Dull Kings, Sharp Arrows: Mark Oldroyd's Chamberlain's Gambit

What happens when a retired logistics expert decides to write a historical murder mystery set at the most politically unstable moment in late-medieval England?

In this episode of Ink vs. Algorithm, Mookie Spitz talks with British author and comics veteran Mark Oldroyd about The Chamberlain’s Gambit, a fast-paced historical novel set in 1484, the final full year of Richard III’s reign and the dying embers of the War of the Roses. The book blends murder, political intrigue, and lived medieval texture—without drowning in costume drama or faux-Shakespearean fluff.

Oldroyd walks through how the novel came to life: choosing a real historical vacuum to insert a fictional detective, grounding the story in real villages and castles that still exist today, and balancing accuracy with narrative momentum. The conversation ranges from Richard III, the Princes in the Tower, and collapsing institutions, to why historical fiction inevitably reflects modern anxieties about power, legitimacy, and populism.

The discussion also tackles a topic writers can’t avoid anymore: AI. Oldroyd is blunt about how he used it—and how he didn’t. No ghostwriting. No plot generation. Just disciplined research assistance and copy-editing, the same way writers once used libraries, index cards, and paid researchers. The result is a novel driven by human judgment, character, and consequence—not algorithmic paste.

They also take a candid look at the writing life after mid-career: finishing the damn book, surviving brutal beta readers, deciding between agents and self-publishing, and building a series without romantic illusions about fame or fortune.

If you care about:

• Historical fiction that actually moves
• Writing craft without mysticism
• AI as a tool, not a crutch
• Power, legitimacy, and why history keeps rhyming

This one’s for you! Turning curious? Mark Oldroyd is currently seeking early readers and reviewers for The Chamberlain’s Gambit. 

The Writer

I started collecting comics at age 10 or 11, that's 55 years ago! There were some big gaps for romance and kids... Started again in COVID, and decided to start selling to fund the hobby. Suddenly Comics has been going for about 3 years, with my main selling being on Whatnot and at the London Comic Mart.

During the pandemic I also started producing videos about comics for YouTube, and I have a popular channel with over 2,000 subscribers. Here is the link https://www.youtube.com/@SuddenlyComics

His Novel

The Chamberlain's Gambit is my first novel, a Historical Murder Mystery. In 1484 the War of the Roses have left England scarred and suspicious. When the staunchly Yorkist Lord of Bardfield is found dead with an arrow through his eye, the fragile peace of the region threatens to shatter. Robert Stone, a war weary chamberlain loyal to the Duke of Norfolk, is dispatched to uncover the killer. He expects to find a Lancastrian plot,, but the truth is far more personal, and far more dangerous. The roots of the murder lie decades in the past.

His Contact

Email: [e-mail]
Instagam: @suddenlycomics
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.oldroyd.507
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SuddenlyComics

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