Tales of sex and violence, mystery, murder and yes, even romance, abound in this sweeping saga as the reader is transported from the late seventeenth century to the mid twentieth when the self-confessed bad boy from the boondocks left school to make his own way in the world. The canvas stretches from Banffshire in the North East of Scotland to Blyth in the North East of England, from the Middle East to North America and Australia. In this journey of discovery, the author uncovers some shocking stories and others so amazing they would be dismissed as too fanciful for a work of fiction. You will find a good number of tragic tales that will sadden you but they are leavened by a great many others that will also gladden your heart.