Susan Carpenter

Susan Carpenter, former World President, is revered as the ‘grand old lady of the new world order’. Recalling her astonishing life, she tells how she switched from medicine to politics in the hope of averting the impending catastrophe. As Foreign Secretary, she toured the world, aiming to gather support in the global fight against the coming storm. But when she returned home, she found herself facing an even tougher challenge.

Lady Sofia

Forgotten by history, Lady Sofia is the only woman Henry VIII ever truly loved. Sacrificing everything to marry her beloved Henry, she is swept aside to suit the sinister Maverell’s political machinations. But what will become of her now?

Suibhina (Sufie)

For as long as she can remember, Sufie has been enthralled by her mother’s stories of when she was one of the seven village tributes and was coupled with Sufie’s father in the Ring of Life. But, as the solstice approaches, her mother reveals more of what happened that day. When Sufie is chosen as a tribute, her mother is horrified: terrified she could be the one coupled with the Gods in the Ring of Death.

Sigrid the Shield-Maiden

 
Along with Thorsten the Hound, her faithful companion, Sigrid is the fiercest warrior in her Viking félag and undoubtedly the chieftain’s favourite: fuelling a jealous hatred in his ambitious nephew. When the félag crosses the ocean to a new land, Sigrid is forced to confront her shameful secret, and her jealous rival plans to use it to destroy her.

Ben Carlton

Major Ben Carlton runs his security company as a cover for his and Susan’s investigations into Mortimer and his global corporation: MGIG. But as they grow closer to uncovering the full scale of Mortimer’s operations, the couple are driven apart by tragedy and loss. When Susan’s diplomatic approach seems to be taking too long, Ben decides to take matters into his own hands.

Barak

Barak can remember the day the Romans nailed three men to their crosses and waited for them to die; he’s heard the stories about how one of the men rose again and returned to life. He’s really not sure whether to believe the stories or not, but he keeps his opinions to himself: the Pharisees have denounced the stories as heresy, and Barak wouldn’t want to end up dying the same way.

Mortimer/Mamboja

Now controlling events from the other side, Mamboja has grown more powerful than ever, and his influence on Susan and Ben manifests itself in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, we learn more about his past: collaborating with the Nazis as Mortimer; rising to high office in the time of Henry VIII; conducting the mysterious ‘couplings’ at Stonehenge four and a half thousand years ago; creating a deadly bacterium in the middle ages… his dark shadow lies over all of human history, and he hasn’t finished yet.

The Quads

Having quads in her late forties came as a surprise to Susan, but she loves them just the same. Simon is almost too good to be true; Olivia (Ollie) is the apple of Ben’s eye; Ricky is a bit of a tearaway; and Lucinda (Cinder) likes to play with fire. But which one of them killed their grandmother?

Harry van Bassan-Chang

Young writer, Harry van Bassan-Chang is surprised when he lands the coveted assignment to write Susan Carpenter’s life story. As their sessions unfold, he grows to love the feisty old woman. Gradually, he comes to realise they have known each other before. But when, and who was he?