Alistair Tosh was born in Dumfriesshire, a land steeped in ancient history and evocative place names like Torthorwald and Caerlaverock. But it was his childhood visits to nearby Burnswark Hill — the site of a dramatic Iron Age hillfort and Roman siegeworks — that first sparked his fascination with Roman Britain and the shadowy centuries that followed.

After leaving school, Alistair embarked on a thirty-five-year career in communications, beginning with service in the Royal Navy. His time included covert riverine and maritime operations during the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. He later transitioned to the corporate world, applying his skills to the telecommunications sector. Drawing on his military background, Alistair brings authenticity to his writing, capturing the language, camaraderie, and tension of life in uniform.

His debut novel, Siege, is the first in the Edge of Empire series. Set during the Antonine advance into Caledonia, the story follows Lucius Faenius Felix, a young and inexperienced Tribune sent to Britannia to command the First Nervana Cohort — soldiers descended from the fierce Nervii tribe. Haunted by his father’s murder and the loss of his family estates, Lucius, alongside veteran cavalryman Prefect Cai Martis, must confront a deadly conspiracy among the resurgent Novantae tribes.

“An excellent, exciting debut. Gripping, gritty, and blood-spattered. Fans of Roman historical adventure will love it! Alistair Tosh is a writer to watch.” — Matthew Harffy, Author of the Bernicia Chronicles.