-
The Triptych
Though fiction, The Triptych is firmly based on incidents in the lives of three ordinary men from the Hall family. Spanning nearly a century, this vivid narrative interweaves the fates of three generations caught in the tumult of three key historical events: the 1855 Siege of Sebastopol during the Crimean War; the Expedition to rescue General Gordon in 1884–85; and the fierce Dodecanese Campaign of 1943.
While these stories form the triptych of the title, they are linked via the fate of a second triptych: an imaginary object bequeathed to James Hall by a dying Russian soldier. This passes repeatedly between the Halls and an Italian family, the Lassaros.
These stories bring to life the struggles of those who had no hand in the politics that sent them to battle yet bore the brunt of its consequences. From the brutal battlefields to the quiet courage that followed, their journeys highlight the personal costs of conflicts initiated by distant politicians.
Narrated by a fourth-generation Hall in the twenty-first century, himself a former soldier, The Triptych offers a window into a family’s legacy across a period marked by both volatility and violence. This novel is a tribute to the often unheralded resilience of ordinary people in times of conflict. Their lives paint a vivid triptych of quiet courage, endurance and the survival of the human spirit.£7.99 -
Danube Legion
The Roman war machine is on the move
But behind the Centurions and Legionaries, a vast support network grinds into motion mobilising a new legion towards a hostile river border, its human cogs turning across Roman society: from downtrodden bath slaves, to legionary blacksmiths trying to get through the day, from unscrupulous traders who supply food and materials to corrupt politicians with their own cynical motives.
Danube Legion is the darkly amusing story of what happens behind the scenes – the chaotic, the venal, the incompetent and the corrupt. In amongst it all, and driving most of it, is Lady Lassalia, a ruthless merchant out to ensure her place in Roman society.£15.99 -
A Peal of Socialism
In the shadow of a looming world war, A Peal of Socialism unfolds in the bustling streets of 1930s London, a city at the heart of an empire on the brink of upheaval. This compelling historical fiction novel weaves the intricate lives of five young souls, each drawn to the capital by dreams of change and the rumblings of a new social order.
As the spectre of conflict draws closer, these individuals – bound by their convictions and entangled in a web of love, loyalty, and betrayal – find themselves questioning the very essence of the war that encroaches upon their lives. Amidst the clamour for republicanism, the fervent debates of socialism, and the harsh realities of trade unionism, they are thrust into a world where their principles are tested against the backdrop of personal tragedy and collective hope.
Brigid, a spirited young woman from west Cork, arrives in London with a heart full of aspirations and a resolve as steadfast as the land she leaves behind. Her journey intertwines with Billy, a dreamer caught between the echoes of his past and the tumultuous path that lies ahead. Together with their companions, they navigate the complexities of love, the pain of betrayal, and the relentless pursuit of their ideals.
£10.99 -
Kindling Ashes
Spanning fifty pivotal years of the Northern Ireland Troubles, this novel weaves personal histories with national events—from the 1969 torching of Bombay Street to the 2019 commemoration of that fateful day. Through an intimate lens, the Dunmurry Train bombing, Omagh attack, and other harrowing milestones unfold.
As the final instalment in a trilogy of poetry and prose about the Troubles, this work captures their tragic yet humorous essence with wider scope and more conclusive understanding. Sombre yet insightful, the novel traces one family’s journey through the violence as they try to make sense of Northern Ireland’s bloody history. From the uneasy beginnings in 1969 to the reflective memorials decades later, their story confronts the past while moving uncertainly toward peace.
£9.99 -
The Provincial Election
Dubheasa O’Driscoll, known to her friends as Izzy, never imagined she would find herself in the race for Kingship. But when the High King of Ireland passes away unexpectedly, Izzy, a reluctant and unseasoned aristocrat, is thrust into the spotlight to uphold her family’s legacy and vie for the role of Provincial King.
As Izzy steps into this daunting arena, public scrutiny intensifies, and jealous rivals begin to unearth unsettling secrets about her family’s history. These revelations shake Izzy to her core, leaving her to grapple with doubts about her lineage. Is there truth to her competitors’ allegations, or do the dark deeds of her ancestors cast an unjust shadow over her?
Embarking on a journey fraught with challenges, Izzy must withstand the glare of the public eye, the rigors of the competition, and the weight of her newfound responsibilities. The Provincial Election chronicles her struggle to find her footing in a world where the line between friend and foe is blurred, and the burden of the past looms large.
£9.99 -
Luthuli Detachment – The Hwange Thunderbolt
After intense military training abroad, Umkhonto we Sizwe freedom fighters are determined to return home to South Africa as armed combatants alongside the masses struggling for liberation. Their planned route back necessitates crossing through Rhodesia. So they share their intentions with fellow comrades from the ZPRA forces also battling Rhodesia’s regime.
This dialogue gives rise to a joint military alliance when ZAPU and ANC leadership approve the strategy. Thus, the Luthuli Detachment is born – a combined battalion from ZPRA and Umkhonto we Sizwe named in honour of the late ANC President General Albert Luthuli. On the eve of departing to reach South Africa, these joint forces cross into Rhodesia, though not without casualties.
After successfully navigating the treacherous Zambezi river into Rhodesian land, an explosive encounter in Hwange Game Reserve turns it into the chilling rendezvous point where the Luthuli Detachment’s destiny collides with history’s call to duty. Will they accomplish their mission of participating alongside South African masses hungering for emancipation?
£16.99 -
The Lost Keys
On the island of Singapore, Zacharia Pattara shares his lavish home in the suburbs with his five lively daughters and his beloved wife Anthoula. One fateful night in 1942 whilst they slept, the bombs of an invading Japanese Army signal the beginning of an uncertain future. With the clock ticking and the threat of advancing soldiers he does all he can to keep his family safe.
