Tag: historical fiction

Book Review – Conqueror (Agricola #4) by Simon Turney @HoZ_Books

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About the Book

Following years of distinguished military and political exploits, Agricola has been rewarded with control of Aquitania by the Emperor Vespasian.

But Agricola’s greatest glories have always come in that rainy northern corner of the Empire: Britannia. When Vespasian sends him back to Britannia, this time as governor, he has a chance to cement his place in Roman history.

To conquer Britannia completely Agricola must overcome its many Celtic tribes. The Ordovices have massacred a Roman cavalry unit. The Selgovae and Damnonii resist Imperial rule fiercely. And he must take them on with ever fewer troops due to a series of changes at the heart of Roman power.

Failure will mean disgrace or death, but if he should succeed, Agricola will be forever lauded among the pantheon of Rome’s heroes.

Format: Paperback (416 pages) Publisher: Head of Zeus
Publication date: 27th August 2026 Genre: Historical fiction

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My Review

Conqueror is the fourth and final book in the series depicting the life of Roman statesman and general Gnaeus Julius Agricola. Links from each title will take you to my reviews of the previous three books in the series – Invader, Warrior and Commander.

As with the earlier books, the events in Conqueror are based on available historical sources, including Tacitus’s biography of Agricola (Tacitus was Agricola’s son-in-law) and the author’s own in-depth knowledge of the period. However, like the previous books, Conqueror is very much a picture of Agricola the man not just the historical figure.

Appointed its governor, Agricola returns to Britannia charged by the Emperor Vespasian with conquering the whole of the island and placing it under Roman control. It’s a huge task made even more challenging by being accompanied by a time limit, the withdrawal of legions to protect other parts of the Empire and, being Britannia, the weather. The pressure to complete the task, likely to be the defining moment of Agricola’s career, is always uppermost in his mind. It informs his tactics, the deployment of forces and increasingly requires a change of mindset. As the pressure to complete the task builds, we see a more ruthless side of Agricola, latterly influenced by tragic events in his personal life.

Agricola was ever the tactician but his relentless progress northwards, quelling the various tribes either through negotiation or direct engagement, really demonstrates his ability to innovate. For example, combining his land forces with the Roman fleet, which at the time was separately commanded. He never quite loses his desire to be at the heart of the action, fighting alongside his men, although now resigned to the fact that, as governor, he can only sit and watch. Well, for a time…

Some of the tribes Agricola encounters prove particularly hostile, seemingly preferring death over defeat. This leads to epic battle scenes including the climactic encounter with the Caledonii at Mons Graupius. It is a bloody affair leaving Agricola, even at the moment of conquest, feeling hollow at the loss of life. ‘All around him, a whole generation of humanity lay strewn in their own blood and gore.’

Being the final book in the series, it’s a time of partings, one especially poignant, and the end of longstanding relationships. As the author notes, history provides a bittersweet ending. As Tacitus records, ‘Perdomita Britannia et statim omissa‘ [Britain was conquered and immediately lost].

Conqueror brings to a close a series which combines fascinating historical detail with the immersive ‘cacophony of battle’. If you have a desire to learn more about Agricola, Simon’s biography of Agricola was published in 2022. And Simon has just embarked on a new series about Constantine, the last Emperor of Rome. The first book in the series, Prince, was published by Canelo on 16th July.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of Head of Zeus via NetGalley.

In three words: Gripping, authentic, fascinating
Try somethig similar: Agrippa by Robert Harris

About the Author

Simon Turney author of Bellatrix and The Capsarius

Simon Turney is from Yorkshire and, having spent much of his childhood visiting historic sites, fell in love with the Roman heritage of the region. His fascination with the ancient world snowballed from there with great interest in Rome, Egypt, Greece and Byzantium. His works include the Marius’ Mules and Praetorian series, the Tales of the Empire and The Damned Emperor series, and the Rise of Emperors books with Gordon Doherty. He lives in North Yorkshire with his family.

