Seven Dials - a historical novel unlike any other

I am currently seeking a Publisher for my most recent creative project, Seven Dials - The Past, The Present and the Puzzle. You can find out a little more below, or go to The Questor, and you can go down a whole new rabbit hole about Thomas Neale, Seven Dials, London’s hidden history, the mysterious Questors and more.

An unlikely pair of sleuths unearth a 300 year-old secret in London’s Seven Dials, but dark forces emerge, determined to bury the past.

When an ambitious journalist unlocks a secret from the past, she has to decide her future in a world where magic and science still co-exist.

Seven Dials unravels a perplexing mystery in the vein of “The DaVinci Code”, with a parallel historical backstory (plot and character-driven, like Robert Harris) told with the literary flourish of “Wolf Hall” in a modern-day London that is vibrantly described and excitingly explored.

For 300 years, it has been rumoured that an enormous vault of gold is hidden beneath London’s Seven Dials. When a dramatic incident throws the area into chaos, talented news reporter Alison Hill unearths an ancient mystery from a realm where magic and science coexist.

In the present, Alison is the only first-hand witness to Brad Sayer’s dramatic discovery in Seven Dials, but dark forces emerge, determined to bury the past. As events spiral, she joins forces with Brad, an enigmatic and unpredictable ‘Questor’, and they race against time to crack an unbreakable puzzle, while fanatics led by the menacing Guild Master will stop at nothing to recover their debt.

In the past, a brilliant entrepreneur, Thomas Neale, seamlessly navigates the worlds of politics, business, and the Court but finds only empty fulfilment in his pursuit of unlimited wealth. Desperate to leave a meaningful legacy and make amends for the prodigal sins of his past, he defies the powerful Guilds to transform a notorious London slum into a new district called Seven Dials.

Seven Dials is a historical novel like no other. It unfolds simultaneously as a fantastical adventure in the present while revealing the untold story of Thomas Neale, an extraordinary figure in late-seventeenth-century London. Known as “Golden Neale,” he was one of the most influential figures of his age and was amongst the wealthiest men in England. However, he died, apparently penniless, and his grave is unknown. 

Unravelling Thomas Neale’s mystery will change your perspective on the past and the secrets hidden beneath our streets.

LEICESTER SQUARE

Tom Horner had the vision to create the greatest show on earth but failed to see the most important thing in the world.

London 1837.  Ambitious young artist Tom Horner stands perched on an extraordinary studio 'eyrie' constructed above the cross and ball at the summit of St Paul’s cathedral.  Against the odds he has secured a life-changing commission to create a perfect smoke-free 360 degree panorama painting of London.  Now he faces a race against time as well as the vicious winter storms and disruptive machinations of his impresario patron Robert Barker.  The task will almost kill him but, helped in secret by the spirited Millie Turner, he obsessively completes his masterpiece.  The panorama is re-produced on a gigantic scale in Leicester Square and viewed by thousands using the world's first passenger lift (which Horner also designed).  From the moment it opens, the Leicester Square show is an unprecedented success.  Tom is an overnight sensation and vast riches seem assured for them all.  But, amidst the euphoria of his sudden fame and captivated by the allure of Barker’s daughter Alicia, Tom heartlessly overlooks the one true person in his life.  The devastating consequences for Tom will reverberate through London’s history to the present day.  

Based on a true story, Leicester Square moves at pace, with extraordinary scenes (opening with 500 hundred horses and carriages racing down Regents Street) and Tom’s journey is set against a backdrop of dramatic set-piece action and unexpected disaster.  Leicester Square is the amazing untold tale of staggering creative endeavour, destructive ambition and the redeeming power of love, set in the beating heart of London. Images, including original paintings commissioned for the pitch by Robert Ford.    

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A ONE PAGER FOR LEICESTER SQUARE HERE