The Leader

A good read with a play on what might have been if Edward VIII insisted on staying on the throne with his divorcee wife, Wallis. Parliament is in turmoil as objections to Edward's remaining on the throne destabilises democracy...untill enevitably BUF leader, Oswald Mosley manages to for a stable government. When Mosley forms an alliance with Hitler it looks like the writing is on the wall for freedom in Great Britian. Senior whip of the Conservative Party and former WWI veteran, Captian James Armstrong doesn't want a bar of this new oppressive reigeme, and plots to overthrow Mosley and force Edward to abdicate to Albert (Duke of York). It soon becomes clear that Great Britian is to follow Germany down the path of Anti-Semitisim and Armstrong needs to move fast. In a spectacular cat and mouse chase Armstrong needs to act soon, and along the way finds out who his friends truly are. Underlying all this is an International plot by the Soviets to overthrow Mosley and install a communist government... Because of the very short timeframe of a year in which this book is set, it seems a little rushed, but keeps you hanging on untill the end.

This review might be slightly biased, as I am a huge fan of Alternative History fiction. The story is set in an alternate version of 1937 Britain, where King Edward VIII never abdicated, and decided instead to reign with Wallis as Queen. This obviously plunged the Empire into a constitutional and social crisis, which the King decided to "solve" through the leader of the British Union of Fascists, Sir Oswald Mosley. Promising to restore order, Mosley acquires extraordinary powers, eventually dissolving the Parliament and turning Britain into a de facto fascist dictatorship, allied with Nazi Germany. This scenario will not be tolerated by Captain James Armstrong, WWI Veteran and Conservative Party whip, who is willing to ally with the underground jewish and communist resistance to destroy Mosley's evil agenda. The book is surprisingly easy to read and offers us an interesting and realistic scenario to what could have happened if Edward VIII had never abdicated. I strongly recommend it to (and not only to) any alternate history amateurs.