Ahead of the publication of The Restless Wave, the fourth book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure Series, author David Clensy takes a closer look at why Operation Pedestal was such a critical moment in the Second World War.
By the summer of 1942, Malta was perilously close to defeat. Isolated in the centre of the Mediterranean, the island had endured almost two years of relentless siege. Axis aircraft and submarines had reduced its ports, airfields and towns to rubble, while starvation and fuel shortages threatened to bring military operations to a standstill. Yet Malta remained strategically indispensable. From its harbours and airstrips, British forces could strike at Axis supply lines to North Africa, choking Rommel’s Afrika Korps just as it prepared for a decisive push towards Egypt.
Operation Pedestal was the Allies’ last throw of the dice to save the island. Conceived as a massive convoy operation and executed at extraordinary risk, it stands as one of the Royal Navy’s most hard-fought and costly triumphs of the Second World War.
It is at the heart of The Restless Wave, the fourth book in the Romulus Hutchinson Naval Adventure series: action-packed, authentic historical adventures following twin brothers fighting with the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy during the Second World War.
Rom is now a first lieutenant, rapidly getting the chance to show his mettle on the bridge, seeing action in the Mediterranean for the Allied landings at Sicily and Salerno, as well as helping to lift the siege of Malta as part of Operation Pedestal.
In this blog, I wanted to take a closer look at why the operation was so significant.
Malta under siege
By mid-1942, Malta’s position was desperate. Previous attempts to resupply the island had suffered severe losses, with convoys harried from the air by the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica, and attacked at sea by submarines and fast torpedo boats. Fuel for aircraft and ships was critically low, forcing the RAF to limit operations at the very moment when air defence was most urgently needed. Food stocks were so reduced that rationing had reached near-starvation levels for both civilians and servicemen alike.
HMS Victorious’ flight deck showing HMS Indomitable and HMS Eagle
Despite this, the island continued to disrupt Axis operations. Intelligence from signals interception and reconnaissance imposed a heavy toll on shipping bound for North Africa. The Axis understood that neutralising Malta was essential. The Royal Navy knew that losing it could turn the Mediterranean decisively against the Allies.
Launched in August 1942, Operation Pedestal was the largest and most heavily escorted convoy yet to attempt to supply the island. Fourteen merchant ships were assembled, carrying food, ammunition and fuel. Their cargo included aviation fuel in bulk and, most critically, the oil tanker SS Ohio, the survival of which would prove vital to keeping the island in Allied hands.
The escort was formidable. Under the command of Admiral Sir Neville Syfret, the Royal Navy committed two battleships, four aircraft carriers, seven cruisers and more than thirty destroyers. It was an extraordinary concentration of naval power, reflecting the strategic stakes involved. Even so, planners knew losses would be heavy. The convoy had to pass through the narrow Sicilian Channel, within range of Axis airfields, submarines and surface craft.
Running the gauntlet
The convoy sailed from Gibraltar on 10 August 1942. Almost immediately, it came under attack. Axis aircraft struck repeatedly, launching coordinated bombing and torpedo attacks designed to overwhelm the escorts. U-boats and Italian submarines waited ahead, while fast torpedo boats prepared night assaults.
The Royal Navy’s carriers played a crucial early role, providing fighter cover that blunted the worst of the air attacks in the opening days. However, as the convoy pressed eastwards, the carriers were forced to turn back in accordance with operational limits, leaving the merchant ships increasingly exposed.
SS Ohio arrives at Malta
Losses mounted. The aircraft carrier HMS Eagle was sunk by submarine attack. Several cruisers and destroyers were badly damaged or sunk while defending the convoy. Merchant ships were picked off one by one, yet the escorts continued to fight tenaciously, laying smokescreens, counterattacking submarines and engaging enemy surface forces at close range.
At the centre of the drama was SS Ohio. Heavily damaged by bombing and torpedo strikes, the tanker was left barely afloat. Her engine failed, her deck was shattered, and she was down by the bows. Yet abandoning her was not an option. Without her fuel, Malta’s air defences and naval forces would grind to a halt.
