Publisher: Sharpe Books
Series: Soldier Spy, Book #1
Pages: 134
Genre: Historical Fiction Book Description 'Right from page one you know you are in the hands of a talented storyteller... An exciting tale of espionage and adventure in the classic mould.' ~ R.N. Morris, author of The Gentle Axe 1808. Captain Will Fraser has just returned from the Front in the Peninsular War. He is disgraced and penniless, the victim of a conspiracy led by a jealous and influential officer. Fraser has been falsely accused of insubordination and cowardice and dismissed from his regiment. Fraser and Duncan Armstrong, his wounded Sergeant, arrive in London to seek out Will’s brother, Jack, who works for King George’s Government. But Jack has disappeared. He vanished from his lodgings a week ago and no one has seen him since. Friends and colleagues are baffled by his disappearance as is the young woman, Clara, who claims to be his wife. Then Will is viciously attacked, seemingly mistaken for his brother, and only just escapes with his life. When news of this reaches Jack’s colleagues in Government, Will is recruited to find his brother and he and Armstrong set out to follow a trail littered with half-truths and misinformation. For their task is not quite what it seems. Will closely resembles his brother and it becomes evident that he is being used as a decoy to flush out Jack’s enemies. These are enemies of the State, for Jack Fraser is a spy and his colleagues believe he has uncovered evidence which will lead to the identity of a French spymaster embedded in the British Government. Will’s search leads him to France but in this murky world of espionage, nothing is straightforward. The soldier turned spy must unmask a traitor, before it's too late. My Thoughts This novella is the first book in the Soldier Spy trilogy and what a great introduction it was to what I'm sure will become another popular Napoleonic War series. Two months after the Battle of Vimeiro, Captain Will Fraser and Sergeant Duncan Armstrong arrive in London from Portugal. Fraser, in disgrace though lucky not to be cashiered, but stripped of his rank, uniform and honour nonetheless; Armstrong, medically discharged after losing an arm. The details of Fraser's disgrace are not fully revealed, but we learn piecemeal that Armstrong, accusations of cowardice, the jealousy of a fellow officer and betrayal were involved. After disembarking, Fraser and Armstrong continue together until they part company in Drury Lane where Armstrong heads off to Seven Dials and Fraser knocks on the door of his brother's lodgings only to find that Jack has vanished without a trace. He learns that others have come looking for his brother, including a woman claiming to be Mrs Jack Fraser. That Jack was married comes as a surprise to Fraser. With his hopes of support dashed and the need to find out Jack's whereabouts, Fraser reunites with Armstrong. After an attempt on his life, which Fraser attributes to his enemies rather than Jack's, Fraser is contacted by the British Government and told his brother is a spy in possession of some vital information and needs to be found. Thus, Fraser and Armstrong become players in the deadly game of espionage. Jack's trail finally leads them to France where Fraser hopes to find him alive and unmask the traitor in the Government ranks. A tight plot and engaging characters ensure that once started this novella is hard to put down. It is a quick read, full of adventure, packed with historical detail and a number of twists and turns, the major one being the identity of the traitor. With many threads left unresolved, I'm eagerly awaiting the return of Fraser and Armstrong. Where to Purchase Universal Buy Link HERE This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited. Meet the Author
Thank you for hosting Rosemary Hayes today, and for your lovely review of Traitor's Game.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club