The Briton and the Dane: Timeline by Mary Ann Bernal - Hardcover edition now available

 

Dr. Gwyneth Franger is a renowned expert in early medieval England who is set upon learning the truth about the death of Lord Erik, the last descendant of the powerful House of Wareham.  Her quest becomes an obsession, a condition that began with the discovery of a portrait of the tall and valiant warrior with which she forms an extraordinary and inexplicable bond.

Digesting troves of mildewed scrolls and source documentation only enhances her belief that Lord Erik was brutally assassinated by a cabal of traitors in the pay of William the Bastard, shortly before the onslaught of the Norman Invasion.

On an archeological dig in Southern England, her team unearths an Anglo-Saxon fortress, a vast citadel built during the reign of Alfred the Great, which she believes was Lord Erik’s stronghold.  In the midst of her excitement, she is awakened one night from her slumbers by a disconcerting anomaly emerging from the site.

Dr. Franger finds herself transported back to the Dark Ages and at the side of the noble Lord Erik who commands an army of elite Saxon warriors, a swift and mobile force able to deploy quickly throughout the kingdom to ward off invaders.

Witnessing the unrest firsthand, Gwyneth senses that her instincts had been right all along, and she is determined to learn the identities of the treacherous blackguards hiding in the shadows, villains who may well be posing as Lord Erik’s friends and counselors.

Will Gwyneth stop the assassins?  Is she strong enough to walk away and watch her beloved Erik die?  Or will she intervene, change the course of history and wipe out an entire timeline to save the man she loves with all her heart?

 

Gwyneth is a fabulous protagonist. She is a single-minded and strong woman, who I could not help but admire. Bernal has obviously spent a lot of time imagining how a very modern woman would react to a medieval way of life. Gwyneth reacts, as one would expect. I thought Gwyneth was wonderfully portrayed and I enjoyed reading about her.

This story is set firmly in historical fantasy, but Bernal has decided to follow the timeline of this era to give her readers a magnificent backdrop in which to place her characters. This worked incredibly well, especially when tied in with the time-travel theme. Gwyneth was not hampered by a lack of understanding with the Anglo-Saxon tongue, and the narrative was perfect for a modern reader who may find many of the historical details and customs of this era somewhat foreign.

Bernal is very good at crafting tension, and this book is full of it. Like Gwyneth, I wanted to know who was behind the plot to murder Lord Erik. The enemy always seemed to be one step ahead of them, which I think made this story compelling and it certainly kept me turning those pages. Running alongside this is the beautiful romance between Gwyneth and Erik.

This is book five in the series. I have not read the other four books, but this did not hinder my enjoyment one bit. The Briton and the Dane: Timeline stands firmly on its own feet.

The ending was fabulous and as wildly romantic as the rest of the story.

If you are looking for a romantic historical fantasy, where anything is possible, then this is the book for you.

I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.

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Spotlight on Tony Riches, author of ESSEX - Tudor Rebel (Book Two of the Elizabethan Series)

 

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, is one of the most intriguing men of the Elizabethan period. Tall and handsome, he soon becomes a ‘favourite’ at court, so close to the queen many wonder if they are lovers.

The truth is far more complex, as each has what the other yearns for. Robert Devereux longs for recognition, wealth and influence. His flamboyant naïveté amuses the ageing Queen Elizabeth, like the son she never had, and his vitality makes her feel young.

Robert Devereux’s remarkable true story continues the epic tale of the rise of the Tudors, which began with the best-selling Tudor trilogy and concludes with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

 

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Tony Riches
Fun Facts
(Stuff you may or may not already know!)

 I grew up in the Ngong Hills of southern Kenya and used to ride a zebra.

My nickname at school was ‘The Milkybar Kid’ because I was a blond, spectacle-wearing boy, and the other boys would never tire of shouting his catchphrase, “The Milky Bars are on me!”)

I flew in a Hercules heavy transport plane which suffered a bird strike and had to make an emergency landing when the engine failed.

 Hercules C130 (Wikimedia)

My wife and I were sailing in the Bristol Channel in August 2004 and survived the Boscastle storm, with twenty-five-foot waves crashing over our yacht. (The storm destroyed the lower town and most boats in the harbour.)

I was shortlisted for the first Amazon Storyteller Award, and presented with a large bottle of Champagne – which remains unopened to this day!

Amazon Awards

Tony Riches

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling Tudor historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the history of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the early Tudors. Tony’s other published historical fiction novels include: Owen – Book One Of The Tudor Trilogy, Jasper – Book Two Of The Tudor Trilogy, Henry – Book Three Of The Tudor Trilogy, Mary – Tudor Princess, Brandon – Tudor Knight and The Secret Diary Of Eleanor Cobham.

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Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Sterling Directive by Tim Standish

 

It is 1896. In an alternative history where Babbage’s difference engines have become commonplace, Captain Charles Maddox, wrongly convicted of a murder and newly arrested for treason, is rescued from execution by a covert agency called the Map Room. 

Maddox is given the choice of taking his chances with the authorities or joining the Map Room as an agent and helping them uncover a possible conspiracy surrounding the 1888 Ripper murders. Seeing little choice, Maddox accepts the offer and joins the team of fellow agents Church and Green. With help from the Map Room team, Maddox (now Agent Sterling) and Church investigate the Ripper murders and uncover a closely guarded conspiracy deep within the British Government. Success depends on the two of them quickly forging a successful partnership as agents and following the trail wherever, and to whomever, it leads. 

An espionage thriller set in an alternative late 19th-century London.

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Audio Book published with WF Howes and narrated by Gordon Griffin

Audio

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 EXCERPT

‘Gentlemen. Before we proceed, I must ask you both whether you are willing to resolve this dispute by any other means?’

The fog that clung to the concrete surface of the platform was given a pale glow by the first light of an early dawn; Burns, my second, could barely be seen where he stood, scarf wrapped across his face, in the shadow of a black iron pillar some way beyond me, a little further than the distance I would have to walk. It said much about the length of my absence from London society that the only support I could command in such a venture was the man known about the club as ‘Secondary’ Burns, a man who had, to my knowledge, offered his services as duelling assistant to eight of our fellow members, each and every one of whom had subsequently been unsuccessful in their aim.

No wordplay intended.

‘Very well. On the count of one, you will each take a step in the direction you are facing. At each subsequent count, you should take an additional step until the count of ten is reached. At that time each of you will turn and fire a single shot at his opponent. If as a result either of you has been mortally wounded, or if honour is otherwise deemed to have been satisfied, the exchange is complete. If, however, these conditions are not met, you will reload and continue to fire until that is the case. Do either of you not understand these instructions?’

Somewhere between where Burns was standing and where my final pace would take me there was an empty cigarette packet on the ground, but from where I was I couldn’t tell the brand and, for some reason, this suddenly seemed oddly vexing. The station official waited a sensible amount of time for either second to voice a concern or query. Both remained resolutely silent. The official nodded to the doctor who stood off to one side and, after one last enquiring glance to each party, continued.

 ‘Very well. ONE.’

 The thought occurred to me as I set off that, if I stretched my strides slightly, I would be able to reach a point where I would be able to make out the lettering on the cigarette packet. I adjusted my pace accordingly, but stepped carefully; a heavy frost still lay, unmelted, on the platform’s surface.

 ‘TWO.’

The trouble was that the few brands available prior to my departure had, since I had been away, been joined by a proliferation of new cigarette brands which, in an attempt to win favour with the short-sighted purchaser, had based their design on those of the established manufacturers. Somewhere on one of Waterloo’s other, functioning platforms, an early service from Paris hissed to a halt, whistling its arrival cheerily. I imagined newspapers being folded, cases grasped, coats donned, hats carefully seated on heads.

‘THREE.’

The industrialisation of London seemed to have grown apace, with smaller engines appearing to be more commonplace than they were when I left for America. The military had of course retained the monopoly on the more complicated engines, the specifications of which were still secret. However, partial declassification of the technology involved had led to many smaller companies being able to compete beyond their natural reach and had instigated a commercial revolution. At least that was what it had said in the in-flight magazine that I had glanced at on the way over from Canada. From what I had seen of London so far it seemed mainly to mean: more smoke.

‘FOUR.’

The name was Victoria… Or perhaps victory. Either would make an obvious title for a patriotic brand of tobacco. It made me think of one of the first patrols I had undertaken in my posting; my section had come across a little village, barely more than a collection of shacks and lean-tos and almost certainly inhabited by the French speakers who populated that area of the Canadian Provinces.

‘FIVE.’

Given what we’d been told about local sentiments I had been astounded to discover an almost life-sized picture of Her Majesty adorning the largest hut. I mentioned this symbol of heartening patriotism to my sergeant, a veteran of the region who responded to my question with a short laugh. ‘Bless you sir,’ he said ‘that’s the name of the gin they make round here.’

‘SIX.’

Some weeks afterwards I was informed by a fellow officer that I had acquired the nickname ‘Ginny’ Maddox. It was the last time that I had hazarded an opinion about the locals in earshot of my sergeant.

Something buzzed sharply past me and I was puzzling over its source when the sound of a shot echoed through the platform. Pausing in my stride I cautiously put a hand to my shoulder, and it was only when I saw it covered in a bright smear of blood that I realised what had happened. I was about to turn when another sound distracted me. I looked ahead and saw Burns collapse, gasping, to his knees. I turned to the official who had begun proceedings.

‘If you will continue counting, sir.’

‘But… I mean… I—’

‘Continue the count, if you please.’

‘SEVEN,’ the official continued, more uncertainly than before.

 

 

Tim Standish

 Hannah Couzens Photography

Tim Standish grew up in England, Scotland, and Egypt. Following a degree in Psychology, his career has included teaching English in Spain, working as a researcher on an early computer games project, and working with groups and individuals on business planning, teamworking, and personal development.

He has travelled extensively throughout his life and has always valued the importance of a good book to get through long flights and long waits in airports. With a personal preference for historical and science fiction as well as the occasional thriller, he had an idea for a book that would blend all three and The Sterling Directive was created.

When not working or writing, Tim enjoys long walks under big skies and is never one to pass up a jaunt across a field in search of an obscure historic site. He has recently discovered the more-exciting-than-you-would-think world of overly-complicated board games.

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Spotlight on Glen Craney, author of The Cotillion Brigade (A Novel of the Civil War and the Most Famous Female Militia in American History)

 

Georgia burns.
Sherman’s Yankees are closing in.
Will the women of LaGrange run or fight?
 
Based on the true story of the celebrated Nancy Hart Rifles, The Cotillion Brigade is an epic novel of the Civil War’s ravages on family and love, the resilient bonds of sisterhood in devastation, and the miracle of reconciliation between bitter enemies.
 
“Gone With The Wind meets A League Of Their Own.”
-- John Jeter, The Plunder Room
 
1856. Sixteen-year-old Nannie Colquitt Hill makes her debut in the antebellum society of the Chattahoochee River plantations. A thousand miles north, a Wisconsin farm boy, Hugh LaGrange, joins an Abolitionist crusade to ban slavery in Bleeding Kansas.
 
Five years later, secession and war against the homefront hurl them toward a confrontation unrivaled in American history.

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 Glen Craney
Some Facts
(Stuff you may or may not know!)

When I was a boy, a great-uncle took me to the American Civil War battlefield of Perryville, Kentucky, where his father served as a Union captain. It was a rare treat to talk to someone with such a close connection to the war. Years later, after his death, I discovered his father had a brother who fought at Perryville on the Confederate side, and they searched for each other after the battle. I’m not sure why my great-uncle never mentioned him. Hard feelings over the war, maybe?

 

Glen Craney and Uncle at Perryville 
(personal photo)

 As the only boy in my high-school typing class, I won the contest for tapping out the most words per minute. I now have two graduate degrees, but typing remains the most valuable skill I’ve ever learned.

A couple of years ago, I traced the Civil War route my great-great grandfather took in General Grant’s army. At the Louisiana battlefield of Mansfield, where he was captured, there was only one other visitor that afternoon, a man from Texas. His great-great-grandfather, fighting for the Confederacy, was killed on that same ground. We were stunned to discover that our ancestors had served in regiments that faced off against each other during the battle. Could my ancestor have fired the fatal shot?

 

Battlefield of Mansfield

 (taken by Glen Craney)

 I grew up on a turkey farm. There's an old saying: Only one creature on Earth is dumber than a turkey—the guy who raises them.

 

Turkey Farm

 (personal photo)

Before I turned ten, I single-handedly won a hundred Civil War battles and repulsed Santa Anna at the Alamo, all with one weapon: This Parris Kadet toy cap musket.

Parris Kadet Toy Civil War musket

 (personal photo)

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Buy Links

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Glen Craney

A graduate of Indiana University School of Law and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Glen Craney practiced trial law before joining the Washington, D.C. press corps to write about national politics and the Iran-contra trial for Congressional Quarterly magazine. In 1996, the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences awarded him the Nicholl Fellowship prize for best new screenwriting. His debut historical novel, The Fire and the Light, was named Best New Fiction by the National Indie Excellence Awards. He is a three-time Finalist/Honorable Mention winner of Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year and a Chaucer Award winner for Historical Fiction. His books have taken readers to Occitania during the Albigensian Crusade, the Scotland of Robert Bruce, Portugal during the Age of Discovery, the trenches of France during World War I, the battlefields of the Civil War, and the American Hoovervilles of the Great Depression. He lives in Malibu, California.

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Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Usurper King Series: The Plantagenet Legacy Book 3 by Mercedes Rochelle

 

From Outlaw to Usurper, Henry Bolingbroke fought one rebellion after another.

First, he led his own uprising. Gathering support the day he returned from exile, Henry marched across the country and vanquished the forsaken Richard II. Little did he realize that his problems were only just beginning. How does a usurper prove his legitimacy? What to do with the deposed king? Only three months after he took the crown, Henry IV had to face a rebellion led by Richard's disgruntled favorites. Worse yet, he was harassed by rumors of Richard's return to claim the throne. His own supporters were turning against him. How to control the overweening Percies, who were already demanding more than he could give? What to do with the rebellious Welsh? After only three years, the horrific Battle of Shrewsbury nearly cost him the throne—and his life. It didn't take long for Henry to discover that that having the kingship was much less rewarding than striving for it.

EXCERPT

Trouble is brewing between King Henry and the Percies over the Scottish prisoners

A troubled silence fell between father and son. But Hotspur wasn't finished. "You know Douglas surrendered to me personally, and by the laws of chivalry only I can ransom him. I refuse to betray his trust. Besides, the poor man hasn't recovered from his wounds. It would be agony for him to travel in his state."

 

"I'll grant you that," sighed Percy, sitting across from him. "Perhaps once I turn Murdoch over, that would appease the king."

 

"It's going to have to. I will not go."

 

This time, Hotspur refused to give in and Percy went to London with a large number of hostages. He presented himself at Westminster Hall for the 1402 Parliament, bringing his most prominent prisoners: Murdoch, Earl of Fife and son of the Scottish governor, Lord Montgomery, Sir William Graham, Sir Adam Forster, and three French knights. Announcing himself with a fanfare, Percy presented the hostages who knelt just inside the door, then again in the middle of the hall, and a third time in front of the enthroned Henry. They remained kneeling while the king stood, sweeping his eyes across their heads and settling on Percy. He was not smiling. Henry restrained himself, making assurances they had nothing to fear. They were taken fighting like brave soldiers and he would respect the laws of chivalry. Then he invited them to join him at dinner in the Painted Chamber.

 

It wasn't until later that the king confronted Percy in front of a much smaller batch of witnesses. Summoning the earl to his council chamber, Henry clearly blamed the father for the disobedience of the son. Dispensing with any formalities, the king went right to the point.

 

"Why is Harry not here? Where is Archibald Douglas?"

 

Of course, Percy was expecting a confrontation but his own frustration simmered close to the surface. He didn't know whether he was angrier at the king or his son. At the moment, it didn't matter.

 

"Sire, you can see they did not come."

 

"Yes, I can see. I want to know why."

 

"You'll have to ask my son. He will answer for himself."

