composer J.S. Bach.
Who is the victim and who is the criminal? Why did Arabella torture her husband?
Her crimes could expose a scandal that will send shockwaves through Europe…
Congratulations to Alistair Forrest, whose gripping Roman adventure, Sea of Flames, is out now!
33BC
On landing in Ephesus to trade, Lachares, a Greek sea merchant, is seized and unfairly executed by Mark Antony, the triumvir of Rome’s eastern provinces.
Lachares’ crew are left to deliver the news to his son, Eurycles, the governor of a Greek trading post. Horrified, Eurycles vows to take revenge on Mark Antony.
With conflict brewing between Antony and his greatest political rival, Octavian Caesar, Eurycles is invited to work against Antony’s cause by smuggling two defectors out of his camp. Eager for an opportunity to get close to his enemy, Eurycles pledges his ship and men to Caesar.
Now embroiled in the deadly machinations of spies and defectors, Eurycles must decide who he can trust.
And when Mark Antony’s legions land in Actium and begin to prepare for an all-out war, Eurycles starts to wonder whether he will survive long enough to exact his revenge…
Congratulations to Austin Hernon, whose captivating medieval adventure, The Abandoned Queen, is out now!
The Abandoned Queen is the second book in the Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy: Early Plantagenet novels set during the Third Crusade and the reign of Richard the Lionheart.
1191
Having married Richard the Lionheart, Berengaria of Navarre is now preparing herself for the turbulent life of a queen.
Though he has not yet secured an heir, Richard is determined not to settle down until he has recaptured Jerusalem from the Saracen forces. Vowing to stay by his side for as long as possible, Berengaria accompanies him on the perilous voyage to the Holy Land.
Caught up in battle plans, Richard has barely a moment to spare for his new bride. And after witnessing a sea battle and a deadly siege in Akko, Berengaria is left disturbed by the king’s ruthlessness.
Surrounded by misery and bloodshed, the young queen begins to understand the true cost of war. And as Richard becomes ever more consumed by his ambitions, she starts to wonder whether their marriage will ever have a chance to flourish…
Will Richard survive his brutal Crusade? Will he and Berengaria return to England in triumph?
Or will the horrors of war tear their marriage apart?
Congratulations to Angela Ranson, whose gripping murder mystery, Dead Foretold, is published today!
Dead Foretold is the second book in the Catrin Surovell Tudor Mystery Series. It is an exciting historical thriller set at the court of Elizabeth I.
1561
Queen Elizabeth is under pressure from all her advisors to marry, but no one can agree on a potential husband.
The conflict is slowly eroding Elizabeth’s power and authority among the nobility, especially when a prophecy starts to spread that seems to predict the deaths of senior members of the queen’s court.
Tension grows when one of the queen’s maids of honour, Mathilda, is killed and placed on a false altar of hawthorn branches.
Her death follows the first lines of the prophecy, making people fearful about who could be next.
Amid rising hysteria, the queen orders her trusted lady-in-waiting Catrin Surovell to investigate.
Catrin soon learns that there is more to this mysterious death than anyone thought.
Strange symbols and eerie events put her on the trail of the murderer.
What do the symbols mean? Is someone using the guise of magic to destabilise the queen’s reign?
Catrin has to figure it out and stop the murderer before he strikes again…
Congratulations to D. R. Bailey, whose page-turning military adventure, The Sunrise Raiders, is out now!
The Sunrise Raiders is the fourth book in the Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers series: action-packed aviation novels set during the second world war and featuring a team of vigilante pilots.
Autumn, 1941
During a routine patrol, Flying Officer Angus Mackennelly ends up in a skirmish with the enemy over the English Channel and is nearly captured.
It is clear the Germans have unleashed a new weapon.
Back at base, Maverick Squadron are told the new German fighter plane is the Focke-Wulf 190. And it is far more manoeuvrable and nimbler than anything the British have got.
Soon the FW is causing problems for every unit. Squadron Leader Bentley exhorts the Mavericks to do their best no matter what and continue to fly in combat against the new plane.
The Mavericks struggle on against the enemy but the odds are falling further out of their favour.
Something needs to change and Angus is tasked with capturing one of the enemy craft for British intelligence.
But that’s easier said than done…
Will Angus succeed in his mission? Can the British match the new German technology?
Or will Maverick Squadron be forced to admit defeat…?
Congratulations to J. C. Briggs, whose atmospheric Gothic mystery, The Legacy of Foulstone Manor, is published today!
Westmorland, England, 1970
Dark and imposing in a bleak landscape, Foulstone Manor stands abandoned on the edges of the Lake District.
Reclusive Joan Goss inherited Foulstone, but her fragmented memories of her childhood there still disturb her and she keeps her distance in a cottage on the outskirts of the land.
Joan was brought up by adoptive parents after her mother died and her father abandoned her.
And she has spent her adult life haunted by the dark rumours of her past.
When Joan’s niece Amanda comes to stay with her, she is finally forced to confront the secrets behind Foulstone Manor.
Records show that Joan’s father committed suicide. But what happened to her mother? And why was Joan never told the truth about her childhood?
As Joan uncovers her mother’s diary, the full truth of her parents’ marriage is revealed.
Did his traumatic experiences in the First World War force her father into an early grave? What caused Joan’s mother’s untimely death?
Can Joan come to accept the inheritance that she has always rejected…?
Congratulations to Patricia Caliskan, whose laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, When We Were Us, is published today!
Erika Forde has always played second fiddle to her husband David, the famous novelist. But since their son, Matt, left home for university, cracks have started to show in their marriage.
Erika has long had a nagging suspicion that David may not always have been faithful, and now his latest books are starting to wane in popularity causing erratic moods that are affecting Erika.
But while David’s career starts to dip, Erika’s advertising agency is on the up.
Erika’s creative genius wins the agency a huge client in Stable Denim, but her life is thrown into turmoil when one of the models cast for the campaign turns out to be her ex-boyfriend, Enzo.
Has Enzo been sent back into Erika’s life for a reason? Is it time for her to re-evaluate her marriage?
Or should some things be left in the past…?
Congratulations to Neil Denby, whose absorbing Roman adventure, Optio, is out now!
Optio is the third book in the Quintus Roman Thrillers series: action-packed, authentic historical military adventures set in Ancient Rome.
