A former cavalry and infantry officer, Allan Mallinson is also a contributor to publications such as the Times (London) and the Daily Telegraph. His Matthew Hervey military adventure stories are hailed on both sides of the Atlantic for their grit and authenticity. The year is 1829 and the prospect of long-term peace means the lieutenant-colonel must watch as his beloved regiment, the 6th Light Dragoons, is reduced in size. Without a war of his own to fight, Matthew is loaned out as a military observer to the Russian Army. He is supposed to be an impartial spectator, but as violence erupts around St. Petersburg, Matthew is compelled to act.