In one of the most remarkable episodes of the naval war, Royal Navy destroyers and minesweepers refused to give up. Ohio was lashed between escorting ships and painstakingly shepherded towards Malta, under constant threat of further attack. When she finally entered Grand Harbour on 15 August, broken-backed but still afloat, she was greeted by cheering crowds. It was also the Feast of the Assumption, later commemorated on the island as the day Malta was saved.
A landmark moment
Of the fourteen merchant ships that set out, only five reached Malta. The Royal Navy suffered grievous losses: a carrier, two cruisers, a destroyer and numerous aircraft. By any conventional measure, it was a costly operation.
Yet strategically, Operation Pedestal was a success. The supplies that arrived, especially the fuel carried by Ohio, enabled Malta to survive the siege. Within weeks, the island’s air and naval forces were back in action, once again savaging Axis supply lines to North Africa. This pressure played a significant role in undermining Rommel’s offensive and set the conditions for the Allied victory at El Alamein later that year.
For Malta, the convoy became a defining moment, later recognised through the award of the George Cross to the island as a whole. For the Royal Navy, Pedestal remains one of its most hard-fought convoy battles, a stark reminder that maritime logistics, often overlooked, can determine the outcome of entire campaigns.
The Restless Wave is available to pre-order now.
Stay up to date with David’s news and latest releases here.
Image credits: Operation Pedestal Carriers and SS Ohio are from Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
From action-packed naval thrillers and gripping stories of military heroism to captivating travel memoirs, there’s something exciting here for everyone. Scroll down to discover this month’s titles from your favourite Sapere authors.
April’s Fiction Releases
Tenacious by Jonathan Eyers is the first book in the Newt Beresford Naval Adventures series: Age of Sail historical adventures set in the 18th century. When Newt Beresford joins the frigate HMS Tenacious, he soon finds himself increasingly isolated on a ship full of whispered secrets, coded names, mysterious symbols and threatening messages.
A Miracle of Deliverance: A Dunkirk Short Story Anthology is a collection of linked short stories that commemorate the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. From a British soldier reflecting on the chaos of war, to a naval lieutenant doing his best to save the army from complete disaster, each of these stories reveals the heroic actions and deeply moving stories of the men and women who took part in this remarkable evacuation.
The Blooding of Jack Absolute by C. C. Humphreys is the first book in the Jack Absolute Military Adventure series: page-turning historical thrillers set in the 18th century. Can young Jack endure bloody battles in a wild landscape?
The Cold Light of Day by Stephen Taylor is the second book in the Augustus Swift Investigations series: chilling historical mysteries set in 18th-century London. Can Augustus Swift track down the ‘Beast of London’ before there are any more deaths?
Border Winds by Eric Helm is the second book in the Global War Military Thriller series. The world war has reached America’s backyard in this alternative-history military adventure set in the 20th century.
A Trace of Memory by Elizabeth Bailey is a quirky historical romance set in Georgian England with an intriguing twist. How can Elaine trust her heart if she can’t remember who she is?
Speculator by Neil Denby is the sixth book in the Quintus Roman Thrillers series. Centurion Julius Quintus Quirinius and his comrades are pushed to their limits in this action-packed military adventure set in Ancient Rome.
April’s Fiction Backlist Releases
We are pleased to announce that Flotilla Attack and Operation Chariot by Charles Whiting writing as Duncan Harding are now available from Amazon. Don’t miss these page-turning historical naval adventures set during the Second World War.
April’s Audio Releases
Lose yourself in a great audiobook this month!
Can an enterprising thief unmask a murderer? Find out in Murder at Greenwich Palace by Adele Jordan.
Discover a thrilling police procedural with an unexpected twist in Lying and Dying by Graham Brack.
The war is intensifying for the Secret Sirens in The Night Angels by D. R. Bailey.
A young centurion is sent on a suicide mission in Fortress of Steel by Jeff Jones.
April’s Non-Fiction Releases
Bomber Barons by Chaz Bowyer is a powerful and compelling history of Bomber Command and the extraordinary men who risked everything in the skies over Nazi Germany.
Pommie Migrant by Sydney Hart is a vivid and entertaining memoir of a “Ten Pound Pom” who left post-war Britain to begin a new life in Australia, capturing both the highs and lows of the migrant experience.
