Stephen Ward is an ordinary man who decided to challenge himself by writing a novel. His first attempt after a life spent in reading others’ books – Harry Hanson and the Seaham Pit Disaster – has paid off.

The reading is pleasant and absorbing, the style of its writing is fluent and descriptive at the same time, which creates a balance that makes the novel a good read.

Harry Hanson is the central character. Around him, several other individuals are developed, each one of them being well constructed and with a very definite background.

Although the central episode – the death of 163 miners in a Seaham pit – is inspired to real life, all the rest is almost completely fictional. Harry Hanson is called to investigate on the disaster. As he begins to investigate he unravels a plot constructed to ruin the Londonderry family, Harry learns of other suspicious characters that will stop at nothing to try and stop him, the lives of the people closest to him are put in danger.

The story builds you feel a sense of urgency as the town begins to fall apart and the tension escalates. The story builds to a gripping climax as an overstretched Harry Hanson tries to bring those responsible for the disaster to justice and face the consequences of their actions.