in Chapter Two.

I have read several modern novels recently that have attractive pictures on the front and appealing back cover blurbs that have simply made the book sound more attractive than it is, and hidden the anti-climax of the content of the story.

I am a keen reader of historical fiction, and have bought four or five books from a certain publisher that have been, frankly, disappointing at best.

At least one was entitled “The … Secret” or “The Secret of…” and I may expect too much by thinking it will be revealed at the end of the book, but it’s actually been chapter two. Where do you go from there? Many plots have been muddled, the writing style poor, and even the most fundamental historical fact completely wrong.

It makes me wonder why it is so difficult to have a book published when a well known publishing house is prepared to turn out drivel!