The Spirit of the Times by Justin Newland

 

The Spirit of the Times

By Justin Newland

Mondays, July 6th - 27th, 2026

Publication Date: July 28th, 2026
Publisher: Troubador Publishing
Pages: 264
Genre: Historical Fiction

From a land of milk,

And a Road of Silk,

To a ring of roses,

And a dance of posies,

Comes the tale of the spirit of the times!

In fourteenth-century Central Asia, Karia is a young woman living under the yoke of Mongol occupation. But she’s different. She’s a fighter with supernatural powers. She could use them to keep the Black Plague at bay and solve the mystery of the purple skies at dawn – if only she could overcome her self-doubt.

Travelling in caravans on the Silk Road, she faces dangers seen and unseen – from sandstorms and slave traders to the desert djinn and folk who believe she’s a witch. She fears losing Abi, her little cousin, who’s fascinated by roses and the dance of the Whirling Dervishes of Bukhara.

When Karia falls in love with an English sailor fleeing the Knights Hospitaller, they sail to England with Abi to unravel the meaning of the purple skies, a dance, a posy tree, and a ring of roses.

The Spirit of the Times is part history, part fiction and part speculation: on the origin of disease; the power of innocence; the unfortunate aspects of custom and dogma; and humanity’s ability to respond to the governing influence or spirit of the times.

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Justin Newland

Justin Newland's novels represent an innovative blend of genres, from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. 

Undeterred by the award of a doctorate in mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies. Next came The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

The Coronation (Matador, 2019) features the Great Enlightenment and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution. The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

At this point in his writing career, after four self-published books, Justin was offered a part-funded contract with the Book Guild.

The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book ‘The Island of Angels’ series. It tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era. The second in the series, The Midnight of Eights (Book Guild, 2024), charts the uncanny coincidences of time and tide that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada.

His latest novel, The Spirit of the Times (Matador, 2026), is to be published in July. It tells the story of a young Kyrgyz woman’s journey westwards along the Silk Road. With purple skies at dawn, and a supporting cast of Genghis Khan, the Black Plague, a perplexing rhyme, a ring of roses, it explores the greatest mystery of all – the spirit of the times. 

Justin’s enduring passion is to explore the origins of our current time. This prompted a broad research into what we’ve inherited from history – encompassing Egypt, China, Prussia and Tudor England.

He also writes entertaining talks which he gives to the WI, U3A, Probus, Rotary and local historical associations. Please visit his website for a current list of the talks.

Alongside the talks, Justin promotes his work with regular book signings at TG Jones (ex. WH Smith) high street stores, selling over 3,500 books since 2019. He has sponsored over 40 UK and US blog tours, given frequent radio interviews and penned many guest posts.

His current book signing motto is: Enjoy, Imagine, Discover.

As a member of the Society of Authors, he has Public and Products Liability Insurance.

Born in Essex, England, three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his lady in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

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Soldiers of Christ by Jon Byrne

 

Soldiers of Christ
By Jon Byrne

Fridays, July 10th - 31st, 2026

Publication Date: April 28th, 2026

Publisher: The Book Guild

Pages: 388

Genre: Historical Adventure

In a land torn by crusade and rebellion, honour is earned in blood.

1205. Richard Fitz Simon has fled England after his title was usurped, joining the Livonian Order of Swordbrothers – a German brotherhood of warrior-monks fighting to bring the word of God to the pagan frontier. After slaying the Lithuanian champion at the Battle of Rodenpois, Richard is celebrated by the Order and their Semigallian allies.

Yet his position remains precarious. Jealous rivals question his right to stand among the brotherhood, and his master, Knight-brother Rudolf, is enraged by Richard’s disobedience. When dark secrets from Lübeck resurface, Richard also finds himself at odds with Bishop Albert, head of the Christian mission in Livonia. As he struggles to reconcile faith, duty and identity, he is drawn into a brutal world of suspicion and bloodshed.

Sent on an expedition to build a castle deep in the wilderness, Richard soon sees tensions erupt – and the path he has chosen threatens to destroy everything he has fought to become.

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Jon Byrne

Jon Byrne, originally from London, now lives with his German family by a lake in Bavaria with stunning views of the Alps. As well as writing, he works as a translator for a local IT company and occasionally as a lumberjack. He has studied the medieval world for over twenty years, building up a comprehensive personal library and a particular interest in the often-overlooked Northern Crusades.

