Hi! I´ve never written to you before (or any other author). I really enjoy your work, especially Sharpe, Uhtred and Artur. I´ve been thinking of the riddle you gave us. Even tough I´m more curious about Sharpe´s descendants, than his parentage, the riddle intrigues me. “Has Sharpe’s father appeared in one of my books? No. Clue? Take you out, put me in and a horse appears in this happy person! (eight letters)” Mount=horse, Joy=happy. Mountjoy. There is a historic soldier called, Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy PC (Ire) (7 February 1745 5 June 1798), (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Gardiner,_1st_Viscount_Mountjoy), that fits the time frame. Could he be Sharpe´s father? However, the title Mountjoy derives from the Carolingian battle cry Montjoie, which the french subsequently used. Could Sharpe´s father be french? Am I on the right track? Regards Tobias, Stockholm.