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Captured in Amber

Explore the literary worlds crafted by David East, including his captivating new novel,Captured in AmberDive into stories that intrigue and inspire.

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Lady Cordelia, a leading figure in Caught in Amber, drawn by David himself.

I had a few hours to kill in Copenhagen, so I went to the Sorte Diamant Library to take some photos. Libraries are quiet places and staff members aren’t always thrilled to hear camera shutters go off. As I was firing away, I noticed a staffer approaching from my side. I said a photographers’ prayer and prepared to get told off. He said to follow him and I obliged. We walked through a door with a “staff only” sign, found our way down a narrow corridor and entered a huge room, dimly lit, filled with archived books. “You’ll get good shots in here”, the librarian said and then got back to work.

An architectural highlight: The Stuttgart library

Archive Shelfs at Sächsisches Staatsarchiv in Dresden, Saxony, Germany

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I am (in alphabetical order) an artist, autistic, a carpenter, cricketer, grandfather, historian, photographer, retired clergyman, small boat owner, and, of course, a writer.My first published book (some twenty-five years ago) was the biography of Sarah Mallet, an eighteenth-century female preacher (a pioneer at a time when women were generally banned from the pulpit). She came to know John Wesley, who referred to her in his letters as 'My Dear Sally'. This is also the title of my book. It is sadly out of print at the moment, but an electronic version is available on Amazon. One day I'll learn how to put a hyperlink here, but in the meantime, search Amazon for 'My Dear Sally', and you should find it.Since then, I have been commissioned to write articles on both Sally and early women preachers for several journals in the UK and the USA.I have also written a comic novel The Sacred Diary of a Victorian Churchman, books on family history and several children's books. Some of these are also available on Amazon.However, for at least the last ten years, I have been working, thinking, plotting, and finally writing my first novel: Captured in Amber. You can find out more about that on the page on this site devoted to it.<h3>Why Choose David East's Works</h3>David East's books offer more than just entertainment; they provide an immersive experience that sparks imagination and reflection. His commitment to quality writing and engaging storytelling sets his work apart. Readers can expect well-crafted plots, relatable characters, and thought-provoking themes. 'Caught in Amber' promises an unforgettable journey through the power of stories.[ps, I didn't write this paragraph! DE]

Who am I?

How to describe this book? A brief summary might be: a reserved young English archivist and an intrepid noblewoman chase family secrets, buried betrayals, and a hidden traitor across an alternate-history Europe and North Africa, from the ruins of Carthage to the icy ports of the Baltic—armed only with wit, courage, and the power of the written word. Oh, and a sword-stick.That only scratches the surface though. In longer form: Captured in Amber is set in an alternate Europe, where Britain would have been, technologically at least, in 1900.&nbsp; However, politically and socially things are very different, as the Roman Empire only finally faded away two centuries ago.&nbsp; The remnants of Roman order still shape society, travel, and politics. Edric Mayberry, a shy, detail-obsessed English researcher, is recruited to assist the independent and enigmatic Lady Cordelia Blackwood. Ostensibly, their mission is to trace her family’s lineage through the labyrinthine archives of Europe.But Edric carries a secret: he has been tasked with uncovering a traitor in the English Senate—a person whose true name and ancestry have been deliberately hidden. As they travel through Vienna, Milan, Venice, Kraków, Carthage, and Petra, Edric and Lady Cordelia face bureaucratic obstacles, bandit attacks, and the icy hostility of authorities. They encounter rival agents, secret societies determined to keep the past buried, and clues hidden in ancient trade records and marginalia—especially concerning the amber trade that once connected the Baltic to the Mediterranean.Their journey is both external and internal: Edric struggles with guilt, fear, and a sense of inadequacy, while Lady Cordelia navigates the expectations of her class and the dangers of being a woman alone in foreign lands. Together, they survive an airship crash in the Alps, imprisonment in North Africa, and the suspicions of those who would rather see the truth remain hidden. Their friendship deepens, and Edric’s unspoken affection for Lady Cordelia becomes a quiet source of strength.If you want to know more, you will have to buy the book; published July 2026.<h3></h3>