Andalucia by Nicholas Luard offers a vivid portrait of the region’s landscapes, traditions, and tumultuous past — a must-read for everyone who loves travel, history, and Spain.
British Liberation Army: 1944–1945 by Charles Whiting is a gripping account of the British Infantry’s final push to liberate Europe from Nazi control in the last year of the Second World War, 1944–1945.
Happy Reading! Team Sapere
Vibrant Voices. Sensational Stories. Beautiful Books.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed the eighth book in D. R. Bailey’s Spitfire Mavericks Thrillers series: action-packed aviation adventures set during the Second World War and featuring a team of vigilante pilots.
Additionally, we have signed the fourth book in the Secret Sirens Aviation Thrillers series: heart-pounding World War Two escapades with strong female leads.
In D. R. Bailey’s words:
“I’m very happy to be able to continue the journey of the Mavericks and the Sirens. I am grateful for the support and continuous care that Sapere Books has offered me as an author. Through Sapere, my fiction has had a chance to reach a wider audience, which is something every author desires.
“The eighth Spitfire Mavericks book will focus on the squadron’s role as part of D-Day and beyond, protecting the skies over Britain as Hitler unleashes his latest weapon on an unsuspecting populace. The fourth Secret Sirens novel will continue their adventures with dangerous stealth missions. Meanwhile, the banter, humour and general mayhem surrounding the respective characters will, of course, carry on unabated.”
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!”
Congratulations to Linda Stratmann, whose absorbing Victorian mystery, Sherlock Holmes and the Power Principle, is out now!
Sherlock Holmes and the Power Principle is the ninth book in the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series.
1878
Sherlock Holmes and his good friend Mr Stamford are close to completing their education at London’s St Bartholomew’s Medical College, and Holmes is keen to begin a serious career as a detective.
So when a solicitor contacts him about a new case, he quickly accepts.
Mr Ineson is concerned for his client, the widow Mrs Beauregard, who is considering investing most of her considerable assets in a new company called Baumann Motors Ltd.
In an age of industry, machines are rapidly transforming the Victorian world, and fortunes can be made – or lost – by speculating on the latest enterprise.
The Baumann motor promises to change the world transport, make manufactured goods cheaper and allow trains to run without the need for coal.
But it has not been tested, and Ineson is worried that Mrs Beauregard has fallen for the charm of its inventor.
Holmes and Stamford attend a demonstration under the pretence of being interested in investing to try and discover if the motor is as miraculous as it sounds. But soon they are involved in an even deadlier mystery…
With Holmes’ reputation as a highly intelligent and intuitive detective at stake, can he discover the truth about the highly secretive company? Or will this case prove too challenging for even the most astute of men?
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…?
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 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:
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 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 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…?
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.”
Congratulations to Elizabeth Bailey, whose page-turning Gothic mystery, Nell, is out now!
Nell is the second book in the Governess Trilogy: heart-warming Regency romance novels with strong female leads.
1795, England
Nell Faraday has grown up at the Paddington Charitable Seminary for Indigent Young Ladies and now, like her two best friends Prudence and Kitty, she is ready to take up a position as a governess.
A star pupil, Nell prides herself on her common-sense and practicality. But when she arrives at Castle Jarrow, the imposing abode is enough to test even the steadiest of nerves, and the brooding man in charge of it is enough to test the firmest of hearts…
Lord Jarrow is a widower with a young daughter, Hetty, who Nell is to be in charge of, but it is soon clear that Nell’s job will not be an easy one.
Dark secrets lurk within the walls of the castle, secrets that could threaten the safety of its inhabitants.
Will Nell’s steadfastness keep her from fleeing? Can she earn the trust of Lord Jarrow?
And can she help free the castle from its curse…?
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.”
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.
A 3,000-year-old skeleton. Photo: David Nash
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.
Artist Doug Hamon’s impression of the Roman fort.
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.
Alderney’s Roman fort today. Photo: Alan Perks
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 Tony Rea, whose thrilling fighter pilot adventure, Bouncer’s Blenheim, is published today!
Bouncer’s Blenheim is the second book in the Gus Beaumont Aviation Thrillers series: action-packed military novels set during the Second World War.
