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Devil Gate Dawn
No man planning his retirement should be subjected to a terrorist bomb blast that kills his friend and destroys his favourite pub. George Osborne, former railway worker, gets mad and wants to get even. He forms a vigilante group with Ken, an ex-army friend and Sunny, a sexy new neighbour, to track down those behind the pub bombing, the Anti-Poverty League (APL).
Britain in 2026 is teetering on the brink of revolution, as voter apathy brings down an unpopular government, and Head of State, King Charles III, is asked to lead an interim administration. A recovering George has family matters to deal with as his son, Derrick, is in trouble with a local gang, and his teenage daughter, Essie, returns from the USA with a new boyfriend, the improbably perfect all-American college freshman, Dex. They spent a romantic weekend together in New York, soaking up Trump America and the debate over the tunnels under The Wall.
Shortly after, Dex shows up in London, whilst George and Ken get dragged in on surveillance duty at the Houses of Parliament, after it has been named as a target by the APL. The action escalates until Inspector Wilson calls on George and Sunny to take part in a daring dawn raid on Devil Gate Drive – country house of the mysterious leader of the APL, the Suzi Quattro-loving Peter Morris.
Can they succeed in thwarting the deadly APL and their Hello World internet virus? Will King Charles be saved? Is Dex more than just an all-American college boy? Will George and Sunny’s romance blossom?... and will he ever get to enjoy a peaceful retirement? Find out as dawn breaks on Devil Gate Drive...
Britain in 2026 is teetering on the brink of revolution, as voter apathy brings down an unpopular government, and Head of State, King Charles III, is asked to lead an interim administration. A recovering George has family matters to deal with as his son, Derrick, is in trouble with a local gang, and his teenage daughter, Essie, returns from the USA with a new boyfriend, the improbably perfect all-American college freshman, Dex. They spent a romantic weekend together in New York, soaking up Trump America and the debate over the tunnels under The Wall.
Shortly after, Dex shows up in London, whilst George and Ken get dragged in on surveillance duty at the Houses of Parliament, after it has been named as a target by the APL. The action escalates until Inspector Wilson calls on George and Sunny to take part in a daring dawn raid on Devil Gate Drive – country house of the mysterious leader of the APL, the Suzi Quattro-loving Peter Morris.
Can they succeed in thwarting the deadly APL and their Hello World internet virus? Will King Charles be saved? Is Dex more than just an all-American college boy? Will George and Sunny’s romance blossom?... and will he ever get to enjoy a peaceful retirement? Find out as dawn breaks on Devil Gate Drive...
181 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2016
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Tim Walker
17 books79 followersWelcome to my Goodreads page.
I'm an independent author living near Windsor in the UK. To date, I have written and self-published fourteen books and two audiobooks. Historical fiction is my main genre for both reading and writing.
In July 2025 I published a novella, The Trials of Arthur Whitty. This follows the fortunes of ordinary Arthur who overcomes many setbacks through a sense of humour and vivid imagination.
In 2024 I re-hired British actor and author, Richard James, to voice London Tales audiobook, available from Amazon Audible and Apple i-Tunes.
In November 2023 I published London Tales, a collection of 11 short stories that echo London's past, reflect the present and imagine its future. Mainly historical fiction shorts, with two contemporary tales and one dystopian story predicting the city's final days as rising sea levels claim it. This is a companion volume to Thames Valley Tales.
In March 2023 my first audiobook, Thames Valley Tales, was published on Amazon Audible and Apple i-Tunes. The audiobook was narrated and produced by actor and author, Richard James. This second, extensively revised edition, is also available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited.
My most recent novel is Guardians at the Wall, published in June 2021, an historical dual timeline action and adventure novel set at Hadrian's Wall. It's about archaeologists who uncover artefacts that connect them to the life of a Roman centurion in second century Britannia, and an ensuing search for a missing payroll chest.
In June 2020, Arthur Rex Brittonum, was published - the fifth and final instalment in A Light in the Dark Ages series. This is part two of my re-imagining of King Arthur, and follows on from 2019's Arthur Dux Bellorum.
In March 2015, whilst visiting the site of a former Roman town, I pondered the question, 'what would life have been like for the native Britons after the end of the Roman occupation?' This kindled an interest that led to extensive research and my first book, Abandoned (2015 novella/2018 novel 2nd edition) that became the first book in what was to become a series.
Abandoned was followed by Ambrosius: Last of the Romans (2017); Uther's Destiny (2018); Arthur Dux Bellorum (2019) and Arthur Rex Brittonum (2020).