 

"I'm asking you! Douglas has been the instigator of all our border troubles. I want him under lock and key." Henry caught himself clenching his fists.

 

"He is, I assure you. Harry takes personal responsibility for him."

 

"I demanded that he bring Douglas to London. He has no license to flout my commands."

 

Percy was nearing the end of his patience. "Sire, you forget. We are committed to our guardianship, but we have emptied our coffers in your service. The ransom money will help relieve our debt."

 

"I have paid you £60,000. What more do you want?"

 

That was too much. Stomping his foot on the ground, Percy let slip his restraint. "That is not true and you know it," he shouted. "You still owe us £20,000 in cash and bad tallies. And you wonder why Harry is upset."

 

It was Henry's turn to snap. "Haven't you been paying attention? Look what I've had to deal with!" He threw up his hands. "Two rebellions, back and forth from Scotland to Wales, piracy interfering with trade, expenses of the Calais garrison, the defense of Guyenne, protecting the southern coast against the French. My God, no wonder there is no money in the exchequer. I have paid you as much as I can and there is no more!"

 

Clearly, Percy was not concerned about Henry's problems. His voice lowered to a growl. "When you entered the kingdom you promised to rule according to your council. By now you have received large sums from the country, and yet you say you have nothing. God grant you better counsel!"

 

Henry was momentarily taken aback. He couldn't admit it, but all his life he had let someone else worry about finances. Money was always there to draw on when he needed it. The day he took the crown he was the wealthiest man in England. How did it disappear so quickly? He knew a large percentage of his expenses went to annuities—and these annuities had been granted without consulting his council. He had to; how else was he going to hold on to his supporters? At the same time, he needed to continue paying annuities to Richard's retainers and for the same reason.

 

He was about to say something when Percy bowed and backed from the room. Neither of them trusted himself to pursue an argument that would just end up with more bitterness, and Henry let him go. Besides, his real quarrel was with Hotspur.

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Mercedes Rochelle

Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings. She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story. Born in St. Louis, MO, she received a BA in Literature at the Univ. of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended! Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

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Spotlight on H D Coulter, author of Saving Grace: Deception. Obsession. Redemption. (The Ropewalk series, Book 2)

Beacon Hill, Boston. 1832.

“You are innocent. You are loved. You are mine.”

After surviving the brutal attack and barely escaping death at Lancaster Castle, Beatrice Mason attempts to build a new life with her husband Joshua across the Atlantic in Beacon Hill. But, as Beatrice struggles to cope with the pregnancy and vivid nightmares, she questions whether she is worthy of redemption.

Determined to put the past behind her after the birth of her daughter Grace, Bea embraces her newfound roles of motherhood and being a wife. Nevertheless, when she meets Sarah Bateman, their friendship draws Bea towards the underground railroad and the hidden abolitionist movement, despite the dangerous secrets it poses. Whilst concealed in the shadows, Captain Victor Hanley returns, obsessed with revenge and the desire to lay claim to what is his, exposes deceptions and doubts as he threatens their newly established happiness.

Now, Beatrice must find the strength to fight once more and save Grace, even if it costs her life.

 

 Buy Links

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 Ropewalk; Rebellion. Love. Survival (The Ropewalk Series, Book 1)
 is only 0.99 on ebook during the tour. Here are the buy links:

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Fun Facts

(Stuff you may or may not already know!)

 No one really knows this, but I named the principal character Beatrice Lightfoot after my female ginger tabby cat Beatrice; Bea for short. Whilst the name Lightfoot came from the last name of my family doctor growing up, Dr Lightfoot.

·    

I have a degree in theatre production and design. I have designed sets and costumes for a variety of shows, including one for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. My vivid imagination and background in theatre design allows me to create the world of Ropewalk inside my head as a performance.

In my spare time, I enjoy knitting and crocheting, whilst watching TV dramas on the TV, especially in the winter, and it's raining and cold outside.

I love the research aspect of writing historical fiction and falling down the rabbit hole, and seeing where I end up discovering additional facts, becoming obsessed with reading about it through other books and novels, YouTube videos and documentaries. Until I have consumed everything there is about an outlet. For example, when researching saving grace, I discovered the Underground Railroad. And the myths and legends attached to it. PSP documentaries. Colson Whitehead novel of an alternative history of the “Underground Railroad”. Or they claim TV show, “Underground”.

