Congratulations to C. F. Dunn!

Congratulations to C. F. Dunn, whose powerful medieval saga, Sun Ascendant, is out now!

Sun Ascendant is the second book in The Tarnished Crown series: historical novels set during the Wars of the Roses.

1470, England

England is in turmoil as the battle between supporters of the Yorkist king, Edward IV and the old Lancastrian king, Henry VI escalates.

And for Isobel Fenton the war is personal. Her father’s sudden death made her an heiress to Beaumoncote Manor, a desirable estate in the midlands. But as conflict threatens England’s unstable peace, Isobel and her lands become the focus of bitter tensions and a long-held feud.

Taken from her manor, Isobel becomes the unwilling mistress of an indomitable Earl. Unable to protect her own lands or herself, she sees her only chance of happiness in the Earl’s brother, Robert Langton, newly sworn to serve Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

Isobel’s life in the castle becomes increasingly difficult as the Countess plots against her rival, and Isobel finds herself trapped and alone in her gilded prison.

She is determined to take her fate into her own hands, but how can she gain her freedom and find her way back to Beaumoncote…?

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’re thrilled to announce that we have signed three new instalments of the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series by Linda Stratmann.

The series follows a young Sherlock Holmes and his acquaintance, medical student Mr Stamford, as they unravel mysteries and unmask devious killers.

In Linda’s words:

“I am delighted to continue the adventures of a youthful Holmes, before he met Dr Watson. A little about what to expect next: in the Halloween-themed Widow’s Key, an unexpected legacy creates a furore, with deadly mysteries to uncover.  In The Aeronauts, murder is sky-high, and escaped balloons cause peril both aloft and below. The Ghost of Lodge Thirteen finds Holmes and Stamford in Brighton. Richard Scarletti has been accused of murder, and his sister Mina (from the Mina Scarletti Mysteries) and Holmes form a powerful detective alliance.”

To keep up to date with Linda’s newest releases, visit her website and sign up to her newsletter.

Congratulations to Richard Kurti, whose absorbing medieval adventure, Carnival of Chaos, is out now!

Carnival of Chaos is the fourth book in the Basilica Diaries Medieval Mysteries series: historical thrillers set in fifteenth-century Rome and featuring a brother and sister investigative duo.

1508, Rome

An abandoned ship is drifting in the mouth of the Tiber and a horrific discovery is found inside.

Nearly three-hundred men were packed together in the hold. All of them are dead.

They were migrant workers shipped over from North Africa, cheap labour to cut the cost of building St Peter’s Basilica, and all have died in the most horrendous circumstances.

The Vatican is desperate to distance itself from this atrocity. The guilty contractor must be found and punished, and the entire illegal trade in people must be stamped out.

The Pope charges his Head of Security, Domenico Falchoni with conducting a full investigation.

Domenico turns to his scholar sister Cristina for help and together they delve into the grudges and rivalries of the old dynastic families who are competing for building contracts for the great basilica.

Cristina and Domenico discover that dirty tricks extend across all aspects of the great construction and corruption is rife. So it is not easy to find out who is responsible for the horrific deaths of the migrant workers.

Can they protect other workers from untimely deaths? Will they expose those responsible?

Or will digging into the dark world of human trafficking put their own lives at risk…?

We are thrilled to announce that we have signed the ninth book in the Master Mercurius Mysteries series by Graham Brack.

Set in seventeenth-century Europe, the series follows the adventures of a gifted cleric-turned-sleuth.

In Graham’s words:

“After eight adventures, Mercurius is very keen that there should not be a ninth. He wants a peaceful life surrounded by his books, and perhaps now that the Stadhouder is King of England he can have it. So long as William III is in England, and Mercurius stays in Leiden, he should be quite safe.

“The long vacation is approaching, and Mercurius decides to make doubly sure by not being in Leiden either. He is planning a tour of great German cathedrals, something that he has long wanted to do. He has even been learning some German in preparation.

“But then comes an invitation he cannot refuse. An old friend would like some advice on buying books for a library. It will take the whole summer, but then those cathedrals will still be there next year, and he has always wanted to spend someone else’s money on books…

“And while he is there, a baffling crime is committed — or is it?

“The Mercurius stories are a delight to write and I am grateful to Sapere Books for showing such faith in them. If he were alive today, I am sure Master Mercurius would love to see his name on the covers. After all, his multi-volume Commentary on the Nicomachean Ethics is rarely read these days, but his memoirs continue to find readers, for which I am very grateful.”

We are thrilled to announce that we have signed a new historical mystery series set in eighteenth-century France by Cheryl Sawyer.

In Cheryl’s words:

“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!”

www.cherylsawyer.com

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…?

Congratulations to J. C. Briggs, whose atmospheric Gothic mystery, The Secrets of Treasonfield House, is out now!

England, 1952

Marie Beaumont has returned to the ruins of Treasonfield House where she was taken in by her Aunt Giselle as a child.

Marie was always fascinated by the old house, but she had a lonely and unhappy childhood there until she was eventually sent away to boarding school.

Giselle is dead now but Marie’s Uncle Ned is still there and Marie wants to know why Giselle always treated her so coldly as a child.

She finds out that Ned worked with the intelligence services during the First World War and he has far more secrets to share about Treasonfield House than she could ever have imagined.

Ned’s story begins in February 1918; an intricate plot involving German soldiers, English spies and secret identities.

But what does it all mean for Marie? Can Ned give her the answers she craves? Will she finally learn the truth about her family history?

And can she finally put to rest the secrets that still lurk at Treasonfield House?

Congratulations to R. M. Cullen, whose absorbing historical thriller, Harlequin is Dead, is out now!

Harlequin is Dead is the first historical murder investigation in the Richard Brinsley Sheridan Mystery Series: eighteenth-century crime thrillers set in London at a time of Revolution.

1791

Revolution in France is causing refugees to flee to England and London is fast becoming a hotbed of spies, government agents and fanatics.

When renowned Irish playwright, Richard Brinsley Sheriden is led to the skeletal remains of a harlequin in his theatre, he is determined to get justice for his employee.

With the aid of Bow Street Runner, Constable Nicholls, Sheridan starts to investigate.

He soon realises two more performers have disappeared. And the discovery of a decorative cross suggests there is a link with a dangerous secret society, the Huguenot Brotherhood.

But why would French political migrants be targeting the theatre?

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales has received an anonymous letter accusing him of Treason and Sheridan is tasked with hunting out the sender.

Could both mysteries be linked? Is London heading for the same bloodthirsty scenes as Paris?

Or can Sheridan help stop the insurgents from taking hold in England…?

We are delighted to announce that we have signed a new trilogy of Roman mysteries by Jacquie Rogers.

In Jacquie’s words:

“My new series is set in a wealthy but remote part of third-century Roman Britain.

“Otto Cornelius is a garlanded senior officer in Chester’s XXth legion. Forced to take early retirement, he returns to his hometown of Viroconium Cornoviorum (now Wroxeter Roman City in Shropshire).

“He soon discovers that the quiet life of a pensioned-off officer is no sinecure, and Viroconium is no longer the idyll of his childhood. The murder of an itinerant Greek merchant, coupled with the theft of the iconic Wroxeter silver mirror, are just the beginning. Otto is quickly embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy, one in which old friends and new enemies have much to hide. No-one is who they seem, including Otto himself.

“I am so delighted to be working with Sapere Books. Their passion for historical fiction matches my own, and I’ve had the warmest of welcomes into their supportive organisation. I know my pacy Roman thrillers have found a wonderful home.”

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…?

Congratulations to Justin Fox, whose thrilling military adventure, Hell Run Tobruk, is out now!

Hell Run Tobruk is the third book in the Jack Pembroke Naval Thriller series: authentic British Navy war stories set during the Second World War.

December, 1941

Lieutenant Jack Pembroke is ordered to join a convoy and sail his small escort ship, HMSAS Gannet, from the Royal Navy base in Simon’s Town, South Africa, to Egypt.

With the Mediterranean all but closed to maritime traffic, and Rommel’s forces rampaging through North Africa, it seems unlikely that Gannet will survive the coming battles.

Jack arrives in Alexandria and is soon thrust into the action, escorting ships running supplies to the beleaguered town of Tobruk in Libya.

With the pressure building and ships around him being sunk by enemy bombers, Jack must deal with his own PTSD while leading his men to safety.

And with Tobruk surrounded, about to fall to Axis forces, Gannet is still trapped in the port…

Can Jack lead his men to safety? Will he make it out of Tobruk in one piece?

Or will this Hell Run be his last…?

Congratulations to Patrick Larsimont, whose thrilling military adventure, The Wire and the Lines, is published today!

The Wire and the Lines is  fifth instalment of the Jox McNabb Aviation Thrillers series: action-packed historical novels following a young RAF pilot during the Second World War.

Summer, 1943

When fighter pilot Jox McNabb crashes on the wrong side of the straits of Messina, he is captured by the Germans.

It seems that for Jox, the war might be over.

But Jox is never one to give up. Desperate to escape, he quickly familiarises himself with the camp and gets to know his fellow prisoners.

With punishment brutal for those that have attempted to flee previously, morale is low in the camp and there is little motivation to try and break the rules.

The war is still raging on the outside and Jox will do anything to get back to his No. 333 Squadron, the Black Pigs.

On the orders of a cruel Luftwaffe Colonel, Jox is embroiled in a scheme to use high profile POWs as human shields, covering shipments of precious artworks looted from Sicily and Italy.

Could this mission provide Jox with the means to escape? Can he blow the whistle on the stolen loot?

And can he get back in action and rejoin the war in the skies…?

Congratulations to Raymond Wemmlinger, whose page-turning Tudor adventure, The Queen’s Favourite, is out now!

England, 1558

Sixteen-year-old Catherine Seymour has always idolised her elder sister Jane. As a child Jane had been groomed to be queen, to marry her cousin King Edward, and since his death she has been determined to restore her family’s claim to throne.

Jane had spent time at Queen Mary’s court but she has now returned home to Hanworth Park to the delight of Catherine and their brother Ned.

To their surprise, Jane brings with her Lady Catherine Grey, sister of Jane Grey, the ill-fated nine-day queen, and heiress to the throne after Princess Elizabeth.

Jane confides in Catherine that she aims to bring about a betrothal between Lady Grey and Ned, so that their brother and his children have a chance to lay claim to the throne.

But everything changes when Mary suddenly dies, and Elizabeth succeeds as queen. Now the sisters must seek favour with a new monarch.

Luckily, Elizabeth’s succession proves advantageous for the Seymour family. Jane is chosen as a lady in waiting and immediately becomes a favourite.

Can Jane still bring her plan to fruition? Will it mean betraying the new queen?

Or will rumours of a romance between Queen Elizabeth and one of her courtiers change everything for the Seymour sisters…?

Congratulations to Adele Jordan, whose page-turning Tudor mystery, The Body in the Chamber, is published today!

The Body in the Chamber is the third book in the Shadow Cutpurses Tudor Thriller Series.

1536, London

With two queens already removed from King Henry VIII’s side, the Tudor court fears for his new wife, Jane Seymour.

Thief turned espionage agent, Gwynnie Wightham is tasked by her employer Elric Tombstone to watch over the new queen.

