And there's unrest too within the 6th Light Dragoons. Their new commanding officer – a wealthy, arrogant and cruel man - takes an immediate dislike to Hervey who must somehow earn promotion while retaining his integrity and the loyalty of his men. The trauma of a regimental flogging is swiftly followed by action against the Luddites, and it comes as something of a relief when the 6th are dispatched to Canada. But there, in the aftermath of war with the United States, tension along the border is still high and although Hervey doesn't know it yet, he and his commanding officer are on a collision course. The consequences for them both will be devastating…
"Mallinson deals with the historical and military minutiae with his customary panache… It is his consummate ability to incorporate the social details and niceties of the times that marks his novels out from the common herd of big boys' books of big boys doing jolly brave things… A Regimental Affair confirms his undoubted talents and marks him as the heir to Patrick O'Brian and C.S.Forester." - The Observer
"An assured and capable work that proves Hervey is worthy of a long series of novels… a fine read… Mallinson is superbly well qualified to relate the tribulations of the (fictional) 6th Light Dragoons as they undertake duties "in aid of the civil power" in Britain and Canada in 1817." - The Times
"Enthrallingly informative historical panoramas, as well as beautifully told tales of adventure… in Hervey, Mallinson has a character worthy of comparison with Forester's young Hornblower… And, as always, there is a splendid backdrop of action" - Punch
"Hervey is the epitome of a sometime deputy head boy. He loves his wife, cares about his men, and does his duty without racking up an excess mess bill. Can such a faultless character sustain a reader's interest? When he is the work of Allan Mallinson, then the answer must surely be yes" - Spectator
"Mallinson writes well and effortlessly across fields of conflict which cover a vast panorama from chasing smugglers in Brighton to Luddite violence in the English Midlands and ending finally and disastrously with a border conflict in the snows of Canada." - The Historical Novels Review
"Hervey's Light Dragoons come up against Luddites in England, the weather in Canada and his own cruel, aristocratic commander. The cliffhanger will leave you wanting more." - The Mirror
"A pacey spirited tale convincingly written and enjoyable to read." - Coventry Evening Telegraph
"Matthew Hervey, a hero less caddish than George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman and less plebeian that Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe." - The Literary Review
"…Hervey is worthy of a long series of novels…" - The Times