Was there a lesbian relationship between Maud Allan and Margot Asquith, wife of the previous Prime Minister? What was the plot against the government? How far were the government and secret service involved? Was the 'Black Book' genuine and, if so, what secrets did it contain? And at the trial, who was the surprise witness, the shadowy woman whose evidence caused a sensation and came close to bringing down the government?

These questions and more are tackled in The Maud Allan Affair, a new 'fictography' by Russell James, published by Pen & Sword. (A 'fictography' is a fictionalised biography, a story that blends the lives and actions of fictional characters with those of real and well-known people.) The Maud Allan Affair begins in 1908 and ends after the dust has settled, in 1919. Much of the novel is set during the First World War, and it climaxes with several chapters based on transcripts from the trial.