My next book project

I’m currently finalising the first part of the next novel for the publisher Torsten Low, so here’s a small teaser.

Working title: “Serpent of Malice” – this is subject to change
Location: Cambridge

The year: 1887

“Since flirting with the kitchen staff is bad style in any case…”

“Never mind the kitchen staff. I saw a… lady. A young lady. A very pretty young lady. A quite astoundingly gorgeous…”

“I get the gist, Drossos. Yes. I saw her too. Smallish, trim, with lots of titian hair and of course a hat sprouting feathers. She is not a figment of your imagination. I saw her – and she saw me… emerging from my afternoon swim in my… well.”

Drossos looked shocked. “Dash it, Rudyerd! Did she go blind? I am told they go blind in this country if they see a naked man. Or they think of England. Very patriotic indeed, but one can take civilisation too far, you know.”

Rudyerd grinned. “She informed me she would not have come here had she known she would be subjected to ophthalmic peril.”