Julius Quintus Quirinius, Decanus of his contubernium, has failed in his mission to secure a bridgehead in Britannia for the emperor Augustus.
Despite their failure, they have collected valuable intelligence from the British tribes that they are keen to share with Augustus, hoping that will restore their reputation.
Together with his rescued comrades, Quintus flees the misted isle of the enemy and begins the long and treacherous journey home.
Once they locate the remnants of their cohort, Quintus is promoted to Optio and tasked with leading his men against rebel Germanic tribes.
Success could mean a fast route back to Rome and the favour of the emperor. But failure means an almost certain death.
When disaster strikes, can Quintus rescue the honour of Rome and lead the cohort to safety?
Or will the odds once more refuse to fall in their favour…?
Neil Denby is the author of the Quintus Roman Thrillers series: action-packed, authentic historical military adventures set in Ancient Rome.
No doubt you are familiar with the major Roman gods: mighty Jupiter/Jove of the thunderbolts, king of the gods; Juno, his wife and the protector of the community; and their sons, Mars, god of war and lame Vulcan, god of the forge. Perhaps you also know that these were pretty much taken wholesale from the Greeks: Zeus does thunderbolts and lightning, and Hephaestus the blacksmith limps. However, unlike the Greek gods, who had their home on top of Mount Olympus, their Roman equivalents lived in forests, rivers and seas, at crossroads (compitalia) and boundaries and, if important enough, in temples.
The legionary soldier was as superstitious as the next Roman, perhaps even more so. Each had family gods, and needed not only to appease the gods, but to avoid offending them. The protagonist in my book series, Quintus, reveres Ceres, as goddess of agriculture. His comrade, Crassus, reveres Vulcan of the forge, while another comrade, Sextus, reveres Mercury, god of thieves and tricksters.
It was a central part of legionaries’ duties to carry out the correct sacrifices, with the right animals, on the designated days. If this was not possible, a legionary or officer would become a priest himself — a simple matter of covering one’s head — and make the necessary requests and offerings. One of my characters, Tullius, will sacrifice anything to appease the gods (a seal, a mouse, a cockroach), whilst Sextus is adept at reading omens, auguries and stars, as seen in Legionary.
The gods were invoked for good fortune, honoured with sacrifices and remembered on particular occasions. The oddest thing about Roman gods was the number of them that started their life as humans. When it came to turning actual people into divine beings, the Romans did not hold back. Romulus, founder of Rome, had a temple, and the shepherd’s hut in which he and his brother had lived still stood in Rome 700 years after his death. Julius Caesar claimed descent, via Aeneas, from Venus.
With Caesar’s death came what is referred to as the ‘imperial cult’. After his assassination and on the orders of the victors of Actium, he became a god — Divus Julius — gaining temples, priests and sacrifices. The newly minted Augustus (previously Octavian) became divi filius — son of a god — one of the titles he most loved. Other emperors followed, including both Augustus and his wife.
The legionaries in my stories refer to Julius Caesar as the general, the dictator or Divine Julius, depending on how well they knew him. He was assassinated in 44BC, less than thirty years before the beginning of the first book, Legionary. This is within living memory for many of my characters; indeed, the veteran Marcus served under Caesar as a young man.
There were countless gods that fell in and out of fashion, including all the souls of the departed. Larés and manés were the minor gods that represented the benevolent souls of the dead, whilst the lemurés were reckoned to be malevolent.
Religion thus permeated every aspect of a soldier’s life. They were all gods-fearing, if not gods-bothering — though they may have actually met some of those who were deified!
Congratulations to Daniel Colter, whose page-turning Crusader adventure, Blood of Lions, is published today!
Blood of Lions is the third book in the Knights Templar Thriller series.
Jerusalem, 1186
Baldwin V, the Boy King of Jerusalem, is dead and the nobles of the Crusader States scheme to fill his empty throne.
Alliances are fraying and in the midst of the politicking, the Templars, and their brother order, the Hospitallers, suffer a humiliating defeat at Cresson Springs, weakening both Orders.
All the while, in Damascus, the Sultan Saladin scents blood on the air and prepares to make good on his vows to reclaim the Holy City.
Templar knight Finn of Struan has been tasked with venturing across The Black, the no-man’s land between Christian and Muslim territories, to find Saladin’s war machine and assess its threat.
The balance of power in the Holy Lands is tipping. Two forces are converging on the Horns of Hattin, where the fate of a kingdom will be decided.
Finn must wade into a bloody fight and commit pitiless deeds, while relying on the loyalty of his brothers…
Will Finn emerge victorious? Can the Brotherhood prevail?
Or will Saladin finally fulfil his deadly promise?
Congratulations to Patrick Larsimont, whose gripping aviation adventure, The Maple and the Blue, is published today!
The Maple and the Blue is the third book in the Jox McNabb Aviation Thrillers series: action-packed, authentic historical adventures following a young RAF pilot during the Second World War.
Spring, 1942
The Allies and Fighter Command have gone on the offensive. The French town of Dieppe is selected for the first major assault on the European continent.
But Jox McNabb and No.111 Squadron start to feel like they are being lured into a trap.
And their new leader is acting unpredictably, making them worried that he can’t be trusted.
As the largest air armada since the Battle of Britain prepares for the operation, Jox suspects their squadron leader is using the men for his own vanity and ambition.
And if the Dieppe raid goes wrong could it prove to be a devastating sacrifice.
Can Jox lead his men to victory? Will the ambitious operation be a success? Or will the squadron face disaster…?
Following the success of her Julia McAllister Victorian Mysteries series, we are thrilled to announce that we have signed a new Edwardian series by Marilyn Todd.
Book 1 in the Julia McAllister Victorian Mysteries series
In Marilyn’s words:
“My terrific relationship with Sapere Books continues with the signing of my new series.
“This time it’s crime
In Edwardian time,
With a heroine sharper than lime.
They’re nail-biting thrillers,
And though she catches the killers
She don’t ’arf have a bloody good time.
“The world might have been changing fast back then, but not for women. They still had no rights, no vote, and men could still “chastise” them until 10pm, after which it constituted a noise violation. I wanted to give those women a voice, so I created a character who rips up the rule book by running a refuge for battered wives, funded by a gentleman’s club with a fleet of… Let’s call them exotic dancers. And quite frankly, neither she or I could be in better hands, thanks to the guidance, support and encouragement from this young, dynamic publishing house. Go Sapere!”
