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 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
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).
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
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.
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.
As a historical novelist, I’d say that what resides in the details is a sense of place and time. Whether found by accurate research, by educated guesswork or by extrapolation, details endow fiction with a near-tangible quality that lets both the writer and the reader experience a measure of truth behind it. We ‘hear’ a long dead spy’s voice in the clipped sentences and spelling quirks of his reports, or we find a mindset in a statesman’s liking for trees and Italy.
Details are also highly addictive.
I usually begin by wanting to know something innocent — say, what fine Moroccan jewellery would have looked like five and a half centuries ago. And at four in the morning, I’m still browsing the web, and writing to friends whose spouses work in museums, or to complete strangers who happen to be historians. In the end, the (broken) Moroccan necklace will make one brief appearance — but it will look like an actual sixteenth-century one.
Once, a few books ago, I spent a happy hour in an antiquary’s shop in Venice, peppering the owner with questions about just what kind of blade a certain kind of Venetian citizen would have bought and worn, so that, in The Road to Murder, Paolo Citolini’s Venetian dagger was not just an element of the plot, but also something that his grandfather could have bought, and his father brought with him in his English exile as a piece of home.
And then there was the session of theatre rehearsals I hijacked into a demonstration of the different styles in Renaissance fencing, to see just what my protagonist, Tom Walsingham, would learn from an Italian swordsmaster. Or the museum curator who asked his mayor for leave in orderpermission to scan old cadastral maps for me. Or the kind librarian at the diocese of Paris’ archives whom I sent on a quest for the name of the bishop’s coadjutor in 1587. Most diocesan records were lost during the Revolution, and the name I wanted couldn’t be found — and yet I became fascinated with the idea of this nameless coadjutor: can he truly be only clinging to the cliff of history by a brief mention in an English diplomatic report? Someday this will be a story, too.
And what would the inn have been called in this village? And where would the great stairs have been in that long-destroyed manor house? Details — often quite small — to be happily hunted down rabbit-holes. They don’t even all necessarily end up on the page: what goes there thickens the atmosphere; what doesn’t still serves to add depth and texture and colour to the story.
Visit C. P. Giuliani’s website to stay up to date with her news and latest releases.
Welcome to Sapere Books’ September round-up of new releases!
From Ancient Rome and Victorian London to an American Civil War siege and air gunners of World War Two — 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 Ladies’ Lounge by Graham Brack is the eighth international crime thriller in the Josef Slonský Investigations series: atmospheric police procedurals full of dark humour. In the latest instalment, Captain Slonský investigates the suspicious death of a cabaret club manager.
Targets of Opportunity by D. R. Bailey is the seventh book in the Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers: action-packed aviation adventures set during the Second World War and featuring a team of vigilante pilots. Flight Lieutenant Angus Mackennelly and his squadron have been given a new mission, but with a thief in their midst will mistrust interfere with operations in the skies…?
Forests of Death by Jeff Jones is the second book in the Legion of the Damned Roman Thrillers series: action-packed, authentic historical military adventures set in Ancient Rome. Can Centurion Marcus Corvo and his Legion of the Damned survive the harsh forests of Germania?
The Belvedere Scandal by David Field is the eleventh crime thriller in an exciting historical series, the Esther and Jack Enright Mysteries, a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London and packed full of suspense. When the heir apparent is suspected of murder, the Enrights must prevent a scandal and secure the throne.
September’s Fiction Backlist Releases
We are delighted to announce that four new instalments of Aola Vandergriff’s gripping Daughters of America saga are out now! The series follows the tumultuous story of three sisters in 1800s America.
We are also thrilled to bring you the first four books in the Paul Dexter Naval Adventures by Gilbert Hackforth-Jones: action-packed historical naval adventures featuring young naval officer Paul Dexter.
September’s Non-Fiction Releases
Fighting Admiral: The Life of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville by Donald Macintyre is a remarkable biography of an extraordinary man. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the naval history of the Second World War.
The Lost Centuries by John Bagot Glubb is an engaging and detailed history of the Islamic world from the twelfth to the fifteenth century, tracing events from the Crusades to the fall of Constantinople.
Guns In The Sky by Chaz Bowyer pays tribute to the air gunners of Word War Two, vividly recreating their harrowing experiences while offering an in-depth exploration of the origins, evolution, and tactics of air gunnery.
Sumter Is Avenged by Herbert M. Schiller tells the dramatic story of the siege of Fort Pulaski during the American Civil War and how it changed the shape of warfare forever.
Ike’s Last Battle by Charles Whiting is a fascinating history of the Battle of the Ruhr Pocket — a crucial engagement that destroyed the last major German force in Western Europe.
Happy reading! Team Sapere
Following the success of her Medieval Ladies Series, we are delighted to have signed a new Thomas Middleton series by Coirle Mooney.
In Coirle’s words:
“While studying for my PhD, I became intrigued by Thomas Middleton. Who was this lesser known, younger, more dashing contemporary of Shakespeare who preferred to be called ‘Plain Tom’?
“In the first book of my new series, schoolboy Tom dreams of becoming a great poet like Kit Marlowe or William Shakespeare and draws inspiration from the daily crime pamphlets sold around St Paul’s Cathedral, as well as the preachers’ passionate sermons on vice and evil-doers. His essay wins the grand prize of a season ticket to the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, but his plan (and childhood) is derailed when his charismatic stepfather attempts to poison his beloved mother, forcing him to give up the precious prize to help pay for the lawsuit that ensues. Alongside his poetic aspiration, Tom develops a lifelong distrust of appearances and an obsession with rooting out poisoners.
“The series follows Tom down the dark alleyways of Southwarke’s lawless baiting dens, taverns, brothels, the Rose and the (newly built) rival Globe theatre, where he meets like-minded playwrights and actors who move easily between all social ranks in late Elizabethan and early Jacobean London. Tom and his fellow artisan dissidents are well placed to root out corruption in the shape of poisoners, like his stepfather, who destroy innocent lives in the pursuit of wealth, status and power.
“All three books reimagine poisonings of the time, with Tom’s character central to discovering the murderers. Book three culminates in the Overbury murder scandal, where members of the Jacobean court and their citizen accomplices were famously put on trial for the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury.
“I am thrilled to be working with the marvellous team at Sapere once more and grateful to have a platform worthy of plain Tom!”
Following the success of his many historical series, including the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries and Esther and Jack Enright Mystery Series, we are delighted to announce that we have signed a new Wars of the Roses series by David Field.
In David’s words:
“For much of the late Medieval period, England was a permanent battlefield, as the rival descendants of the fertile Edward III claimed the right to the crown. Brother fought with brother, cousin sought to depose cousin, heirs to the throne were murdered, and the leading barons of the realm threw in their lot with one side or the other — frequently changing sides in the process.
“It’s a complex network of fast-moving events even for a historian, but for a novelist it’s a daunting challenge. However, it’s one I couldn’t resist, having already taken the story of England’s history forward from the Norman Conquest to the death of Simon de Montfort in my Conquest series for Sapere Books. I’d also picked up the story again in the Tudor series, beginning with the Battle of Bosworth and the accession of Henry VII. This new Wars of the Roses series will fill the gap between these two series.
“Join me as Edward I seeks to put down challenges from the Welsh and the Scots, Edward II squanders his birthright on favourites, and Edward III enjoys a lengthy reign that produces five sons and lights the fuse on the domestic strife to follow with his ill-advised ‘letters patent’ as to who was to succeed him, and in what order. When Richard II was deposed by Henry Bolingbroke in order to become Henry IV, his son, Henry V, brought the nation military triumph across the Channel, only to die tragically young, leaving an inadequate successor to rule as Henry VI. The spurned House of York saw its opportunity, and the ‘Kingmaker’ Earl of Warwick raised Edward IV to the ultimate position of power. But his wily and jealous younger brother Richard of Gloucester wove a treacherous web that left him as the spider in the centre, until the nation threw off his yoke and welcomed back Henry Tudor, the last Lancaster, as Henry VII.
“Behind the scenes, the ultimate fictitious descendants of the man who first rallied the Saxons against the invading Duke William of Normandy seek to survive with honour amid all the mayhem.
“The new series begins in early 2026, and I look forward to sharing it with you.”
Visit David’s website to stay up to date with his news and latest releases.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed the eleventh book in the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers series: gritty, hard-boiled mysteries featuring maverick barrister Charles Holborne.
In Simon’s words:
“As regular readers of the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers will be aware, every book has been set in a different year, tracking the corrupt Metropolitan Police force and the gangs like the Krays’ ‘Firm’ through the 1960s. I’m afraid I’ve never had much patience with writers whose formulaic books never allow their characters to grow up (or old). There’s one particular tough guy (you may remember him being portrayed on film by a certain very famous diminutive actor) who, thirty books in, should now be approaching the ripe old age of sixty-six. Yet, chained to a steel table with a broken wrist, he is still capable of choking a big guard into unconsciousness.
