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Fatal Castle
An ancient curse collides with modern greed when heavily armed mercenaries lay siege to the Tower of London in David Boito’s Fatal Castle.
Ashley Bellamy, a diamond enthusiast, visits her estranged father Clive–the Tower’s Chief Yeoman Warder–and becomes trapped when ex-bomb disposal expert Richard Bindar leads a brutal heist disguised as a terrorist threat. Their target: the cursed Kohinoor diamond, said to doom any man who possesses it.
With police forces deliberately misdirected and innocent lives at stake, Ashley and Clive must use their intimate knowledge of the fortress’s secret passages and medieval defenses to fight back. Armed with ancient longbows against modern weapons, they turn murder holes and centuries-old tactics against their ruthless enemies.
As the Tower faces its most devastating siege in history, this fractured father-daughter duo must reconcile their past and uncover Bindar’s true motives before the diamond’s curse claims new victims–and London’s greatest fortress falls.
Ashley Bellamy, a diamond enthusiast, visits her estranged father Clive–the Tower’s Chief Yeoman Warder–and becomes trapped when ex-bomb disposal expert Richard Bindar leads a brutal heist disguised as a terrorist threat. Their target: the cursed Kohinoor diamond, said to doom any man who possesses it.
With police forces deliberately misdirected and innocent lives at stake, Ashley and Clive must use their intimate knowledge of the fortress’s secret passages and medieval defenses to fight back. Armed with ancient longbows against modern weapons, they turn murder holes and centuries-old tactics against their ruthless enemies.
As the Tower faces its most devastating siege in history, this fractured father-daughter duo must reconcile their past and uncover Bindar’s true motives before the diamond’s curse claims new victims–and London’s greatest fortress falls.
- GenresSuspense
276 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2025
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
David Boito
4 books6 followersDavid Boito has written two award-winning novels, "Valley Fliers" and "Bee Conspiracy." His third novel, "Fatal Castle," a thriller set at the Tower of London, is called "a memorable caper" by Kirkus. He has written screenplays for Revolution Studios and Warner Bros television. He studied film and creative writing at UCLA.
For more information visit:
link: Valley Fliers
link: Bee Conspiracy
link: Fatal Castle
For more information visit:
link: Valley Fliers
link: Bee Conspiracy
link: Fatal Castle
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 13, 2025
ARC READ! RELEASING 1ST OF SEPT 2025!!
Date : 30th August 2025
Book : Fatal Castle
Author : David Boito
Genre : Action / Historical Fiction / Thriller
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I actually won this book in LibraryThing’s giveaway! It’s definitely something different than what I’m used to reading as this has more action to it.
This book is fast-paced thriller set in the Tower of London. It’s about a group of armed men who comes after a famous diamond and what follows is an intense siege mixing modern weapons with the Tower’s old defenses.
What I liked most was the setting. The Tower of London feels alive and adds so much atmosphere. The story also has a strong emotional side with the complicated relationship between a father and daughter, which gave the action more depth. The writing definitely felt cinematic in a way, I guess it was almost like watching a movie and it kept me hooked.
On the downside, the Tower’s layout is pretty complex and sometimes it was hard to picture where everyone was. A map would’ve made it easier to follow. There were also parts where I felt there was too much history or background all at once which slowed the story down but this is my personal opinion.
Overall, Fatal Castle was a unique, exciting and packed with action read. If you enjoy thrillers with a touch of history, this is one to pick up, even if it has a few bumpy spots.
Thank you @librarythingofficial and the author for the ARC and letting me give my honest review.
Date : 30th August 2025
Book : Fatal Castle
Author : David Boito
Genre : Action / Historical Fiction / Thriller
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I actually won this book in LibraryThing’s giveaway! It’s definitely something different than what I’m used to reading as this has more action to it.
This book is fast-paced thriller set in the Tower of London. It’s about a group of armed men who comes after a famous diamond and what follows is an intense siege mixing modern weapons with the Tower’s old defenses.
What I liked most was the setting. The Tower of London feels alive and adds so much atmosphere. The story also has a strong emotional side with the complicated relationship between a father and daughter, which gave the action more depth. The writing definitely felt cinematic in a way, I guess it was almost like watching a movie and it kept me hooked.
On the downside, the Tower’s layout is pretty complex and sometimes it was hard to picture where everyone was. A map would’ve made it easier to follow. There were also parts where I felt there was too much history or background all at once which slowed the story down but this is my personal opinion.
Overall, Fatal Castle was a unique, exciting and packed with action read. If you enjoy thrillers with a touch of history, this is one to pick up, even if it has a few bumpy spots.