And it soon becomes clear that her task will not be an easy one when a dead body is found in the queen’s chambers.

It seems there is a murderer hiding in the palace walls, and a clear suspect has already been named.

Convicted killer, Connal Devlin, escaped the noose at Tyburn and vowed to seek revenge on King Henry for turning his back on the ‘true’ Catholic faith.

Gwynnie is tasked with finding Devlin, but something doesn’t seem right.

Is it possible Devlin isn’t as evil as he was made out to be? Could someone else be behind the murder at the palace?

And can Gwynnie stop them before another Tudor queen’s life comes to an untimely end…?

A few weeks ago, I was standing outside St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, gazing at the ancient Egyptian obelisk that sits in the middle of the square. (It’s also on the front cover of Omens of Death — the first book in The Basilica Diaries series.)

The guide who was showing me round said, “There’s an interesting story about this obelisk. When Moses was a young man, he was educated in Heliopolis (modern Cairo), where this obelisk originally stood. As he hurried back and forth to school, Moses would have seen this very stone every day. Even then it was a thousand years old. He would have walked past it, used it as a meeting point for friends, maybe even sat in its shade.

“Now, cut forward across time. The Romans have stolen the obelisk and brought it to Italy, where the Emperor Caligula ordered it to be set up at the Circus of Nero just outside the city walls. And that is the same place where St Peter was executed. Which means the very last thing St Peter saw before he died would have been this obelisk. And now you are gazing at the exact same stone.”

I could feel my brain jolt. Moses, Caligula, St Peter and myself, all connected across 4,500 years by a single object. These were no longer remote characters from the pages of the Bible — if I reached out my hand, I could touch them through this granite obelisk.

What the guide did was a brilliant demonstration of the power of narrative. He could have bombarded me with facts and figures about the height and weight of the obelisk, about where the stone was quarried and when it was carved, and how it was moved from the Circus of Nero to its current site and erected in a single day.

But he didn’t, because he knew that those facts would have gone in and out of my mind in seconds. Instead, he told a story that organised the truth in such a way that it connected me to the distant past.

That’s what I’ve been attempting to do on every page of The Basilica Diaries historical thrillers. I have spent countless hours researching the novels, but rather than bombard the reader with details, I have tried to organise the truth into narratives that will resonate with the modern world whilst also transporting us back across the centuries.

I hope you enjoy the latest adventure in the series, Carnival of Chaos, which will be published in April.

Congratulations to C. F. Dunn, whose thrilling War of the Roses saga, Wheel of Fortune, is out now!

Wheel of Fortune is the first book in the Tarnished Crown series: historical novels set in medieval Europe.

1469, England

For almost ten years, attractive and charismatic Edward IV has ruled with the Earl of Warwick’s support, but now rebellion threatens England’s fragile peace.

With the Midlands in uproar, King Edward wants peace in the shires and the last thing he needs is potential trouble in the form of an unwed heiress.

But, strong-willed and single-minded, Isobel Fenton is determined that nothing will separate her from her beloved manor of Beaumancote, even if she does have to marry to stay there.

Isobel is unaware of the importance she and her land represent, nor of the agenda of the formidable Earl in whose care she finds herself.

And as unrest boils into war, she is drawn into the very heart of the conflict.

Can Isobel escape from the web in which she is trapped? Will she find a way to decide her own fate?

Or will the Wheel of Fortune fail to turn in her favour…?

Congratulations to Graham Ley, whose compelling historical saga, Moonlight at Cuckmere Haven, is published today!

England and Brittany, 1796

In London on business, aristocrat and father-to-be Justin Wentworth chases a thief only to be confronted by a face from the past — Coline — and the news that he already has a daughter.

Amelia Wentworth is in Sussex enjoying the delights of sea-bathing with her companion Caroline North. When Caroline catches sight of a dangerous adversary in the crowd at the Brighton races — the villain Tregothen — she writes to her brother, Colonel North, who swiftly rides to their aid.

At Chittesleigh Manor in Devonshire, pregnant Arabella Wentworth is disturbed by a brief note from Justin extending his absence from her. She decides to write to Justin’s friend Eugene Picaud to ask him to inquire after Justin in London. Justin’s mother, Sempronie, comes to stay at Chittesleigh, and is drawn to Justin’s writing bureau, discovering letters from Coline from their time together.

Meanwhile at Kergohan Manor in Brittany, the villagers celebrate as bread is baked for the first time in the large oven. The gathering is interrupted by the arrival of Laurent Guèvremont, owner of the manor, who explains to Héloïse Argoubet that he has an obligation to look after her, and prepare her for life in society.

Eugene, unsure of his future, enlists as a marine aboard HMS Amphion. Justin and Amelia visit as the ship prepares to leave Plymouth. After a sudden and terrifying explosion at the dock, Justin rushes back to find that the Amphion has been blown apart, with horrendous loss of life. As he searches for Eugene amongst the bodies, he eventually sees a figure in the water…

Will Eugene survive the disaster? Will Tregothen escape justice? And is the child the result of Coline’s affair with Justin?

And when love blossoms, will it finally unite the Wentworth family once and for all?

Congratulations to David Field, whose absorbing historical thriller, Death By Gunpowder, is out now!

Death By Gunpowder is the sixth instalment of the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Nottingham, England, 1605

Frustrated in their two previous attempts to restore the Catholic faith to England, a group of heretics plan to assassinate King James in Parliament in a massive explosion timed for November 5th, 1605.

But when that plot also fails and Guy Fawkes starts revealing the names of accomplices under torture in the Tower, those who had been complicit in the plot run for cover.

Not long after, Nottinghamshire bailiff, Edward Mountsorrel is called to investigate a mysterious explosion in a row of houses that has left four people dead.

