Portugal 1809 - After saving the life of Sir Arthur Wellesley, Sgt Richard Sharpe is rewarded with the field commission of lieutenant. His first mission is to go behind enemy lines to Casa Antiga to locate a missing agent, James Rothschild, who carries a banker's draft for badly needed funds for the British army. Sharpe is given command of the 95th Rifles under Capt Murray, but soon finds that they are an undisciplined bunch of louts. Neither Murray nor the men of the Rifles are prepared to accept Sharpe's command as 'proper' officers are not raised from the ranks. Captain Murray is killed after a surprise French attack and Sharpe is left in sole command. The Chosen Men of the 95th attempt to mutiny, but the fight is stopped by the arrival of two Spanish allies, Major Blas Vivar and Comandante Teresa. They offer to lead Sharpe to Casa Antiga since they are heading to Torrecastro. Sharpe reluctantly agrees and en route he attempts to win over the Chosen Men. At Casa Antiga, there is no sig

Spain 1809 - Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson arrives with his new regiment, the South Essex, and Wellesley decides to keep in Simmerson's good graces by arranging for the South Essex to blow up the bridge at Valdelacasa. Aware that Simmerson is incompetent, Wellesley orders Sharpe to see that the mission is a success in exchange for a promotion to captain.Simmerson is infuriated to learn that Sharpe is not a gentleman and was raised from the ranks by Wellesley. In revenge, Simmerson orders Sharpe to train his men to fire three rounds a minute by nightfall, or they will be flogged as punishement for failure. Sharpe and Harper manage to succeed, but this infuriates Simmerson even more. Sharpe has made an enemy.The following day, Simmerson orders Capt Lennox to lead the South Essex across the bridge in the attempt to chase away a small French patrol. However, a large French cavalry appears and the South Essex men panic and try to escape back across the bridge. As the French cavalry butcher the S

Spain 1812 - After victory at Ciudad Rodrigo, Wellesley (now Duke of Wellington) sets his sights on Badajoz. Sharpe is reunited with Teresa and learns that he is the father of a baby girl, but is alarmed to learn that the baby is in Badajoz.As new men arrive from England, Sharpe discovers that his old nemesis, Obadiah Hakeswill is among them. Hakeswill was responsible for having Sharpe flogged for a crime he did not commit. His speciality is preying on soldiers while being servile towards the officers. Hakeswill also believes he is immortal, after surviving a hanging.Hakeswill attempts to rape Teresa who is on the point of killing Hakeswill when Harper intervenes. Hakeswill develops an obsession with Teresa and is determined to hurt her to get at Sharpe. Adding insult to injury, Sharpe learns that he is to be demoted from captain as the regiment now has a full complement of captains. Sharpe volunteers to lead the attack on Badajoz in an attempt to secure his captaincy, but he is refused.

Portugal 1812 - The Spanish village of Adrados has been overtaken by a horde of French, Spanish and British deserters and they have taken two English women hostage, Sarah Dubreton and Lady Isabella Farthingdale. Captain Sharpe is assigned the task of dellivering the ransom, much to the disgust of Sir Augustus Farthingdale. Sharpe and Harper enter the convent where the women are being held and are confronted by two French officers. Sharpe learns that one of the officers is the husband of Sarah Dubreton and they are on the same mission.To Sharpe's dismay, he learns that Hakeswill is involved and he has increased the ransom price, giving Sharpe five days to come up with the extra money or the women will be raped. Nairn receives information that the French intend to invade Portugal from Adrados and decides to thwart the plan. Sharpe is promoted to major and given command of the 60th Rifles in order to secure the safety of the women and prevent the French from taking the town.

1813 - A grieving Sharpe is challenged to a duel by a Spanish Marques who demands an apology for having forced his attentions on his wife. Dumbfounded, Sharpe protests that he has never met La Marquesa and is innocent of any wrongdoing. Sharpe refuses to apologise and the duel goes ahead. Just as Sharpe holds his sword against the Marques' throat, the duel is stopped by Nairn who insists that there was no duel - just friendly sword practice. Later that night, the Marques is murdered and the following day, Sharpe is arrested for his murder. Witnesses testify that Sharpe was the murderer and he is sentenced to death.However things are not what they seem. In the middle of the night, Harper is reunited with Sharpe and they are given the task of capturing the beautiful La Marquesa so that the British can discover the French's next move.

Summer 1813 - An angry Sharpe goes in search of the British infantry who failed to prevent the French retreat from a recent battle. Sharpe discovers that the infrantry men are deserting and is unable to prevent it. Meanwhile, Ellie Nugent, a relative of Wellington, rides into camp accompanied by her mother. They are searching for Ellie's father who has gone missing while looking for Aztec gold in hills nearby. Wellington refuses to help them and orders them to return home. Wellington has more serious problems to contend with as he is running short of men in the army and has agreed to exchange 52 captured deserters for Baker rifles. Sharpe is ordered to make the exchange and is followed by Ellie and her mother.

Sept 1813 - While in the Spanish hills, Sharpe and his men come across a scene of devastation in the town of Casa Antiga. The town has been sacked by the fearsome French commander, Brigadier General Guy Loup and his Wolf brigade. Perkins rescues a young woman from two of Loup's soldiers and they are arrested. When Loup rides into town demanding they be released, Sharpe refuses and has them executed in front of him. Loup vows revenge.Back at camp, Wellington gives Sharpe command of the Royal Irish Company and orders him to knock them into shape. The Irish descendants are inexperienced and unused to the harsh realities of war and it is not long before they consider mutiny. Sharpe tells them they have three choices: be slaughtered by the French, get shot for deserting or stay and learn how to be soldiers. Sharpe's gallantry and battle-hardened experience wins the company over and they soon begin to respect him.However Sharpe faces treachery from the Spanish partisan fighter, Dona Juanita de

The Franco-Spanish Frontier 1813 - A carriage travelling throught the Spanish countryside is ambushed by French soldiers and a young nun flees in terror. Later, the soldiers themselves are attacked by the English and the French colonel kills his captain and trades uniforms. The French soldier claims to be Captain Dumas and surrenders himself to Sharpe. Sharpe is suspicious, but before he can question Dumas further, Col Berkeley of the South Essex accepts the man's parole. The terrified, young nun emerges from the woods and attaches herself to Sharpe. Struck dumb with fear she is unable to tell Sharpe who she is or what happened.Later, Munro tells Sharpe that Napolean has sent a French colonel to capture a British agent called El Mirador. Sharpe is ordered to go to Villafranca to kill the colonel. At Villafranca, Sharpe is dismayed to discover that an old enemy, Sir Henry Simmerson, is in charge of the town. He pompously declares that the French are no threat and is immediately proved wro

June, 1813 - The South Essex is seriously short of men and when Wellingtion is informed that there are no recruits available, he orders Sharpe to go to England to investigate. When Sharpe and Harper arrive in England, they are informed that there are 700 men waiting for them in Chelmsford. Arriving at Chelmsford, Sharpe finds the barracks deserted with no sign of his missing regiment. While visiting an old friend, Harper and Sharpe are attacked and Sharpe decides to feign death. Taking the initiative, Sharpe and Harper decide to do some undercover work and enlist. Recruited by Sgt Havercamp, Sharpe and Harper arrive at a training camp near the estate of Sir Henry Simmerson, where they are trained mercilessly. Sharpe discovers that the new recruits are being auctioned to other regiments and his suspicions are confirmed by Simmerson's niece, Jane.

Winter 1913 - Wellington is informed by the debonair Comte de Maquerre that Bordeaux is ready to rise in rebellion against Napolean. Wellington's spy master, Ross, is suspicious and tests Maquerre by suggesting that they use Maquerre's own castle as a base. Maquerre reluctantly agrees, but informs them the castle is in Napolean's hands. Wellington appoints Col Bampfylde to lead the attack on the castle with Sharpe in support. Sharpe, newly married to Jane Gibbons, is outraged that he has lost his command to Bampfylde, however he is soon distracted when there is an outbreak of yellow fever and Jane falls ill. Her chances of recovery are poor as there is not enough quinine in camp to cope with the outbreak. With a heavy heart, Sharpe leaves to go on his mission, realising that he may never see Jane alive again.Bampfylde, intent on glory, sends Sharpe on a scouting mission and tries to capture the castle on his own. He fails and casualties are heavy. Sharpe, seeing the carnage, has Harris an

France 1813 - The war is entering its final stages and the French formulate a desperate plan to capture Wellington's spy master, Major General Ross. Sharpe is ordered by Wellington to accompany Colonel Brand, who is intent on destroying the French's main powder supply in the caves of Rocha. Wellington and Ross are both suspicious of Brand's loyalty, but they do not reveal this to Sharpe. The suspicions are well-founded as Brand secretly meets with the French and makes plans for capturing Ross. On the home front, Sharpe's wife is showing signs of being bored with army life and enjoys the attentions of a young poet.

After the last battle has been fought, the Peninsula war is finally over for Britain and her allies, but the action does not end here for Sharpe. He is set up by his long-time enemy, Ducos, and is accused of stealing Napolean's priceless treasures.Sharpe is also abandoned by his wife, Jane, who returns to England, where she meets the handsome Lord Rossendale. On the run from both the English and the French, Sharpe must find a way to prove his innocence.

The war over, Sharpe returns to England with his reputation restored. He is ordered to the North of England to command a local militia force in his home town which is troubled with unrest.Sharpe soon finds himself torn between the gentry, Lord Willoughby Parfit, the yeomanry captain Wickham and the locals, while discovering secrets from his own past.Sharpe also has the chance to confront Jane, when Lord Rossendale inherits a mansion near where Sharpe is stationed.

Sharpe has settled down to an idyllic lifestyle with Lucille on her French farm, when the news of Napolean's escape from Elba compels him to return to the army to fight at Waterloo. There, he joins the staff of the Prince of Orange. Reunited with his Chosen Men, Sharpe abandons the inept prince and organises the defence of key British positions on the farm of La Haie Sainte.

India, 1817 Two years after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington sends Sharpe to India to check out an Indian prince who appears to threaten British interests. The mission becomes dangerous when a general's daughter is kidnapped and Sharpe must find her.

India, 1817 The adventures of Sharpe and Harper in India continue with the rescue of Miss Celia Burroughs from a dangerous Indian prince. Meanwhile, Sharpe has old scores to be settled with the bully Simmerson.

It's India, 1818 and Lt Col Richard Sharpe and Sergeant Major Patrick Harper are travelling across India, escorting the beautiful Marie-Angelique Bonnet to meet her fiancée. While in bandit-plagued badlands, they come across the very dregs of the Crown's troops; an ill disciplined, rag-tag unit led by boy soldier Beauclare. As Sharpe and company sit down to have dinner with their hosts, the camp comes under attack by the notorious bandit Chitu. As the dust settles, it becomes apparent there have been many casualties and Sharpe realises that he is the only person now capable of getting this wagon train to the safety of the next army garrison. Little does Sharpe know that the adventure has only just begun and that he has inadvertently stumbled across a massive opium trafficking ring...

It's India, 1818 and Lt Col Richard Sharpe and Sergeant Major Patrick Harper are travelling across India, escorting the beautiful Marie-Angelique Bonnet to meet her fiancée. While in bandit-plagued badlands, they come across the very dregs of the Crown's troops; an ill disciplined, rag-tag unit led by boy soldier Beauclare. As Sharpe and company sit down to have dinner with their hosts, the camp comes under attack by the notorious bandit Chitu. As the dust settles, it becomes apparent there have been many casualties and Sharpe realises that he is the only person now capable of getting this wagon train to the safety of the next army garrison. Little does Sharpe know that the adventure has only just begun and that he has inadvertently stumbled across a massive opium trafficking ring...