Graham Ley is the author of the Wentworth Family Regency Saga Series: absorbing historical novels set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. The third instalment, Lady at the Lodge, is out now.
My novels are set in the period just before the rise of the great names of Napoleon and Nelson, and after the stormy days of the French revolution in 1789 and the terror that followed, with the execution of the King and Queen of France and the declaration of a Republic. Great Britain was at war with France from that time, and my first novel started with Britain’s most significant involvement on the continent to date: its support for a force of exiled French landed by the British navy on the Brittany coast at Quiberon.
This small army, clad in red British uniforms and carrying British weapons, formed an uneasy alliance with the remarkable Breton insurrection known as the Chouans, a name that may have come from their mimicry of the call of an owl. Brittany was divided in its loyalties, with the Chouans looking back nostalgically to the monarchy and the Catholic Church, while many in the towns supported the new Republic and its freedoms from the old regime. Like all civil wars, the Chouan revolt was marked by outbursts of great cruelty, with much proceeding in secrecy and poorly armed peasant fighters slipping back into the forests, or raiding unexpectedly in towns.
Since the Middle Ages, the English had been allied with Brittany against the power of France. As one who is half Breton and half English, my hero Justin Wentworth had no need to question his loyalties when going undercover in Brittany to liaise with the rebels on behalf of the British commanders at Quiberon. Justin’s Breton mother Sempronie brought the manor of Kergohan into the family via her marriage to his father, who for his part inherited the manor of Chittesleigh, north of Dartmoor. Underpinning all of the novels is this continuing connection of the Wentworth family with Brittany and with Devon in England, one which involves them in the lives and fates of those who live at Kergohan and Chittesleigh.
Yet for all the historical background against which they play out, I see the novels in personal terms, with ambition, greed, deceit, loyalty, honour and love as major motives in the lives of the characters, whether French Republicans, former slaves from the Caribbean, Breton farmers and villagers or English gentry, soldiers, Quakers or actresses. That is why it may be best to see these as romantic historical novels, since romance need not be confined exclusively to salons, drawing rooms and assemblies — of which there are still many to be found in the shifting scenes that make up these stories.
Congratulations to Laura Martin, whose absorbing Regency-era mystery, The Body on the Beach, is out now!
The Body on the Beach is the fourth book in the Jane Austen Investigation series: thrilling historical murder mysteries with a tenacious literary heroine working as a female sleuth.
1798, Dorset, England
Jane Austen is on holiday with her parents and her sister, enjoying time at the seaside in Lyme Regis.
But one morning, while out on an early stroll, her peace is shattered.
There is someone lying at the bottom of the cliffs.
After rousing her father and sister, she hurries along the beach to find a young woman, dead.
It is clear to Jane that the young woman has been strangled. There is bruising about her neck and marks of discolouration on her face, yet the magistrate and doctor are quick to dismiss her concerns.
As Jane starts to investigate further, she discovers there have been two other young women found dead on the beach between Charmouth and Lyme Regis in the last five months.
Jane and Cassandra are certain the deaths are connected, but why is no one else looking for their killer?
Were the women known to each other? Are they connected in some way?
Can the Austen sisters unravel the mystery?
Richard Kurti is the author of the Basilica Diaries Medieval Mysteries series and Requiem of Revenge: a page-turning historical thriller based on the mystery surrounding the death of J S Bach.
Despite being the story of a man who leaves a trail of chaos and suffering in his wake, Requiem of Revenge began as a search for inner peace.
I always listen to music when I write, often choosing film scores that resonate with the tone of the story I’m working on. But as populist leaders took power in country after country and the world seemed to retreat from democracy, my mood slumped. Instinctively, I turned to the music of Bach and Handel.
The richness of their music was incredibly healing, and I clung to the thought that whatever dark times they endured, both composers were still able to produce works of incredible beauty. And then I wondered, What exactly did they live through?
I started reading about the lives of Bach and Handel. They were both born in 1685 in Germany, barely 90 miles apart; they spent their lives as composers and musicians, yet they never met. Although they are now recognised as being the greatest composers of their age, both men had very different lives. Handel moved to London, where he enjoyed wealth and fame, while Bach spent much of his life working in Leipzig, scraping a living as the director of church music.
Bach certainly knew of Handel and greatly admired him; he is even quoted as saying “[Handel] is the only person I would wish to see before I die, and the only person I would wish to be.”
And then, as I was rummaging around in the footnotes of history, I discovered an extraordinary coincidence: both composers were destroyed by the same fraudulent English eye surgeon, ‘Chevalier’ John Taylor.
I dug deeper into the Chevalier’s life, and realised there was a shocking resonance across the centuries: the charlatans who were wreaking havoc in the modern world seemed to be cut from the same cloth as the man who destroyed the genius of Bach and Handel 250 years ago.
Perhaps telling the story of one liar and cheat could shed light on how liars and cheats are able to triumph across the world?
And that was when I started writing.
Congratulations to Graham Ley, whose captivating Regency saga, Lady at the Lodge, is out now!
Lady at the Lodge is the third book in the Wentworth Family Regency Saga Series: historical novels set between England and France during the French Revolution.
England and Brittany, 1796
Rumours of a planned French invasion of Britain have reached the British military leaders, prompting them to prepare their troops and mobilise their spies. Amid the unrest, the Wentworth family — Anglo-French aristocrats — continue to move forward with their lives.
After visiting Brittany — her birthplace — to put right a past wrong, Sempronie has returned to Devonshire. However, she has left an inheritance dispute behind her that could change the lives of the small Breton community that surround her old family estate.
Recovering from her recent illness, Amelia is sampling London society and getting involved with the abolitionist movement. But when a sinister figure from her past reappears on English shores, her safety is once again under threat.
Living peacefully at Chittesleigh Manor in Devonshire, Justin and Arabella are expecting their first child. Though grateful for her good fortune, Arabella is impatient with Justin’s cossetting and misses her old independence. And despite her good sense, her determination to be active seems set to land her in danger…
Patrick Larsimont is the author of The Maple and the Blue, the third instalment of Jox McNabb Aviation Thrillers series: action-packed historical adventures following a young RAF pilot during the Second World War.
