The Unravelling is a captivating historical fiction set in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The novel depicts the military, political, and tribal intrigues that led to the country's collapse as its disenfranchised black population, with the support of two global super powers, China and Russia, took up arms to break free from Rhodesia’s colonial past.
You will meet two young men, Nick and Sipho, who have a deep love for the country of their birth and for its endangered elephant and rhino herds which are facing an existential threat from poaching. During the Rhodesian Bush War both men had served with distinction with the Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR) and had become stalwart brothers in arms
Following his demobilisation from the RAR in July 1980 Nick had been accepted into the University of Edinburgh. He travels to the UK to begin this new chapter of his life. There he meets Rachel Dixon who is a student at Oxford University.
Rachel is the only daughter of a controversial but highly successful English businessman named Stuart Dixon. Stuart had worked with Nick’s father, Matthew Sinclair, to help broker some of Rhodesia’s tobacco sanction busting deals.
The two students fall in love and in July 1981 Nick brings Rachel back to Zimbabwe for a month long holiday.
Sipho remains in Zimbabwe. He is a patriot from the Ndebele nation. He loves his tribal heritage but loves his country more. Following the disbandment of the RAR he joins the new Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and serves it with distinction. However, despite such service he becomes the victim of shameful tribal discrimination by the ZNA hierarchy.
You will also meet Johannes du Toit. Johannes is a callous white man with a love for power and money. During the Rhodesian Bush War, he had served with the elite Rhodesian Light Infantry which was the country’s pre-eminent counter-insurgency unit. Johannes had however gone AWOL in September 1978 when he fled from the country when his illegal poaching activities came to light. Johannes returns to Zimbabwe in July 1981 to resurrect his nefarious rhino poaching activities.
Fate had predestined that circumstances would bring Nick, Sipho, Rachel and Johannes together at a place called Mhuka Ranch in southeast Zimbabwe in 1981. Here a lethal encounter takes place which leaves three people dead. The truth of what happened on that fateful day remains unknown to the public but will be revealed to the reader.

Experience the dramatic shift from Ian Smith’s Rhodesia to Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe in this gripping sequel to The Unravelling. Set between 1980 and 1986, A Moment of Madness delves into the profound impact of Mugabe’s consolidation of power, focusing on the devastating Gukurahundi campaign and the rise of a brutal one-party dictatorship.
The novel continues the story of Nick and Rachel, familiar characters from the first book. Living in the UK, engaged in September 1982, and married in 1984, their love story unfolds amidst political chaos. As they return to Zimbabwe for their honeymoon, they face personal challenges and the broader implications of Mugabe’s ruthless regime.
In the UK, Nick witnesses the cold-blooded tactics of Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) when Jonathan Khumalo, a young lawyer with alleged royal Ndebele ties, is eliminated as a perceived threat to Mugabe’s ambitions. Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, Sipho Pukelo, Nick’s comrade-in-arms, faces similar violence when a 5th Brigade assault squad, led by Major Tawanda Nyati, raids his village, killing his parents. Later, Nyati himself becomes a liability and is murdered by the CIO.
Back in the UK, Nick joins Rare Quest Imports Pty Ltd (RQI), owned by his father-in-law. His expertise proves crucial in covert arms deals with South Africa, aimed at countering guerrilla movements and communist factions, providing him with deeper insights into the complex world of Cold War geopolitics.
As Nick uncovers disheartening revelations about the British government’s stance on Zimbabwe, he faces a profound personal dilemma. With Rachel’s pregnancy adding new dimensions to his life, Nick must balance his commitment to his family in the UK with his desire to help Zimbabwe amidst increasing repression.
A Moment of Madness vividly portrays the Gukurahundi campaign and Mugabe’s quest for absolute power, offering a powerful exploration of this tumultuous period in Zimbabwe’s history. Dive into a tale of love, conflict, and political intrigue with lasting impact.

Born in secrecy. Left to die. But against all odds, Zachary survived.
In the heart of rural South Australia, a terrified young woman gives birth alone in a locked farmhouse bathroom. The child is critically injured. The on-call doctor — a newly arrived GP from Zimbabwe — is refused entry and follows medical protocol. But what happens that day will echo across decades.
Placed into State care and given the name Zachary, the boy clings to life against all expectations — and finds love and meaning in the arms of foster parents whose courage and devotion know no bounds.
As the years pass, secrets stir and a bitter legal reckoning looms. At stake is not just reputations and livelihoods, but the meaning of justice — and the value of a life that was never meant to matter.
Zachary’s Cry is a powerful and compassionate novel of moral failure, human frailty, and the quiet heroism that can emerge when everything else falls apart.