The Speedicut Papers Book 4 (1865–1871)

About the Book

Two main storylines run through Book 4 of The Speedicut Papers: Speedicut’s quest to identify the traitor within the British establishment, who has already occasioned him considerable personal problems, and his involuntary – and often disastrous – involvement in the geopolitical affairs of the Emperors of Austria, Mexico and the French and the future Emperor of Germany. Speedicut’s behind-the-scenes revelations in Book 4 shed a new light on the fall of the Mexican Empire, the Franco-Prussian War, the Paris Commune and a great deal more besides. “There are such things as vampires ... and the records of the past, such as The Speedicut Papers, give proof enough for sane people.” Bram Stoker “If this book was a horse it would be by Rider Haggard out of Dorian Gray – and I say that advisedly.” Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery “The Speedicut Papers prove that when you want to fool the world all that you have to do is tell the truth.” Otto von Bismarck “Bodice rippers don’t come much more ripping.” Georgette Heyer

About the Author

After serving time at Oxford University and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Christopher Joll spent his formative years as an officer in The Life Guards, an experience from which he has never really recovered. On leaving the Army, Joll worked first in investment banking, but the boredom of City life led him to switch careers and become an arms salesman. After ten years of dealing with tin pot dictators in faraway countries, he moved - perhaps appropriately - into public relations where, in this new incarnation, he had to deal with dictators of an altogether different type. From his earliest days, Joll has written articles, features, short stories and reportage. One such piece of writing led to an early brush with notoriety when an article he had penned anonymously in 1974 for a political journal ended up as front page national news and resulted in a Ministerial inquiry. In 2012 Joll wrote the text for Uniquely British: A Year in the Life of the Household Cavalry, an illustrated account of the Household Cavalry from the Royal Wedding to the Diamond Jubilee, and in 2018 he published The Spoils of War. His yet to be published memoires, Anecdotal Evidence, promises to cause considerable consternation in certain quarters should it ever appear in print. Since leaving the Army in 1975, Joll has been involved in devising and managing charity fund-raising events. This interest started in 1977 with The Silver Jubilee Royal Gifts Exhibition at St James’s Palace and The Royal Cartoons Exhibition at the Press Club. In subsequent years, he co-produced ‘José Carreras & Friends’, a one-night Royal Gala Concert at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane; ‘Serenade for a Princess’, a Royal Gala Concert at the Banqueting House, Whitehall; and ‘Concert for a Prince’, a Royal Gala Concert staged at Windsor Castle (the first such event to be held there following the post-fire restoration). More recently, Joll has focused on devising, writing, directing and sometimes producing events primarily for military charities. These include in various different roles the Household Cavalry Pageant (2007); the Chelsea Pageant (2008); the Diamond Jubilee Parade in the Park (2012); the British Military Tournament (2010-2013); the Gurkha Bicentenary Pageant (2015); the Waterloo Bicentenary National Service of Commemoration & Parade at St Paul’s Cathedral (2015); the Shakespeare 400 Memorial Concert (2016); The Patron’s Lunch (2016), the official London event to mark The Queen’s 90th Birthday and The Great War Symphony to be premiered in 2018 at the Royal Albert Hall. In 2017, Joll was appointed Regimental Historian of the Household Cavalry.