“I prefer realism. If the Charles Holborne books are based on real cases, real political events and real people, my hero barrister should also be real: he must get older and, one hopes, wiser. In The Brief, set in 1960, he was thirty-five years of age. By the time we get to book 11, he’s a decade older. And what did most good looking, easy-going, solvent professional men do in 1970? They got married, maybe started a family and … went on holiday.
“The playful title I had in my head as I wrote the book was ‘Charlie Holborne Goes to France’. Sapere Books have been wonderful publishers (evidence: this will be my eleventh book with them) but even I knew their patience might be stretched by such a title. Wrong vibe altogether. In any case, this holiday turns nasty. Charles and Sally find themselves embroiled in a vendetta in the heart of stunning rural Gascony, a vendetta with its roots in the war between those who resisted and those who collaborated with Vichy. Their Gascon idyll turns dark, putting their lives and that of their daughter at risk. And, because no Charles Holborne novel can omit a courtroom drama, Charles finds himself on a busman’s holiday, fighting the good fight as always.
“I have enjoyed writing this book because it is set in a beautiful part of the world that I know and love well. In addition to action, mystery and courtroom drama, there’s magnificent countryside and wonderful food to go with the true historical facts. I can’t wait for you to read it.”
Visit Simon’s website to stay up to date with his news, events and latest releases.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed the thirty-first book in the Vietnam: Ground Zero series: action-packed, authentic historical thrillers set during the Vietnam War.
When an enemy force attacks Camp A-398, Sergeant Major Anthony B. Fetterman joins a striker force to chase the enemy back into Cambodia. When the strikers run into the enemy rear guard, they are forced to give up their pursuit.
A reporter at Camp A-398 believes that the strikers, as well as Fetterman, had illegally crossed the border into Cambodia, creating an international incident. When the allegation reaches the highest levels of the United States Army, Fetterman is arrested and court-martialed for crossing the border. It makes no difference that Fetterman was not in command of the strikers, and that they said they were never in Cambodia.
The case has to be settled, not by getting at the truth but by reaching the approved solution. If an old soldier like Fetterman needs to be sacrificed, then that is a small price to pay.
In the Vietnam: Ground Zero series:
BOOK 1: Vietnam: Ground Zero
BOOK 2: P.O.W.
BOOK 3: Unconfirmed Kill
BOOK 4: The Fall of Camp A-555
BOOK 5: Soldier’s Medal
BOOK 6: The Kit Carson Scout
BOOK 7: The Hobo Woods
BOOK 8: Guidelines
BOOK 9: The Ville
BOOK 10: Incident at Plei Soi
BOOK 11: Tet
BOOK 12: The Iron Triangle
BOOK 13: Red Dust
BOOK 14: Hamlet
BOOK 15: Moon Cusser
BOOK 16: Dragon’s Jaw
BOOK 17: Cambodian Sanctuary
BOOK 18: Payback
BOOK 19: MACV
BOOK 20: Tan Son Nhut
BOOK 21: Puppet Soldiers
BOOK 22: Gunfighter
BOOK 23: Warrior
BOOK 24: Target
BOOK 25: Warlord
BOOK 26: Spike
BOOK 27: Recon
BOOK 28: Pioneer Post
BOOK 29: Proxy War
BOOK 30: Bromhead’s War
Congratulations to Natalie Kleinman, whose second-chance love story, After All These Years, is out out now!
When Guy Ffoulkes walks into Honeysuckle ‘Honey’ Bunting’s tea shop in the little town of Rills Ford, she’s transported back in a flash to her teenage years – and to the pain of first love.
As a young girl she worshipped Guy from afar – but to him, she knows, she was simply his best friend’s scruffy younger sister.
Over the years Honey has poured her energy into her business and caring for her elderly mother, telling herself it’s enough for her. But no man has ever replaced Guy in her heart…
Now, fourteen years on, Guy has returned from Australia, a rich and successful architect, but a lonely man. And when he and Honey reconnect, neither can deny the spark between them.
But Honey’s loyalties are tested to the extreme when Guy reveals the reason for his return…
Does Honey know her old flame as well as she thinks? Will Guy let pride and ambition drive away the only woman he has ever loved?
And as the pair find themselves at the heart of a local scandal, can they find the strength to take a chance on love?
Congratulations to Eric Helm, whose action-packed Vietnam War adventure, Bromhead’s War, is published today!
Bromhead’s War is the thirtieth book in the Vietnam: Ground Zero series: action-packed, authentic historical thrillers set during the Vietnam War.
Republic of Vietnam, 1969
An Army general, on a recon mission near the Vietnamese/Cambodian border disappears when his aircraft is engaged by anti-aircraft fire.
A search using Air Force and Army assets is hastily set in motion because the general has information about planned critical missions.
Men are deployed from a Special Forces camp commanded by Captain Jonathan Bromhead, and he enlists the help of Major Mack Gerber and Sergeant Major Anthony Fetterman.
But Gerber and Fetterman have been given their own secret mission: to gather intelligence about the build-up of North Vietnamese Army forces just over the border in Cambodia.
And when those forces encroach on the camp, the situation suddenly becomes deadly…
Can they recover the Army general? Will the US missions remain confidential?
Or will enemy forces take over the Special Forces camp…?
Congratulations to
England, 1605
Anne of Denmark, Queen of England, gives birth to her daughter Mary, her first child since coming to England in 1603 when her husband James succeeded to the English throne.
Although they would have preferred a son, both parents are pleased the child is healthy, and their courtiers are thrilled with the birth of the first royal child on English soil in nearly seventy years.
The Scottish family has been welcomed by the English and the reign has started out well, despite continuing tension between the Catholics and the Protestants.
Although Anne has enjoyed the opportunities in England for promoting her artistic interests, she feels inferior to James, and finds satisfaction in rearing her four children, in particular her eldest son Henry.
Anne is determined to bring about an engagement for him with the Spanish infanta. But with anti-Catholic sentiment on the rise, it is not necessarily the wisest match.
Anne becomes pregnant again, but almost immediately afterward the news is clouded by the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot, aimed at the near total destruction of the royal family.
The troubling psychological impact on James is enormous, and Anne worries for the stability of their family.
Can she secure a suitable match for Henry? Will her children survive to adulthood?
Or could the Stuart reign already be doomed to fail…?
Congratulations to David Clensy, whose thrilling war-time naval thriller, For Those In Peril, is published today!
For Those In Peril is the first book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure series.
Liverpool, 1939
Twin brothers Romulus and Remus Hutchinson grew up in a proud seafaring Liverpool family. So when war breaks out in Europe, they are both keen to sign up and do their part.
With their parents’ consent, both boys join up on their 16th birthday in October 1939 – Romulus as an RNVR sub-lieutenant on a Royal Navy destroyer and his brother as a deck hand with their father’s employer, John Holt & Company.
But with Romulus’s sadistic training officer seemingly intent on breaking the cadets’ spirits before their careers have even set sail, he struggles with the intense training.
There is no time for doubts, however, as the two brothers are quickly thrown into combat.
With Operation Dynamo around the corner, will the Hutchinson brothers both make it out alive…? Can they make their mark as their forefathers did before them?
Or will the bottomless deep claim yet more victims…?
Following the success of her many historical and mystery romances, including the Lady Fan Mystery Series and The Governess Trilogy, we are delighted to announce that we will be republishing eight backlist titles by Elizabeth Bailey.
In Elizabeth’s words:
“As a child, I found and read with relish Georgette Heyer’s historical romances. For several years, my parents gave me the latest Heyer as one of my presents at Christmas, thereby ensuring I would bury myself in the book until I finished it. It was inevitable, perhaps, that when I came to write myself, I chose to try my luck with historical romance. It took time, but I was successful at last.
“Of the eight books that Sapere is taking on, almost all feature a hero or heroine disadvantaged in some way. It is an ever-fascinating thing to me how the human spirit manages to overcome all manner of life’s apparent cruelties. Yet these are not necessarily dark tales, although they have their moments. It is the pleasure of writing romance that one’s task is to lead the protagonists through the scary woods and out into the light of happiness.
“I could not have hoped for a better home for these stories than Sapere Books. I’ve worked with them since the publishing house was formed and the editors are both meticulous and sympathetic to the author’s intentions. They are friendly, helpful and supportive. Moreover, Sapere covers are superb! I’m delighted to entrust my books to Sapere’s hands.”
The forthcoming titles are:
A Trace of Memory
A Lady In Name
Friday Dreaming
The Count’s Charade
An Angel’s Touch
The Veiled Bride
The Conqueror’s Dilemma
A Fragile Mask
Find out more about Elizabeth here.
Congratulations to R. M. Cullen, whose twisty murder mystery, Death’s Long Shadow, is out now!
Death’s Long Shadow is the second instalment in the Richard Brinsley Sheridan Mystery Series: eighteenth-century crime thrillers set in London at a time of Revolution.
1792
Playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s retreat to the country is interrupted when he stumbles upon a body during a woodland stroll.
The man is identified as Edward Stretton, cousin to Earl Cannock who Sheridan is residing with.
Stretton had a reputation as a scoundrel and seducer and was heavily in debt at the time of his death.
He had been poisoned, and when the Earl’s servants are questioned, unusual evidence puts one man in custody.
But Sheridan is not convinced of his guilt. And one another man is murdered, he suspects there may be a connection.
Can Sheridan uncover the link? Could he save an innocent man from death?
Or will this case prove too complex for this amateur sleuth…?
We are delighted to announce that we have signed a new naval fiction novel set during the Second World War by Anthony Palmiotti.
Anthony Palmiotti
In Anthony’s words:
“When searching for subjects to write about, I look for little-known stories or actions within bigger events that emphasize the strength of character and the contributions made by ordinary people — the individuals that make a difference to the outcome. Invariably, it is the strength of character of the common man or woman that determines the outcome — that makes the difference between winning and losing. It could be a single heroic action or simply a steadfast stubbornness. It might be the will to go on when common sense says this is not a good idea. They are the unknown people who make the seemingly impossible, possible.
“Operation Pedestal was just one convoy in a war that saw hundreds of convoys. Malta was just one island in a sea of islands. What makes these two different is that they faced extreme odds and yet, through a steadfast perseverance, they beat the odds. The citizens of Malta and the common men on the convoys showed an uncommon resolve. They simply did not give up, even when giving up was the smart thing to do.
“My take on Malta during the summer of 1942 and Operation Pedestal is not a history but a novel. A novel allows the writer to get personal. It not only offers the facts, but, hopefully, a feel for what it’s like when ordinary people are asked to do extraordinary things.”
Discover more about Anthony here.
Congratulations to David Field, whose Victorian thriller, The Long Delayed Revenge, is out now!
The Long Delayed Revenge is the tenth instalment in the Esther and Jack Enright Mystery Series – a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London and packed full of suspense.
London, 1899
Jack and Esther Enright, with their four children in tow, have recently moved to a comfortable new home. Esther has settled into her dream job as headmistress of the local private school, owned by her mentor Emily Allsop.
But things are not going so well for Jack. Though he does not mind the commute to his high-ranking desk job at New Scotland Yard, he is disturbed by the level of recent resignations in by uniformed constables in the East End.
Though the police force has always been used to tackling crime in the more impoverished parts of London, a recent influx of Russian immigrants has led to gang warfare and vigilante justice which is proving impossible to control.
And when Esther’s school is vandalised with a disturbing message, he finds his detective skills are needed closer to home as well.
Things escalate when one of the young pupils is abducted and Jack needs all the help he can get in finding the perpetrator before it is too late.
Can Jack and Esther solve another case together? Will they rescue the child in time?
Or will the unrest in London prove too much for even Jack to handle…?
Following the success of The Marwood Family Tudor Saga, we are delighted to announce that we have signed a new Sherlock Holmes-inspired cosy crime series by Amy Licence.
In Amy’s words:
“Tucked away in a sleepy Sussex village, Sherlock Holmes’ great-great niece Charlotte Holmes wants nothing more than to run her antiquarian bookshop in peace and quiet. Divorced, and with her grown-up children having flown the nest, she’s looking forward to reading her way through the shelves, attending quiz nights with best friend Nell, and going out for dinner with handsome lecturer Toby. But then a young woman unexpectedly turns up in answer to an advert she placed for a housemate, whose name just happens to be Scarlet Watson. It seems too much of a coincidence, but when the landlady of the local pub is murdered, the pair team up to solve the crime, and Scarlet’s infectious enthusiasm wins Charlotte over. But is the new arrival all she seems? What secrets is Scarlet hiding?
“A Study in Scarlet is the first book in my new cosy crime series, inspired by the Sherlock Holmes stories. I’ve always loved reading detective fiction and, as an English teacher, I have been reading the Holmes stories with my classes for twenty years. I felt it was a perfect addition to the genre, imagining a modern setting for some familiar devices, swapping the gender of the detective, and keeping a literary twist — my heroine loves reading! Each book is based on one of the original stories and Holmes fans will love spotting the overlap and solving the crime.
“I’m delighted to be branching out with Sapere Books into another genre that I’ve always loved. Books two and three in the series are already planned and ready to be written, with more sleepy village intrigue, plus some local festival glamour, but always remaining true to the Holmes genre.”
Discover more about Amy here.
Congratulations to D. R. Bailey, whose heart-pounding military adventure, The Fire Maidens, is out now!
The Fire Maidens is the third book in the Secret Sirens Aviation Thrillers, set during the Second World War.
Autumn, 1943
Sisters Anna and Jennifer Nightingale have been flying in top missions with the Secret Sirens all-female RAF unit for nearly a year.
Their squadron of twelve Mosquitos stages a raid on Rouen to divert the enemy’s attention from the Lancasters which are coming in to bomb the marshalling yards and port.
But while Jennifer makes it through the mission safely, Anna and her navigator, Maria, are forced to ditch into the Channel.
Luckily they are picked up by a British Destroyer. And on board is none other than Winston Churchill himself.
Impressed by the skill-level and bravery of the female pilots, Churchill is keen to learn more about their training.
He escorts them back to base where they are given a new mission: to attack the Nazi-occupied Mimoyecques Fortress.
The Allies know that the Fortress is being armed with high calibre guns capable of reaching London in a massive, unending bombardment. The Sirens need to drop bombs into the railway tunnel entrance of the Fortress as soon as possible before the unthinkable happens.
But with very little time to train, will the Sirens be able to pull off the task? Can they reach the Fortress unscathed?
Or will these Fire Maidens join the many thousands who have already lost their lives in this brutal war…?
Congratulations to Tim Chant, whose thrilling naval adventure Vengeance at the Falklands, is out now!
Vengeance at the Falklands is the fifth 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.
Winter, 1914
Lieutenant Marcus Baxter is working in the supply department at HM Dockyard Devonport, when word arrives that the German East Asia Squadron has destroyed a British squadron at the battle of Coronel.
Baxter seizes an opportunity to impress the First Sea Lord, Jackie Fisher, during a snap inspection of the dockyard and secures an appointment to HMS Astute, a scout cruiser, which is being sent to join the squadron in the South Atlantic.
Surviving a storm in the mid-Atlantic, Astute has a run-in with a mysterious passenger liner sailing under the Stars and Stripes, and duels with a German light cruiser stalking the rich hunting grounds off the South American coast.
After an intense engagement, which sees the Astute fleeing along the coast to Montevideo for emergency repairs, Baxter once again encounters the suspicious liner. And this time he is determined not to let it get away.
Baxter risks everything to sneak aboard, and makes a shocking discovery. He needs to reach the safety of the Falklands before any intelligence falls into the wrong hands.
But with the enemy on his tail, the race along the South Atlantic won’t be an easy one…
Congratulations to
Scotland, 1594
Nineteen-year-old Anne of Denmark, Queen of Scotland, is thrilled and triumphant at the birth of a healthy baby boy, destined to reign as King of Scotland and, possibly, England.
But Anne’s enjoyment of maternal glory quickly fades as her husband King James, fearing his son will be politically manipulated against him as he was against his mother, the deceased Mary Queen of Scots, removes the child permanently from her care.
Outraged, Anne tries to regain control of her son, initiating a bitter marital struggle which sours what had been a loving and harmonious marriage.
Anne is haunted by the giant legacies of Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor on the thrones of Scotland and England, and is determined to make her own mark.
And central to that ambition is securing the succession to the English throne from her husband’s cousin, the elderly and childless Queen Elizabeth.
Can Anne regain favour with the Scottish King? Will they join forces to secure the English throne?
Or will this daring Queen of Scotland fade into obscurity…?
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed the fifth book in The Marwood Family Tudor Saga by Amy Licence.
Set at the court of King Henry VIII, the series follows the drama and intrigue at the heart of the Tudor court.
In Amy’s words:
“I’m really excited to be publishing the next instalment in Thomasin Marwood’s journey with Sapere Books. Readers of the series will recall her turbulent experiences at the court of Henry VIII in the 1520s. The young Thomasin arrived aged seventeen, fresh from her Suffolk childhood, to navigate the various intrigues and romances of court life. She is dazzled by the elegance of Anne Boleyn, before she finds a place in the household of Catherine of Aragon. Watching the royal marriage unravel, Thomasin becomes close to her mistress, who trusts her implicitly, whilst trying to protect her own heart from the handsome Rafe Danvers and other suitors.
“Now, two years later, the eagerly anticipated Legatine Court is about to open at Blackfriars, to test the validity of Henry and Catherine’s marriage and hopefully bring them all some resolution. Not all is as straightforward as it seems, though, as friends and lovers just as quickly turn into enemies, and long-term scandals in the Marwood family threaten to re-surface. Then there is Thomas Cromwell, keen to do Henry’s bidding, leading to some dangerous clashes with Thomasin’s father.
“I love writing the Marwood series, with all the colour, textures and details of life at the Tudor court. It’s the closest we can come to travelling back in time there ourselves. When I was planning this series, I wanted to create a heroine outside the cast of usual characters, a complete outsider with whom the reader could identify, and set her within the dynamic of known individuals like Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon. There must have been many similar silent witnesses to the crucial events of the 1520s who have gone unnamed and unrecorded, so Thomasin also represents them.
“There’ll be some twists and turns in this book, but it’s building towards a mid-series mini-conclusion, with both Thomasin and her cousin Ellen settled by the end. I thought it time to give them both some happiness at last, after everything they’ve been through. After that, I hope to give Thomasin a little breathing space, then bring her back to court in 1532, for Book Six. She will find herself at Anne’s side through the coming years, as a witness to her queenship and downfall.”
To keep up to date with Amy’s latest releases, visit her website.
The Marwood Family Tudor Saga:
Air Commodore Roderick Chisholm, CBE, DSO, DFC & Bar (1911–1994), author of Cover of Darkness, was a night fighter pilot, flying ace and a highly decorated British airman of the Second World War. To commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, his son Julian reflects on his father’s life in 1945.
Roderick Aeneas Chisholm by Sir William Rothenstein. Image used with permission from Museums Sheffield
In 1930 Roderick Chisholm joined 604 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. He learnt to fly and was commissioned as an officer. He left the squadron in 1935 when his work took him to Iran. Before rejoining his squadron in late June 1940, he took a refresher course to become a night fighter pilot and fly the squadron’s Blenheims. During the war, while flying Beaufighters and Mosquitos, he shot down nine enemy aircraft with the assistance of his airborne observers and the ground controllers, he commanded the Night Fighter Interception Unit at Ford, and was the second-in-command of Bomber Command’s 100 Group, which was charged with defending RAF bombers over enemy territory. He recorded his wartime experiences in Cover of Darkness, which was first published in 1953.
Immediately after hostilities ended, Roderick led a team of twelve charged with gaining as much intelligence as possible about the impact of 100 Group’s radar-assisted night fighters, Mosquitos, and Radio Counter Measures. The team did their work at the final base of the Luftwaffe in Schleswig, just before it was disbanded and its personnel transferred to POW camps. They carried out interrogations of Luftwaffe night fighter commanders and pilots, observers, flight controllers and technicians, held technical discussions, and examined the vast number of German aircraft parked on the airfields. The team gained confirmation of the effectiveness of 100 Group’s efforts, and had the satisfaction that as a result RAF losses were significantly reduced. The Mosquito had an awesome reputation amongst the German airmen.
Major Schnauffer was one of the pilots whose interrogation Roderick witnessed. Schnauffer was a brave and skilful night fighter pilot who was credited with shooting down no less than 124 bombers in defence of his country. He wore uniform, and on the last day the Germans were allowed to wear medals, he wore the highest order of the Iron Cross around his neck. The exchanges with the Germans were generally civilised and friendly, but my father could not ignore that they were Nazis, and that nearby were camps for Russian prisoners living in ghastly conditions, and mini-Belsens for Jews and other displaced persons.
Roderick’s mission complete, he flew back to Norfolk. While doing so, he envisioned a future Europe in which frontiers would mean no more and individual nationalities were less important, as per the multi-national squadrons of the Battle of Britain. After the collapse of France in 1940, British, French, Belgian, Czech, Polish and other nationalities had flown in harmony in polyglot fighter squadrons. Their aims were identical, and their understanding effective thanks to the basic English of the radio. Sadly, later, as national squadrons were formed, national identities asserted themselves and the unity achieved in the Battle of Britain became compromised.
Major-General Hubert Essame, CBE, DSO, MC (1896–1976) was a British Army officer who fought in the First and Second World Wars. Following his retirement from the army, Hubert lectured in military history at King’s College London, and published several books and articles. He was also an advisor to television producers for military programmes. To commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, his granddaughter Antonia shares her memories of him below.
Hubert Essame
Brigadier, later Major-General, Hubert Essame led 214 Independent Infantry Brigade, part of 43rd Wessex Division, in the capture of Mont Pincon, the key to Normandy, as well as of Hill 112, the successful yet most costly single battalion action of the Overlord campaign.
He was a sharp-witted and determined man remembered by the actor and raconteur Dirk Bogarde, his one-time liaison officer, for his “brilliant blue eyes and tongue like a whip”. He had a caustic sense of humour and was a formidable leader from the front.
Soon after the war, Hubert wrote the Division’s official history, The 43rd Wessex Division at War, 1944-45, and later Battle for Normandy, Normandy Bridgehead, The Battle for Germany, and a biography of General Patton. His perspective as a leader of troops into battle, alongside his use of a wide-ranging variety of sources as a historian, makes for a great read even for those who know about Operation Overlord.
His 214 Independent Infantry Brigade, which together with 129 and 130 Brigade and their supporting arms formed Major General Ivor Thomas’s 43rd Wessex Division, were in turn part of the XXX Corps commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks all the way from Normandy to Bremerhaven.
The Wessex Division story spans the stormy Overlord crossing and later the crucial Battle for Hill 112. This point south-west of Caen was defined by Eberbach, commander of Panzer Group West, as the “pivotal point of the whole position” and it saw the first of the grim battles of attrition immediately following Caen’s fall. The battle involved heavy casualties and tested the 43rd Division against some of the most seasoned German divisions, well dug in and skilfully hidden.
Road and rail lines lay at right angles to the direction of advance. The bocage of tiny, often boggy fields with sunken lanes and thick hedges reduced visibility for artillery and impeded all movement. And it was high summer. Hubert describes vividly how he crawled forward in the August heat to assess Mont Pincon’s southern slopes before its eventual capture by the Division and 8th Armoured Brigade.
Hubert was a writer whose extraordinarily immediate account includes, for example, the information he gained from German prisoners, subsequent revelations about Hitler’s orders to his generals, and his own point of view at the head of 214 Brigade. His perspective sheds light on some of the huge challenges of the campaign, such as that of establishing a key bridgehead over the Seine at Vernon despite the civilian population’s determination to celebrate as though the campaign was already won.
214 Brigade fought on through northern France and the Netherlands, including Operation Market Garden, and were among the first Allied troops to enter Germany. They played a key part in the turning of the tide in the Reichswald. I am proud that ‘Brigadier Twinkletoes’ was my grandfather and attempt to read across from his high standards of resolve and determination to the greyer demands of the here and now.
By Hubert Essame:
The Battle for Germany, September 1944-May 1945
Jeremy Howard-Williams DFC (1922–1995), author of Night Intruder, had a distinguished career in the RAF as a night-fighter pilot during the Second World War and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for gallantry. To commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Jeremy’s son, Anthony Inglis Howard-Williams, reflects on the arrival of peace in 1945 and how it influenced his father’s life.
Jeremy Howard-Williams warming up the engines of a clipped wing Spitfire
When peace came to Europe in May 1945, Flight Lieutenant Jeremy Howard-Williams DFC was stationed at HQ, 11 Group Uxbridge. Three days before Germany’s unconditional surrender, a party was held to celebrate peace. Jeremy and his brother Peter did so by marching a guest — Flight Lieutenant Andrew from RAF Intelligence — between them up and down an anteroom. The junior flight lieutenant just happened to have been their pre-war boarding school housemaster, and the brothers had found it too good an opportunity to miss. When, years later, he was asked how the lieutenant had taken the ribbing, Jeremy replied, “with remarkable good humour!”
Jeremy at his wedding in 1951
Like so many in 1945, Jeremy was headed for an uncertain future. With peace came the pressing question: what happens now? For most, life outside of the forces beckoned. With millions demobilising, the assimilation of those who had been at war back into civilian society became one of the new post-war government’s biggest challenges. For those who did not want to leave the forces came a different challenge. With Jeremy’s father a retired RAF pilot, Peter a Battle of Britain day-fighter pilot and Jeremy a night-fighter pilot with the Fighter Interception Unit — an elite force at the forefront of the RAF’s early experiments with radar equipment — both brothers understandably wished to remain serving.
With the Royal Air Force downsizing, deployment meant less flying — not a very exciting prospect for a twenty-three-year-old war veteran. Jeremy had specifically joined the RAF in order to fly when the Nazis had tried to seize control of Western Europe. However, in the new modern era of the jet engine, aircraft were flying ever faster and higher. Now that was exciting!
In the end, both brothers remained in the RAF. Jeremy was first posted in an admin job to Singapore during the Malayan Emergency, where he met his wife, uniting two distinguished RAF families. He later worked as an assistant air attaché in the Paris and Berlin embassies. He did fly during these postings, but mainly a desk. He resigned in 1957.
Ultimately, Jeremy’s parents divorced and his father remarried into the Ratsey family, where Jeremy became sales manager for the famous sail-making firm Ratsey & Lapthorn in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. After leaving the company, he wrote many authoritative books on sailing, as well as Night Intruder, republished by Sapere Books, a personal account of his wartime service as a pilot and the radar war between the RAF and Luftwaffe night-fighter forces.
Sir Frank Whittle, author of Jet: The Story of a Pioneer, was a Royal Air Force pilot and aviation engineer known as the inventor of the jet engine. He obtained his first patent for a turbo-jet engine in 1930, and in 1936 co-founded Power Jets Ltd. In May 1941, his engine was fitted to a Gloster E.28/39 airframe — the plane’s maiden flight from RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire heralded the beginning of the jet age. Frank retired from the RAF in 1948 with the rank of air commodore, and that same year he was knighted. He was awarded the Order of Merit in 1986. To commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War Two, his son Ian reflects on Sir Frank’s life in 1945.
Frank as a junior officer in 1929, when he proposed the turbojet
My father’s company, Power Jets, was nationalised in 1944. From then until 1946, he was on the board of the government company that emerged under a slightly different name. At the time, he was working on the design for the aft-fan engine that also incorporated the after-burner system he had patented in 1936 — the modified W2/700. This was expected to propel the experimental Miles aircraft (M52) intended to be the first in the world to go supersonic. He was also working on the development of what would have been the world’s first hi-bypass turbo-fan engine — the LR1. Both projects were cancelled by the government in 1946 — as was the M52. These decisions resulted in Frank resigning from the board and putting himself in the hands of the RAF to do whatever they would wish him to do.
Frank holding his slide rule
1945 was a year of change for my father. He was still a serving officer in the RAF, but Power Jets had become publicly owned and entirely dependent on government funding. He found himself subject to the needs of the large independent aero-engine manufacturers who objected to a government company in competition. However, on three occasions he briefly got away from it all and flew the Meteor jet fighter. Apart from the Wright brothers, he was the first person to pilot an aeroplane powered by an engine of his own design. At other times, he found himself sent off to deliver lectures at various venues to describe the impact and differences when changing from piston engine/propeller propulsion to jet propulsion.
As a little boy, I remember him coming home after flying the Meteor along the high-speed run at Herne Bay. “How fast did you go, Daddy?” I asked. “Oh, about 450,” he replied. “Is that all?” I said with some disgust, and turned away to do whatever it was that I was doing. I had expected him to tell me 600 miles per hour. When I asked him about this, many years later, he said he was quite crestfallen by my reaction. He also explained that, as he was flying at about 50 feet above the surface of the sea, he really was unable to pay much attention to his airspeed indicator — his attention was focussed on keeping the aeroplane steady and level. And anyway, he would have been speaking of knots, not mph!
Featured image credit: Photo of Gloster Meteor by Alexis Threlfall on Unsplash.
Sir Peter Gretton DSO** OBE DSC (1912–1992) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was active in the Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War, and was a successful convoy escort commander. He eventually rose to become Fifth Sea Lord and retired as a Vice-Admiral before entering university life as a bursar and academic. To commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War Two, Sir Peter’s son, Vice-Admiral Mike Gretton, shares his memories of him below.
Lieutenant Commander Peter Gretton with the Ship’s Company of HMS Wolverine
On 8 May 1945 — Victory in Europe Day — Peter Gretton was thirty-three years old and utterly exhausted. He had been continuously in seagoing appointments since the outbreak of war in September 1939. He had married Wren Judy Du Vivier in 1943 during a short break between convoys, and they had had their first child, Anne, who was not yet one year old. They were renting a flat in Kensington so that he could readily get to work: his job at the time was in the Joint Planning Staff in the Cabinet Office working on strategic plans to end the war in Europe and then in the Far East — not exactly a rest cure.
Peter had served continuously in seagoing ships from September 1939 until he came ashore in March 1944 — still only thirty-one years old. He had served in five ships during that time, starting as a First Lieutenant, including HMS Cossack in which he was mentioned in Dispatches for his performance during the Second Battle of Narvik under the very demanding Captain Philip Vian VC. From February 1941, he was in command of destroyers, starting with HMS Sabre in which he was awarded an OBE, and then HMS Wolverine (March to November 1942) when his ship was an escort for Operation Pedestal, the relief of Malta. He was awarded his first DSO for ramming and sinking an Italian submarine at the expense of wrecking his bows and having to proceed astern to port at Gibraltar.
Commander Peter Gretton with the Commanding Officers of ships in B7 Escort Group
From there, he was recalled to the UK as a Commander to become the Senior Officer of Escort Group B7, to be based in Derry, and he initially embarked on HMS Duncan. The Escort Group supported Atlantic convoys for two years and five months. He was awarded the two bars to his DSO during that time, the first of which reflected the successful battle for convoy ONS5, which historians regard as the tipping point in Allied fortunes in the Atlantic convoy campaign.
Peter with wife Judy in 1965
In March 1944, Peter dedicated himself to writing a new book — The Admiralty Convoy Instructions — based on his and others’ experience at war, with a readership in the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Merchant Navy. This became the bible for convoy protection and the same book, with minor amendments, was the basis of my own training as a naval officer in the 1970s.
Peter and my mother rejoiced exuberantly at the victory in Europe: he writes that they ‘walked up Picadilly and thence to St James’ Park … remarkable scenes’. They would have reflected proudly on their own contribution to the outcome: my father at sea and my mother as a Wren in the Western Approaches Tactical Unit (WATU), which developed and taught tactics for the Atlantic battle. I was born nine months after VE Day, in March 1946.
By Peter Gretton:
Congratulations to David Mackenzie, whose wartime aviation thriller, Spitfires Rising, is published today.
Spitfires Rising is the first book in the John Noble Fighter Ace Thrillers: action-packed military adventures following an RAF pilot during the Second World War.
1938
Having been raised on a farm, young New Zealander John Noble longs for an adventure away from his family’s homestead.
Enthralled by the sight of a Tiger Moth flying overhead, he decides to pursue a career as an RAF pilot and travels to the United Kingdom to complete his training.
After receiving his Wings, John is sent to RAF Catterick, where he finds himself flying the formidable Spitfire.
When tensions in Europe reach breaking point and Britain declares war on Germany, John’s training and courage are put to the ultimate test.
As the squadron prepares to face the Luftwaffe, John starts to question the effectiveness of their tactics, leading to clashes with senior officers.
And as his missions grow ever more dangerous, John begins to wonder just how far he will go to survive the war…
Is John ready for battle? Will he be able to follow orders while preserving his life?
Or is he destined to become a casualty of war…?
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed a new historical mystery series set in eighteenth-century France by Cheryl Sawyer.
Cheryl Sawyer at the Château de Breteuil with a contemporary portrait of Émilie du Châtelet
In Cheryl’s words:
A cavalier of the Maréchaussée, the French military police, in the early 1700s
“It’s 1735 in the remote Champagne province and a cavalier in France’s mounted police force must investigate a murder at the chateau of Cirey, where the scandalous Marquise du Châtelet is sheltering Voltaire. How could a lower-class gendarme solve major crime in a society where aristocrats held all the power?
“That very question sprang to mind when I visited beautiful, secluded Cirey during my research into Émilie du Châtelet, a brilliant physicist of the Enlightenment. A lone military policeman would struggle to do his duty in this privileged locale, even if Voltaire himself were a likely suspect.
“That is how Victor Constant and his first challenging investigation came to life. I had eight historical novels published in several languages, but this was my first crime story and I sought seasoned opinion. Peter Lovesey wrote to me: ‘Marvellous tensions between the great free-thinker and Victor Constant, the book’s hero. The story dazzles and beguiles and the setting is pitch-perfect.’ The novel went on to be longlisted for awards by the Historical Novel Society and the American Library in Paris, and readers have since called Victor ‘the Jack Reacher of the eighteenth century’.
“I am delighted that Sapere Books have chosen Murder at Cirey to lead this series and thrilled that Victor Constant persists in battling injustice within the rigid society of the Champagne. The new titles are Death in Champagne and Murder on High. A huge thank you to the Sapere team for launching this adventurous series!”