And he soon unearths evidence that suggests this crime is linked to the larger plot on the king’s life.

His suspicions are confirmed when an official from London, acting with royal authority, orders Edward and fellow bailiff Francis Barton to hunt down the gunpowder fugitives who are believed to be hiding out in the local area.

But the men won’t go down without a fight. And Edward could find himself in the firing line…

Congratulations to J. C. Briggs, whose intriguing Gothic mystery, The Inheritors of Moonlyght Tower, is out now!

England, 1916

With her mother ill and her father threatening to marry her off to a violent neighbour, Jessie Sedgwick takes up a position as a kitchen maid at Moonlyght Tower to escape her home.

But Moonlyght is far from a sanctuary. Its imposing Gothic Tower looms menacingly over the building and Jessie is surprised to find the only other staff members are a sour housekeeper and an unfriendly nurse who looks after the bedbound lady of the house.

Not long after arriving, Jessie meets a former kitchen maid, Ethel Widdop, who warns Jessie to leave as soon as possible. But before Jessie can find out more, Ethel is found dead…

And something strange is happening at Moonlyght. Jessie sees something strange in the imposing tower and she hears footsteps coming from an empty room. A room she discovers belonged to the heir to the house, Jonathan, who fell from the tower two years ago.

It’s clear there are dark secrets hiding at Moonlyght, and despite herself, Jessie finds herself drawn in.

What ails the lady of the house? Was her son’s death really an accident – or something more sinister?

And is Jessie in danger of ending up like Ethel…?

Congratulations to D. R. Bailey, whose thrilling aviation novel, Sisters For Victory, is published today!

Sisters For Victory is the first military adventure novel in the Secret Sirens Aviation Thrillers Series, heart-pounding Second World War escapades with strong female leads.

Autumn, 1942

With the reserves of male pilots ready for combat rapidly dwindling, England’s secret service decide to try something revolutionary. They are going to send female pilots into combat.

MI6 put Wing Commander James Donovan in charge of the ‘Sirens’. Outwardly, the women chosen appear to be assisting in the transporting of planes, but this is just a cover. In reality, they will be flying secret RAF combat missions into enemy territory.

Sisters Anna and Jennifer Nightingale are two of the early recruits into the Siren Squadron. They have grown up flying Tiger Moths as part of their father’s aerial display team, and now they need to get to grips with battle-ready Mosquitos.

Once trained, the Sirens are sent out on their first mission. But it soon becomes clear someone is sabotaging their aircraft.

Can the Nightingale sisters prove they deserve to fight alongside their male counterparts? Will they lead the way for women at war?

Or will the odds be too heavily stacked against them…?

Congratulations to Elizabeth Bailey, whose absorbing historical mystery, The Killing Cave, is published today!

The Killing Cave is the eleventh book in the Lady Fan Mystery series: traditional British detective novels set in eighteenth-century England.

1799, England

A family holiday to the seaside takes a dramatic turn when Lady Ottilia Fanshawe’s young son Luke accidentally stumbles on a body in a cave.

Lady Fan and her husband Francis quickly rush to the scene and find the corpse bound and blindfolded with a bullet hole in his head.

It appears the man was executed, and with smugglers well-known to operate in the area, the local sergeant suggests it was a quarrel amongst the reprobates.

But Ottilia is not so sure. The crime scene seemed staged, and the dead man too well dressed to be a common criminal.

There is nothing else for it. The Fanshawes must extend their stay on the Norfolk coast to allow Lady Fan to take the lead.

But with her health compromised, four young children to care for and a grumbling mother-in-law in tow, can Lady Fan summon up enough strength to unravel this mystery? Or will this be the case that finally forces her into retirement?

We are delighted to announce that we have signed a new series by Angelina Hill, which follows the fortunes of a female pirate across the high seas.

In Angelina’s words:

“I’m excited to introduce my new series Freedom’s Curse, about a woman who wants what men in 1605 take for granted — freedom.

“After ten years at sea on a merchant vessel, Augusta has almost perfected the art of sailing and passing as a man. But when the crew discovers her true gender, she’s abandoned at port and forced to join the deadliest profession — piracy. Aboard a new ship, posing as both a man and a pirate, she must discover who she is, what she wants most, and what she’s willing to sacrifice to get it.

“Along the way, Augusta is surprised to find a father figure in the captain, a lover in the first mate, and a friend in an Algerian courtesan — all while she strives to outwit and outfight her brother as he chases her across the world in an attempt to bring her back to where he believes she belongs: home.

“Sapere Books is the perfect home for my Freedom’s Curse series, and I look forward to working with the team. When I first met Amy Durant at the Historical Novel Society conference, she said she was looking for a historical nautical series with a strong female lead and a dash of romance. My jaw dropped, and I almost hugged her as I exclaimed, ‘You just described my series!’”

Congratulations to Raymond Wemmlinger, whose gripping Tudor saga, The Queen’s Rival, is out now!

England, 1553

As she is seventh in line to the throne, sixteen-year-old Lady Margaret Clifford knows her marriage should be an important one. Which is why she is shocked to learn her father has agreed to entertain a proposal from a mere knight.

Sir Andrew Dudley is a court favourite and joins the ranks of the Duke of Northumberland’s family who are attempting to secure politically advantageous marriages. His nephew, Guildford Dudley is recently married to Margaret’s cousin, Lady Jane Grey, and with the boy-king Edward VI failing to secure a marriage of his own and produce an heir, it is clear the Dudleys are plotting a path to the throne.

All is flung into turmoil when the king dies and the attempt to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne is foiled. Instead, Catholic Queen Mary takes the throne and Margaret is sent to court as one of her ladies-in-waiting.

