Book Amplifier Tour with a Q&A for Winter's Season by R.J. Koreto

 

Winter's Season by R.J. Koreto

Published: February 17, 2026 by Histria Fiction

 In Winter’s Season, R.J. Koreto centers the story on Captain Winter, a former soldier whose postwar life is defined by duty rather than peace. His work requires him to move quietly through spaces where influence is subtle, danger is constant, and justice has no formal structure.

Set in London in 1817, the story opens in a city rebuilding after war while clinging fiercely to its hierarchies. When a young woman is murdered in a notorious district, Captain Winter is tasked with uncovering the truth without drawing attention to those who would rather see the matter disappear. His role as Whitehall’s “special emissary” places him between privilege and violence, where discretion matters more than certainty.

Progress depends on fragile alliances. A nobleman connected to Winter’s past opens doors closed to most, while a wise Jewish physician offers insight that challenges accepted narratives. The return of Barbara Lightwood, a former lover whose intelligence and social fluency give her access to sensitive information, complicates the investigation. Her guarded cooperation forces Winter to weigh personal history against professional duty.

As the case deepens, Winter is pushed to confront the limits of justice in a city determined to protect its own.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4oGUp00

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235788930-winter-s-season

Q&A:  

What sets your book apart from others in your genre?

In Winter's Season, both the actual mystery and the relationships between the characters tightly relate to the rigid social structure of the day. What kinds of behavior were acceptable from the nobility as opposed to the commoners? What could men do that women couldn't—and vice versa? Those all deeply affect the investigations. Captain Winter, my protagonist, is a rare figure who doesn't belong to any class—or perhaps he belongs to all of them! Unmoored, he tries to find his place in the world as he tracks down a killer.

What’s your favorite compliment you’ve received as a writer?

I wrote a series of books about Lady Frances Ffolkes, a spirited and unconventional suffragette in Edwardian England who finds the time to become an amateur detective. A reader wrote to me: "I wish Lady Frances was real so she could be my friend." That something liked my character so much!

Why did you choose this setting/topic?

I read Pride & Prejudice with a professor who had done her dissertation on Jane Austen. She stressed one line in particular, about the deceitful Mr. Wickham: he "wanted only regimentals to make him completely charming." That stayed with me for a long time! All the details that make up how we are seen—so essential in that time period. My protagonist, Regency-era Captain Winter, is a very different man from Wickham, but he also finds that uniforms cover a lot. And clothing aside, behavior remains behavior. Jane Austen's characters realize that—and so do mine!

Which author(s) most inspired you?

For the nuts and bolts of assembling a mystery, no one beats Agatha Christie. She wrote the book…on how to write the book! When it comes to setting a scene, I go with Georges Simenon's Maigret novels. I could read them only in translation, but I still found his ability to set a mood, to set a scene with memorable characters, remains unparalleled. For dialog, I love Ngaio Marsh's Nero Wolfe tales. It's a goal of mine to create as lively exchanges as Archie Goodwin has with his boss.

And number one for me is John le Carre. Most people are surprised to hear this, because I don't write spy thrillers. But I remain amazed at his ability to explore the complexities of love and hate, of loyalty and betrayal, and so much more. His themes are both peculiar to the Cold War and universal. That is ultimately what I want to achieve, to bring home the same thematic power—and subtlety—as Le Carre. 

Meet the Author: R.J. Koreto has been a merchant seaman, book editor, journalist and novelist. He was born and raised in New York City and decided to be a writer after reading “The Naked and the Dead.” He and his wife have two grown daughters and divide their time between Rockland County, N.Y., and Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. Visit R.J. at his website and on Facebook and Instagram.