The Maple and the Blue sees Jox McNabb and his comrades of No. 111 Squadron, the Treble Ones, prepare and train for Operation Jubilee, the raid on the French seaside town of Dieppe in Normandy. It would be the first major Allied assault on the European continent, spearheaded by Canadian ground forces, but it also promised to be the largest air battle since the Battle of Britain.
When writing Jox’s adventures, I like to include some of the real characters, locations and events that I uncover during the course of my research into the period. I hope by doing so I provide a convincing evocation of the time, but also share the stories of people, locations and events on the very edge of living memory.
Here are three examples from my next book:
During the training phase before Operation Jubilee, Jox and his commanding officer are invited to a party near Biggin Hill at a large villa called The Red House. This was the home of Moira and Sheila Macneal, six-foot twin sisters known as the Belles of Biggin Hill. Wealthy socialites whose father was known as the Black Knight, they hosted celebrated parties for ‘The Few’ during the Battle of Britain and afterwards. Suffice to say, Jox attracts the interest of one of them and he finds her to be as formidable an adversary as any he’s met up in the skies.
During this time, Jox also drops in for a drink at the celebrated Battle of Britain pub, the White Hart in Brasted. On the wall in the bar is the famous blackboard covered with the signatures of many legendary aces including Sailor Malan, Al Deere, Colin Gray, Johnny Kent and Johnnie Johnson.
Image courtesy of Dougal Fisken
Later on in the story, Jox and his Norwegian comrade (spoiler alert), Axel Fisken, find themselves stranded on the ground near the Dieppe Pourville Golf Club, one of the oldest golf courses in France. Somehow, they manage to find an escape vehicle, which turns out to be a beautiful 1929 Bentley Speed Six tourer, like the one which won the Le Mans twenty-four hours in 1930. As it happens, my own good friend, Dougal Fisken’s family own this one pictured, and so provide the inspiration for the tale.
This and many other personalities, factoids and anecdotes litter my stories, and I hope you enjoy discovering them as much as I enjoy finding a place for them in Jox McNabb’s tale. Jox’s war is just getting started, so I hope you’ll join me for his forthcoming adventures.
Congratulations to David Field, whose page-turning Tudor mystery, The Castle Abductions, is out now!
The Castle Abductions is the first historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series: private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.
Nottingham, England, 1590
County Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel and Town Bailiff Francis Barton have vowed to root out the criminals of Nottinghamshire and bring them to justice.
But after acting on information from a questionable source, Edward is tricked into allowing several deer to be stolen from a local estate. Furious, he sets about tracking them down.
Meanwhile, Francis is asked to investigate the disappearance of Nell, a young woman who was last seen at a local alehouse with a wealthy stranger.
When the bailiffs’ shared house is burned down and their servant is found stabbed to death, Edward and Francis begin to suspect that their cases are linked.
And when more young women go missing, the two bailiffs worry they are running out of time to retrieve them from danger…
Who wishes to silence to Edward and Francis? What happened to the missing women?
And can the two bailiffs find them before it’s too late…?
Congratulations to Graham Brack, whose absorbing crime thriller, The Murdered Molls, is published today!
The Murdered Molls is the seventh book in the Josef Slonský Investigations series, atmospheric police procedurals full of dark humour.
A woman is discovered brutally murdered in her apartment, with some of her body parts surgically removed.
The pathologist has dubbed the perpetrator the nastiest killer he’s ever come across in the Czech Republic.
But after a scuffle with a cat burglar, Captain Josef Slonský has found himself laid up in hospital with a series of torn ligaments in his knee, unable to rush to the scene of the crime.
With his medical review due in less than nine weeks, and the threat of enforced retirement hanging on the outcome, he is determined to get out of bed and back on active duty asap.
With the help of his friend Valentin, Slonský signs himself out of hospital and puts his mind to solving the killing.
Is a serial killer at large? Are more women in danger?
And can Slonský prove his worth and keep the job that means so much to him?
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed a series of historical mysteries by Rose M Cullen.
In Rose’s words:
“I am absolutely delighted at the prospect of working with Sapere Books on my series. Opening with Harlequin is Dead, the novels are set in London in the 1790s against the turbulent backdrop of the French Revolution across the Channel and feature playwright and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan as my sometimes-hapless sleuth. As a historian and someone who has worked in the theatre, I have long had a fascination with Sheridan. He was a wonderfully rich and complex character who mixed in worlds both high and low — from the inner circles around the Prince of Wales and Houses of Parliament to the actors and entertainers of his theatre company and those living in the nearby slums. Sheridan had a keen interest in policing and trained in the law before embracing the stage. He was unquestionably brave, having survived a number of duels in his youth, and as a man with boundless curiosity and acuity, he seemed to me well placed to become embroiled in a series of mysteries.
“In Harlequin is Dead, we see him insist that his wife’s illegitimate child be recognised as his own, and he does everything he can to protect her from scandal. I enjoy peppering my fictional world with historical figures, and some of the most extraordinary characters in my novels are based on real people. Sheridan wrote rather wonderful comedies, and so I aim to weave a thread of humour into the books along with the murder and mayhem.
“Joining the Sapere Books family of authors has been a great pleasure. The team offer a supportive environment for my first traditional publications, and fellow authors are on hand with invaluable advice and encouragement.”
Austin Hernon is the author of The Wars of the Magna Carta series — military historical sagas — and the Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy: early Plantagenet novels set during the Third Crusade and the reign of Richard the Lionheart.
For the second instalment of my Berengaria of Navarre trilogy, The Abandoned Queen, I wanted to provide a little historical background. Why did England have a Basque queen between 1191 and 1199? Queen Berengaria didn’t chase or lobby for that crown. She was fully occupied managing her widowed father’s court.
Her father, King Sancho VI of Navarre was an enlightened man and ensured that all his children received the same comprehensive education. Therefore, by the time she was in her twenties, Berengaria was educated, multilingual, intelligent, and a keen observer of European politics and diplomacy of the time. The person who invited her to become Queen of England was none other than Richard the Lionheart’s mother: the dowager Queen of England, Eleanor of Aquitaine. She, the matriarch of the Plantagenet dynasty, was anxious to preserve the royal bloodline. With Richard already bound for Palestine, there was no guarantee he would return, and she was also determined to keep the runt Prince John off the throne.
