Writing historical fiction combines the first great love of Alan Bardos’ life, making up stories, with the second, researching historical events and characters. He currently lives in Oxfordshire with his wife… the other great love of his life.
There is still a great deal of mystery and debate surrounding many of the events of the First World War, which he explores in his Johnny Swift historical fiction series. The series starts with the pivotal event of the twentieth century, the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The second book ‘The Dardanelles Conspiracy’ is based on an attempt by Naval Intelligence to bribe Turkey out of the First World War. In the third book ‘Enemies and Allies’ Johnny is employed as a useful idiot to flush out a traitor working to undermine the Allies.
His new World War 2 series follows Daniel Nichols, a former pacifist turned crusader, as he moves from the Fleet Air Arm to Intelligence and Special Operations.
The first book ‘Rising Tide’ is set against the backdrop of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; as Nichols is embroiled in a conspiracy to keep the USA bogged down in the Pacific and out of the war in Europe.
The second book ‘Hunter Class”, is set in 1943, Nichols has been recruited into 30 Commando by Ian Fleming, taking part in the invasion of Sicily and collecting top secret enemy material before it is destroyed. After the fall of Mussolini, Nichols joins forces with Giacomo Moretti, a combat swimmer in the Italian Navy’s elite Decima Flottiglia MAS. As the fate of the war hangs in the balance, they embark on a treasure hunt that will require all their skill and guile to ‘pinch’ a German T52 teleprinter, used by Hitler to communicate with his senior commanders.