The Year of the Gun

'Skilfully mixing real history with action sequences worthy of Lee Child, this is historical crime-writing at its best.' - John Williams, the Mail on Sunday.

1912. Released from the Secret Service, Wiggins sets out for New York and his lost lover Bela. But after an altercation on board, he finds himself among the low-life of Britain's poorest city, Dublin.

Wiggins falls in with gangster Patrick O'Connell and is soon driving the boss's girlfriend around town. Molly wants O'Connell to support her Irish nationalist cause - a cause needing guns to defeat the British - and then they go to find them in America.

Finally, Wiggins can solve the mystery of Bela - and meet his old mentor, Sherlock Holmes in a story of escalating intrigue, danger and violence.

“Praise for The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy - :A thrilling story of espionage, murder and the creation of the Secret Service A flavoursome smorgasbord that features not only Holmes but also Winston Churchill, this is irresistible stuff A fine first entry in what promises to be a great new series . Wiggins is a captivating hero, and Lyle draws his Edwardian backstreets in convincing colour. The game is most definitely afoot. A good deal of excitement and some enjoyable riffing on both the history of espionage and the Conan Doyle canon, with cameos of everybody from Winston Churchill to Mr Holmes himself... the book is a treat - Sunday Express Impressive p eriod detail and sharp dialogue add charm to the strong plot - Daily MailH.B. Lyle has found the golden thread between Bond and Holmes in a thriller which engages on every page”

Praise for The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy - :

A thrilling story of espionage, murder and the creation of the Secret Service

A flavoursome smorgasbord that features not only Holmes but also Winston Churchill, this is irresistible stuff

A fine first entry in what promises to be a great new series. Wiggins is a captivating hero, and Lyle draws his Edwardian backstreets in convincing colour. The game is most definitely afoot.

A good deal of excitement and some enjoyable riffing on both the history of espionage and the Conan Doyle canon, with cameos of everybody from Winston Churchill to Mr Holmes himself... the book is a treat - Sunday Express

Impressive period detail and sharp dialogue add charm to the strong plot - Daily Mail

H.B. Lyle has found the golden thread between Bond and Holmes in a thriller which engages on every page

H.B. Lyle lives in South London with his partner and their twin daughters. After a career in feature film development, he took an MA in creative writing, followed by a PhD, at the University of East Anglia, an experience which led to the creation of The Irregular. He also writes screenplays and teaches undergraduates.

'Skilfully mixing real history with action sequences worthy of Lee Child, this is historical crime-writing at its best.' - John Williams, the Mail on Sunday .1912. Released from the Secret Service, Wiggins sets out for New York and his lost lover Bela. But after an altercation on board, he finds himself among the low-life of Britain's poorest city, Dublin.Wiggins falls in with gangster Patrick O'Connell and is soon driving the boss's girlfriend around town. Molly wants O'Connell to support her Irish nationalist cause - a cause needing guns to defeat the British - and then they go to find them in America.Finally, Wiggins can solve the mystery of Bela - and meet his old mentor, Sherlock Holmes in a story of escalating intrigue, danger and violence.

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