My first novel, Devil Gate Dawn, released in April 2016, is a thriller set in 2026 that predicted political chaos in a divided post-Brexit UK, and a dystopian Trump America (way back in 2015 I figured Trump had a chance of winning, and if he did, he would behave like a Third World dictator and re-write the constitution to make himself President for Life - OK we were spared that... although there's always next time - that's the magic of fiction, folks!).
Postcards from London, published in September 2017, was unpublished and delisted in August 2023 to make way for London Tales. Some stories were retained in updated versions, supplemented by new stories set in London. Similarly, Thames Valley Tales, first published in 2015, was relaunched as an extensively revised second edition in March 2023. Perverse, a book of short fiction and verse, came out in April 2020.
In 2017 I published my first children's book, The Adventures of Charly Holmes, co-authored with my daughter, Cathy. This was followed in 2018 by book two, Charly & the Superheroes, and in 2020 by Charly in Space.
I'm an independent author living near Windsor in the UK. To date, I have written and self-published fourteen books and two audiobooks. Historical fiction is my main genre for both reading and writing.
In July 2025 I published a novella, The Trials of Arthur Whitty. This follows the fortunes of ordinary Arthur who overcomes many setbacks through a sense of humour and vivid imagination.
In 2024 I re-hired British actor and author, Richard James, to voice London Tales audiobook, available from Amazon Audible and Apple i-Tunes.
In November 2023 I published London Tales, a collection of 11 short stories that echo London's past, reflect the present and imagine its future. Mainly historical fiction shorts, with two contemporary tales and one dystopian story predicting the city's final days as rising sea levels claim it. This is a companion volume to Thames Valley Tales.
In March 2023 my first audiobook, Thames Valley Tales, was published on Amazon Audible and Apple i-Tunes. The audiobook was narrated and produced by actor and author, Richard James. This second, extensively revised edition, is also available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited.
My most recent novel is Guardians at the Wall, published in June 2021, an historical dual timeline action and adventure novel set at Hadrian's Wall. It's about archaeologists who uncover artefacts that connect them to the life of a Roman centurion in second century Britannia, and an ensuing search for a missing payroll chest.
In June 2020, Arthur Rex Brittonum, was published - the fifth and final instalment in A Light in the Dark Ages series. This is part two of my re-imagining of King Arthur, and follows on from 2019's Arthur Dux Bellorum.
In March 2015, whilst visiting the site of a former Roman town, I pondered the question, 'what would life have been like for the native Britons after the end of the Roman occupation?' This kindled an interest that led to extensive research and my first book, Abandoned (2015 novella/2018 novel 2nd edition) that became the first book in what was to become a series.
Abandoned was followed by Ambrosius: Last of the Romans (2017); Uther's Destiny (2018); Arthur Dux Bellorum (2019) and Arthur Rex Brittonum (2020).
My first novel, Devil Gate Dawn, released in April 2016, is a thriller set in 2026 that predicted political chaos in a divided post-Brexit UK, and a dystopian Trump America (way back in 2015 I figured Trump had a chance of winning, and if he did, he would behave like a Third World dictator and re-write the constitution to make himself President for Life - OK we were spared that... although there's always next time - that's the magic of fiction, folks!).
Postcards from London, published in September 2017, was unpublished and delisted in August 2023 to make way for London Tales. Some stories were retained in updated versions, supplemented by new stories set in London. Similarly, Thames Valley Tales, first published in 2015, was relaunched as an extensively revised second edition in March 2023. Perverse, a book of short fiction and verse, came out in April 2020.
In 2017 I published my first children's book, The Adventures of Charly Holmes, co-authored with my daughter, Cathy. This was followed in 2018 by book two, Charly & the Superheroes, and in 2020 by Charly in Space.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 18, 2016
What can I say about Devil Gate Dawn? A fair bit actually. The story is almost like a prophecy, it tells of the UK's exit from the EU, Donald Trump is in his second term as US president, the UK is in utter chaos and terrorism is writhe. The terrorists, the anti-poverty league think they are doing the citizens of the broken state a favour, blowing up places of importance and causing riots everywhere they go. It's down to George Osborne (No, not the former chancellor of the exchequer), a retired Rail worker, and his band of fiery protagonists that try and save the day.
I won't divulge any of the story line, but all I can say is, that you are in for the ride of your life.
The long and short of it is, I can imagine this happening after Brexit. The story itself kept me rooted to the spot, I loved every minute of it, and it helps that it was very well conceived and written. A well written book always makes a difference. The author has a sound dialogue and gripping story, something he should be proud of, and I can't wait for his next offering.