Forced to separate, Anthoula and three girls evacuate the crumbling city whilst his youngest daughters take refuge in the convent. Soon Singapore falls under ruthless Japanese rule and along with thousands of citizens, Zacharia is taken as a Prisoner of War and held in appalling conditions.
Haunted by regret and with limited food rations he gradually starves, awaiting news of his loved ones. With no end to the war in sight and with nothing but time, he has many questions. Did his wife escape unharmed from the island? Are his daughters safe in the convent? Will they ever be reunited, and can he survive the cruelty of his captors to see that day?
This heartfelt family saga full of twists and turns shows that during the darkest of times, the strength of the human spirit can overcome the worst hardships. The Pattara family were among thousands who lost so much to the Japanese occupation during World War II. Based on real events, this is a story of survival and bravery when all hope seems impossible.
£12.99 -
Winds of Change
The winds of change are blowing over Africa, and South Africa, the last bastion of white supremacy, refuses to give up its unjust policy of Apartheid in the midst of international pressure and internal conflict.
It is the late seventies and Father Christopher Wright one of the few ‘coloured priests’ in Cape Town meets a pregnant Joanna Poggenpoel, a simple coloured country girl working as housekeeper for Fr Patrick O’Shaunessy, a white priest, a missionary from Ireland. This sets off a wave of intricate events and relationships across the racial, religious and political divide bringing together whites, blacks, coloureds and every one in between as crimes unfold and forbidden liaisons are formed.
What unfolds is unimaginable and will shock you, but at the same time the characters in Winds of Change will make you laugh and cry.
£16.99 -
Looking for Wind in the Fields
Looking for Wind in the Fields unfolds an epic tale of resilience and the stark injustice of war, tracing the harrowing journey from the besieged city of Leningrad, through the unforgiving expanses of Siberia, to the serene yet foreign landscapes of Tasmania.
Amidst the backdrop of the siege of Leningrad, two young children, orphaned and vulnerable, find their fates intertwined with a valiant friend whose boundless courage and sacrifice guide them through the darkest chapters of human cruelty.
Their odyssey of survival takes them from the brutal labour camps of Siberia, across the devastated post-war Eastern Europe, and finally, as displaced refugees, to an unexpected sanctuary on the other side of the world.
This narrative is not only a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who face the unimaginable but also a profound reflection on the themes of loss, displacement, and the quest for renewal.
£14.99 -
The Stoker Trilogy, Book III - Acceptance
It is January 1940. Tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome, Charlie Stoker is loved by everyone. Seen by all as the man who has it all, he is tortured by the belief that he lives a lie, a double life. His religious upbringing and inborn sense of righteousness demand that he resolve his problem, but WWII intervenes. Charlie, Bobby, Harry Bateson, Billy Walters, and even mild Percy Spence vanish to serve their country.While Charlie completes his army training, Sally Spence gives birth to a beautiful daughter, Shirley, and Charlie becomes godfather to his own child. Then, the ‘phoney’ war explodes. The drama of Dunkirk is followed by the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. London is in chaos. The lives of all those associated with the Stokers are endangered by the constant threat of the never-ending air raids. With all the men absent, their families spend their nights in Anderson shelters or hiding behind black-out curtains. Somehow, stirred by Winston Churchill’s passionate speeches, they keep up their spirits and find a way for most to survive.Charlie becomes a commando officer, who endures some of the fiercest battles of the war in Europe. He is saved from near death by the French Resistance; then, later, he leads his men through the entire Italian Campaign. His experiences there teach him to see his problems in a different light. Is there, at last, a path to acceptance?
£12.99 -
Who the Hell is Phyllis!
Vivienne’s diary delves deep into the societal intricacies of the early 1900s, where the newly minted Royal Australian Navy drew its cultural moorings from the upper echelons of the Royal Navy. In 1916, a heart-wrenching tragedy shatters the façade when Vivienne, the Headmaster’s elder daughter, is believed to have taken her own life.
Left in the wake of this calamity is twelve-year-old Phyllis, who grapples with grief and abandonment. With her parents emotionally absent and physically distant, she finds solace in Tally, cadet-midshipman and Vivienne’s beau. But as war calls him to Scapa Flow in 1917, Phyllis is cast adrift.
In her quest for affection, Phyllis stumbles, her heart often leading her astray, until fate causes her to marry Tally, now a Lieutenant. Yet, what promises a safe harbour turns stormy with a loveless union and Tally’s deteriorating health. As Phyllis navigates a life marred by addiction and multiple marriages, her constant remains Ginnie, her ever-faithful Persian cat, who not only provides solace but also offers a unique narrative lens, weaving a tale of love, loss, and resilience.
£11.99 -
Josephine and The Seven Brothers
The third book in the Hadley family trilogy follows Josephine Hadley as she supports her seven brothers who have volunteered for action in World War I. Stationed across Europe, the Hadley men serve in various dangerous roles, giving readers a glimpse into life on the frontlines.
Back home in Toronto, devoted sister Josephine corresponds with her siblings regularly, sending loving care packages and attending to every detail of their needs with fierce loyalty. However, as news from the front grows grimmer, Josephine grapples with the harsh realities of war and the uncertainty over her brothers’ fates.
Spanning the bloody battlefields of Europe to the anxious waiting on the home front, this concluding novel in the series immerses readers in the lives of the courageous Hadley family during one of history’s most devastating wars. With rich historical detail and an intimate portrait of sibling bonds, Josephine and The Seven Brothers delivers a poignant story of love, duty, and sacrifice.
£9.99