Europe, 1940
After surviving the Battle of Britain, fighter pilot Gus ‘Bouncer’ Beaumont has been promoted to Flying Officer and is posted to a Spitfire reconnaissance squadron.
That is, until Wing Commander Peacock creates another mission for him.
A new top-secret unit called the Special Operations Executive has been formed to gather intelligence on the enemy. And Gus is ordered infiltrate the Greek Resistance and establish their political affiliation.
Mussolini’s army have occupied Greece but the locals have been fighting back. The actions of the civilians seem promising and British Intelligence want to know where the Greeks’ allegiance lies.
To have a chance of success, Gus needs to ditch his plane into the sea and get picked up by the Resistance fighters.
But that is easier said than done … if you want to survive the crash.
Will Gus make it to Corfu in one piece? Can he persuade the Resistance fighters to confide in him?
And can he successfully evade the Italian army…?
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.
We are delighted to announce that we have signed a new series of historical naval adventures by Daniel Donato.
In Daniel’s words:
“The series follows English privateer Gideon Locke during Queen Anne’s War, which engulfed the colonies from Newfoundland all the way down to the Caribbean. With the Royal Navy tied up back home, it largely fell to privateers to protect the colonies.
“The story begins in 1707 with Gideon newly returned from a disastrous privateering venture, leaving him destitute and shunned by his fellow privateers. His fortunes change, however, when a charismatic captain recruits Gideon on his next venture. But by the time Gideon realizes that change in fortune was for the worse, it’s too late, and he finds himself caught up in a plot to kidnap the son of a prominent English Governor and deliver him to the French.
“As the series progresses, we’ll see Gideon fight to redeem himself, earn a reputation and climb in rank until he’s ultimately in command of his own vessel.
“I was very fortunate to meet Amy Durant at the Historical Novel Society Conference in Texas last year, and even more fortunate that she was interested in this series. It’s a dream come true to be working with a publisher like Sapere Books who understand that there’s quite a hunger out there for historical action and adventure.”
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed a new series of Ancient Rome novels by Alistair Tosh.
Alistair is the author of the Edge of Empire series — gripping adventures set in the tumultuous Roman Britain of the second century AD.
In Alistair’s words:
“My new series takes place during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC) between Carthage and the Roman republic in the important theatre of Iberia (Spain/Portugal). It focuses on the lives of two historic figures: Hasdrubal Barca (Carthage) the younger brother of the legendary Hannibal and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio (Rome), uncle of the famous Scipio Africanus. The novels will follow the ebb and flow of their lives and fortunes as their armies struggle for dominance of the land and its warring tribes.
“I discovered the stories of Hasdrubal and Gnaeus quite by accident. Last year I spent several months in Andalusia, Spain and was seeking a subject for a magazine article to aid with the marketing of my most recent trilogy. I thought of writing something about Rome’s impact on the province and during my research stumbled across their story. There’s a lot to tell.
“I am delighted to be working with Sapere Books. It was clear from the start that Sapere not only treat their authors fairly but understand the commercial fiction market, has scale, industry expertise and a strong focus on digital marketing.”
Congratulations to Daniel Colter, whose page-turning Crusader adventure, Blood of Lions, is published today!
Blood of Lions is the third book in the Knights Templar Thriller series.
Jerusalem, 1186
Baldwin V, the Boy King of Jerusalem, is dead and the nobles of the Crusader States scheme to fill his empty throne.
Alliances are fraying and in the midst of the politicking, the Templars, and their brother order, the Hospitallers, suffer a humiliating defeat at Cresson Springs, weakening both Orders.
All the while, in Damascus, the Sultan Saladin scents blood on the air and prepares to make good on his vows to reclaim the Holy City.
Templar knight Finn of Struan has been tasked with venturing across The Black, the no-man’s land between Christian and Muslim territories, to find Saladin’s war machine and assess its threat.
The balance of power in the Holy Lands is tipping. Two forces are converging on the Horns of Hattin, where the fate of a kingdom will be decided.
Finn must wade into a bloody fight and commit pitiless deeds, while relying on the loyalty of his brothers…
Will Finn emerge victorious? Can the Brotherhood prevail?
