Victoria Knox's novel West Wind; Clear brings history's underappreciated war heroes to the surface

Victoria Knox's latest work West Wind; Clear is her fourth novel and next installment in the Clement Wisdom series.

The story by the Bowral-based author, was released on June 29, and she plans to hold a private launch in Berrima on July 23, to thank loyal supporters.

The former nurse, school teacher and opera singer has a passion for historical research, and weaves facts and fiction together to tell her stories.

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All of her books are centred around espionage, murder and mystery taking place against the backdrop of World War Two.

"I love the history," she said.

The scene is set just before the bombing of Pearl Harbour and Singapore in December, 1941, and focuses on Major Clement Wisdom's journeys across the seas.

The title pays tribute to a code of the same name, that was used to order attacks, but was disguised as weather announcements in Japanese broadcasts.

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The research process for her latest novel was no different the others - as Mrs Knox went digging for historical finds, she found herself in an endless rabbit hole of information.

She read about 30 books "cover to cover" on Japanese coding, purchased hard-to-find books, and even travelled when she had the chance to clarify details.

"I find an inconsequential detail and wrap the story around it," she said.

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The history buff ventured to Darwin and Singapore, where she visited the Kranji War Memorial, and located a tombstone of one of her characters.

"I put myself in these characters and they come alive for me," she said.

Another element the writer was determined to highlight throughout her work, is the Krait currently in the National Maritime Museum.

The ship, which is "almost a character in its own right", was integral to war operations in the 1940s.

West Wind; Clear can be purchased through Amazon, Booktopia, Dymocks, Angus and Robertson and the Book Depository.

You can learn more about the passionate author through her website vmknoxauthor.com.

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