Hello Mr Cornwell.

I am a retired English and History teacher living in Port Stephens NSW Australia. I would like you to know how much I have enjoyed the wonderful historical detail in your books. T recently took stock and realised I’ve now read over twenty! Your style is crisp and clean – I like the no nonsense narrative and your capacity to write action and create a sense of place. Do you know I’ve just finished reading Sharpe’s Waterloo for the third time. You’ve certainly achieved something very interesting with the Sharpe/Harper relationship – the journey from  mutual hatred to close friendship. As an English teacher I’m accustomed to a degree of introspection in the protagonist. Although the action novel doesn’t lend itself to that really,I am amazed at the extent  you are able to give telling insights into the psyche of you characters – at least sufficient to make them very interresting. I’ve especially enjoyed the Utrich’Aethelflaed relationship and all of Sharpe’s – his wife Jane is a marvellous characterisation of an opportunistic female doing her best to survive challenging times – reminiscent of Becky Sharpe in Vanity Fair, even with that sense of menace.

The credibility of your historical detail, however, is the thing that captivates me. most. I note with interest your new book on Waterloo is out and I shall look forward to reading it. I commend you heartily for refraining from putting your writer’s quill away. Thanks foir many happy hours of reading pleasure.

Doug Archer