Or will Saladin finally fulfil his deadly promise?
We are thrilled to announce that we have signed the fourth instalment of the Knights Templar Thriller series by Daniel Colter.
Book 1 in the Knights Templar Thriller series
The series follows the military adventures of Finn of Struan, a young knight, as he fights in the wars in the Holy Land.
In Daniel’s words:
“The first three novels in the Templar Thriller series spun out of a lifelong fascination with the Crusades. The next instalment will be set on the heels of the Battle of Hattin, in July 1187, and at the onset of the Third Crusade. These years were a clash of cultures, a settling of old grudges, and paint an especially vicious backdrop — desperate battles, scheming nobles, warring religions.
“Field of Bones, the upcoming fourth novel, finds Finn of Struan and his brothers at the siege of Tyre, a desperate fight to defend the Kingdom of Jerusalem’s last stronghold. The fifth and sixth novels weave them into the kingdom’s death spiral and the legendary duels between the Sultan Saladin and Richard the Lionheart, the warrior king of England. Finn whispers in my head the Templar story is not done, not yet, and urges me to forge on with new tales!
“I am proud to be part of the Sapere Books family. Working with Amy, Matilda, Natalie, and Caoimhe has been a pleasure, their support invaluable. Fellowship with Sapere’s cadre of authors, each skilled beyond measure, has been a rare privilege. I look forward to more of the same!”
Congratulations to David Field, whose enthralling naval adventure, Westward To Freedom, is out now!
Westward To Freedom is the third Tudor/Renaissance novel in The New World Nautical Saga Series – historical novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.
1607
The English Separatists seek only the right to be allowed to worship in their own way in their humble North Nottinghamshire village, but their beliefs are anathema to King James.
When they are given cause to believe that their clandestine meetings have come to the notice of the authorities they move to Gainsborough with a view to taking ship to the Low Countries.
After being betrayed three times they eventually make it to the comparative safety of Holland, but even there they are in danger of persecution.
So in one final throw of the dice they sign up to be members of a ‘settler’ community financed by merchant adventurers.
But to start their new life they must survive the perilous crossing on The Mayflower.
And the wilderness waiting for them on the other side is not quite what they had hoped for.
Will they succumb to the elements, disease or starvation?
Or will fortune shine on this assembly of pilgrims and finally allow them a sanctuary of their own creation?
Congratulations to Jane Cable, whose captivating time-shift romance, The Lost Heir, is published today!
The Lost Heir is the second book in the Cornish Echoes Dual Timeline Mystery series.
Cornwall, 2020
Teacher Carla Burgess is using her time in solitude to revaluate her life. She loves living on the beautiful Cornish coast, but she no longer enjoys her job, and it’s certainly time to kick her on-off boyfriend, Kitto, into touch.
With lockdowns forcing her to spend most of her days indoors at her parents’ family farm, she joins her father in researching their family history, and she discovers the first Burgess to farm Koll Hendra was actually a smuggler. And when Carla finds a locked Georgian tea caddy in the barn, the secrets of the past start to encroach on the present…
Cornwall, 1810
Harriet Lemon’s position as companion to Lady Frances Basset has been the ideal cover for their clandestine romantic relationship. But when Frances is raped and falls pregnant, their perfect happiness is shattered. The lovers are desperate to remain together, but they will need to conceal Frances’s baby.
They hope to hide the pregnancy and place the baby with adoptive family, but the only person who may be able to help them is Frances’s childhood friend, William Burgess, a notorious smuggler. William has secrets of his own he needs to protect. Will he be willing to risk his own neck for the sake of the two lovers?
Congratulations to Laura Martin, whose absorbing Regency mystery, Last Impressions, is out now!
1796, Hampshire, England
After having her heart broken by the man she thought she was going to marry, Jane Austen is in desperate need of a distraction. So her sister, Cassandra, accepts every social invitation going, and one of them is to stay with a family friend at Melmont Hall.
Mrs Paulson welcomes them to her home and introduces them to the other guests who have arrived for a dinner party. But when they sit down to eat, Mr Paulson is nowhere to be found.
After discovering his study is locked, the guests break in and find a shocking scene. Mr Paulson is dead – and not of natural causes. Someone has stabbed him.