With the Dudleys’ fall from grace, Margaret is relieved that Sir Andrew’s proposal is off the cards, though she is still keen to secure herself a match befitting her royal heritage.

But first she must win the favour of the new queen. And with Queen Mary fearing rivals to her throne, that is not an easy task…

Can Margaret steer clear of the political machinations at Court? Will she strengthen her ties to the English throne through marriage?

Following the success of his many historical series, including The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries and The Medieval Saga Series, we are delighted to announce that we have signed a new series focusing on the Plantagenet dynasty by David Field.

In David’s words:

“It’s so good to be in a relationship with a publisher who likes what you write, and encourages you to write more of it. A marriage made in typescript, so to speak.

“Some years ago, Publishing Director Amy Durant liked my idea of viewing English history through the eyes of ordinary folk, beginning with the conquest of England by William of Normandy in 1066. This became The Medieval Saga Series, which followed the fortunes of several fictional families over two hundred years, ending with the death of Simon de Montfort in 1265.

“I had also written a Tudor series for Sapere that began with the life of Henry VII, who became king in 1485, and ended with the reign of Elizabeth I. As I looked wistfully at the remaining gap of over two hundred years, I couldn’t help wanting to write about that period. ‘Go for it’ was Amy’s response, and The Plantagenet Series was born. It will span from 1265 to 1485, and will involve later generations of the fictional family that readers first met in 1066. When completed, Sapere will have published a novel of mine featuring every English ruler from Harold Godwinson to Elizabeth I. That’s what I call an enduring marriage!”

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:

“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!”

Congratulations to Tony Rea, whose action-packed military adventure, Bouncer’s Butcherbird, is out now!

Bouncer’s Butcherbird is the third book in the Gus Beaumont Aviation Thrillers series: aviation novels set during the Second World War.

England, 1941

Recently returned from the Mediterranean theatre, fighter pilot Gus ‘Bouncer’ Beamont is promoted and offered a posting to a secret Special Operations Executive outfit that flies dangerous night missions over occupied France.

After training, Gus leads Polish SOE mission, Operation Lódź. But the operation is a disaster, as German troops were waiting for the agents to parachute in.

The Poles place the blame on London, insisting there is a traitor at large.

And when Gus’s plane is intercepted by German’s during another mission, he thinks they might be right.

To escape, Gus is forced to crash land in Occupied France where he is picked up members of the French Resistance.

But will they be able to get him to safety?

Who is tipping the Germans off? Is it someone high up in charge of special operations?

And can Gus survive long enough to find out…?

We are thrilled to announce that we have signed the first three books in Kristi Ross’ new Scottish Queens series.

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.

“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.

“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.’

Congratulations to Ava McKevitt, whose captivating mythical adventure, Nemesis of the Gods, is published today!

Nemesis of the Gods is the third book in the HERA Greek Myths Retold Series.

The Trojan War as you’ve never heard it before…

Since Homer first sang the songs of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the tale of the Trojan War has never been forgotten.

It is one of the most revered stories in the cosmos’s long and complicated history for humans and gods alike.

But there are details within Homer’s narratives are not yet known, and a new side to this age-old tale of love and glory.

That side is Queen Hera’s. Wife, mother, goddess; Hera’s role in Olympus is infamous, but her story has only been told by famous men. Never from her own mouth.

Hera’s tale is one of adventure, heroism, and glory but it doesn’t shy away from the heinous crimes committed by the heroes. And the faults and weaknesses of her brutal husband, Zeus.

She is ready to put the record straight once and for all…

We are delighted to announce that we have signed the ‘Anne Boleyn Chronicles’ by Rozsa Gaston.

Rozsa is the author of the Anne of Brittany series — an enthralling historical series set during the French Renaissance.

In Rozsa’s words:

“My new series tells the tale of Anne Boleyn’s years abroad before joining Henry VIII’s Tudor court. Set in the years 1513–1522, the story begins in the Netherlands at Margaret of Austria’s Burgundian-Habsburg imperial court.

“We see Anne grow from girlhood to womanhood as one of Margaret’s eighteen maids of honour. Facing the challenges of cliques and envy, she navigates court life by learning to fit in even as she longs to stand out.

“We then follow Anne to France, where she serves first Mary Tudor, then French queen, Claude of France, and finally, the French king’s sister, Marguerite d’Angoulême.

“After six years in France, Anne attends the summit of the Field of the Cloth of Gold where she realises the advantages that might await her at the Tudor court as an Englishwoman with French sensibilities. The series culminates in Anne’s return to England in the first months of 1522, fully armed with Continental flair, Reformist ideals, and a drive for self-determination fuelled by the new learning of Renaissance humanism.

“I am delighted to work with Sapere Books, with their strong commitment to historical fiction and historical biography. The team comes highly recommended for their personal touch, and I look forward to working with them to bring to readers Anne Boleyn’s formative years in a series that both informs and entertains.”

Congratulations to Adele Jordan, whose captivating espionage adventure, Death At The Tower, is published today!

Death At The Tower is the second book in the Shadow Cutpurses Tudor Thriller Series: gripping adventures set during King Henry VIII’s reign in England with a strong female lead.

1536, London

Thief Gwynnie Wightham has a new master in Elric Tombstone. She may follow his word, but she has little loyalty for him, and there is even less friendship between them.

She has agreed to assist him to make sure he keeps his word to never go hunting for her mother. For if Emlyn is ever found, she will be tried not just for being a jewel thief, but for murder.

Tombstone’s task for Gwynnie is to investigate Captain Daundelyon, for there has been a tipoff that the Dandy Lyon, as he’s nicknamed, is a French spy, come to ingratiate himself with the king.