I really do recommend this book to everyone, you'll really enjoy it.
I won't divulge any of the story line, but all I can say is, that you are in for the ride of your life.
The long and short of it is, I can imagine this happening after Brexit. The story itself kept me rooted to the spot, I loved every minute of it, and it helps that it was very well conceived and written. A well written book always makes a difference. The author has a sound dialogue and gripping story, something he should be proud of, and I can't wait for his next offering.
I really do recommend this book to everyone, you'll really enjoy it.
May 12, 2016
Could anyone have predicted what the first sixteen years of this century would be like? Can Tim Walker predict what the next decade will bring? This story is an excellent satire on modern politics and corruption and a world order that is seeing the gap between the 'grasp it alls' and the 'have nots' get ever wider. Our unlikely hero George finds himself at the centre of this melt down. The story has enough twists and turns to keep you racing through and enough black humour to reassure you George and his loved ones will emerge safely. I am left pondering 'What would happen if nobody bothered to vote and what has King Charles the Third got planned?'
May 19, 2016
A compelling plot and engaging characters combine to make this near-future thriller a pacy read.
May 23, 2016
I received this book in exchange for my review.
My full review can be read at http://papercraneseandd.blogspot.com/...
Any working human sets his or her eyes on retirement in the long run, right? What if your time in retirement was spent trying to save your home country from a coup d’état leading into complete anarchy? Set in the UK in 2026, Tim Walker’s new novel Devil Gate Dawn, George Osborne is beginning his retirement when he goes to his favorite local pub to meet up with an old friend. While they are chatting and remembering “the good old days,” a bomb goes off in the pub. George is injured in the explosion, but alive—his buddy isn’t so lucky. The bombers, known as the Anti-Poverty League, have now made an unfortunate mistake in bombing this pub because now George Osborne is their newest enemy. With the help of an ex-army friend Ken, and his beautiful Indian neighbor Sunny, George sets out to take down the Anti-Poverty League.
Characters:
While there are a wide variety of characters in this book, I’m just going to discuss George’s family and two others..
George Osborne – The main character that you can’t help but feel bad for several times throughout the book. The poor man just wants to retire in peace. He helped a lot of people though, and while sometimes he was the “reluctant hero,” he tended to come through each time. He’s a strong guy who has a wide variety of knowledge in a lot of different aspects you might not expect.
Derrick Osborne – George’s son and Esther’s twin brother. Derrick was in a local gang and is in the process of leaving that gang, which is not the easiest thing to do. We get a look into his life a couple of times over the course of the book. I won’t give anything away, but I do believe that some of the emotion that Derrick probably felt at times in the book may have been a little brushed over. He had a storyline and a background that I’d really be interested to see more of.
Esther Osborne – George’s daughter and Derrick’s twin sister. Esther, or “Essie” as an affectionate nickname, is a student who is traveling abroad in America in the beginning of the book. She encounters an American boy Dex, who is studying at Harvard, and quickly falls for him. Through Essie’s point of view, we get a good look at how Tim Walker has set up America in 2026. We learn that President Trump (yes, you read that correctly) is running for his second term and what his presidency has done in America and the rest of the world. As a reader, I didn’t find myself too enthralled with Essie’s role in the story. Her relationship with Dex was uncomfortably rushed and at times seemed strictly physical with how it was written. While I know this isn’t a romance novel, I wasn’t prepared for her to declare that she had fallen in love with him so quickly.
Sunny – George’s next-door neighbor and love interest throughout the book. She’s a really strong woman, and I admired her when she would choose to help out the men instead of staying behind with the other women, particularly towards the end of the book. She’s brave and strong-willed and was probably my overall favorite character.
Dex – He’s Essie’s love interest during the book. He attends Harvard and is a wealthy guy with connections all over the world. When he was initially introduced, I wasn’t sure what his role in the overall story was going to be, and towards the end I felt like his main role was to throw in a glimpse of America, President Trump, and maybe potentially set up a sequel based in America? That’s just speculation on my part though.
What I Liked:
As someone who tends to contemplate “what-if” scenarios in most situations, I appreciated Walker’s “glimpse” into the political world of 2026 and the growing struggle between the “haves” and the “have-nots.”
The action and the threats are realistic and keep you interested, and you find yourself questioning who will succeed in their plans and how far each side of the battle will go to achieve their goals.
