In All Honour - a hero with a difference

'Why can't I meet a man like Greg in real life?'

Several people have asked this question after finishing In All Honour. Of course, it helped that Greg is over six foot tall, broad shouldered and has a pleasant, open look with glowing amber eyes and coppery brown hair. He is energetic, brave and kind but fierce in the defence of his family and his honour.

In her review of the book for MyShelf.com, Rachel Hyde says: "I often think that there are not enough Regency novels set in Bath, surely one of the main places that come to mind associated with this period. This book brings the town to life, with a good feel of the place and its pleasures and pastimes. I also enjoyed the amiable Greg, a pleasant change from the usual dominating alpha male and somebody it would be easy to like as well as be attracted to. The odd "gray" character might add spice to this type of tale however, where everybody is either very likeable or irredeemable villains but this is still a very enjoyable novel."

Greg appeared in The Wild Card and so he was already established as a nice guy. It seemed to me that the only way to balance this was to have a truly horrible villain. And the people who like Greg so much just love to hate Lord Percival. So I think my story gives pleasure in some rather different ways...

The Lines of Torres Vedras

The Lines of Torres Vedras were a series of defensive walls and forts constructed to defend Lisbon against the French during the Peninsular War. They were ordered by Lord Wellington - and built in secrecy by Portuguese workers between September 1809 and November 1810.

It was the only way to prevent the larger French army from reaching Lisbon. The rapid construction of these three defensive walls was a complete success. When Masséna brought the French army up to the lines, he knew at once that he could not win a battle here. He asked his Staff why they had not known about them in advance.

'Wellington made them,' was the reply.

It was to get more funds for this building work that Greg Thatcham was sent to London in The Wild Card. Wellington had entrusted him with letters for several ministers as well as the Prince Regent.