But why was Richard bound for the Holy Land? The answer to that lies in the Third Crusade. Pope Gregory VIII called for the Crusade, which was intended to conquer the Holy Land and bring it under Christian control. Three kings responded to his call: King Phillip II of France; Frederick I, the Holy Roman Emperor; and Richard I of England.
A glance at a map of the time reveals that the kingdom of Navarre abutted Eleanor’s duchy of Aquitaine. In proposing that Berengaria marry Richard, Eleanor was able to satisfy her desire for a daughter-in-law and secure a useful ally on her southern border. And what princess would refuse the opportunity to be made a queen?
Once Berengaria had agreed to the plan, she and Eleanor set off together in hot pursuit of the war-bound king. And what an unexpected adventure the brave princess had volunteered for.
Congratulations to Elizabeth Bailey, whose page-turning Georgian mystery, The Hanging Cheat, is published today!
The Hanging Cheat is the tenth book in the Lady Fan Mystery series: historical murder mysteries with a courageous woman sleuth embarking on traditional British, private investigations in eighteenth-century England.
1796, England
Heavily pregnant Lady Ottilia Fanshawe should not really be travelling. But when her sister-in-law dies, she goes with her husband Francis to comfort her brother and her two nephews.
And of course it’s not long before the services of her alter-ego, Lady Fan, are required.
While playing in the woodlands, the two boys come across a gruesome discovery. A dead man is hanging from a tree.
The corpse is quickly identified as the local justice, Hector Penkevil, a man universally disliked for his meanness.
And it’s soon clear that his death was not suicide, but murder.
With Penkevil so disliked in the community, how can Lady Fan narrow down the suspects? Will she find the killer?
And can she solve the mystery before she is forced to bed with her pregnancy…?
Congratulations to Angela Ranson, whose absorbing historical mystery, Shades of Death, is out now!
Shades of Death is the first book in the Catrin Surovell Tudor Mystery Series: exciting historical thrillers set at the court of Elizabeth I.
1560
When Elizabeth Tudor first became queen, the realm rejoiced. Now, two years later, the queen has formed an attachment to Lord Robert Dudley that is causing widespread restlessness and discontent.
The tense situation threatens to become a full-blown disaster when Lord Robert’s wife, Amy, is found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Rumours fly through court suggesting Lord Robert killed her so he could marry the queen.
He is banished from court, but the queen is sure he is innocent. She sends her ladies-in-waiting, Catrin Surovell and Lucy Howard to the scene of Amy’s death, Cumnor Place, to discover as much as they can about what really happened.
Once there, Catrin and Lucy find evidence that the death was no accident, and discover that a stranger was with Lady Amy on the day she died.
And as Catrin investigates further, she finds a secret cache of dangerous documents in Amy’s handwriting, suggesting that she was part of a conspiracy against the crown.
But to find out who was responsible for Lady Amy’s death, Catrin will have to put her own life in danger…
Who was the stranger with Amy Dudley on the day of her murder? Did he cause her untimely death?
And can Catrin escape this dangerous web of secrets and betrayal?
We are delighted to announce that the first two books in Neil Denby’s action-packed military adventure series, the Quintus Roman Thrillers, will be released as audiobooks by Tantor Media.
The books follow a solider, Julius Quintus Quirinius, as he fights for survival in the brutal Roman army.
In Neil’s words:
“It has been a delight to work with the supportive publishing team at Sapere, who have helped to hone my writing to the level where Tantor Media bought the audiobook rights. I was excited to choose Matthew Lloyd Davies as an authentic voice for the first two books. Matthew is an actor and director with a long and distinguished career, including regular appearances with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
“The first book, Legionary, is the story of a common soldier and his close comrades stationed in Hispania during the first years of the Principate. Together they suffer punishments, fight battles and discover secrets that could prove useful to the Empire. Against the odds, they strive to maintain dignity and, above all, honour. The second book, Decanus, relates their further adventures with the tribes of the mysterious island of Britannia, after they are shipwrecked on its shores.
“The new deal puts Legionary and Decanus in distinguished company indeed. Matthew has narrated greats like Aldous Huxley, Robert Louis Stevenson and HG Wells, along with dozens of modern authors. The audiobooks will be released in early 2024.”
The first book in the Kit Scarlett Mystery series
Following the success of Adele Jordan’s absorbing Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries, we are delighted to announce that we have signed her new series of Tudor thrillers.
In Adele’s words:
“I’m thrilled to be working with Sapere Books once more on my new series, The Shadow Cutpurses. This first instalment is the culmination of a lot of research into the Tudor era and a fascination with women’s lives outside of the royal court. This tale about cutpurses or thieves is a thriller, looking at what can happen when a woman at the bottom of the hierarchy is pitted against a man of ultimate power.
“My hope is that every page is a thrilling step in Gwynnie’s adventure. I hope that fans of my first series will find the same pace and spirit of adventure in this series, while plunging into the darkness of life during a slightly different period of Tudor history. It’s been a great joy to work with the Sapere family, and my huge thanks goes to Amy, Caoimhe, Richard and Natalie, for their support. My thanks also have to go to the other authors with Sapere, who through our chats have helped me to improve my writing.”
Congratulations to the estate of Leo Heaps, whose remarkable World War Two memoir, Escape From Arnhem, is out now!
On September 17, 1944, over 8,000 men of the British 1st Airborne Division landed in German-occupied Netherlands as part of the largest airborne invasion ever undertaken. Twenty-two-year-old Canadian paratrooper Leo Heaps was one of them.
Told with authenticity and clarity, Heaps’ personal account of the nightmare battle fought after the paratroopers dropped at Oosterbeek paints a remarkably vivid picture of one of the most dramatic and little-known events of the Second World War.
Captain Leo Heaps volunteered to serve with the British Army early in 1944 and arrived in England in May of that year. Attached to the Dorset Infantry Regiment, he took part in the D-Day assault on Normandy in June. After twelve days, he was wounded and returned to England. In August, he applied to join a British Parachute Regiment and was accepted. A mere three weeks later, Heaps made his first and only jump as the Arnhem assault commenced.