Jane has already helped solve one murder mystery and she is determined to put her skills to use to help her hostess get justice for her husband.
Everyone at the dinner party must be questioned as a suspect, as well as the servants at Melmont Hall.
But what had Mr Paulson done to provoke such anger? Why would someone want to kill him? Can Jane Austen use her quick wit to unmask the killer?
Congratulations to Natalie Kleinman, whose captivating Regency romance, Some Day My Prince Will Come, is published today!
England, 1819
Having suffered at the hands of an unscrupulous suitor during her first season in London, twenty-one-year-old Rebecca Ware has vowed to leave her ordeal in the past and is now embarking on her second season.
Though she is wary of opening her heart, Rebecca soon finds herself drawn to Comte Hugo du Berge, a handsome French nobleman who has recently arrived in London.
As the season progresses and Rebecca and Hugo find themselves thrown into closer proximity, their warm and easy friendship deepens.
However, with a long-buried family mystery to unravel, it seems that Hugo is not in a position to settle down. And when he prepares to return to France in search of answers, Rebecca begins to worry that she has lost her heart to a man she may never see again…
Congratulations to Adele Jordan, whose gripping espionage adventure, The Lost Highlander, is out now!
The Lost Highlander is the fourth book in the Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries Series.
1586, London
Covert espionage agent, Kit Scarlett, is once again tasked with defending Queen Elizabeth against an assassination attempt.
With the attacks on the queen’s life mounting, Kit and spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham know they need to find a firm link between these deadly plots and Mary Queen of Scots.
But Kit is also keen to investigate a more personal matter. Her espionage partner, Iohmar Blackwood, did not return from his last mission set by Walsingham and has not been seen for a year.
When Kit is given a task by Queen Elizabeth to deliver a letter to Mary Queen of Scots, a letter not to be read by officials or any political figure, she takes advantage of the opportunity search for Iomhar and find out what happened to him.
But she soon finds herself trailed by Mary Stuart’s supporters and her journey becomes fraught with danger.
Can Kit complete her mission? Will she find out what happened to Iohmar?
Or will she become a victim in the fight to overthrow the queen of England…?
Congratulations to Linda Stratmann, whose eerie historical mystery, Sherlock Holmes and the Persian Slipper, is published today!
Sherlock Holmes and the Persian Slipper is the fourth Victorian crime thriller in the Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series.
London, 1877
When medical student Mr Stamford is visited by his cousin, Lily, he is disturbed by the sinister tale she relates.
Lily’s friend, Una, has recently inherited an old country house and settled down to married life in Coldwell, a small Essex village. However, Una’s letters to Lily indicate that she is alarmed by her new husband’s secretive behaviour — especially when she discovers a gun in his drawer, tucked inside a Persian slipper. Fearing for her friend’s safety, Lily asks Stamford to pay Una a visit.
To his dismay, Stamford arrives in Coldwell to find that Una’s husband, John Clark, has been found dead, lying in bed with a gunshot wound in his chest. Close examination reveals that the bullet was fired from Clark’s own gun, through the toe of the slipper.
Stamford loses no time in alerting his acquaintance, Sherlock Holmes — an artful young sleuth — hoping that he can shed some light on Clark’s death.
As Holmes and Stamford begin to probe Clark’s past, it soon becomes obvious that he had plenty to hide. And when Holmes hears of further suspicious disappearances, he starts to search for the connection between the sinister mysteries…
Congratulations to Adele Jordan, whose page-turning espionage adventure, A Spy at Hampton Court, is published today!
A Spy at Hampton Court is the third book in the Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries Series.
1585, London
Queen Elizabeth is gravely ill and her spymaster, Francis Walsingham, has received intelligence that there is a plot to assassinate her.
He sends his protégé Kit Scarlett and Scottish agent Iomhar Blackwood to gather information.
To their horror, they discover there is a plot to blow up Hampton Court Palace.
With Queen Elizabeth too unwell to be moved from the palace, it is imperative the plot is foiled as quickly as possible.
A search of Hampton Court is launched, with Iomhar leading the way, while Kit is given the task of guarding the queen.
