Siege of Khartoum »

John Wilcox is a former international journalist.

1884. Queen Victoria’s hero General Gordon is under siege. Hoards of Dervish warriors, loyal to the Mahdi, the Sudanese warlord and Messiah, are baying for British blood. With a small army and diminishing supplies, Gordon fears Khartoum will fall. Ex-captain and one-time subaltern Simon Fonthill is summoned to Cairo on a vital mission. He must enter the heavily guarded city undetected and make contact with Gordon ahead of the relief force. Together with comrade 352 Jenkins, Fonthill makes the treacherous journey across the Nile. But when they’re captured by a sadistic Dervish patrol, it seems hope of a British victory is all but lost. Can Fonthill and Jenkins survive interrogation and save Khartoum?

Publishers Weekly

In Wilcox's intricate sixth novel of Britain's Victorian empire, army captain turned problem-solver Simon Fonthill (last seen in The Guns of El Kebir) and his Welsh comrade, "352" Jenkins, are sent to assist the forces of General Gordon in Khartoum, besieged by the messianic warlord known as the Mahdi. Meanwhile, Fonthill's fiancée, Alice, a strong-willed news reporter, finagles her way into the imbroglio. Can Fonthill, Alice, and 352 save Gordon and his forces, or will the siege end in disaster? Wilcox uses recorded statements from historical figures to give the fiction the aura of truth, though the dialogue occasionally feels forced. Exciting action, two powerful romantic leads, a strong supporting cast, and a deftly woven plot make for a compelling read, and the tightly wound suspense drives the novel toward its exhilarating conclusion. (Sept.)