Gwynnie follows Captain Daundelyon around, noticing he’s a common thief, almost as skilled as her in her deception, but she finds no hint of his spy work.

But the Tudor court is cracking into factions – a great rift has swelled between King Henry and Queen Anne Boleyn, and what she does find is that Daundelyon’s presence is inextricably linked with Queen Anne’s downfall.

What is Daundelyon’s relationship to Anne Boleyn? Is he plotting against the king?

And can Gwynnie prove her worth and find a way to clear her mother’s name…?

Congratulations to Isolde Martyn, whose enchanting medieval romance, The Lady of Mirascon, is out now!

1208

When cruel King John makes advances on her, young Adela de Whitchurch is forced to flee her comfortable position as hairbraider to the Queen of England.

After stowing away on a ship, Adela finds herself in France. Surviving on her wits and courage, she is soon accepted into the retinue of Lady Alys FitzPoyntz — a noblewoman who is on her way to meet her betrothed, Lord Ricart, Vicomte of Mirascon.

On the journey, disaster strikes when the party is attacked by brigands. As one of the only survivors, Adela decides to make her way to Mirascon to deliver Lady Alys’s jewels to Lord Ricart and throw herself on his mercy.

But when the vicomte mistakes Adela for his betrothed, she is swiftly pulled into a web of deception. With Mirascon threatened by the Pope’s brutal crusade against heretics, Lord Ricart is occupied with protecting his people, and Adela is unable to find an opportunity to tell him the truth.

And as she begins to fall for his charm and passion, she wonders whether she will ever summon the strength to leave his side…

Will Lord Ricart discover Adela’s true identity? Can he return her love?

Or will Adela’s deception cost her her life?

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.”

Congratulations to David Field, whose gripping historical mystery, To Kill A King, is out now!

To Kill A King is the fifth novel in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Nottingham, England, 1603

Queen Elizabeth’s long reign has finally come to an end and the Tudor era is over. Scottish King James has been handed the crown of England, but not everyone is happy about that, and there are several plots being hatched to replace him with an alternative.

Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel already has his hands full with an increase in destitute vagrants flooding the county, who seem to be victims of a human trafficker. But before he can find the man responsible, he is tasked by an official with royal authority to infiltrate a local group, who it is rumoured are plotting to assassinate the new king.

Edward enlists the help of fellow bailiff, Francis Barton to find the group, who are hiding out in Sherwood Forest.

But the only way to discover the plot is to place themselves right in the heart of the danger. And there’s a good chance they will be killed before they can save the king…

Who is leading the band of rebels? Can he be stopped?

And is there a connection between the treasonous plot and the desperate vagrants Edward is trying to assist…?

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.”

Congratulations to D. R. Bailey, whose exciting aviation adventure, Tip and Run, is out now!

Tip and Run is the sixth book in the Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers series: action-packed novels set during the second world war and featuring a team of vigilante pilots.

Winter, 1942

Flight Lieutenant Angus Mackennelly and his team of Mavericks are informed that a new kind of raid is being perpetrated by the Luftwaffe nicknamed a ‘Tip and Run’.

The planes arrive over the Channel, flying extremely low to avoid radar detection, drop bombs and make a quick getaway. These nuisance raids are designed to disrupt the allies and keep their defences on high alert.
Angus takes a trip to the site of the most recent bombing to see if he can discover more about it. And he makes an extraordinary find – a flat piece of stone with an Ace of Spades playing card attached. This was undoubtedly the calling card dropped by the pilot.
Angus is convinced that the same pilot will try again, and he makes it his personal mission to catch the ‘Ace Raider’.
So begins a deadly game of cat and mouse between the Mavericks and the Luftwaffe invaders.

Who will emerge victorious? Can Angus track down and defeat the raider?

Or will the German Ace lure the Mavericks to destruction…?

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.

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.

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.

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?

Congratulations to Laura Martin, whose gripping Regency murder mystery, The Dead Curate, is published today!

The Dead Curate is the fifth book in the Jane Austen Investigation series.

1798, Steventon, England

Mr Austen’s role as rector of Steventon church has meant that Jane and her sister Cassandra are well connected in the local community.

With Mr Austen indisposed, Jane and Cassandra walk to church to greet the curate, Mr Williamson, who will be leading the sermon in his place.

But when they arrive the church is locked and the parishioners are already milling around outside.

Already fearing something is amiss, Jane rushes home to find her father’s key and when she returns she makes a horrifying discovery.

At first the church appears to be empty, but a series of blood drops lead Jane up into the belfry.

And there she finds Mr Williamson, propped up with iron nails through his hands and feet.

The Austen sisters are used to investigating murders by now, but this one is too close to home…

Who would have a grudge against the unassuming curate? Why his body displayed in such a manner?

And are any other lives at risk in the sleepy village of Steventon?

Congratulations to Graham Brack, whose absorbing historical adventure, The Moers Murders, is out now!

The Moers Murders is the eighth historical murder investigation in the Master Mercurius Mystery series: atmospheric crime thrillers set in seventeenth-century Europe.

1688, The Netherlands

Master Mercurius has just settled back into his life as a lecturer at the University of Leiden when he is once again summoned by the Stadhouder, William of Orange.

A message from William is never good news, but he is not a man you can say no to.

So Mercurius finds himself once again uprooted and at the centre of dangerous political plot.

William has decided it is time to expand his empire and launch an attack on his nemesis, the French King Louis XIV. And to keep the element of surprise on his side he has decided to march through Germany.

To keep the Germans from blocking him, William has decided to make use of Moers, the German stronghold he inherited which he is allowed to occupy and arm. But he needs someone in control there.

And that is how Mercurius finds himself as the newly appointed Governor of Moers.

William has promised that Mercurius will be executed if the secret plan is discovered, so can the Master keep it under wraps? Or will he be facing the hangman’s noose…?

Alistair Forrest is the author of the action-packed Roman adventures Sea of Flames, Libertas and Vipers of Rome. He is currently working on a new series, The Britannia Conspiracy, set in the period during Caesar’s invasion of Gaul.

Every year I climb into old jeans, don an Indiana Jones-style hat, and dash a hundred yards down the road to assist in an archaeological dig.

I live on the island of Alderney, which just happens to have an ancient Iron Age settlement, on top of which is a Roman village. Next to this is one of Europe’s best-preserved Roman forts, which was built to protect trade routes between Europe and Britain.

I’ve got to know both of the lead archaeologists — Dr Phil de Jersey and Dr Jason Monaghan — and confess that I’d like to know what they know, as long as it fits my ideas for a new historical fiction series.

So far I’ve struck lucky.

We know for sure that Iron Age folk lived and loved on this tiny island a few miles off the Normandy coast. We’ve found the skeletons, complete with bronze torcs and jewellery.

Our team, Dig Alderney, is bent (both literally and figuratively) on scraping away aeons of history to find the story behind these settlements. And at every layer we have been able to confirm that the Romans first came to this Channel Island in around 56 or 55BC when Julius Caesar was conquering Gaul and had set his sights on Britain, just across the English Channel.

Later, the Romans built a fort which has stood intact since the 4th century. Sadly, the huge central tower has long gone, its stonework no doubt used  to build medieval houses in the vicinity, and part of the south wall tumbled onto my local beach who knows when, where its parts can still be seen to this day.

The area is crowded with archaeological features. Some relate to German activity (Alderney was occupied during the Second World War) or Victorian fortifications inside and around the fort. Modern roads partly conceal what we know is an Iron Age cemetery discovered in 2019.

Two skeletons were discovered back then. That’s when I got involved after arriving on the island to write, and I was given backroom jobs like pot-washing, shovelling and making sandwiches. Just to be there was a privilege!

This is now a long-term project to learn more about the Roman and Iron Age settlement on Longis Common, a few yards from my home. How extensive is the Iron Age cemetery, and where was the village in which these people lived?

We hope to discover how far the Roman buildings extend, and if this was the site of an earlier Roman fort that predated the 4th century one, or the vicus municipal administration settlement that grew up close to a fort, or a purely civilian village?

Of course, I already know the answers because they’re in my head, as you would expect from an adventurous historical fiction author.

I know I’m on to a winner. Take this exuberant comment by Dr Monaghan: “Finds include pottery, metalwork, glass, building materials, human bones and food remains including animal bones. The finds need to uncover more about the people who lived and were buried there. We want to learn about their lifestyle and how ancient Alderney was connected to the wider world.”

I’d call it making the facts fit a good story, and I’m already well into book two of The Britannia Conspiracy series. This series begins with coded messages from Julius Caesar to attend a secret conference on this island to plan his expeditions to Britain.

Should it be a full-on invasion, or a trade expedition? Either way, he’s in for some surprises, especially as far as the local Celts are concerned!

 

Congratulations to David Field, whose twisty Elizabethan mystery, The Clamorous Dead, is published today!

The Clamorous Dead is the fourth historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Nottingham, England, 1596

A routine hanging at Gallows Hill is disrupted when a wild woman begins screaming a curse on the execution site, calling down nightly visitations from the undead to claim the souls of the living.

County Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel attempts to pursue her, but she vanishes into thin air.

Nightly thereafter, Gallows Hill is the scene of ghastly happenings that Edward is ordered to investigate. Rumours of witchcraft infiltrate the county and the bailiff is sent to arrest a local woman, suspected of devilry.

Edward finds her and realises she is merely a wise woman with ancient knowledge of herbs and medicine and with no ill intent. He decides to hide her to keep her safe from those calling for blood.

But his efforts are complicated by the arrival of a professional witch-hunter from Scotland, who is scouring the length and breadth of England in a blood-thirsty mission to destroy any woman, man or child found guilty of sorcery.

As mass hysteria and prejudice threaten to engulf the country, can Edward bring justice to his county, while still keeping his morals intact? Or will innocent women be thrown to the wolves…?

Congratulations to Ava McKevitt, whose absorbing historical adventure, A Goddess Scorned, is out now!

A Goddess Scorned is the second book in the HERA Greek Myths Retold Series.

The Queen is back … and she’s out for revenge…

The Goddess Hera, Queen of Olympos, has endured thousands of years of lies being spread about her. And now she is ready to set the record straight.

The Muses were employed by Hera’s brother-husband Zeus to craft a narrative that makes him a hero – and makes Hera a deceiver and a harlot.

But Queen Hera is sick of history favouring controlling men and demeaning the women suffering beside them.

As the patron goddess of women, marriage, and motherhood, it is Hera alone who can set the record straight and redeem her reputation – and the reputation of many women like her – from the slander that has so far been spread.

What really happened under Zeus’s rule? What part did Hera play?

And how did she really feel about the great King of the Gods…?

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 D. R. Bailey, author of the Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers.

For my aviation novels, I do a lot of direct and indirect research. I read books, watch documentaries, scour historical websites and more. I’m looking for context rather than necessarily actual events. There is a surprising number of things you would never imagine happened continuing to be revealed about World War Two.

I’m interested in the what-ifs and that’s where I take my stories. I grew up just after the war and so some aspects of British culture at the time seem to have imprinted themselves upon me. I’m most interested in characters, developing them and their lives, building the stories around them. I have a keen sense of humour and I can’t help adding that into my plots. I’m not trying to write a history book so much as an adventure book set in the era.