Escape from Arnhem is one of the most visceral diaries of a young men caught up in the horrors of war. Barely out of his teens, Leo Heaps is charged with the responsibility of working with the Dutch underground, while evading capture from the Germans; all set against the backdrop of one WW2’s biggest battles.
From the battlefield to Belsen, Capt. Leo Heaps chronicles a story of capture and escape, unintended heroism and personal loss. It is a life-changing journey that goes beyond the medals and ceremony of war.
Written only a year after the war ended, the images of the Battle of Arnhem are as fresh and raw as the wounds of war themselves and offer a stark reminder of the triumph and tragedy during and after the battle.
We’re delighted to announce that we have signed three contemporary romance novels by Natalie Kleinman.
In Natalie’s words:
“It feels strange but exciting to be returning to contemporary romance after seven Regencies, but I’m delighted that Sapere are publishing an adaptation of my first book, Safe Harbour, and also After All These Years. They still sit proudly on my bookshelf, but I’m really looking forward to sharing the updated versions with you.
“What I’m even more excited about is the publication of A Walk in the Park. I’m a dog lover anyway, so to have written and have published a book about a young woman who foregoes the rat race to spend time with a variety of pooches has been a real joy. Deserted by her father when she was a baby, Daisy Shepherd has been raised by her cookie artist mother and a stepfather whom she adores. Having always believed she was an only child, she discovers that her father remarried in Australia and that she has a half brother and sister. But everything isn’t quite what it seems.
“How lucky am I that Sapere are happy to take me in a new direction. It’s a joy working with them. I couldn’t be in a better place.”
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed a series of Medieval sagas by Isolde Martyn.
Isolde is the author of nine novels and, recently, a history picture book for children. Her debut novel, set during the Wars of the Roses, won significant awards in the USA and Australia.
In Isolde’s words:
“The Wars of the Roses era is often overshadowed by the Tudor century, yet it is full of so many fascinating people, so I am delighted that Sapere Books are republishing my novels set in this time period. There are some strong, fantastic women I’d love readers to get to know better: Mistress Shore, seeking a way out of a loveless marriage; young mothers Elizabeth Woodville and Katherine Neville, struggling to survive in the aftermath of battles that took their husbands; and Margaret Neville, Warwick the Kingmaker’s bastard daughter, secret agent in France for the King of England.
“It’s a great pleasure to be working with the wonderful team at Sapere books and I look forward to getting to know my fellow authors and Sapere’s great family of readers.”
Congratulations to Stephen Taylor, whose thrilling historical adventure, The Lost Gospels, is out now!
1835
A swindler and a rogue, Edward John, the bastard son of a country squire, has reinvented himself as Captain John Campbell-John to make his fortune in polite society.
But when he loses a large amount of money in a notorious gambling den, John finds himself pursued by dangerous men, intent on collecting what is owed.
Fearing for his life, he flees to Venice where he meets Robert Babcock, a wealthy Englishman who collects rare antiquities.
As John gains his trust, Babcock reveals that he will soon be departing for Egypt to search for ancient Christian manuscripts, and he invites John to join him as his assistant. Keen to leave his old life behind, John accepts.
As they search through the monasteries, they find ancient translations of biblical Gospels that could shake Christianity to its core.
Should they continue with their quest? Will the repercussions be worth it?
Or should The Lost Gospels stay buried in the past…?
Congratulations to Ros Rendle, whose heart-warming love story, Hope Blooms, is published today!
Hope Blooms is the fourth book in the Moondreams House Romance series.
Having recently left the army, Hope Everett is now learning to live with a physical disability and PTSD. As she does her best to accustom herself to the civilian world, she wonders what to do with the rest of her life.
When a florist job becomes available on the Moondreams House estate, Hope jumps at the chance to indulge her lifelong passion for flowers. Despite her limited experience, her enthusiasm wins her the job.
However, her excitement is dampened when Dante Troughton — the aloof son of the estate owner — insists on overseeing the financial side of Hope’s business.
Though Hope initially finds Dante arrogant and overbearing, their uneasy relationship gradually grows into a mutual respect. And as both begin to open up about their past, Hope questions whether she is ready to let someone get close to her…
Can Hope make her new business thrive? Will she find solace in her work and blossoming friendships?
Or will the tragedies of her previous life overwhelm her…?
We are delighted to announce that we have signed a new series of Tudor mysteries by Paul Walker.
In Paul’s words:
“I’m thrilled to have a contract with Sapere Books for my new series. With a well-deserved reputation for publishing outstanding and innovative historical fiction, it’s a privilege to join such a talented group of authors under the Sapere banner.
“The series is a spin-off from the first of my William Constable books, State of Treason. Hector Askham, a captain of Spymaster Walsingham’s guards, was rewarded with retirement to a small estate in North Norfolk for his role in foiling a plot against Queen Elizabeth. Eight years later, now a country squire settled into his new life, an unwelcome command from Walsingham arrives only a few weeks after the dispersal of the Spanish Armada. Another threat, more subtle and insidious, is understood to be nearing the Norfolk coast. Askham is expected to lead an ill-prepared and under-resourced defence. But is the intelligence flawed? Can he trust the word of spies and paid informers? To disobey Walsingham’s command is not an option, but the odds are stacked against success and if he fails, the consequences could be severe.”
We are delighted to announce that the first three books in D. R. Bailey’s absorbing World War II adventure series, the Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers, will be released as audiobooks by Tantor Media.
The books follow the progress of RAF officer Angus Mackennelly as he flies into battle while becoming embroiled in a series of mysteries.
In David’s words:
“I am very excited to be working with Tantor to bring my books to the audio platform. This is a tremendous boost for any author, and I’m pleased that it will take the Spitfire Mavericks series to a new audience. Working with Sapere has been an excellent experience and I’m very happy that the series is set to continue.
“The Spitfire Mavericks was born out of a love for Spitfires, plus the feeling of wanting to write something new and different about the air war. The series is a mixture of action, love, romance, thriller, mystery and all of the things I like to put into my writing. It is of course fictional, set within the historical context of World War II. As an author, I love to explore the ‘what if’ and weave a story from that. I am very attached to my characters too, in spite of the tribulations I put them through. Joining Sapere has been everything I had hoped. It has taken my writing career to new heights, and I’m eternally grateful for all of the support from Amy, Caoimhe, Richard and Natalie, and the opportunity to bring my work to a wider audience.”
