Iain Harper / C.Q. Turnstone

Carte de Visite of Carrin Churchward The carte de visite of Lieutenant Charles Carrington 'Carrin' Churchward of the 16th Lancers was likely made in Dover in 1865.

If you've read Avarice of Empire you'll remember an officer known as 'Carrin' Churchward. This carte de visite portrait was likely taken in Dover shortly before his leaving party at Kearnsey Abbey on 16th August 1865. #cartedevisite #photography #history #historicalfiction #booksky #histbookchat

Strathallan Castle link to assassination mystery uncovered in new book How a member of the Drummond family, the former owners of Strathallan Castle, became involved in the story of a murder in Egypt is revealed in Avarice of Empire by C.Q. Turnstone (Brindle Books, March...

Very pleased to see the connection between Strathallan Castle, the Drummond family, and Charles Agnew’s story being highlighted by The Scotsman.

#strathallancastle #history #scottishhistory #histbookchat #booksky

Thanks Gareth, much appreciated!

Launch: C. Q. Turnstone’s Avarice of Empire - Historical Novel Society INTERVIEW BY ANNE EASTER SMITH Before studying for a Master’s in Imperial and Global History at the University of Exeter, C.Q. Turnstone spent most of his career specialising in digital marketing and ...

Many thanks to Anne and everyone in the Historical Novel Society’s author interviews team for doing this Q&A with me.

#historicalfiction #histfic #hfchitchat #histbookchat #historicalnovelsociety #authorinterview #booksky

#DoTheWriteThing

#DoTheWriteThing and sign the @societyofauthors.bsky.social petition to protect authors’ livelihoods from the unlicensed use of their work in AI training: www.change.org/p/protect-au...

Carnfunnock Country Park history brought to life in new book Turning point in Carnfunnock and Larne history is setting for opening chapter of Avarice of Empire by C.Q. Turnstone (Brindle Books, March 2025)

Super little feature in the Belfast Newsletter about Charles Agnew’s family home on the estate that is now Carnfunnock Country Park near Larne.

#historicalfiction #carnfunnock #larne #history #booksky

In chapter 33 of Avarice of Empire, Alec Innes has an important task to perform in Canterbury and walks into town from the cavalry barracks.
#historicalfiction #histfic #hfchitchat #histbookchat #booksky #canterbury

Review of Avarice of Empire, titled “Brilliantly articulated and addictive reading!”

Review of Avarice of Empire, titled “Extraordinary narrative of an extraordinary life.”

Love these reviews of Avarice of Empire!

#historicalfiction #histfic #hfchitchat #histbookchat #booksky

Avarice of Empire among the great new reads at Blackwell’s bookshop in Exeter.

Following the book signing there last week, Blackwell’s in Exeter now have Avarice of Empire in the ‘Great New Reads’ 3 for 2 promotion. It’s fantastic to see my book rubbing spines with work by authors for whom I have so much admiration.

#historicalfiction #histfic #history #booksky #blackwells

Reading from the prologue to Avarice of Empire, in which children from a local school visit Canterbury Cathedral and become intrigued by the memorial to Captain Charles Agnew of the 16th Lancers.

#avariceofempire #cqturnstone #historicalfiction #history #hfchitchat #histfic #booksky

Ian Osterloh and C.Q. Turnstone at Canterbury Cathedral

After paying my respects to Charles Agnew today, I had the chance to present a copy of Avarice of Empire to Ian Osterloh of the Canterbury Historical and Archaeological Society, and to spend some time discussing the research behind the story.

#historicalfiction #history #histfic #booksky

Today is the 152nd anniversary of the death of Charles Agnew “by the hand of an assassin” in Egypt on 22nd March 1873, and I’ve been commemorating the day at Canterbury Cathedral where he’s memorialised in the south aisle.

#history #hfchitchat #histbookchat #booksky

Huge thanks to Blackwell’s Exeter for hosting the first ‘Avarice of Empire’ book signing event today and to everyone who came along to show their support and buy copies of the book! There was laughter, great chat, surprise appearances and even Champagne. #historicalfiction #blackwells #booksky

Some of the wonderful friends and colleagues who came along to Blackwell’s University Bookshop in Exeter earlier today to support my first ‘Avarice of Empire’ book signing event. #historicalfiction #booksky #hfchitchat #histbookchat #blackwells

Stacks of copies of Avarice of Empire by C.Q. Turnstone

I’ve been looking forward to doing this for a very long time… signing copies of Avarice of Empire to send out to the many people who helped during the research process or offered feedback on the first full draft.

#historicalfiction #hfchitchat #histbookchat #booksky

Thank you!

Nineteenth-century Egyptian 20 para coin in front of a copy of Avarice of Empire.

This 20 para coin, equivalent to a halfpenny, was minted in Egypt in 1860/1 and in use during the period depicted in Avarice of Empire. A special ‘happy publication’ gift from the wonderful @emmalucycole.bsky.social

Fun to imagine one of the characters travelling through Egypt carrying it.

Avarice of Empire on display in the fiction section at Blackwell’s University Bookshop in Exeter.

Unashamedly proud and excited to see Avarice of Empire on a shelf in a bookshop for the first time! Here it is, in splendid company, at Blackwell’s in Exeter where I’ll be doing a book signing next Tuesday.

#histbookchat #hfchitchat #historicalfiction #blackwells

Avarice of Empire book signing with C.Q. Turnstone at Blackwell’s University Bookshop in Exeter. 11am to 1pm Tuesday 18th March.

Blackwell’s University Bookshop storefront in the Great Hall building in Exeter.

The Great Hall building on the University of Exeter’s Streatham campus.

⭐️ BOOK SIGNING ⭐️

Blackwell’s University Bookshop in Exeter will be hosting the very first ‘Avarice of Empire’ book signing with me next Tuesday, 18th March, from 11am to 1pm. Copies of the book will be available to buy on the day.

#historicalfiction #histfic #histbookchat @exeter.ac.uk

Thank you!

Avarice of Empire - Publication Day Avarice of Empire by C.Q. Turnstone is published today by Brindle Books in paperback and ebook. Biographical historical fiction. The Charles Agnew story.

🎉 PUBLICATION DAY! 🎉

After nearly 10 years since first becoming acquainted with the name Charles Agnew, today I’m excited and incredibly proud to finally be able to share his story and celebrate the publication of my debut novel.

#historicalfiction #histfic #histbookchat #hfchitchat #worldbookday

British captain killed by ‘assassin’ in Egypt brought to life in new book by Exeter historian The mystery surrounding the death of a British Army captain at the hands of an ‘assassin’ in Egypt during the nineteenth century has been explored by a new piece of historical fiction, released this w...

In advance of publication day on Thursday, the @exeter.ac.uk press office has written an article about 'Avarice of Empire' and the background to the story. #booknews #historicalfiction

An Erk's Progress: 8. Iceland... And Home Again The moment of parting came all too soon and I found myself billeted along with six other fellows in the dingy attic room of a boarding house near the North Pier in Blackpool. We were

In the last chapter of his memoirs published online, my grandfather Bill Hamilton spends a year in Iceland, where he's reunited with an old friend from 20 Squadron, before flying home to England, Thelma and demobilisation. #history #rafhistory #ww2history #icelandhistory

C.Q. Turnstone In Conversation With Brindle Books With only a week to go until the release of Avarice of Empire in ebook and paperback on 6th March, I thought I’d share a recent interview with my publisher about the story and my

With only a week to go until the release of Avarice of Empire in ebook and paperback on 6th March, I thought I’d share a recent interview with my publisher about the story and my approach to research and writing. #historicalfiction

An Erk's Progress: 7. Blighty... And Romance So it was that in 1942 I travelled by rail to Bombay where together with eight other R.A.F. types I boarded the “Athlone Castle” which had been converted from a luxury liner to a troopship.

In chapter 7 of his memoirs (1942-1943), my grandfather Bill Hamilton says farewell to India, sails to New York via Cape Town, and enjoys the good life at Fort Slocum before returning to England and falling in love with a W.A.A.F called Thelma. #history #rafhistory #waafhistory #fortslocum

Sophia Moseley with One for Sorrow and C.Q. Turnstone with an author’s proof copy of Avarice of Empire.

C.Q. Turnstone, EmmaLucy Cole and Sophia Moseley at The Lyme Bay Cafe in Lyme Regis.

Enjoyed a fabulous lunch with @emmalucycole.bsky.social and fellow Brindle Books author @sophiamoseley.bsky.social today at The Lyme Bay Cafe overlooking the crashing sea at #LymeRegis.

#fiction #historicalfiction

Avarice of Empire front cover on Kindle and in paperback.

Two weeks to go! Avarice of Empire will be released on Thursday 6th March. (Kindle edition available to preorder now.) #historicalfiction

An Erk's Progress: 6. Bangalore We were surprised to discover that our new environment was a tented camp situated outside the perimeter wall of the Hindustan Aircraft Factory. Close by the tents was the cookhouse – a small building ...

Chapter 6 of Bill Hamilton's memoirs sees him back in Bangalore in 1942. He receives an uncoded message about the fall of Singapore, witnesses an Indian independence protest, and camps in the race course grandstand (frequented by Charles Agnew 75 years earlier.) #history #rafhistory #ww2

No, Trump's Coercive Use of Tariffs Isn't New

An Erk's Progress: 5. The North West Frontier Our day consisted of breakfast, then down to the hangers where we carried out our battery charging, testing of wireless gear and repairing where necessary. Each of us would be given a certain duty, wh...

Of all my grandfather's RAF stories, those from his time in the North West Frontier of British India were the most vivid. With the same content warning as before, chapter 5 of Bill Hamilton's memoirs features the outbreak of war, the Khyber Pass and trouble in Waziristan. #history #rafhistory