I work full-time as a lecturer in Creative Technology, so my writing time is constrained. However, I’ve developed a disciplined approach to writing based on the Pomodoro method, which has served me well. I write in twenty-five-minute bursts, and I must work uninterrupted for that time. I try to complete a certain number of these bursts a day and I track them very precisely in a spreadsheet, which informs me of my writing speed and how much longer I have to go to finish the book. I also edit as I go, not leaving a scene until I’m happy with it. Then, of course, once finished I read through and edit again, but generally, I find I’ve done all the hard work prior to that point.

During term time I write after work for maybe an hour and then more at the weekends until I’ve got my novel done. I am a pretty fast writer, so I’m lucky that way. I also work through a loose synopsis and plot, but my characters often change the story as I go, and it plays in my head as I write it — just like a movie scene.

Fortunately, my wife is hugely supportive in every way and makes me delicious meals when I’m in full flow writing a novel. Unfortunately, my cat has no respect for my writing time, and will come and beg for food or strokes regardless of whether or not I’m busy.

My writing space, as you can see, has a lot of cat ornaments; I’m an avid cat lover and we just keep on collecting more. My space is light and comfortable, and I have a nice big screen for composing my words. I’m also surrounded by books, including my own, my daughter’s and my sister’s, who are both successful novelists too. I also have my doctorate certificate on the wall, one of my proudest achievements. I aim to keep writing for as long as I can, completing as many books as I can. I find it one of the most calming and fulfilling things in life. I’m grateful that Sapere Books has given me the chance to get my stories into the hands of so many more readers.

 

Congratulations to Elizabeth Bailey, whose captivating Regency adventure, Prudence, is published today!

Prudence is the first book in the Governess Trilogy: heart-warming Regency romance novels with strong female lead characters.

1795, England

Miss Prudence Hursley, orphaned from a young age, has grown up at the Paddington Charitable Seminary for Indigent Young Ladies. Primed for service, she is now ready to take up a position as a governess.

Full of trepidation as she takes the stagecoach to meet her employer at Rookham Hall, Prudence is sad to be leaving Nell and Kitty – her childhood friends who have replaced the family she lost and become like sisters to her.

Prudence has been given a temporary position by Mr Julius Rookham to teach – or tame – his two young wards, who have so far had an unconventional upbringing.

But when Prudence meets Julius she finds his changeable moods disconcerting. And it will take more than a little patience to turn the two unruly girls into refined young women, ready to enter society.

With her future hanging in the balance, can Prudence make herself invaluable enough to secure a permanent position?

And can Nell and Kitty advise her on how to handle the mysterious Mr Rookham…?

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 Alistair Forrest, author of Sea of Flames, Libertas and Vipers of Rome.

For some authors, inspiration is a flash of instant eureka. For me, it’s been more like evolution.

I had never intended to write historical novels centred on the late Roman Republic, but it became inevitable when I moved to Spain with my wife, two-fifths of our children and assorted pets.

Our new home had been built slap bang in the middle of an ancient battlefield. More about that later.

For me, inspiration began in an English lesson at boarding school. One day, evening prep was to write an essay on Macbeth and I hadn’t got a clue how to answer the question. So I flipped to the cover of my textbook, which featured an image of Dunsinane Castle and the encroaching Birnam Wood.

I used my embryonic creative writing skills to describe the scene and thus avoid answering the question, hoping my talent would impress the English teacher, Patrick Cormack.

He wasn’t impressed. He called out my feeble effort in front of Class 4R, announcing that my work was too descriptive, and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. But the truth is, I really enjoyed writing that essay.

If I had ever summoned the courage to discuss career options with him, he would have said ‘Go and be an accountant’ or something like that. But while he became a politician with a knighthood and later Lord Cormack, I became a humble journalist. Yes, I could write.

Years later, on the publication of my first novel, Libertas, Lord Cormack was kind enough to give me an endorsement. “Forrest has the gift of a true storyteller,” he said, with a hint of a chuckle in his email.

My journalism career provided further inspiration. As a pimply cub reporter on the South Wales Echo, the terrifying news editor would peer down the vast newsroom to see who was slacking. The ‘punishment’ was to be handed the latest novel supplied by a hopeful publisher and told to review it by the next day. This happened to me frequently, and I never objected.

Among the many was Gateway to the Gods by Mary Teresa Ronalds, a magical excursion into the ancient world of Babylonia. It clicked for me, because as a child and teenager, I had lived in three Middle Eastern countries. From that moment, I wanted nothing more than to be a writer of ancient stories.

Leap forward decades, and that move to Spain. My wife and I chose a house amid well-tended olive groves in an upland valley opposite Monda (ancient Munda), a charming village in the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park, not far inland from Marbella.

And it didn’t take long to discover that Julius Caesar had marched his crack legions through our garden.

I started writing Libertas, revelling in the scenery and culture, and imagining what the community might have been like when Caesar came.

I developed the theme of an indigenous people who were creative and inventive in their own right. They understood herbcraft and lacked nothing for a full, healthy life.

The hero in Libertas is not a warrior but a thinker. He is appalled at the horror that Rome brings to his hometown.

Living in the same community as my protagonist, separated by centuries in which nothing much happened between Caesar and Franco, enabled me to add colour and feeling to my imagined community of bakers, brewers and cheesemakers.

Happily I can refer to a comment by the Historical Novel Society’s reviewer: “Forrest makes us care about Munda. He captures the tragedy of a people dragged into the horror of a vicious war brought about by circumstances over which they had no control and could hardly understand.”

Such a contrast to my teacher’s comment on my Macbeth essay. But let’s face it, his comment was where inspiration began for me.

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.

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).