Sharpe's regiment : Richard Sharpe and the invasion of France, June to November 1813

Major Sharpe should be fighting the French - but his worst enemies are in England. Major Richard Sharpe's men are in mortal danger - not from the French, but from the bureaucrats of Whitehall. Unless reinforcements can be brought from England, the depleted South Essex will be disbanded, their troops scattered throughout the army. Determined not to see his regiment die, Sharpe returns to England and uncovers a nest of well-bred, high-ranking traitors, any one of whom could utterly destroy his career with a word, or a stroke of the pen. Sharpe is forced into the most desperate gamble of his life - and not even the influence of the Prince Regent may be enough to save him. Bold, professional, ruthless, hero and man of action'Going home? England? He did not want to go, but if the alternative was to watch a Battalion die that had earned its right to tramp down the roads of France, then he would go through hell itself. For his regiment and for its Colours that had flown through the cannon smoke of half a continent, he would go to England so that he could march into France. He would go home.'Sharpe's men are at risk of being wiped out - not by the enemy but by bureaucrats in Whitehall.There is rumour of fresh recruits being collected in England and Sharpe must go home to find them.Far from finding troops of brave and eager soldiers, Sharpe uncovers a nest of traitors, each determined in his way to destroy Sharpe's regiment.Not even the influence of the Prince Regent can protect Sharpe as he undertakes the most desperate gamble of his career.A Sharpe Adventure In the eighth volume in this series on the Napoleonic Wars, Sharpe must return from Spain to London to investigate why his supply of recruits has dried up. It's 1813, and Sharpe discovers a corrupt political enemy has diverted his recruits to sell them at auction. When he gets close to the source, the ring leaders try to kill him. Sharpe risks charges of treason to expose corruption at the highest level. The novel exposes the recruiting practices that, in fact, scandalized England and brought down prominent royal advisors. As usual, past and present sweethearts try to save Sharpe when danger threatens Sharpe, arriving in Chelmsford, could not remember the way to the South Essex's depot. Richard Sharpe and the Invasion of France, June to November 1813.