When you consider who could have been the hero of this tale; a rich and powerful business-minded peer, his rich and in many ways more powerful wife, a government troubleshooter or even several Zebras, Lions and Rhinos, you would be surprised that the hero was in fact a quiet Italian gardener with a love for all things English. This, along with the ability to create rib-tickling chaos like it were going out of fashion, is Sharpe all over and is why any book of his is worth a couple of afternoons any day.