1860: Lord Stoker is wandering the Great Plains of the American West when he stumbles across a female survivor of a vicious attack. Traumatised and rendered mute by her experiences, Stoker resolves to escort her to St Louis and leave her with the authorities. His plans are foiled by the enigmatic explorer Richard Burton who has a role for Stoker in his own mission for the Crown. The stakes are raised by the arrival of Buller, Stoker's brutal and hot-headed brother, and the psychotic blackmailer James Maybrick.

Stoker is drawn into a whirlwind of deceit, depravity and violence as he struggles to protect the girl he rescued. His journey takes him into America's ferocious frontier where secrets are revealed and blood is spilled.

Games of cat and mouse unfold but is Stoker the cat or the mouse?

Dick Warburton lives in West Stoke, West Sussex. He gained a first class degree in Creative Writing and Film Studies at Portsmouth University. During his time at university Dick wrote over 50 articles on cinema for the student newspaper. Last year he received a Masters degree in Film and Philosophy from King's College London. At present he is assisting two authors with their own work including a novel and a screenplay.