Finding Camlann

Archaeologist Donald Gladstone knows there is no solid evidence that King Arthur ever existed. And yet medieval tales of this legendary warrior must have found their inspiration somewhere, and Donald is determined to discover their true source. After years of struggling to write a credible book about Arthur, Donald’s chance encounter with Julia, his long-ago university crush, sets his quest—and his life—on a new and unexpected course. Julia, a gifted linguist for the Oxford English Dictionary, is the daughter of a Welsh nationalist. An intriguing archaeological discovery made near Stonehenge lands King Arthur in the headlines, throwing Donald and Julia back into each other’s paths as they follow the elusive clues embedded in an old Welsh battle poem. Their journey through the English and Welsh countryside, from Oxford’s hallowed Bodleian Library to the magical sites of Tintagel and Glastonbury and beyond, will intersect in unforeseen ways with their own troubled lives and will lead them at last to a deeper understanding of the origins of Arthur. Sean Pidgeon’s debut novel offers a new interpretation of one of the most fascinating and enduringly mysterious figures in British history. It is at once a suspenseful literary and archaeological treasure hunt and a poignant contemporary love story.