Snake and Sword: A Novel

Set against the sweltering backdrop of British‑India, the story follows Colonel Matthew de Warrenne—a decorated cavalry officer haunted by loss—and his devoted wife, Lenore, whose quiet courage hides a deep, irrational fear of snakes. When Lenore, after an evening of domestic chores, steps onto a pantry floor and feels a serpent coil around her ankle, the ordinary routine of colonial life shatters into a tense, almost mythic confrontation between terror and duty.

The narrative weaves the discipline of military honor with the fragile, personal battles of love and grief, exploring how a single, startling encounter can ignite both fear and resolve. Through vivid scenes of the bungalow’s dimly lit storeroom and the characters’ inner turmoil, listeners are drawn into a world where heroism is measured not just on the battlefield but in the quiet, unsettling moments that test the heart.