Soldiers of Christ is Book Two of The Northern Crusader Chronicles, a gritty, historically grounded series focused on realism, moral ambiguity, and the brutal realities of medieval warfare.

Written for readers who value authenticity and atmosphere over romanticised adventure, the novel explores a largely forgotten crusading frontier, culminating in the first of many confrontations in a harsh wilderness of forest and swamp.

Readers who enjoy the historical detail of authors such as Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, or Ben Kane may find familiar ground here.

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Mrs R. Pacheco by Rose Ann Woolpert

 

Mrs R. Pacheco

By Rose Ann Woolpert

July 6th - 10th, 2026

Publication Date: May 26th, 2026
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 252
Genre: Historical Fiction / Literary Fiction

Mrs. R. Pacheco is a sweeping story of love, ambition, and colliding cultures in the American West, inspired by the actual life of playwright, novelist, and California first lady Mary McIntyre Pacheco.

~

It is 1859, and the glittering promise of the California Gold Rush has faded into dust, leaving behind a land suspended between ambition and uncertainty.

Into this shifting world steps Mary Catherine "Molly" McIntyre, a young woman newly unmoored by loss, carrying both the weight of family duty and the quiet, persistent call of her own dreams.

Based on the remarkable life of Mary McIntyre Pacheco, Mrs. R. Pacheco unfolds as an intimate portrait of a woman caught between cultures, expectations, and the fragile hope of self-determination. When Molly marries Romualdo Pacheco, a Californio statesman destined to become California's first Hispanic governor, her life is swept into a world both foreign and exhilarating, where love must contend with tradition, and identity is shaped by forces beyond her control.

As Molly navigates the complexities of marriage, society, and a rapidly changing California, she discovers within herself a fierce creative spirit that refuses to be silenced. Her journey from grieving daughter to pioneering novelist and playwright becomes a testament to resilience, illuminating the quiet strength required to carve a voice in a world not yet ready to hear it.

Rich in historical detail and alive with emotional depth, this novel evokes the textures of nineteenth-century California, from its sunlit landscapes to its deeply rooted cultural divides. Through Molly's eyes, readers are drawn into a story of longing, reinvention, and the delicate balance between belonging and becoming.

Both sweeping and deeply personal, Mrs. R. Pacheco is a story of love shaped by circumstance, ambition tempered by sacrifice, and the enduring courage it takes to stand between worlds and claim a life as one's own.

Praise for Mrs. R. Pacheco:

"Based on a real story in the mid 1850’s during the California Gold Rush. Well researched and very enjoyable to read. Highly recommend."
~ Amazon Review, 5*

"The detail of the descriptions of all makes the reader part of the story: fellow travelers, the boats and trains, the food, the clothing, the housing. And then Mary meets Romualdo Pacheco and the story takes off again, drawing the reader into Romualdo's courting of Mary. the wedding, birth of their children and premature passing of one while Romualdo takes on offices from State Senator, State Treasurer, Lt. Governor, Governor and member of congress. All the while, from the beginning, we see Mary's nascent desire to write being nurtured by many people in many ways. This book catches the readers interest and keeps it. Highly recommended."
~ Amazon Review, 5*

Excerpt

This short passage from Mrs. R. Pacheco reflects a moment when personal memories and California’s larger history quietly intersect.

“Doña Ramona,” Molly said, “the silver cross you always wear—was it given to you by someone in your family?”

Ramona reached up to finger the delicate necklace at her throat. “It belonged to mi abuela, María Feliciana Arballo. She was among the first women to come from Mexico and settle in Alta California.”

“Then, your family has been here for a very long time.”

 “My grandfather, Juan Francisco López, was a soldier who came to California with the explorer Gaspar de Portolá. My grandmother followed Juan Bautista de Anza’s army through the desert to California. Padre Serra gave her this cross soon after she arrived in San Diego.”

“Padre Serra,” Molly said softly. “Fray Junípero Serra, the Franciscan priest who built the missions?”

“The same. He was a holy man, but stern. He brought native people to the missions and taught them our prayers, our ways, and our language.” Ramona’s eyes darkened. “Many died or fled to the hills. Some say he brought salvation; others say he brought only sorrow.” 

A long pause settled between them, full of ghosts.

After a while, Molly asked, “Weren’t the missions huge ranches, with thousands of cattle and sheep? What happened to them?”

 “The church was never meant to own them forever. When Mexico won its independence from Spain, the new government took the land away from the priests and gave it to citizens.”

“Is that how you came to own it?” 

Ramona nodded. “The governor granted vast acres to Californios. But then the war was lost, California became an American state, gold was discovered, and adventurers came from around the world. We could not stop so many from moving onto our land. Now our people, the gente de razón, are far outnumbered. Most of what was once ours is lost.”  

Ramona gazed beyond the orchard toward the valley, her face composed, her mind somewhere far away. Molly sat with her in silence, thinking about the stories she’d heard, the all but forgotten tales of Old California. Perhaps one day she would find a way to tell them so they could always be remembered. 

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Rose Ann Woolpert

Rose Ann Woolpert is drawn to questions history leaves unanswered. As an author whose work is grounded in fact and shaped by imagination, she writes stories that explore how individuals navigate change, loss, ambition, and identity.

Her writing is often inspired by California history, particularly the lives of women whose stories risk being lost to memory. Family recollections, historical records, and careful research inform her work, while fiction allows space to imagine motives, choices, and inner lives beyond the historical record.

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Fables & Lies: A World War II Novel Based on a True Story by Elisabeth Storrs

Fables & Lies:

A World War II Novel Based on a True Story

By Elisabeth Storrs

Publication Date: April 28th, 2026
Publisher: The Book Guild

Audiobook: Bolinda Audio
Pages: 584
Genre: Historical Fiction

Audiobook Narrator: Lucy Tregear

Under a brutal regime, what price must be paid to preserve truth, treasure and love in a world built on lies?

WWII Berlin. Freyja Bremer, a patriotic museum assistant, marries Kaspar Voigt, an ambitious SS scholar, to protect her father. Yet she is unaware her husband is instrumental in Himmler’s twisted quest for Aryan supremacy.

As she strives to safeguard the priceless Priam’s Treasure from air raids, Freyja falls in love with Darien Lessing, an archaeologist who exposes the moral decay beneath the Regime’s myths. Her awakening drives her into perilous resistance — aiding a Jewish doctor and his wife, Darien’s sister — while uncovering Kaspar’s role in the SS’s darkest programs, which subvert history to justify invasion, abduction and murder.

As Berlin collapses into chaos and bloodshed, Freyja, caught between duty, deception and desire, must risk everything to preserve truth in a world built on lies.

A heartbreaking yet triumphant love story, Fables & Lies shines light on lesser-known aspects of the Nazi Regime. It gives voice to the complex moral struggles of German women, the forgotten resistance of Gentiles married to Jews, the dangers of contested history, the evils of Himmler’s racial studies program and the unsung bravery of German museum curators who saved their nation’s treasures.

Perfect for readers of Kelly Rimmer, Anthony Doer and Laura Morelli. 

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Praise for Fables & Lies:

"A powerful and heartbreaking story set in war-torn Berlin, FABLES & LIES charts the slow dawning horror of a young woman as she realises all she has been taught about Hitler and the Third Reich is a lie. Impeccably researched and sensitively rendered, Elisabeth Storrs has shone a light on little-known aspects of life in Germany under the Nazi regime."

~ Kate Forsyth, bestselling author of Bitter Greens

"Elisabeth Storrs has indeed broken the mould by writing 'from the other side'. Evocative, detailed and heart-rending as the heroine journeys through disillusion and danger in the Third Reich."

~ Alison Morton, author of the Roma Nova series

"A chilling and meticulously researched journey into the shadow world of the Ahnenerbe. Blending historical rigor with gripping fiction, FABLES & LIES reminds us of the devastating consequences when history is twisted to serve power."

~ Leah Kaminsky, author of The Hollow Bones

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Elisabeth Storrs

Elisabeth Storrs has a great love for history and myths. She is the award-winning author of A Tale of Ancient Rome trilogy which was endorsed by Ursula Le Guin, Kate Quinn and Ben Kane. 

Now her obsession lies with Trojan treasure and twisted Germanic prehistory in her new release, Fables & Lies: A World War II Novel.

Elisabeth is also the founder of the Historical Novel Society Australasia and the $155,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize. She lives in Sydney with her husband in a house surrounded by jacarandas.

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