The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho cover art

The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho

“An absolutely thrilling, throat-catching wonder of a historical novel” STEPHEN FRY

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho

By: Paterson Joseph
Narrated by: Paterson Joseph
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £15.79

Buy Now for £15.79

THIS AUDIOBOOK INCLUDES AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PATERSON JOSEPH AND MALORIE BLACKMAN, AUTHOR OF NOUGHTS AND CROSSES.

PICKED FOR THE TIMES BIGGEST BOOKS FOR AUTUMN 2022

'An absolutely thrilling, throat-catching wonder of a historical novel. Told with dazzling energy and brilliant panache. Hugely recommended.' STEPHEN FRY

'Phenomenal! Highly recommended' MALORIE BLACKMAN, author of Noughts and Crosses

'An absolute masterpiece of a debut . . . historical fiction at its best!' SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN, bestselling author of Pandora

MEET CHARLES IGNATIUS SANCHO: HIS EXTRAORDINARY STORY, HIDDEN FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS, IS ABOUT TO BE TOLD. DISCOVER GEORGIAN LONDON AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

I had little right to live, born on a slave ship where my parents both died. But I survived, and indeed, you might say I did more...

It's 1746 and Georgian London is not a safe place for a young Black man, especially one who has escaped slavery. After the twinkling lights in the Fleet Street coffee shops are blown out and the great houses have closed their doors for the night, Sancho is utterly alone. The man he hoped would help is dying. Sancho is desperate.

And yet this same Sancho will go on to tread the boards of London's theatres, become a highly acclaimed musician and composer, lead the fight to end slavery, meet the King and become the very first Black person to vote in Britain . . .

It's time for him to tell his story, one that begins on a tempestuous Atlantic Ocean, and ends at the very centre of London life. And through it all, he must ask: born amongst death, how much can you achieve in one short life?

From one of Britain's best-loved actors, Paterson Joseph, comes an utterly captivating historical novel, telling the true story of a Great Black Briton. Fans of Bridgerton, Hamilton, The Miniaturist and The Confessions of Frannie Langton will adore being led into the heart of Black Georgian London.©2022 Paterson Joseph Historical Fiction World Literature Fiction Inspiring Heartfelt Thought-Provoking England
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

An absolutely thrilling, throat-catching wonder of a historical novel. I read with alternating fascination, dread, hilarity, admiration, sorrow and triumph for a full life rendered with such animation, brilliance and understanding. Told in wonderful prose and with dazzling energy and brilliant panache. Hugely recommended (Stephen Fry)
Elegant, moving and vital, that this book is the product of a deep interest and long study of one man's life and times is evident. But what Paterson Joseph does - what every writer of historical fiction yearns to do - is make history fall away so that in every moment we are immersed in a lived life. A stunning debut. (Jess Kidd)
With his intriguing novel The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho, Paterson Joseph has fully inhabited the important eighteenth-century figure of Sancho. Taking the known facts of Sancho's life as a slave-born man who became known to both the black and white communities of London, from nobility to working class, Joseph breathes vivid life into the first black man to cast a vote in the England, but whose family ranked higher in his heart than any others in his life. The novel sings with the words of a man who survives his struggles, and expresses himself through music, language, and love. (Gretchen Gerzina)
I so admire Joseph's verbal imagination which seems to effortlessly bridge the gap between our time and Sancho's. In a huge, warm, real voice, Joseph makes us look at a past world from another perspective. It's terrific. (Harriet Walter)
All stars
Most relevant
Great search, well written and wonderfully told. I was sad to finish this book, will listen to it again I’m sure.

Wonderful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved loved loved this!
Paterson Joseph clearly has huge talent as a writer (how may strings to his bow does the man have?) and this is a sweeping historical fiction of Dickensian scope that taught me so much. Charles Ignatius Sancho is so well drawn and so fully fleshed out and his life and times so well told that I am eager to see what Paterson Joseph comes up with next.

Cannot praise this book highly enough

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Superb reading of an evidently well researched life: warts and all!! Hope it’s made into a film to attract more learners.

Inspirational illuminating Fiction

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Moving, entertaining and informative. Wonderfully performed. I particularly enjoyed the interview at the end. Am recommending far and wide.

Just brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I’ve been transfixed by this book for a few days. It’s fascinating, heart rending, shocking, funny. The 18th century style of writing is so interesting. The performance, in the voice of Ignatius Sancho, breathes life into this historical figure I knew so little about. As well as the harrowing descriptions of slavery, issues of everyday racism are still pertinent today.

Fantastic book, brilliant performance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews