Dear Mr Cornwell,

A cousin of mine is doing research into our family genealogy and has traced back on one of my Grandmother’s, whose maiden name was Sharpe and claims that an antecedent, whose name was Sharpe, was in the Army and The Rifles and on his discharge wrote his memoirs.  She is claiming that this distant relative and his memoirs was the inspiration for the Sharpe books.  She is currently refusing to put any flesh on the bones of this hypothesis for us.  As I am just embarking on the Sharpe series (I have read everything else) and came here for the reading order I was prompted to ask the question.  Is she right?

I have thoroughly enjoyed everything that I have read and I think most especially the Saxon Stories and offer my heartfelt thanks for many hours of entertainment and the resurrection of my interest in history.

Yours aye,

Dave Green