One of my first experiments, writing was whilst I was at university, and I wrote a fanfiction of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows hit the bookshelves. It is interesting writing characters you've you've read and watched, but I found it confused my writing style as I wrote like JK Rowling, instead of HD Coulter, and those fanfiction chapters will never see the light of day.

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H D Coulter

Hayley was born and raised in the lake district and across Cumbria. From a young age, Hayley loved learning about history, visiting castles, and discovering local stories from the past. Hayley and her partner lived in Ulverston for three years and spent her weekends walking along the Ropewalk and down by the old harbour. She became inspired by the spirit of the area and stories that had taken place along the historic streets.

As a teacher, Hayley had loved the art of storytelling by studying drama and theatre. The power of the written word, how it can transport the reader to another world or even another time in history. But it wasn't until living in Ulverston did she discover a story worth telling. From that point, the characters became alive and she fell in love with the story.

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Sign up to Hayley’s newsletter between now and May 30th to be placed into a giveaway raffle for a personalised BookBox, including a signed copy of Ropewalk and Saving Grace.

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Book Spotlight and Excerpt: The Custard Corpses By M J Porter

A delicious 1940s mystery.

Birmingham, England, 1943.

While the whine of the air raid sirens might no longer be rousing him from bed every night, a two-decade-old unsolved murder case will ensure that Chief Inspector Mason of Erdington Police Station is about to suffer more sleepless nights.

Young Robert McFarlane’s body was found outside the local church hall on 30th September 1923. But, his cause of death was drowning, and he’d been missing for three days before his body was found. No one was ever arrested for the crime. No answers could ever be given to the grieving family. The unsolved case has haunted Mason ever since.

But, the chance discovery of another victim, with worrying parallels, sets Mason, and his constable, O’Rourke, on a journey that will take them back over twenty-five years, the chance to finally solve the case, while all around them the uncertainty of war continues, impossible to ignore.

EXCERPT

Sam walked through the revolving door; his eyes focused on the building he was entering. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but it wasn’t this. Not at all. The rumble of a passing train, almost overhead, made him flinch, the sound far too much like that of the aircraft of the enemy. He tried not to wince as the more comforting smell of the burning coal followed behind.

“Good day,” the man behind the high desk spoke immediately on seeing them, startling upright at the sight of two police officers, even if they wore less intimidating hats than the usual curved ones. His accent was smooth, although Sam detected the hint of a London drawl beneath it.

The man was no more than twenty-five, blond hair covering his forehead, although Sam detected a scar running deep beneath the hairline. Evidently another injured soldier, sailor or airman.

“Good day. My name’s Chief Inspector Mason. I was hoping to speak to someone about old copies of your magazine, the very first editions, from 1938.”

“Ah, you’ll need to speak to Harry Underhill about that. If you wait here, I’ll go and see if he’s available. Where are you from?” And his scared face wrinkled with consternation.

“Erdington, close to Birmingham,” Sam clarified when the man didn’t recognise the name.

“Right. Just hold on a moment.” And he walked from behind his desk and towards a staircase, to the far side of the room.

He and O’Rourke stood in silence. They’d exhausted their conversation during the train journey, choosing a carriage where they were alone and could talk about the case, even as they’d slipped by the ruin of Coventry. Sam hadn’t been able to stop himself from staring at the devastated city.

Of course, he’d read about the destructive attacks on the fine city, the fire that had destroyed the ancient cathedral, but it had been quite another thing to see it. Everywhere he’d looked, there’d been broken buildings, and that had just been riding through Coventry on the train. He’d spared a thought to all those who’d died, especially the nine constables from the local police.

Sam had thought the attacks on Erdington had been terrifying enough, but there was little of Coventry that remained standing, even now, over a year since the worse attack.

 Buy Links:

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M J Porter writes historical fiction set before 1066. Usually.

This is M J's first foray into the historical mystery genre and the, relatively recent, twentieth century.

M J writes A LOT, you've been warned.

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