I am very pleased to announce the launch on March 7th 2025 of my new novel, The River of Fire, third in my Mary Fox Adventures series.

The series began in December 2020 with The Broken Sword. Set in 1533, it introduced Mary Fox, a 17-year-old girl who runs away from an arranged marriage to become an adventuress in Tudor England. As a woman in a man’s world no-one expects her to survive, but Mary is determined to prove them wrong…

The second book, The Tudor Prince, was published in January 2024. A gripping tale of danger and deception, it takes Mary right to the top of Henry VIII’s court. Her uncanny resemblance to 14-year-old Prince Henry Fitzroy, illegitimate son of Henry VIII, means she has to impersonate him when the prince is kidnapped.

In The River of Fire, set in 1536/7, Mary agrees to help the handsome Angelo di Luca return his family’s stolen jewel to Naples. But a determined enemy shadows their every move, seeking murderous revenge. From misty Dutch canals to treacherous Alpine peaks, through the crowded streets of Milan to the grand palazzos of Florence, Mary finds herself in a deadly game of cat and mouse with her cunning adversary. In Florence, she gets caught up in the (real life) deadly plot against Duke Alessandro de Medici, and is held a prisoner. Can she escape before the deadline to return the jewel runs out? And will it be her enemy that seals her fate, or an (also real life) explosive eruption of the fiery volcanic lava that lurks under the Bay of Naples?

The River of Fire asks the question – in a deadly dance of shadows and fire, has the legendary Mary Fox finally met her match?

Mary Fox is the perfect heroine for me, and I do love writing her stories. She’s brave, honourable, principled, resourceful and quick-witted, which means she can usually find innovative ways out of danger. Add in her swashbuckling skill with a sword, and she’s always in the thick of the action. She does have her flaws; as a motherless girl brought up in the world of men, she does occasionally trust men in authority more than she should. But her refusal to accept the traditional 16th century role of women makes her very relatable to a modern audience. Her life and loves are always changing, and I can see her having many more adventures before she finally hangs up her sword.

The River of Fire can be ordered from Amazon in paperback and eBook from March 7th, and will be available to order in retail stores from around one month after this date.

Pre-order now to be sure of your copy!

The other books can also be found on Amazon:
The Broken Sword
The Tudor Prince