Thoughts on my novel: "Beware the Aegean Lion"

I recently wrote up a description of my forthcoming novel "A Matter of Discretion (found here)." This is a discussion of its follow-up novel, "Beware the Aegean Lion," of which I have just completed the first draft. There are minor spoilers below for "A Matter of Discretion" but nothing that would ruin the book.

Following the events of "A Matter of Discretion," Giles Northbridge finds himself at a crossroads, questioning how he will proceed with his life and whether he can remain in his nameless profession as a fixer and cleaner for the wealthy and powerful knowing that his work has hurt others in the past. He also finds himself more alone than ever, so when one of his few remaining companions asks for his aid in helping settle a blackmail scheme perpetrated against a high ranking military officer, he cannot turn away. Worse still, he fears it may somehow be connected to newspaper stories about a massacre in the desert half-a-world away. It is made even more enigmatic when he returns home and finds a cryptic message left on his desk by persons unknown bearing only four words: "Beware the Aegean Lion."

The novel continues to explore the time period as the first book did and delves further into Northbridge as a character and how his guilt drives him. Notably, it asks the question of how (and if) someone can find redemption after committing a crime they cannot atone for. It also examines several aspects of society that would become significant drivers of social and political action in the modern day, despite appearing only as subtle whispers during this time. 

Without giving too much away, Northbridge finds himself caught juggling a variety of needs both personal and professional as he is caught up in conspiracies, a gang war, and international intrigue.

I have just begun the editing phase and hope to have it ready for the beta reader phase soon. Should anyone be interested in beta reading "Beware the Aegean Lion," please email me at bernardtheauthor@gmail.com.

Thoughts on my novel "A Matter of Discretion"

I recently completed the first draft of my second book following my character "Giles Northbridge," so I thought it would be a good time to go back and discuss the first book, "A Matter of Discretion," since I never did so before. A discussion on the forthcoming second book, "Beware the Aegean Lion" will be out shortly.

The series follows Giles Northbridge and begins in Britain in 1910. Northbridge is a fixer for the wealthy and elite, cleaning up problems for those in power whether that means digging up dirt on a rival, swindling someone out of their riches, or ensuring that embarrassing incidents are quietly swept under the rug. When "A Matter of Discretion" begins, he is accompanied by his two most frequent collaborators: the frequently out-of-work actor Mors Glasford and the enigmatic thief and pickpocket Miss Lille. After a certain job leads to some unforeseen consequences, Northbridge finds himself questioning his morally grey role and his place in the world. However, he is sidetracked when a new job comes along in which he is asked to locate the rebellious Henrietta Fowler, the idealistic daughter of a powerful politician. Soon after, an attempt is made on Northbridge's life and he finds himself swept up in a mystery revolving around a violent revolutionary, a murky cabal of military officers, and his own malevolent half-brother.

I came up with the character of Northbridge as sort of a response to the posh, refined images of nobility at this time seen in stories like Downton Abbey. Northbridge is the silent agent of the rich and powerful, ensuring what they need to maintain their wealth and privilege gets done despite living in a time when their hands are tied by decorum and cultural procedure. He is a character that can blend in anywhere but belongs nowhere and thus offers a wide range of opportunities for stories as he slips between the halls of power and the darkest corners of post-Victorian London.

What also drew me to the series was the time and setting. The period between the death of Queen Victoria, thus marking the end of the Victorian Era, and the outbreak of World War I is one of change. The time sees the old world of carriages, oil lamps, and telegrams giving way to automobiles, electricity, and telephones. The aristocracy and nobility still hold sway but they are challenged by revolutionaries, radicals, and those seeking social change. Women are calling for the right to vote, the working classes are pushing for fair pay and better conditions, and there are the stirrings of movements for racial equality. It is a liminal period that lands between our society's past and its modern form. The storm of change hasn't arrived yet, but the clouds are billowing, there is thunder in the distance and, whether they admit it or not, the first rain drops have started falling.

I did a fair amount of research into the time period for the series, with two books by Barbara Tuchman being of particular inspiration: "The Proud Tower" and "The Guns of August." They are classics of historical study and Tuchman describes the strange contradictions of the time in great detail and depth. She also lays out how the social change of the time, and the Great War that closes this era, was ultimately inevitable. 

"A Matter of Discretion" also delves into Northbridge's character, who he is behind the masks he wears, and why he does what he does. Melancholic, solitary, and reflective, but insightful, witty and resourceful, he carries a bitter outlook on life that is undercut by a deep craving for idealism. I (unintentionally at first) wrote him as an INFJ on the MBTI range, which is what I am. He is a great character to write and between the three stories I've completed so far, his is the one I could most see becoming an ongoing series with its variety of story opportunities and topics to explore. 

More information on "A Matter of Discretion" can be found here.