Timebomb

'A superior historical thriller, which is both a murder mystery and espionage novel...for fans of Alan Furst and Philip Kerr.' - Thomas Waugh

Manchester, 1919.

To Detective Chief Inspector Frank Tinsley, it initially appears to be a straightforward crime. A drunkard has been stabbed to death and robbed.

But what was the drunk doing behind the university physics building at three in the morning?

As Tinsley seeks answers, he becomes convinced that the key to solving the murder lies in the contents of a scientific notebook, which has mysteriously gone missing.

But Tinsley is not the only one searching for the notebook. German Intelligence believes it contains the secret to a new kind of weapon, and has sent an IRA operative, Graham Donnelly, to retrieve it, promising rifles and ammunition in return. Donnelly is desperate to prove himself and will allow nothing to stand in the way of completing his assignment.

As Tinsley becomes aware of the notebook's contents, he realises that the stakes are higher than he imagined.

Should he fail, the notebook and its atomic secrets will fall into the hands of Germany, just as Adolf Hitler is plotting his rise to power.

Kevin Bartlett was born in Colchester. He lives in Victoria, Canada, with his wife. Timebomb is his first novel.

© 2026 W. F. Howes Ltd (Audiobook): 9781004260966

Release date

Audiobook: 3 September 2026