Trinity of Souls
First Instalment in the Souls Series
Published January 2024
Trinity of Souls is Carl’s debut novel. As the first in the Souls Series, it introduces us to a world where souls meet time and again and play out their destiny through the different roles each life brings. A high concept fantasy adventure, Trinity of Souls is both contemporary and historical.
After a near-fatal crash in the Scottish Highlands, Ben, an ex-army major with a passion for protecting the innocent, dreams of previous deaths. Visited by a mysterious stranger who puts him into a series of trances to reveal more of his past, he stops the sessions after seeing his fiancée burned as a witch.
Ben’s doctor, Susan, is driven by her desire to care for people. Strangely drawn to Ben, she shares a vision in which they are drowned as human sacrifices. Still disoriented, she agrees to accompany new colleague, Lord Mortimer, to a conference in Dubai. There the lord imprisons her in his desert villa where he demonstrates how he has achieved immortality by consuming a man’s soul, telling her she will be next.
Sharing more past experiences while fighting to stay alive in the present, Susan and Ben must endure unspeakable horrors across millennia to discover the clues they need to survive; to find each other, and to challenge their nemesis. From ancient Egypt to the D-Day landings; from the African slave trade to punk rock; a multitude of lives lived, culminating in a single moment. All as the sinister Mortimer, destroyer of souls, lies in wait.
Welcome
I knew I wanted to write from an early age, but it took me a long time to settle on the right story. The difficulty I faced was genre. I loved suspense thrillers, but I liked historical adventure as well, or a good horror story. I liked a bit of humour, some romance… dare I say it, even a touch of the erotic. And I loved the freedom to let my imagination run wild that fantasy and science fiction provides.
As I got older, I became fascinated by the vast sweep of human history, the many possible settings for tragic tales, stimulating stories, and epic adventures. At the same time, I grew increasingly interested in examining the human condition: exploring the thrill of love; the conflicts created by loyalty and ambition; the trauma of loss, grief, and despair… and countless other emotions. I also realised fiction provided the opportunity for some social commentary, and for confronting the age-old questions of our very existence.
Trinity of Souls does all this. It is the right story. When I’m forced to say what genre my books are, I say fantasy. But, really, they’re all of them. And that’s what you’ll find when you read the Souls Series, starting with Trinity of Souls. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I have.
Carl Bayley
Tax writer turned storyteller, Carl Bayley, moved to Scotland in 1997 and fell in love with its landscape and history. The country ignited his creative passion and a desire to tell timeless stories that weave together the past and present. Pausing a mere quarter of a century to write a series of popular tax guides, he developed a skill for explaining complex concepts in simple everyday language. Now, he combines skills and passion to produce a series of fantasy novels unlike any other. And, don’t worry… tax is only mentioned once!