Congratulations to D. R. Bailey, whose gripping aviation novel, The Fleeting Target, is out now!
The Fleeting Target is the third book in the Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers series: action-packed aviation adventures set during the second world war and featuring a team of vigilante pilots.
1941
Flying Officer Angus Mackennelly is flying over Northern France when his tank is holed and he’s forced to crash-land.
Luckily, he is picked up by the French Resistance before the enemy can get to him and, after a tense few days moving between safe houses, he escapes back to Blighty.
Reunited with his squadron, Angus expects to return to flying duties. However, Squadron Leader Bentley informs him that he’s not going to be flying sorties. He is singled out to lead a top-secret mission.
The special mission is to conduct a low flying night operation with six blacked out Spitfires to strafe a convoy carrying a top general from the German High Command and assassinate him.
Training quickly commences but a spate of unexpected enemy fighter attacks leads the team to suspect that a spy is trying to leak details of the upcoming mission to the Germans.
Angus is put on the case to squirrel out the informer and protect the rest of the men from the enemy within.
Will Angus succeed in his secret mission? Can he identify the mole?
Or will the lives of all the men in Maverick Squadron be compromised…?
We are thrilled to announce that the first three books in Patrick Larsimont’s page-turning wartime adventure series, the Jox McNabb Aviation Thrillers, will be released as audiobooks by Tantor Media.
The series follows the progress of Jox McNabb, a young RAF officer, as he fights his way through the fiery skies of the Second World War.
In Patrick’s words:
“I’m delighted that Tantor Media has agreed to publish the first three novels in my Jox McNabb series. It is testament to my growing number of readers, who have already demonstrated remarkable loyalty to Jox and his comrades, and to the skill and support of Sapere Books and its family of authors.
“Going from being a debut writer, who started scribbling during lockdown, to having a five-book deal with Sapere and a three-book audio deal with Tantor is very gratifying. Much of that is down to Sapere recognising that I might have some talent, for which I’m very grateful.
“I’m very intrigued to discover who will be cast as the narrator of Jox McNabb’s stories. He is loosely based on a dear old friend, a softly spoken Scotsman, so I’m hoping we can do justice to that and the many other accents in my books. I can’t wait.”
David Field is the author of numerous historical series, including the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series: private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.
My new series features the exploits of two sheriffs’ bailiffs during the Tudor and later the Stuart eras. For me it was a labour of love because it involved researching the history of Nottingham, where I was born and raised during the immediate post-war years.
In my novels, Edward Mountsorrel and Francis Barton are colleagues in adjoining jurisdictions who have become close friends. Their work involves enforcing the law and investigating crime, under the direction of their respective employers, the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and the Sheriff of Nottingham. The fact that there are two separate sheriffs, one for the county and the other for the town, arises from a quirk of Nottingham’s history that also explodes one of the elements of the legend of Robin Hood, Nottingham’s most famous alleged resident.
A central character in the Robin Hood myth is the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham, but the truth is that he did not exist until 1449, at least two hundred years after Robin is said to have lurked in Sherwood Forest, to the north of the town. A charter in that year, granted by Henry VI, made Nottingham its own county, with its own sheriff and its own jurisdiction, not to mention its own courthouse. And therein lies another set of intriguing and quirky facts.
While the town continued to conduct its legal affairs in the old Guildhall in Weekday Cross, the county needed a place to do the same, conveniently located within the town itself. It therefore constructed what for many years was known as the Shire Hall, sitting proudly in the middle of one of the town’s most affluent streets, High Pavement. It was a small chunk of the county located within the town, and given that the boundary line ran through the centre of the original courtroom, the judge could be found seated in the town while the prisoner before him was located in the county. This august building is now the National Justice Museum, a popular destination for tourists.
Hopefully this will make up for several guaranteed disappointments for any tourist visiting Nottingham hoping to step into the Medieval world of Robin Hood. The city does indeed possess a castle, which features heavily in the first book in my forthcoming series, but the current edifice is now in its third manifestation. The original eleventh-century version constructed on the orders of William the Conqueror was destroyed at the behest of its own governor, Colonel John Hutchinson, at the end of the English Civil War, before Oliver Cromwell could get his hands on it. The reconstruction was then burned down by a mob during the Reform Bill Riots of 1831, and the current building — which is now a civic museum that houses old bicycles, coin collections and Japanese armour — became little better than a middle-class boarding house of dull Victorian architecture before being bought up for a song by the embarrassed city fathers.
At least the vandals couldn’t do much to diminish the grandeur of the rock on which the castle stands, a block of sandstone rising for one hundred and thirty feet above ground level. This is full of caves and passages where previous generations cut their way through the soft stone in order to create dwellings that were converted into dungeons when the castle was first constructed. At its foot sits a vintage hostelry, now known as The Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, that was once the castle’s in-house brewery before it became an alehouse, linked to the castle above by a series of tunnels through the sandstone. This alehouse would have been there during the time in which my novels are set, so I’ve made use of it in the first instalment, in which young women are abducted from there.
I enjoyed researching the history of my birthplace, and I think it shows in my new series, which hopefully captures the rough-and-tumble nature of law enforcement in a Tudor township.
Richard Kurti is the author of the Basilica Diaries Medieval Mysteries series: historical thrillers set in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Rome and featuring a brother and sister investigative duo.
Donato Bramante (1444-1514) was the brilliant architect who designed St Peter’s Basilica in Rome and oversaw the initial stages of construction. If you could put him in a time machine, bring him forward five hundred years, and lay out the current problems of the HS2 railway line before him, I doubt he would be very surprised. Bramante discovered the hard way that huge, ambitious construction projects that test the limits of technology always run into the same dilemmas and have the same questions hanging over them:
Why build it at all?
Isn’t the existing structure good enough?
What philosophy should drive the new project?
How can you prevent the costs ballooning out of control?
Will the public lose interest and turn against you?
How will you cope with unforeseen complications?
How will you prevent corrupt builders skimming off vast sums for their own personal enrichment?
Take a moment to think about building something like St Peter’s without the use of computers, high-powered machinery or sophisticated scientific instruments. It took one hundred and twenty years, and Bramante was long dead by the time it was completed, but its construction was still a lot quicker than Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, or York Minster. And once built, these cathedrals have stood the test of time. How many railway lines will still be operating half a millennia after they were constructed?
