The Devil's Own

Paperback (July 2002)

The Crimean War: one of the most brutal and bloody wars in history, and the soldiers fighting it face violent death both on the battlefield at the hands of the fierce Cossacks, and off, from the scourge of cholera. Sergeant Jack Crossman, tough, shrewd and skillful, is part of the proud 88th regiment, the Connaught Rangers, also known as the Devil's Own after Wellington saw them and exclaimed: 'I don't know what effect those men will have on the enemy, but by God they terrify me.'

Nicknamed Fancy Jack by the troops for his aristocratic background, Crossman chose to join the ranks instead of buying a commission to prove his worth as a soldier. Grudgingly admired equally by his commanding officers and the men in the ranks, Crossman is singled out to go on a series of near-suicide missions - known as fox hunts - with a motley crew of expendable troublemakers from the regiment. Conscious that the success or failure of these missions could determine the outcome of the war, Crossman is determined not to fail. As one of the bloodiest battles of the war approaches, Crossman must push himself to the very limits of his abilities as a soldier if the defeat of the Russians, and the pride of the British army is to be assured.