After a lot of false starts and hemming and hawing, “The Deserter, a Tale of the Foreign Legion,” will be out January 16, 2026.
Gritty and existential! A British veteran’s stint in the French Foreign Legion turns ugly as he suffers from the brutal cost of good intentions and the indifferent machinery of war.—Cam Torrens, award-winning author of the Tyler Zahn suspense series
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This book marks the return to my historical fiction roots. It’s different than anything you’ve read from me. It’s dark, violent, and decidedly not cute or funny. But it IS a thrilling story of desperation and one man’s desire to overcome his worst impulses.
Here’s the synopsis:
Marseille, 1908.
A Boer War veteran, broken and adrift, seeks discipline and renewed purpose in the unforgiving ranks of the French Foreign Legion. He finds it, but not for long. When a payroll guard is murdered, a treacherous soldier blames him, forcing Gil Vincente to run for his life.
Chasing his nemesis through the rugged mountains of North Africa, Gil must fight to clear his name. But with the Legion on his heels and a ruthless killer on the loose, will he find justice or be forever branded a coward and deserter?
Think Beau Geste, directed by Sam Peckinpah, and you’re on the right track.
If you’d like an early review copy, want to be on my launch team, or just want to know more details as launch day draws near, Get on my mailing list.
More to come. Stay tuned