Watching her queen fighting death and suspecting she has been poisoned, Kit soon realizes the threat could be within Hampton Court’s own walls…
Is there an enemy spy at the palace? Has gunpowder already been planted by an assassin? And is someone in Queen Elizabeth’s inner circle slowly poisoning her…?
Congratulations to J. C. Briggs, whose thrilling Dickensian adventure, The Jaggard Case, is published today!
The Jaggard Case is the tenth urban mystery in J. C. Briggs’ literary historical series, the Charles Dickens investigations, a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London.
London, 1851
With Superintendent Sam Jones away in Southampton on the trail of missing murderer Martin Jaggard, his wife, Elizabeth, enlists the help of Charles Dickens when her beloved servant, Posy, goes missing.
Meanwhile, Jones apprehends Jaggard’s mistress, Cora Davies, who is in possession of stolen jewels belonging to Jaggard’s murder victim, Sir William Pell.
But Jones is no closer to finding the man himself, so he returns to London where he believes Jaggard may be hiding.
Dickens and Jones discover that their separate cases both have links to Clerkenwell – a notorious haunt for criminals and forgers.
And when they suspect they are being followed, they realise Jaggard may be onto them.
Was Jaggard behind Posy’s abduction? Is the servant girl still alive?
Or will more victims be found dead in the mysterious Jaggard Case…?
Congratulations to Phillipa Vincent-Connolly, whose fabulous Tudor adventure, The Anne Boleyn Cypher, is out now!
The Anne Boleyn Cypher is the first book in the Timeless Falcon Dual Timeline series, a timeslip alternative history novel with a time-travelling protagonist set between the modern day and the Tudor period.
When twenty-year-old history student, Beth Wickers starts her second year of university, she has no idea that her whole world is about to be turned upside down.
Beth’s favourite lecturer gives Beth a box of books on Tudor history to borrow, and nestled among them is an ornate cypher ring with the letters ‘AB’ inscribed onto it.
When Beth tries the ring on, the unimaginable happens.
It carries her back through time to Hever Castle in 1521. And she is no longer in her professor’s office, but in the bedroom of none other than Lady Anne Boleyn.
Beth quickly becomes enchanted by Tudor England and is captivated by Anne. But she knows she can’t leave her loved ones behind forever.
Tormented by the knowledge of what will happen to Anne in the future, can Beth stop herself from intervening and rewriting history? Can she use the cypher ring to return home?
Or will Tudor life be too hard to leave behind…?
Congratulations to Keith Moray, whose gripping historical thriller, Death of a Poet, is published today!
Death of a Poet is the first book in the Ancient Egypt Mystery series.
275 BC, Alexandria
Hanufer of Crocodilopolis, newly appointed Overseer of the Police in Alexandria, is keen to prove himself worthy to both the citizens of the city and to the Pharaoh, Ptolemy Philadelphus.
When an altar is desecrated with a poem intended to insult the Pharaoh and his wife, Queen Arsinoe, Hanufer and his trusted sergeant Sabu are tasked with discovering who committed the outrage.
As the poet himself, Sotades the Obscene, was recently executed, Hanufer sets about finding out who else is familiar with his poetry.
Before long another poet is found murdered – a poem by Sotades left near the corpse as a macabre calling card.
With a growing number of murders to be investigated, Hanufer must make his mark and solve the mysteries.
But just where — and how high up — will the clues lead him?
Did Sotades really drown? Is there a serial killer on the loose in Alexandria?
And can Hanufer appease both the Pharoah and the gods?
Congratulations to Coirle Mooney, whose page-turning Medieval drama, My Lady’s Shadow, is published today!
1198, France
Lady Maria of Turenne has long been engaged in a flirtation with Count Hugh La Marche. It is a match which her father has strongly encouraged. However, Maria is her own woman and she is determined to choose for herself. Maria is unaware that her clever, scheming maid, Maryse, is secretly in love with the count.
Soon after, the young troubadour, Gui d’Ussel, arrives at the castle and Maria is instantly captivated by him. He shares her distaste of convention and her love of the arts and they soon become inseparable. Meanwhile, Maryse develops a strong dislike for Gui and her resentment for Maria grows.