Congratulations to David Field, whose twisty Victorian thriller, The Retirement Murder, is out now!
The Retirement Murder is the ninth instalment in the Esther and Jack Enright Mystery Series – a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London and packed full of suspense.
London, 1898
The time has finally come for Percy Enright to retire from Scotland Yard. His nephew, Jack, is sad to lose a partner in the force, but Jack’s wife Esther is glad Percy won’t be getting her husband into any further scrapes.
It seems Esther’s relief might be short lived, though, when a senior officer collapses at Percy’s farewell ceremony.
It soon becomes clear that the officer was poisoned, and Percy delays retirement to help Jack track down the culprit.
It’s a daunting task that involves trawling through all the murdered officer’s recent cases in the search for someone who may still bear him a grudge.
But when it becomes clear the dead man may not have been the intended target, the investigation suddenly turns in a new direction.
Why are the police being targeted? Can Percy make one final arrest before he retires?
Or will the murderer outwit the Enrights in their latest case…?
Following the success of his many historical series, including the Sandal Castle Medieval Thrillers and Inspector Torquil McKinnon Mystery Series, we are delighted to announce that we have signed a new supernatural series set in Victorian London by Keith Moray.
In Keith’s words:
“The first book in the series is set in London in 1854. Jack Moon is a foundling, brought up in an orphanage and then a workhouse, where he and his best friend Danny are subject to regular beatings. Together they escape, but when Danny dies in tragic circumstances, Jack secretly buries his friend in a cemetery at night.
“Alone and living in a deserted and rat-infested warehouse, Jack starts seeing Danny’s ghost, who warns him that someone is out to kill him and worse, the girl he loves, too. This is Victorian London, with its criminal underworld, body-snatchers, phrenologists, séances, ghosts and ghouls.
“I am delighted to be writing another historical series with Sapere Books, who have permitted me to set my stories in a variety of times and places, from ancient Egypt and medieval England to a contemporary Scottish island. My new mystery series delves into the occult and the psyche of the Victorian mind. It is murky, sinister and just a little bit scary.
“And one of the main characters is a ghost.”
Following the success of his many military thrillers, including the Vietnam Ground Zero Series and Wings Over Nam aviation thrillers, we are delighted to announce that we have signed a new historical military series by Eric Helm.
In Eric’s words:
“At the end of the 1980s and at the beginning of the 1990s, the world moved close to a world war that could easily escalate into a thermonuclear exchange that would end modern civilization. There were those who wished for nothing more because they believed it would thrust them to the top and in control of the world. And there were those who wanted to prevent that. Their purpose wasn’t always altruistic, but that goal matched their own climb to power. It is into this world that the characters in this series move, serving on every continent and sailing all the oceans, dealing with those problems.
“The characters are military and civilian, members of the media, and those with an academic frame of mind. Each brings an interesting take to the problems of trying to prevent a world war, except for one nation whose leaders believe such a conflict would benefit them. These are unique situations that require unique solutions. This is a tale told on the world stage with players at nearly every level of society.
“Sapere Books have been very good to me. The packaging of my Vietnam Ground Zero series has been perfect. The enthusiasm with which the books have been received has been wonderful. Sapere is a great publisher who have looked out for my best interests. Everyone seems to be excited by the various projects that I have suggested and there is no pressure to crank out a book quickly. They let it evolve naturally, which I believe makes the books that much better.”
Congratulations to D. R. Bailey, whose thrilling aviation novel, The Night Angels, is published today!
The Night Angels is the second novel in the Secret Sirens Aviation Thrillers Series, heart-pounding Second World War escapades with strong female leads.
1943
Sisters Anna and Jennifer Nightingale are recruits in the top-secret Siren Squadron: a group of women trained in the RAF to fight against the enemy.
The Sirens are tasked with flying a series of night stealth missions as part of Operation Scorpion. The first mission is successful, and on returning to base they are told that new members will be joining their ranks.
Hopeful that this means the all-female squadron has been deemed a success, the sisters welcome the new recruits and start training them on the Mosquitos.
They head out on another night mission. But this time not everyone returns.
With a downed plane found empty off the English coast, fears grow that one of the Sirens hasn’t survived.
But the show must go on. And Anna Nightingale has to destroy the crashed plane so the Sirens can remain classified.
As their night missions continue, increased skirmishes with enemy pilots suggest someone may be leaking information to the Germans.
Have the Sirens been compromised? Can they find the mole?
Or will these daring female agents be forced out of the war…?
Congratulations to Angela Ranson, whose gripping Tudor mystery, A Glittering Peril, is out now!
A Glittering Peril is the third book in the Catrin Surovell Tudor Mysteries Series: exciting historical thrillers set at the court of Elizabeth I.
1561
Every summer, Queen Elizabeth takes a journey around her kingdom. It is a time of revels and celebration, full of pleasure and extravagance.
But in July 1561, the trip begins badly when the corpse of an unknown man is left in her path.
The nervous queen asks Catrin Surovell, her trusted favourite lady-in-waiting, to find out who is trying to sabotage her journey.
But Catrin soon discovers that the queen’s nervousness stems from something greater than the mysterious death.
Someone has been leaving reminders of the queen’s mother, Anne Boleyn, in strange places. A woman appears in the distance who looks like her; the scent of Anne’s perfume is left in the queen’s chamber, and Anne’s favourite French ballads are sung by a disembodied voice as the queen is travelling.
Worst of all, Anne Boleyn’s famous gold-and-pearl necklace with teardrop pearls hanging from a letter ‘B’ is taken from the queen’s bedchamber. The queen is devastated by the loss, for the necklace was one of very few mementos she had of her mother.
The queen begins to suspect one of her courtiers, so Catrin visits his home to conduct a secret investigation into his actions. And that’s when she discovers this is the most difficult mystery she has ever had to solve.
Is Queen Elizabeth being haunted by her ill-fated mother? Or is someone trying to drive her insane?
And can Catrin find the connection between the missing jewels and the unknown corpse…?
Following the success of her Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries and Shadow Cutpurses Tudor Thriller Series, we are delighted to announce that we have signed a new series set in Shakespearean England by Adele Jordan.
In Adele’s words:
Adele Jordan
“It’s 1591 and the actor starring in a play by newcomer playwright, William Shakespeare, has just been murdered, shot with an arrow on stage in the middle of a performance. When suspicions fall on the woman in charge of makeup and wig-making, Blanche Winspear must fight to prove her innocence.
“In my new series, I delve into a part of Tudor England that has always fascinated me. At university, I studied the rise of Tudor theatre — both the buildings and the plays — and how they evolved into Jacobean theatre. There’s an enduring fascination for this period thanks to Shakespeare’s enigmatic success, but how much do we really know about what went on behind the stage? It struck me that there is the potential for so much to happen in these buildings that started out as inns and bear-baiting pits, before they took their first steps towards becoming the theatres we would recognise today.
“This new story will focus on Blanche and her grandmother Nell, two people running from their past who have come to hide in this dramatic world. There will be secrets, lies, and the world of Elizabethan theatre played out both on stage and behind. The royal court, known for its love of theatre, will appear too, and keep an eye out for intriguing real-life people who will become characters in this series
“I am delighted to sign this new series with Sapere Books. Having worked as a ghostwriter for some years, Sapere were kind enough to give me my first book deal in my own name and since then have supported me in pursuing historical crime fiction with women at the centre to root for. A huge thank you to the team for supporting me in my next series!”
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed the first three books in Kristi Ross’ new Scottish Queens series.
Kristi Ross with Bolt
In Kristi’s words:
“My new series brings to life the untold stories of Scotland’s Stuart queens. While the histories of queens in England, France, and much of Europe are well documented, these Scottish queens have been mainly forgotten — until now.
“In this series, readers will explore the compelling journey of Queen Joan Beaufort, niece of King Henry IV and cousin to King Henry V, who enters Scotland as the wife of King James Stuart I after he was held prisoner by her English family for eighteen years. Her tale is one of true love, resilience, and determination as she navigates her husband’s assassination, becoming the first dowager queen of Scotland in over a hundred years.
“We also delve into the story of Queen Euphemia Ross, whose life begins as King Robert Bruce I’s ends. Her rise from noblewoman to queen consort is a testament to the position of pawn that high-ranking women played. As the second wife of King Robert Stuart II, Euphemia constantly defends her children’s succession rights against rivals and navigates the complex dynamics of her husband’s family. Readers will also meet her daughter-in-law, Queen Annabella, born into the powerful Drummond clan and niece to King David Bruce II’s second wife, Queen Margaret Drummond. Annabella takes the reins of the kingdom when her husband, King Robert Stuart III, is incapacitated, showcasing her leadership and strength in crisis.
