Matchlock And The Embassy

April, 1622. Matthew Lock arrives in The Hague, determined to learn the truth about the brutal murder of his parents. To survive a terrifying conspiracy, and to save his family, Lock must lean on years of training in the musket drill. But with Europe on the brink of the Thirty Years' War, following his father's guidance will not be easy. He must confront his painful past. He must fight his innermost demons. He must become a legend. Matthew Lock must become Matchlock. Matchlock and the Embassy is the first instalment in a new historical fiction series, brought to you by Zachary Twamley, host of When Diplomacy Fails Podcast.

February, 1623. Nine months after Matthew Lock established his legend – and avenged his family – sinister forces are once again on the move. The Raven has expanded his powers, and seems hellbent on seizing Lock for his insidious ends. Meanwhile, from the shadows, the enigmatic Black Prince watches and waits, his Masks never far away. To unravel the complex mystery surrounding his family, Captain Lock enlists in a new army, loyal to Frederick, the outlaw who was once the second most powerful man in the Holy Roman Empire. But in this Thirty Years’ War, trustworthy allies are difficult to find, and treacherous Rogues lurk where they are least expected. Matthew Lock must answer for his crimes. He must confront the sins of his father. He must channel the rebel within. Matchlock and the Rebel is the second instalment in a historical fiction series, brought to you by Zachary Twamley, host of When Diplomacy Fails Podcast.

second spans the period between that conflict and the Second Anglo-Afghan War, 1878-80, while the third terminates with the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907, which effectively marked the end of the confrontation.