The triumph of this superhuman achievement inspired me to write a series of novels centred on the construction of St Peter’s. Each murder mystery swirls around a different theme linked to the vast building project. Omens of Death explores the morality of building St Peter’s in the first place; Palette of Blood focuses on the vicious battle between artists competing to design it; and the newest book, Demon of Truth, shows what happens when you make a catastrophic discovery mid-construction.
Although the novels are fictional thrillers, I spent a lot of time doing research to find elements that grounded the stories in the sixteenth century, but also resonated with the dilemmas of the modern world.
So, the next time you find yourself on a rail replacement bus service, why not download some Basilica Diaries to while away the time?
Congratulations to Laura Martin, whose absorbing Regency mystery, A Poisoned Fortune, is published today!
A Poisoned Fortune is the third book in the Jane Austen Investigation series: thrilling Regency-era murder mysteries with a tenacious literary heroine working as a female sleuth.
1797, Bath, England
Devastated by the news of the death of her fiancé, Cassandra Austen has slipped into a melancholy that her sister Jane is desperate to relieve.
Jane suggests a short trip to stay with their aunt, Mrs Leigh-Perrot, in Bath with the aim of lifting Cassandra’s spirits.
Whilst out walking they meet Lady Arabella Waters, and they receive an invitation to meet her at the musical celebration in the Parade Gardens by the river.
But after taking a sip of his drink, Lady Arabella’s husband, Lord Waters collapses, dead.
Despite his advanced years Jane feels there is something not quite right about his death, and her suspicions are confirmed when the inquest determines Lord Waters was poisoned.
The magistrate announces he has found belladonna in Lady Waters’ possessions. He takes her into custody and sends her to the gaol in Ilchester. As she is taken away she pleads with Jane and Cassandra to help her prove her innocence.
Jane believes in Lady Waters, but why was there poison in her possession? And who else could have a motive for killing Lord Waters?
Can the Austen sisters unravel the mystery and prove the innocence of their new friend?
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed three new instalments of the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series by Linda Stratmann.
Book 1 in the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series
The series follows the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his acquaintance Mr Stamford during their years at St Bartholomew’s Medical College.
In Linda’s words:
“I am delighted to have signed with Sapere for three more books in the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series, my chronicle of his youthful adventures. In these next three we will meet a young Mycroft, enter the world of theatrical illusions, and encounter a devious confidence trickster with a mysterious device.
“My grateful thanks are due to the dedicated team at Sapere Books, for their invaluable support, and the friendly encouragement of the growing family of Sapere authors.”
Congratulations to Austin Hernon, whose page-turning Medieval saga, The Lionheart’s Bride, is out now!
The Lionheart’s Bride is the first novel in The Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy: early Plantagenet novels set during the Third Crusade and the reign of Richard the Lionheart.
1191
Eleanor of Aquitaine sets her sights on Berengaria, Princess of Navarre as a potential bride for her son, Richard the Lionheart.
Richard is determined to make his mark crusading, and might not return, so Eleanor is keen to see an heir on the way to stop his feckless younger brother John from inheriting the kingdom.
Richard is not averse to his mother’s plans for the succession, but his priority lies in fulfilling his reputation as an indomitable warrior.
Berengaria is charmed by the prospect of travelling to a distant land to marry a handsome king of a distant land but she finds she has to accompany Eleanor in a race across Europe to catch her elusive bridegroom.
War on land, storms at sea, and the risk of alienating a conniving Pope go only some way to preparing Berengaria for life with the crusading Lionheart.
Will Richard’s blood-fuelled ambition be compatible with the husband Berengaria dreams of? Can she make her mark under Eleanor’s wing?
Or will she find her new life to be a lot more than she bargained for…?
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed the fourth instalment of the Knights Templar Thriller series by Daniel Colter.
Book 1 in the Knights Templar Thriller series
The series follows the military adventures of Finn of Struan, a young knight, as he fights in the wars in the Holy Land.
In Daniel’s words:
“The first three novels in the Templar Thriller series spun out of a lifelong fascination with the Crusades. The next instalment will be set on the heels of the Battle of Hattin, in July 1187, and at the onset of the Third Crusade. These years were a clash of cultures, a settling of old grudges, and paint an especially vicious backdrop — desperate battles, scheming nobles, warring religions.
“Field of Bones, the upcoming fourth novel, finds Finn of Struan and his brothers at the siege of Tyre, a desperate fight to defend the Kingdom of Jerusalem’s last stronghold. The fifth and sixth novels weave them into the kingdom’s death spiral and the legendary duels between the Sultan Saladin and Richard the Lionheart, the warrior king of England. Finn whispers in my head the Templar story is not done, not yet, and urges me to forge on with new tales!
“I am proud to be part of the Sapere Books family. Working with Amy, Matilda, Natalie, and Caoimhe has been a pleasure, their support invaluable. Fellowship with Sapere’s cadre of authors, each skilled beyond measure, has been a rare privilege. I look forward to more of the same!”
Congratulations to Richard Kurti, whose absorbing Medieval crime adventure, Demon of Truth, is published today!
Demon of Truth is the third book in the Basilica Diaries Medieval Mysteries series: historical thrillers set in fifteenth-century Rome and featuring a brother and sister investigative duo.
1504, Rome
The construction of the new Basilica is finally making progress when a shocking discovery is made: St Peter’s tomb, which has housed the saint’s remains for over a thousand years, is found to only contain animal bones.
Immediately the Pope panics – St Peter’s tomb is a central part of the mythology of the Rome, underpinning its legitimacy. If the tomb is a fraud, the entire Church could be undermined.
Scholar Cristina Falchoni’s vast and unorthodox learning may provide a solution, and she is summoned to the Vatican. She immediately dives into Rome’s archives, searching for clues to find the real burial place of St Peter.
But just as she believes she’s found the answer, the body of a priest is discovered with a piece of parchment stuffed in its mouth, dedicating the killing to God.
And when more bodies laid out in a similar fashion start appearing, a battle of competing myths tears Rome in two.
Is a benign St Peter blessing Rome with miracles? Or is the city being punished with a spate murders?
With the help of her brother, Domenico, Cristina is determined to discover the truth…