George’s ability to do what’s right was highly admirable, and I found myself rooting for him. His inner conflict and his decision-making skills were believable throughout the story, and I connected and sympathized with him really well.
What I Didn’t Like:
The point of view changed a lot, and while most of the time I was okay with this, there were a few times where I wasn’t sure who I was following since it was also in third person. Example: I would be in a section where I thought George was the character I was following, but I would be given a glimpse into another character’s thoughts in that same section.
There are some aspects of the story that seemed rushed for some of the other characters, particularly Essie and Dex’s relationship. I also felt like Derrick went through a lot in the short time he was in the spotlight and I wanted to read more about how he dealt with some of the events that transpired around him during the book. His fate was left a little open-ended.
I found myself a little insulted when Dex and Essie were staying at a hotel and Dex did “that thing that men do” (that’s from the book) and threw himself on the bed and bounced up and down while Essie did “that thing that women do” and checked out the bathroom.
Overall:
Devil Gate Dawn has a few great characters and a good bit of action that I found myself intrigued during, but some characters could have been developed just a bit further.
My full review can be read at http://papercraneseandd.blogspot.com/...
Any working human sets his or her eyes on retirement in the long run, right? What if your time in retirement was spent trying to save your home country from a coup d’état leading into complete anarchy? Set in the UK in 2026, Tim Walker’s new novel Devil Gate Dawn, George Osborne is beginning his retirement when he goes to his favorite local pub to meet up with an old friend. While they are chatting and remembering “the good old days,” a bomb goes off in the pub. George is injured in the explosion, but alive—his buddy isn’t so lucky. The bombers, known as the Anti-Poverty League, have now made an unfortunate mistake in bombing this pub because now George Osborne is their newest enemy. With the help of an ex-army friend Ken, and his beautiful Indian neighbor Sunny, George sets out to take down the Anti-Poverty League.
Characters:
While there are a wide variety of characters in this book, I’m just going to discuss George’s family and two others..
George Osborne – The main character that you can’t help but feel bad for several times throughout the book. The poor man just wants to retire in peace. He helped a lot of people though, and while sometimes he was the “reluctant hero,” he tended to come through each time. He’s a strong guy who has a wide variety of knowledge in a lot of different aspects you might not expect.
Derrick Osborne – George’s son and Esther’s twin brother. Derrick was in a local gang and is in the process of leaving that gang, which is not the easiest thing to do. We get a look into his life a couple of times over the course of the book. I won’t give anything away, but I do believe that some of the emotion that Derrick probably felt at times in the book may have been a little brushed over. He had a storyline and a background that I’d really be interested to see more of.
Esther Osborne – George’s daughter and Derrick’s twin sister. Esther, or “Essie” as an affectionate nickname, is a student who is traveling abroad in America in the beginning of the book. She encounters an American boy Dex, who is studying at Harvard, and quickly falls for him. Through Essie’s point of view, we get a good look at how Tim Walker has set up America in 2026. We learn that President Trump (yes, you read that correctly) is running for his second term and what his presidency has done in America and the rest of the world. As a reader, I didn’t find myself too enthralled with Essie’s role in the story. Her relationship with Dex was uncomfortably rushed and at times seemed strictly physical with how it was written. While I know this isn’t a romance novel, I wasn’t prepared for her to declare that she had fallen in love with him so quickly.
Sunny – George’s next-door neighbor and love interest throughout the book. She’s a really strong woman, and I admired her when she would choose to help out the men instead of staying behind with the other women, particularly towards the end of the book. She’s brave and strong-willed and was probably my overall favorite character.
Dex – He’s Essie’s love interest during the book. He attends Harvard and is a wealthy guy with connections all over the world. When he was initially introduced, I wasn’t sure what his role in the overall story was going to be, and towards the end I felt like his main role was to throw in a glimpse of America, President Trump, and maybe potentially set up a sequel based in America? That’s just speculation on my part though.
What I Liked:
As someone who tends to contemplate “what-if” scenarios in most situations, I appreciated Walker’s “glimpse” into the political world of 2026 and the growing struggle between the “haves” and the “have-nots.”
The action and the threats are realistic and keep you interested, and you find yourself questioning who will succeed in their plans and how far each side of the battle will go to achieve their goals.
George’s ability to do what’s right was highly admirable, and I found myself rooting for him. His inner conflict and his decision-making skills were believable throughout the story, and I connected and sympathized with him really well.
What I Didn’t Like:
The point of view changed a lot, and while most of the time I was okay with this, there were a few times where I wasn’t sure who I was following since it was also in third person. Example: I would be in a section where I thought George was the character I was following, but I would be given a glimpse into another character’s thoughts in that same section.