“Working with Sapere Books is a perfect match, as their commitment to historical fiction and their passion for bringing forgotten stories to light resonates deeply with me. These women had little control over their destinies, yet their strength and adaptability are fascinating. It drives me to tell the world their stories so that their legacies are remembered.”
The third Sapere Books’ Writers’ Retreat took place at The Priest House Hotel, Castle Donington between the 28th and 31st of October this year.
Adele Jordan, author of the Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries and the Shadow Cutpurses Tudor Thriller Series, helped to organise a full programme over the four days.
In Adele’s words:
“For a lot of writers, it’s a solitary world. Whether you are struggling to complete your manuscript or are in love with your story and find it hard to step away, it can’t be denied that for many writers a lot of time is spent in a staring contest with your computer screen, and sometimes we need to step away from that screen.
“For the last three years, a group of authors from Sapere Books have come together to create their own writing retreat, and this year saw our biggest yet. Fourteen authors, who write across various historical genres, came together to talk about all things writing.
Photo of The Priest House Hotel by Andy Stephenson, used under the Creative Commons Licence
“From romance to crime, we plundered the depths — from the importance of accuracy in military fiction, to how we plan and approach clue-filled detective stories. What transpired was not only a shared enthusiasm for our craft, but the reassurance we sometimes need that we are not alone — that there are others out there with the same passion who are keen to inspire and be inspired themselves.
“This year, we had some special sessions led by writers in the group. Highlights included an insightful look into the editing process by Neil Denby, author of the Quintus Roman Thrillers Series, and a debate on the accurate use of poisons in fiction and the importance of research by Linda Stratmann, author of The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Series.
Adele Jordan
“Amy Durant, Sapere Books’ Publishing Director, led a popular Q&A session with authors attending the retreat. We also covered what makes a good title, how to grab your reader’s attention from the very first line, the complications around weaving a narrative with more than one viewpoint, and a friendly critique session where people were invited to bring their own work for discussion.
“Following inspiring chats, some political debates, good food and a very comfortable bar, I was delighted to see so many of the writers come away with big smiles on their faces. Thank you to everyone who came this year and to Amy Durant too for sparing the time to talk to us. Here’s hoping next year’s Writers’ Retreat is not only just as good, but the biggest and best yet!”
Some comments from the attendees:
Ros Rendle, author of The Strong Family Historical Saga and the Moondreams House Romances: ‘Thanks to all attendees at the authors’ retreat week for making it so useful and fun. Particular thanks to Adele Jordan for all the organising, the excellent programme and for keeping us on track with such diplomacy.’
Michael Fowler, author of the DS Hunter Kerr Investigations and Dr Hamlet Mottrell Investigations: ‘[The retreat] has turned the plot of my next book completely around. And it was nice to catch up with colleagues from previous retreats, as well as meet up with new ones.’
Linda Stratmann, author of The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Series: ‘The sessions really stimulated the little grey cells of the brain, and I got some insights which had me rushing off to do some writing!’
C V Chauhan, author of the Inspector Sharma Thrillers Series: ‘It was a fantastic four days! Thanks everyone and a big thank you to Adele for leading and managing the four days so well.’
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed three new instalments in the Tom Walsingham Mysteries 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:
“Tom Walsingham sleuths on! I’m thrilled to have signed up three more adventures featuring my Elizabethan detective and spy with Sapere Books. I have great plans for Tom. He will be tasked with recovering a misplaced foreign ambassador — whose mission could change the course of Anglo-Spanish relations; he’ll become involved in a personal investigation when death strikes at his family home, Scadbury Manor; and poor Tom will find himself in prison when his money troubles and Sir Francis Walsingham’s plans collide. Plenty of mysteries and dangers lie ahead for Tom!
“I’m really happy to be working with Sapere, whose welcoming and stimulating atmosphere and competent, friendly and helpful team have made (and are making) my publishing journey a truly lovely adventure.”
Following the success of his DS Hunter Kerr Investigations and Dr Hamlet Mottrell Investigations, we are delighted to announce that we have signed a new historical police procedural series by Michael Fowler.
In Michael’s words:
“My new series features Detective Winter Cooper of Scotland Yard and is set in the 1950s.
“Detective Cooper’s first case is based upon a real event, the Eastcastle Street robbery — Britain’s biggest cash-in-transit hold-up at the time. In May 1952, robbers used two cars to sandwich a Post Office van in London and escaped with mailbags containing £287,000 (estimated to be worth approximately £8,500,000 today). It was a case that shocked the nation and embarrassed the Government, with Prime Minister Winston Churchill demanding daily updates from the Police Commissioner. Despite the involvement of over a thousand police officers, and the offer of a £25,000 reward, no one was ever caught.
“This is my take on that case, and while it is a deviation from my contemporary novels, I hope readers will embrace Winter Cooper with the same enthusiasm that I have put into creating him and this new series.
“Working with Sapere Books again was an easy decision to make. Over the past five years, they have given me so much support as a writer and I cannot thank them enough. When I ran the idea of this new series past them, their backing was unflinching.”
In this behind-the-scenes blog series, Sapere Books authors offer an intriguing insight into how, where and why they write.
Today, we are delighted to spotlight Valerie Holmes, author of the Yorkshire Saga Series.
Valerie’s study.
Staring out of my study window I see a brick wall. Not a theoretical one that means I have writer’s block, which I do not actually believe in as a professional writer, but a literal brick wall.
This may not appear to be the most inspirational of vistas, but I am fine with it.
Inside my study I am surrounded by my writing workspace; my research books, my trusty printer and personal items that make me smile.
Centre stage is my lovely laptop with its two screens. One is usually displaying research sites and email tabs, the other Word documents — my current WIP.
Castleton Walk, Commondale.
The brick wall rarely gets a glance because, once my laptop is on, I dive into my inner vistas. The beautiful scenery of North Yorkshire’s open moorland and coastline with its sweeping bays and rugged headlands. These are the settings against which my romantic adventures play out. Hence the Yorkshire Saga Series and my many novellas.
It is a world I am familiar with because I grew up in a bay town on the northeast coast and have happy memories of running with my dog along the open expanses of fine sandy beach, climbing the dunes which were covered with needle-sharp marram grass.
Gisborough Priory.
The area is steeped in history, from the old abbeys and market towns to the beautiful city of York. I still return regularly to explore the area: the monk’s trods that cross the moorland, the fishermen’s cottages that line the harbours and the old inns of the bay towns such as Whitby, Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay. Then there are the manor houses and halls, each with a story to tell — inspiration for my next adventure is found in all. The darker era of smuggling provides further scope to add drama and menace.
The beauty of having a laptop is that it is mobile. I have written in cafés, on trains, on picnic tables by the sea, and in hotels — but the real work, the editing, polishing and research, happens at my desk, ignoring the blank brick wall.
I have a flexible routine, writing every day. Life happens, events happen, but the one thing that is constant is the desire to write, which never goes away — or not yet — and I hope never will so long as readers enjoy my adventures.
What better motivation is there for an author to continue to write?
In this behind-the-scenes blog series, Sapere Books authors offer an intriguing insight into how, where and why they write.
Today, we are delighted to spotlight Daniel Colter, author of the Knights Templar Thriller Series.
Writers are a strange breed.
The view from Daniel’s window
We invent friends in our heads, decide how they speak, what they wear, where they go, then spend countless hours conversing with them. No two writers share the same head-friends, oddly, despite running in the same social circles. Neither do any two writers develop a story the same way.
Specific routines keep us on track, or don’t (looking at you, internet), and each work proceeds at its own pace. Most writers are one of two species: a plotter or a pantser. A plotter maps out each scene, chapter, and verse before putting fingers to keyboard. Pantsers fly by the seat of their pants, beginning with an idea, then writing towards a vaguely defined ending. I mapped out my first novel, Brotherhood of Wolves, but tossed the map aside by chapter 3. I found pantsing more rewarding, and still do, because much of the fun (and frustration) is writing myself into a corner and finding a path out.
My novels are historical fiction, where history provides setting, culture, and place. History can also frame the plot. Story is given precedent over history, however, because the goal is to entertain, not to educate. One or more characters are historical persons and the fictional protagonist lives within their orbit. Historical fiction should stay true to history and the fiction takes flight where history grows murky — which it usually does, especially the further back in time one travels. The murk is where the fun begins, in my opinion, and its where the what if fleshes out the story, where the pantser finds out what happens to his head-friends.
Writers are also strange creatures.
Some writers have habits, like a dog that circles exactly three and a half times before lying down, and these rituals are intended to fuel creativity. Isabel Allende started her first novel on January 8, 1981, and that day became a ceremonial start date for all her subsequent works. The poet Friedrich Schiller kept rotten apples in his desk and, when his mind needed a jolt, he would give one a sniff.
My writing rituals are more mundane and less … smelly. I start with two (not one, not three) cups of coffee. I keep a stuffie of Curious George on my desk, in honour of Curious George Rides a Bike, the first book I read cover-to-cover. I say hello to George each morning.
Ritual also comes from my father. He was a painter and writer and used a second-hand desk as his art space. I acquired that desk, set to rehabbing it, but foolishly sanded the top to expose wood veneer over composite. I left his dried paint splashes along the edges, though, and I touch them when I write. They make me think of him, and thinking of him puts me in a creative mood. I told him I had begun writing historical fiction, his favourite genre, but he passed away before reading Brotherhood of Wolves. I often wonder what he would think of my series, and suspect he would be pleased (except for the part where I ruined his desk).
In this behind-the-scenes blog series, Sapere Books authors offer an intriguing insight into how, where and why they write.
Today, we are delighted to spotlight contemporary romance author Patricia Caliskan.
I wrote my third novel, When We Were Us, at my bureau, which has become my writing enclave. Something about opening the bureau desktop gives me a sense of immediacy which speeds the writing along. I write upstairs, free from distractions, except for my dogs who stop by to visit, but basically closed off from everything except the world I’m creating.
Patricia’s bureau
I never thought I had any writing rituals until people began asking the question. I realised that I have rituals in general. All three of my novels were largely written at night. Once the demands of the day are over, night-time is not only the perfect fit in a practical sense but allows me the space I need to daydream on behalf of my characters, and fully immerse my thoughts in the world of the book.
I’m a huge advocate of those tiny details which promote wellbeing, even when I’m not writing. So, before I get back to my latest manuscript, I mix essential oils for my diffuser, which works like magic for changing up the mood, and I set a timer to monitor my working hours.
I find having scheduled time slots super helpful. I can show up and do the work and know exactly how much time I’ve spent on the novel, which is reassuring when I’m trying to find enough time to work on a project.
I switch on my moon light, as I call it, a perfect orb of white light, and always freshen up my perfume before I write. I think of perfume as a superpower. A favourite scent signals that we’ve got work to do and someplace else to be.
I usually start by reading over where I left off to reacclimatise. I try not to spend too much time agonising over a word choice or a sentence formation until I’m at the editing stage. I have a natural tendency to edit as I go, wanting the work to be as close to the final manuscript as possible, which can hinder the drafting process.
When it comes to first drafts, I remind myself of my own advice: to just get it all down. I need solitude to do that, and sitting at my bureau, I feel enclosed in the world of the book. When it comes to editing, I usually end up inadvertently making a playlist to score parts of the novel or characters, which I find helpful with tone and pace. Once I have a completed manuscript, I print the work out and read it aloud, because if the writing doesn’t sound right, it isn’t right, and needs reworking.
Writing fiction requires both discipline and detachment, and my little bureau space provides just that!
Congratulations to Eric Helm, whose thrilling Vietnam War adventure, Proxy War, is published today!
Proxy War is the twenty-ninth book in the Vietnam: Ground Zero series: action-packed, authentic historical thrillers set during the Vietnam War.
Republic of Vietnam, 1969
The American government has known for a long time that there were Soviet advisors in North Vietnam, but now it seems they are ready to strike.
Intelligence has been gathered suggesting that Soviet fighter pilots have engaged in aerial combat with American Air Force and Navy pilots.
As of yet the Americans have not retaliated, as the UN is terrified of the Vietnam War escalating into a global nuclear disaster.
But the Soviets have been spotted engaging local Vietnamese troops and it seems they are readying for an attack.
U.S. Army Special Forces Major Mack Gerber and Sergeant Major Anthony Fetterman have been on light duties in Vietnam, during a relatively peaceful period in the war.
But after a visit to a Special Forces Camp, they are told that the enemy have been increasing their assaults on the base.
What are the Soviets planning? How large is their army?
Can the US Special Forces stop their deadly attack…?
In this behind-the-scenes blog series, Sapere Books authors offer an intriguing insight into how, where and why they write.
Today, we are delighted to spotlight C.P. Giuliani, author of the Tom Walsingham Mysteries Series.
C.P Giuliani’s garden house
Every year, as soon as summer comes, I move my writing to the garden house. It’s not really cooler, as temperature goes, but it feels summery and pleasant. I love the tall ceiling, the terracotta floor, the desk that used to belong to my great-grandfather, and the view onto the garden. There’s a little pond outside the French windows, and the birds bathing or drinking are, I confess, something of a distraction — but they also provide a cheerful break whenever I find myself stuck. A paragraph refusing to take the right shape? A character mutinying? A dull passage? I step away from the desk and watch while the blackbirds play in the water — and, more often than not, a solution will suggest itself.
For all its rustic pleasantness, the garden house has decent Wi-Fi — which is rather essential when my pile of reference books is not enough to confirm some detail — and is equipped with an electric kettle to make cup after cup of tea, which is a fundamental of my writing method.
In truth, beyond the insane amounts of tea, I have little in the way of a writing routine. Working in theatre means that my hours are flexible. Sometimes I write in the morning, sometimes very late at night, sometimes both; sometimes I must snatch the odd hour here and there, between a rehearsal session and a meeting with the techs. One thing I do is to always keep a notebook with me. Through the years, I’ve learnt to keep a dedicated notebook for each project, beside a general one for everything and anything: notes, stray ideas, snatches of dialogue overheard or imagined, lists, questions… It’s the general notebook that I carry around, so I can jot down anything that occurs to me — to be transferred to the relevant one later. This means that I do some of my writing at the theatre, at the vet’s, as I stand in a queue at the Post Office…
My family, friends and colleagues have developed a high degree of amused tolerance for my ‘Notebook Moments’, when I drop whatever I’m doing to take a note; strangers are occasionally a little put out until I explain that, for one thing, I’m prone to forgetting what I don’t write down and, for another, sometimes an idea will present itself in a very iridescent shape, little more than a flicker of colour under the surface of the water — and will need to be recorded quickly and thought through in writing, at least a little, if it’s to be of any use.
So to recap, I’m absent-minded, easily distracted, forgetful, and can’t keep a routine… I suppose it’s no wonder that a quiet, pleasant place like the garden house is important to my writing process.
In this behind-the-scenes blog series, Sapere Books authors offer an intriguing insight into how, where and why they write.
Today, we are delighted to spotlight David Field, author of numerous historical series including the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series and the New World Nautical Saga Series.
I’ve always written stories, even as a child, then I progressed from childhood scribbles to more serious attempts at literary glory on an old upright Olivetti typewriter (one of those with a red and black ribbon, if you’re old enough to remember) when my handwriting graduated from ‘untidy’ to ‘execrable’.
Reluctantly I then honoured my mother’s wish, and my father’s insistence, and got a ‘real job’ as a criminal trial lawyer, which was about as relaxing as standing on one leg on the top outer ledge of The Shard in London, without the reassurance of a safety harness. To relieve the stress I decided to start working on a novel — but what should I choose for a genre?
A good friend of mine who already earned a precarious living as a novelist was insistent that one should always write about things that one knows, and by this stage I knew two things outside my professional straightjacket — some history from my schooldays, and the streets of my home town, Nottingham. During the final years of my working life I spent stolen moments imagining the lives of those living in Nottingham during the Luddite Riots, and In Ludd’s Name was eventually published by a boutique publishing house owned by an old school friend.
Bitten by the bug, and buoyed up by having finally been published, I grew ambitious, and searched the history books for possible storylines, most notably from that most colourful of periods of English history, the Tudor era. The literary world seemed to be awash with Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I and even ‘Bloody Mary’, but two seminal characters from that era seemed never to have received much attention from novelists.
First was the progenitor of the Tudors, the boy from Wales, Henry VII, and I climbed inside his head to bring to the pages that followed his boyhood imprisonment in a bleak castle in South Wales, his youthful exile in Brittany, his triumphant return at the head of a ramshackle army that deposed Richard III at Bosworth, and his love match with Elizabeth of York that brought the Wars of the Roses to an end in the nursery rather than on the battlefield. To my delight, and secret surprise, I found a publisher — Sapere Books — and Tudor Dawn was launched.
Then — unbounded joy and amazement! — Sapere wanted another one, so this time I focused on a butcher’s son from Ipswich who rose from obscurity to become Archbishop of York, Papal Legate for life, Lord Chancellor and the diplomacy coach of choice of Henry VIII. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey’s spectacular downfall was just as dramatic, and The King’s Commoner was published, as testament to the fact that I had a second novel in me.
Dozens of titles have since been published, all by Sapere Books, and all ‘historical’ in genre. As one of the characters in Alan Bennett’s delightful creation, The History Boys, says of history — ‘It’s just one ******* thing after another’, and so it has been for me.
