Hello Mr Cornwell,

Loved the new Uthred book, although I did keep getting the song ‘fields of gold’ by Eva Cassidy stuck in my head every time the fields of barley was mentioned. But my question today is one that has been on my mind for years and on that I sure you’ve been asked before. What happened to Jack Bullen? And why did you not carry the character on? Is it because he was too likable and may have rivalled Sharpe? I guess there’s only room for one swashbuckling officer in a British army light company!

Speaking as a fellow Essex man (I’m from a small village called tillingham near the blackwater) are there any parts of Essex that you miss?

Many thanks,

Thomas Brush.