Novels
Gareth Jones’s new novella Isthmus of Perekop, a taut political thriller set between Ukraine, occupied Crimea and London is now available from Scenario.
Lord of Misrule, originally pub. by Farrar, Straus & Giroux (US), Gollancz (UK), is published as a full-cast BBC adaptation available as an audiobook from Penguin Books/Audible. ‘Gareth Jones has given us a superb historical novel… Literary merit here goes hand in hand with first class storytelling…’ Washington Post Book World
Isthmus of Perekop
Buy ‘Isthmus of Perekop’ Kindle Edition here
Buy ‘Isthmus of Perekop’ Hardback or Paperback Edition here
Read Extract here
Length: 150 pages
Genre: Political Thriller
Author: Gareth Jones
Synopsis: Some invitations are better left unaccepted.
Documentary filmmaker Dominic finds himself on a Film Festival Jury in recently occupied Crimea, simply repaying professional obligations and little suspecting where his sanctions busting will land him. His public plea for peace provokes exactly the opposite and he is forced to flee his irate hosts under the protective wing of his interpreter. Alarm turns to nightmare as he is embroiled in the violence unleashed by the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. His only route home lies northwards. Through the strip of land connecting Crimea with still independent free Ukraine. The strip of land known to maps as the Isthmus of Perekop.
Triggered by a personal experience of the author, Isthmus of Perekop digs into the causes and consequences of the war still being fought at the time of publication, tracing the emotions and rival claims through a British innocent abroad who is only doing his best to bring peace, or so he thinks, until the battlefield sweeps him up in the logic of what he is reporting. With echoes of Graham Greene and John le Carré, Isthmus of Perekop questions the conventions of the Cold War spy novel in a context where cold means hot and war means war.
I would like to thank you for your book… Ukrainians sacrificed their lives for the prosperous future of our nation. The end of the book promises some hope for our survival! AP, Kharkiv 5th February 2025
Lord of Misrule
(aka The Disinherited)
Buy ‘Lord of Misrule’ Kindle Edition here
Read Chapter One Extract Here
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Gareth Jones
Original Publication: 1980 Farrar, Straus & Giroux (US), 1981 Gollancz (UK), Penguin (UK) 1984
In Brief: Set in the isolated, mountainous, semi-pagan Cardiganshire of the mid-eighteenth century, Lord of Misrule tells the story of Gruffydd – adventurer, dreamer, womaniser – and the power he gains over the fickle and superstitious people of the Ystwyth Valley.
‘Gareth Jones has given us a superb historical novel… Literary merit here goes hand in hand with first class storytelling..this is a vivid story, full of drama, bawdy humour, adventure, even romance. And magic.’ Washington Post Book World
‘Jones tosses the two-sided coin of free will/fate with flips as dazzling as in Aeschylus. He offers us a hero who is truly heroic in the classical sense… Establishes Gruffydd as a character as unforgettable as his name… Leave yourself a wide swath of time when you open Lord of Misrule: it’s non-stop reading.’ Los Angeles Times Book Review – Front Page
‘A gutsy, good-natured tale… an entertaining romp with… rakes, fools and frolic.’ Kirkus Reviews
‘Jones has a talent for writing natural witty dialogue…’ Best Sellers
‘Hot-blooded historical romance… great verve and vigour.’ The Listener
Gracenotes
Buy ‘Gracenotes’ Kindle Edition here
Buy ‘Gracenotes’ Paperback Edition here
Read Extract here
Length: 165 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Author: Fiona Howe
In Brief: What happens when you lose your music? How far would you go to get it back?
When Grace’s daughter Juliet brings home new boyfriend Leo, a brilliant concert violinist, she inadvertently triggers a buried chain reaction that will threaten an entire family. A novella in five acts, Gracenotes explores the compulsion to make music – and love – whatever the cost.
***** Amazon Reviews:
‘…I couldn’t put it down. At every turn I felt I knew the characters. It handled beautifully… the impact of untapped talent, the fragility and strength of familial relationships and the emergence of light from darkness.’
She Danced
Buy ‘She Danced’ Kindle Edition here
Buy ‘She Danced’ Paperback Edition here
Read Extract here
Length: 330 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Author: Fiona Howe
In Brief: A successful, happily married woman risks everything she has for a much younger man with nothing but his music. The novel interweaves the emotional perspectives of both characters and the songs born of their shared yearning.
***** Amazon Reviews:
‘Super-intelligent writing, breathtaking insights into the world of contemporary music and media…’
‘Unnervingly relatable… a haunting and powerful read…’
‘Vivid, acute and intelligent…’
‘…wonderful story…just fantastic…’
‘…moving, sensual and beautifully written… a riveting read from an exciting new writer.’
Noble Savage
Buy ‘Noble Savage’ Kindle Edition on Amazon here
Read Prologue Extract here
Length: 308 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Gareth Jones
Original Publication: 1985, Weidenfeld & Nicolson (UK)
In Brief: Sequel to Lord of Misrule. Following a long absence, Gruffydd the conjurer returns to the Ystwyth Valley to reclaim the son he left behind, bringing him into conflict with the ruling landowner Lord Kirkland and changing the destiny of those around him in ways they could never have imagined.
‘A splendid tale’ Manchester Evening News