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A bookish chat with Thomas Messel, author of The Nightingale of Bath

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I’m delighted to welcome author Thomas Messel to What Cathy Read Next today to talk about his historical novel, The Nightingale of Bath, based on the life of soprano and society beauty, Elizabeth Linley.

Enticingly subtitled ‘Love, Jealousy, Betrayal and Revolution in Georgian England’, The Nightingale of Bath is available to purchase as an ebook or in paperback from Amazon.

Thomas is giving a talk about Elizabeth Linley at 7.30pm on Wednesday 2nd September 2026 at The Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution. You can find more information about the event and purchase tickets here. If you’re unable to attend in person, online tickets are available.

How and when did you discover Elizabeth Linley?

I was aware of the Linley family through an ancestral connection. Although I knew a little about Elizabeth, it wasn’t until I read Alan Chedzoy’s biography, Sheridan’s Nightingale, that I realised she was a much more intriguing character than I had previously assumed. Perhaps families tend to overstate ancestors, regarding their geese as swans, but she turned out to be no goose!

What was it about her story that inspired you to make it the basis for a novel? Did you consider writing a work of nonfiction?

My original intention was to write a biography, but there were so many aspects of her life that were not covered and of which no primary or secondary sources existed. Her disappearance at the age of 17 and flight to a convent in France meant to me that she was following a well-trodden path of the time in the case of an unwanted or forced pregnancy. Therefore, I changed course and, to fill the gaps, decided that the only way to cover her life would be through a historical novel.

How did you approach your research for the book?

To start with, I covered as much primary material as possible, drawing from museums and archives, especially the Bath City Archive, the V&A Theatre Collection and the Bristol University Theatre Collection. I bought several printed collections of letters, such as those of Thomas Gainsborough, Richard Sheridan, Mozart, and Fanny Burney, as well as the plays of Sheridan and Samuel Foote. Then followed a mass of reading into the lives of other protagonists in her story: Charles James Fox, Lord Edward FitzGerald, Mehitable Canning and William Pitt.

Did you come across anything that surprised you during the course of your research?

The shocking position of a married woman at that time, who, on marriage, became totally disempowered: stripped of her property, possessions, income and wealth, with no rights over their children or of complaint against her husband.

Were there any scenes you found particularly challenging to write?

There is one in which the powerlessness of women is graphically demonstrated. It’s a scene I found agonising to write.

The Nightingale of Bath is set in 18th-century England. What do you think is key to transporting a reader to a different time and place?

I am fascinated by the 18th century and find the route in is through sensual descriptions of places, clothes and everyday events such as travel and food.

What was your favourite and least favourite part of the writing process? 

One of the many joys of writing the book was that the plot was already set for me so now I had many characters from history to play with and manipulate, like toy soldiers, into words on the page. My least favourite process was without doubt seeking a publisher.

Are there particular historical novelists you take inspiration from?

Robert Harris is my No.1. I also admire Thackeray, and the writing of Lucy Jago and Emily Howes.

About the Book

‘It gives me great discomfort to tell you that realistically you must not stay here in Bath. You must vanish.’

Bath 1772. Elizabeth Linley, wildly famous, celebrated for her voice, charisma and beauty, and painted by Gainsborough and Reynolds, the most eminent artists of her day.

Events on the 18th March 1772 leave her no option but to weave herself through the intricate world of society dominated by The Prince of Wales and the scandalous Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, the precarious nature of Garrick and Sheridan’s London theatre, and the perils of political intrigue, manipulated by the rivalry between Charles James Fox and William Pitt.

Set in an age of revolution, this is a captivating story of love, ambition, jealousy and betrayal, based upon the true life of Elizabeth Linley.

Find The Nightingale of Bath on Goodreads

About the Author

Thomas Messel is better known as one of Britain’s most respected furniture designers, in which field he has worked for 40 years, and built up a celebrated reputation both in the UK and the USA. In 2011, he co-wrote and edited the study of the work of his uncle, Oliver Messel, in the Theatre of Design for which he won the Speares Book Award in 2012.

The Nightingale of Bath is his first historical novel.

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