We are now in the countdown to the publication of my new novel THE GOOD WIFE'S CASTLE, in April 2012. It is a dark psychological thriller, set here and now in the Westcountry (published by Transworld Books).
The Good Wife's Castle
The purest intentions can sometimes mask the most terrible crimes....
The unexpected suicide of an apparently happy family man; a woman held captive for years in a forgotten underground bunker; a middle aged clergyman, at a crisis point in his life, drawn into an uncomfortable relationship with a teenaged girl. Against the backcloth of these interwoven tales comes the story of two very different men who are unintentionally thrown together.
 Piet Steyn and Granville St Clair happen both to be out walking at dawn on a country lane when they accidentally become joint witnesses of a domestic tragedy. But there is something about what they see that they decide to keep hidden - a decision that will have terrible repercussions for them both. They find themselves unwillingly bound together in a conspiracy, and as the layers of their private lives begin to peel away, dreadful secrets are brought to light.
The Good Wife's Castle is a tense psychological thriller in which despair, murderous obsession and twisted spirituality meet face to face beneath the veneer of seemingly respectable people in a quiet, rural community.
Early review
Very different from his A Dark Enchantment and The Maestro'sVoice, for this is contemporary, sinister obsession, dark psychological stuff which I am thoroughly enjoying. I think he is a talent well worth watching.
Sarah Broadhurst, The Bookseller
Previous published books include:
THE MAESTRO'S VOICE (a novel, publ 2010, Transworld Books) see reviews below.
A DARK ENCHANTMENT (a novel, publ 2008, Transworld Books) winner of the DAILY MAIL FIRST NOVEL AWARD
STAR IN THE EAST, KRISHNAMURTI, THE INVENTION OF A MESSIAH (biography of philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, publ 2000, Constable Robinson)
The INTRODUCING COMPOSERS series: 8 separate biographical books for younger readers, fully illustrated, on BEETHOVEN, MOZART, BACH, VIVALDI, CHOPIN, VERDI, GERSHWIN, STRAVINSKY (first publ by Belitha Books, with several successive coeditions)
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Reviews for THE MAESTRO'S VOICE
An exciting and accomplished page turner... One to pack in your hand luggage on your next holiday. DAILY MAIL
Roland Vernon's fine and atmospheric second historical novel... has the historical novelist's two indispensible attributes: a sense of time and a sense of place. His Naples... has a reality that is quite startling... Whether you are heading to Italy or not this summer, this is definitely one to pack in the beach bag. HISTORY TODAY
The Maestro's Voice is a tale of glamour, greed and intrigue... a plot worthy of an Italian opera and set against the enthralling backdrop of the crumbling city of Naples. A fascinating and enjoyable read. HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW
Vernon writes with fluency and elegance, in full control of the subtleties and complexities of his plots and sub-plots... The author brings the city [of Naples] almost tangibly to life. OPERA NOW
A stylish novel (4 star rating) MAIL ON SUNDAY
A thriller set amid the dirt and duplicity of Mafia-run Naples in 1894 and 1926, the era of Caruso and McCormack and the legendary record producer Fred Gaisberg... It's a terrific read, THE OLDIE
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ONLINE LITERARY REVIEWS
This is such a fantastic novel – there’s so much going on... I got completely wrapped up in the story, and my heart broke at the descriptions of Rocco’s childhood in the labyrinthine slums of Naples... It’s a thrilling and twist filled mystery novel, but at the same time, it’s also about a man discovering who he truly is, and realising that his career will never fill the void in his soul. It’s wonderfully characterised, brilliantly atmospheric, and absolutely gripping. I can’t recommend it highly enough. BOOK SNOB
The plot twists and turns as each character fights for nothing less than their survival... Reading this book was exactly like watching one of those lavish drama productions that the BBC occasionally puts on... The writing is lush and sensuous and highly evocative. The characters are richly created... and the plot brings them cleverly into conflict. Naples in the early years of the twentieth century is brought beautifully to life, its slums, its underground passages, its glamorous villas and its scintillating scrum of rich and poor... Altogether it’s a bouillabaisse of a book, a thick Mediterranean stew in which all kinds of disparate ingredients come together in satisfying harmony... This is a good intelligent holiday book, one to swallow you up in the experience of a different world and to dazzle you with some vibrant prose. TALES FROM THE READING ROOM
I did not put it down until finished. Wow, what a simply terrific read... It is wonderfully done and the writing is also like a piece of music, it enthralls and grips and urges you on to the final conclusion... Stupendo Maestro RANDOM JOTTINGS OF A BOOK AND OPERA LOVER
I loved the fact that this book is told from the perspective of so many different characters. It meant that I could really get a feel for the characters as I got a good insight into their lives, feelings and their relationship with Rocco. The characters were all quite complex, with everybody having both good and bad points, and this made most of them very realistic and likeable... [It] kept me hooked as I just had to keep reading in order to find out what the next twist in the tale would be. I especially loved the final twist in the story and the ending... I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be a gripping and intriguing read. CHRISSIE'S CORNER
The first few chapters of The Maestro’s Voice are tantalisingly exciting and mysterious. The opening sentence is my favourite of all time... full of intrigue and abstract uncertainty... the essence of the plot and central theme were captivating and the glimpses of emotion were touching. THE VIEW FROM HERE MAGAZINE
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