Angered by her treatment of the Count of La Marche, Maria’s father has arranged a new wedding match. This time, Maria will not be allowed to decline.
Forced into marrying a wealthy viscount against her will, Maria and Gui are torn apart from each other. However, Maria is determined to find a way to use the power she has gained through marriage to raise Gui in society.
Will Maria and Gui find a way to be together? Can Maria escape her marriage?
Or will they be fated to remain apart?
Congratulations to Amy Licence, whose stunning Tudor saga, Dangerous Lady, is published today!
1528
At seventeen, Thomasin Marwood is plunged into court society when a husband is found for her elder sister, Cecilia.
But the mood at court is tense. It is split between the conservative Catholics, loyal to Queen Catherine of Aragon, and the fashionable Francophiles, enthralled by King Henry’s mistress, Anne Boleyn.
While her parents sympathise with the old queen and her faith, Thomasin can not help but be drawn to the glamour and vitality Anne represents.
And her head is soon turned by the tall, dark and handsome Rafe Danvers who seems equally entranced with her.
But as a ward of Anne’s father, Sir Thomas Boleyn, Rafe represents the “other” side, of which Thomasin’s parents are unlikely to approve. And they have already lined up their own candidate for Thomasin’s hand, Sir Giles Waterson, who comes from wealth and good standing.
Thomasin finds herself torn between duty and the desire Rafe has aroused in her. But when she is drawn into a dark plot concerning Queen Catherine, she realises the court is far more dangerous than it appears…
Which path, and with whom, will she choose?
Congratulations to David Field, whose dramatic medieval thriller, An Uncivil War, is published today!
England, 1120
When Henry I dies with no legitimate male heir, the nation is thrown into chaos.
The two rivals for the crown are Henry’s daughter Matilda and his nephew Stephen of Blois, both of whom are determined to emerge victorious.
A bitter struggle ensues which threatens to reduce England to a barren wasteland and many ordinary people find themselves torn apart from each other in the confusion of deciding which side to fight for.
One of those caught up in the fray is young soldier Richard Walsingham who is fighting alongside Stephen. But his sister Elinor is employed as a companion to Matilda.
As the family members come to terms with being on opposite sides of a treacherous dynastic conflict a new contender for the throne enters the picture…
Which of the rivals will emerge triumphant? Can the nation be pieced back together again?
Or will more than lives be lost in this uncivil war…?
Congratulations to Ros Rendle, whose breath-taking dual timeline saga, The Divided Heart, is published today!
England, 1975
Having recently suffered heartbreak, twenty-five-year-old Heather Rawlins is ready to give up on love. Her confidence in tatters, she seeks solace in her new job at The Beeches Care Home for the Elderly.
When Heather meets Izzy Strong, the home’s newest resident, she is surprised to find that they have an instant connection. And as they grow closer and Izzy begins to reveal her shocking past, Heather starts to question her own life choices…
Germany, 1927
With the Great War now a distant memory, Izzy is thrilled to be continuing her education in the beautiful city of Berlin. And when she meets the kind and handsome Garrit Shain, it seems that her happiness is complete.
But with the rise of the brutal Nazi party, ripples of unrest are once again spreading throughout Europe. And when war breaks out, the era of fragile peace comes to an end.
As a Jewish man, Garrit soon begins to fear for his life. Emboldened by her love for him, Izzy is determined to find a way to help Garrit and his family escape the horrors sweeping through Germany…
Click here to order The Divided Heart
Congratulations to Coirle Mooney, whose enchanting Medieval romance, The Lady’s Keeper, is out now!
At Eleanor of Aquitaine’s palace in Poitiers, fourteen-year-old Lady Joanna of Agen is coming of age. Her aunt and guardian, Alice, rescued Joanna from her brutal father by bringing her to court. But now Alice fears Joanna could once again be at risk from the men around her.
When Queen Eleanor’s son, Henry, arrives at court, Joanna quickly catches his eye. But Alice overhears the lewd conversations of the male courtiers and worries that Joanna’s honour is at stake.
And as the relationship between Queen Eleanor and King Henry II of England becomes fractious, a dark mood settles over court.
Drawn into a world of intrigue, danger and adventure, Alice must fight to keep her and Joanna safe…
