Ensign Early

Ensign Sebastian Early is a young soldier sent to South Africa with his regiment, the 24th Foot. The death of his friend results in Seb taking over the job of Provost-Marshal, the policeman for Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford’s army. Seb has taken the post out of regard for his dead friend, but would really prefer to be soldiering with his regiment on the front line. Instead he finds himself investigating a bizarre murder of a captain, even though his C.O. believes the man committed suicide, and the theft of a major’s gold watch.

South Africa, May 1879. Ensign Sebastian Early of the 24th Foot is warming to his role as the Provost-Marshal in the British army encampment at Landman’s Drift. When an unidentified corpse turns up in camp after a reported hunting accident and is hurriedly buried, Sebastian quickly discovers that the man, a lieutenant, was in fact killed in an illegal duel, which means that his death should be treated as manslaughter, or even murder.