Book Review: The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph

This was a book to savour.

It took me several weeks to finish The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho — not because it dragged, but because it demanded time, attention, and reflection. And have I mentioned that I'm a very, very slow reader?

Rich in historical detail and masterfully researched, this novel is an imaginative retelling of the life of a remarkable man: Charles Ignatius Sancho — writer, composer, abolitionist, and the first known Black Briton to vote in a general election.

I had entered a competition on X in the closing minutes to find out hours later that I'd actually won it along with another book!

But as a reader as well as a writer, my TBR list is extensive which delayed when I could actually get my hands on it.

As always, I'll start my review with the back cover description as taken from Amazon.

Meet Charles Ignatius Sancho: his extraordinary story, hidden for three hundred years, is about to be told.

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 must dodge slave catchers and worse. The man he hoped would help - a kindly duke who taught him to write - is dying. Sancho is desperate and utterly alone.

So how does Charles Ignatius Sancho meet the King, write and play highly acclaimed music, become the first Black person to vote in Britain and lead the fight to end slavery?

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?

Book Review: A Man of Letters and Legacy – The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho

Some books grab you from the first page and don’t let go. Others ask you to slow down, to listen carefully, to walk beside a character and live with them. The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph is most definitely the latter — and what an unforgettable journey it was.

It took me several weeks to finish this book, as I said above. It's over 400 pages long but every page was rich, layered, and worth absorbing. This is historical fiction at its most powerful — meticulously researched, beautifully imagined, and full of heart.

Charles Ignatius Sancho was a real man, born on a slave ship, orphaned, and eventually finding his way into British society as a composer, writer, and the first known Black Briton to vote in a general election. Without your having to pick up a history book, the novel expands so much on the factual details of his life while opening up a compelling narrative of pure fiction. As someone who has woven a real life character into her fiction, I very much appreciated how Joseph did this.

Told in diary form, this fictionalised account brings his story vividly to life. Paterson Joseph gives Sancho a voice that is witty, reflective, sometimes angry, and always deeply human. Through his eyes, we experience 18th-century London in all its contradictions: its cruelty and culture, its prejudices and pleasures.

I had the absolute pleasure of meeting the author at an event and asked him to sign my copy — an experience that made this book all the more meaningful. Paterson Joseph, with his background as a celebrated actor, brings something truly special to the narrative. His passion for Sancho’s story is evident in every line.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction, especially stories that uncover hidden voices from the past, I can’t recommend this novel enough. It’s a story that lingers — one you’ll think about long after you’ve finished.

Have you read this one? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop a comment below or connect with me on Instagram.

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