Thank you @librarythingofficial and the author for the ARC and letting me give my honest review.
October 10, 2025
Another action packed novel by David Boito, with a totally different setting. It's obvious that a great deal of research went into this book and as such it would perfectly suit someone who is interested in history but also anyone who loves a suspense filled read with a side dose of relationship and family drama.
I'm not surprised to learn that this author has written screenplays because his novels scream out to be developed into movies. Boito's expert descriptions kept my visual mind racing through every scene.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I'm not surprised to learn that this author has written screenplays because his novels scream out to be developed into movies. Boito's expert descriptions kept my visual mind racing through every scene.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
November 9, 2025
3.5 stars. The author develops the main characters well in short order with economy of dialog. The book is action-packed and humorous, despite the death and destruction. A quick and enjoyable read where you will learn a thing or two about the Tower of London and the Beefeaters.
November 17, 2025
David Boito’s Fatal Castle is a vivid blend of historical fiction, mystery, and modern suspense. The novel begins in 1850, as Queen Victoria receives the fabled Kohinoor diamond, a gem steeped in blood and superstition. The scene, rich in imperial detail, establishes the diamond’s dual identity as both a symbol of conquest and a vessel of curse. From there, Boito shifts to 2023, where the story follows Ashley Bellamy, an American graduate student researching British history, and her father, Clive, the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower of London. When Ashley handles the same diamond that once adorned Victoria’s crown, the quiet rhythms of her life and her father’s duty-bound existence are disrupted by echoes of the past.
Boito’s command of setting is remarkable. The Tower of London is rendered as more than a historical monument; it becomes a living organism, filled with its own shadows and echoes. The description of the “castle amidst skyscrapers” evokes both reverence and unease, as if the past refuses to die beneath the modern skyline. The opening chapters, particularly those involving Queen Victoria and Lord Dalhousie, are grounded in historical authenticity while introducing the supernatural undertone that ripples through the rest of the book. The contrast between the 19th-century grandeur and contemporary London life creates a fascinating tension between legacy and change.
The novel’s strength lies in its emotional core: the strained but tender relationship between Ashley and her father. Clive’s old-world devotion to tradition clashes with Ashley’s modern independence, creating a dynamic that mirrors Britain’s own struggle between history and progress. Their exchanges, especially the scene in which Ashley presents her father with an AI-powered informational kiosk, only for him to perceive it as a threat to his calling, reveal Boito’s sensitivity to generational conflict. Through them, the novel suggests that inheritance is not only material or historical but deeply personal.
Though the pacing shifts between the historical and modern storylines, these transitions ultimately enhance the novel’s rhythm. Boito’s seamless fusion of factual history and imaginative suspense creates a narrative that remains consistently engaging, both intellectually stimulating and genuinely thrilling.
Fatal Castle will appeal to readers who enjoy historical thrillers with intellectual depth and emotional resonance. It offers a compelling meditation on how relics, whether jewels, buildings, or memories, continue to shape those who guard them. Poised between history and haunting, Boito’s novel is an ambitious and evocative exploration of the legacies we cannot escape.
Boito’s command of setting is remarkable. The Tower of London is rendered as more than a historical monument; it becomes a living organism, filled with its own shadows and echoes. The description of the “castle amidst skyscrapers” evokes both reverence and unease, as if the past refuses to die beneath the modern skyline. The opening chapters, particularly those involving Queen Victoria and Lord Dalhousie, are grounded in historical authenticity while introducing the supernatural undertone that ripples through the rest of the book. The contrast between the 19th-century grandeur and contemporary London life creates a fascinating tension between legacy and change.
The novel’s strength lies in its emotional core: the strained but tender relationship between Ashley and her father. Clive’s old-world devotion to tradition clashes with Ashley’s modern independence, creating a dynamic that mirrors Britain’s own struggle between history and progress. Their exchanges, especially the scene in which Ashley presents her father with an AI-powered informational kiosk, only for him to perceive it as a threat to his calling, reveal Boito’s sensitivity to generational conflict. Through them, the novel suggests that inheritance is not only material or historical but deeply personal.
Though the pacing shifts between the historical and modern storylines, these transitions ultimately enhance the novel’s rhythm. Boito’s seamless fusion of factual history and imaginative suspense creates a narrative that remains consistently engaging, both intellectually stimulating and genuinely thrilling.
Fatal Castle will appeal to readers who enjoy historical thrillers with intellectual depth and emotional resonance. It offers a compelling meditation on how relics, whether jewels, buildings, or memories, continue to shape those who guard them. Poised between history and haunting, Boito’s novel is an ambitious and evocative exploration of the legacies we cannot escape.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews