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Having retired from teaching in further education in Glasgow, I live on the Rhine growing runner beans, courgettes and kohlrabi. 'The Prussian Dispatch' is the first in a series featuring Sophie Rathenau, who makes a living in 1770s Vienna through her discreet enquiries.

Habsburg Vienna, 1772. With nothing in her purse, Sophie Rathenau can't refuse work, even from a down-at-heel pimp. But tracing the woman who's gone off with his document is a chancy business. A gang of Prussian maniacs are hunting for it too, as well as thugs from the shadowy Versailles Club, and a Polish countess desperate to preserve her country. Caught up in an international conspiracy, Sophie's only weapons are her sardonic tongue and an old cavalry pistol. But it'll take more than those to find the dispatch, keep a vengeful Chancellor at bay, and deal with a past that threatens to engulf her. "The Prussian Dispatch" is the first in a series of novels from the era of Mozart and Maria Theresia. What readers say: “A vivid historical world full of living characters” “Excellent character... she feels very real to me” “Seems to have all the elements of a great and successful book: a powerful heroine, political intrigue, and a riveting plot” “Character and voice are what make this book distinctive…” “Hard-bitten Jane Eyre” “The setting is vivid. The characterization excellent. And of course the dialogue fantastic…” “Sophie is awesome”

Kindle Price: $2.99

Category: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense; Literature & Fiction