There are some aspects of the story that seemed rushed for some of the other characters, particularly Essie and Dex’s relationship. I also felt like Derrick went through a lot in the short time he was in the spotlight and I wanted to read more about how he dealt with some of the events that transpired around him during the book. His fate was left a little open-ended.
I found myself a little insulted when Dex and Essie were staying at a hotel and Dex did “that thing that men do” (that’s from the book) and threw himself on the bed and bounced up and down while Essie did “that thing that women do” and checked out the bathroom.
Overall:
Devil Gate Dawn has a few great characters and a good bit of action that I found myself intrigued during, but some characters could have been developed just a bit further.
April 26, 2016
I didn't realize this was a dystopian horror story when I decided to read it.
This story takes place in the UK, in the year 2026. The UK is teetering on the brink of revolution. Gangs and anti-government groups have multiplied and are able to commit crimes, with very few ever getting caught.
During all of this George Osborne, who just retired, is caught inside the blast area of a terrorist bomb explosion that kills his best friend, and destroys his favorite pub. To make matters worse his son, Derrick, is in trouble with a local gang.
Throughout the book George tries, against police advice, to help gather information that will lead to the destruction of the Anti-Poverty League (A.P.L.), especially those people who killed, or helped to kill, his best friend. However, he only seems to succeed in getting more deeply mired in this and other misfortunes. For example, he almost gets his face cut up by a man wielding a chainsaw. George even gets his new girlfriend involved in the whole horrible mess. What happens to her is, thankfully, not as clearly detailed as many other horrific events in this book.
If that weren't enough, in the US President Trump has built what is commonly called "The Trump Wall" between the U.S. and Mexico using corporation donations. Yes, Donald Trump is the President of the United States of America, and is running for a 2nd term !
A book doesn't have to have science fiction aliens or zombies to be a horror story.
So, if your looking for a true tale of horror, that could actually happen, this book is for you.
It was so frightening, to me, I even had a nightmare about it !
This story takes place in the UK, in the year 2026. The UK is teetering on the brink of revolution. Gangs and anti-government groups have multiplied and are able to commit crimes, with very few ever getting caught.
During all of this George Osborne, who just retired, is caught inside the blast area of a terrorist bomb explosion that kills his best friend, and destroys his favorite pub. To make matters worse his son, Derrick, is in trouble with a local gang.
Throughout the book George tries, against police advice, to help gather information that will lead to the destruction of the Anti-Poverty League (A.P.L.), especially those people who killed, or helped to kill, his best friend. However, he only seems to succeed in getting more deeply mired in this and other misfortunes. For example, he almost gets his face cut up by a man wielding a chainsaw. George even gets his new girlfriend involved in the whole horrible mess. What happens to her is, thankfully, not as clearly detailed as many other horrific events in this book.
If that weren't enough, in the US President Trump has built what is commonly called "The Trump Wall" between the U.S. and Mexico using corporation donations. Yes, Donald Trump is the President of the United States of America, and is running for a 2nd term !
A book doesn't have to have science fiction aliens or zombies to be a horror story.
So, if your looking for a true tale of horror, that could actually happen, this book is for you.
It was so frightening, to me, I even had a nightmare about it !
November 24, 2016
A fast paced thriller!
Mild mannered George and his friends form The Thames Valley Defence Force to protect London from Anti - Capitalists.
There is so much to enjoy in this thriller from Tim Walker. It is a story that explores life after Brexit , Trump as President and King Charles is on the throne. When Anti - Capitalists intend to blow up the Houses of Parliament it's up to George and his friends to form The Thames Valley Defence Force and infiltrate the anarchists. Civil unrest follows but step forward George, his family and friends to attempt to save the day.
Mild mannered George and his friends form The Thames Valley Defence Force to protect London from Anti - Capitalists.
There is so much to enjoy in this thriller from Tim Walker. It is a story that explores life after Brexit , Trump as President and King Charles is on the throne. When Anti - Capitalists intend to blow up the Houses of Parliament it's up to George and his friends to form The Thames Valley Defence Force and infiltrate the anarchists. Civil unrest follows but step forward George, his family and friends to attempt to save the day.
May 21, 2016
A quick easy read, with some nice ideas and a bit of a page turner to start off with. I did like the local references - it's set in and around my hometown - but for me personally it lacked a certain punch, and the ending didn't live up to my expectations. A good read by a competent author but I was expecting more!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews