🗺️ The $100 Million Missing Bugatti, and the Big Reveal of Book 3!
Is it bad that I haven’t touched my author newsletter for months? Maybe I’m wrong, but at the moment, I just don’t think it is beneficial for me.
One of the very first things I was told when I started out, or at least, read in every single indie author guide online, was that all writers must build a mailing list. But in all honesty, I haven’t found that keeping a newsletter has helped my sales at all. My original grand plan was to use that email list for exclusive promotions, giving people the opportunity to hear my news first. I wanted it to be an exclusive, members-only sanctuary for my readers.
The problem? I don’t think I actually have a core group of dedicated followers just yet. Do I sell books? Yes. Do I have great reviews? Yes, absolutely, though they are mostly over in America. But do I have a loyal, active following? Not really. I am a very small fish in a massive book pond. Actually, let’s be real: I’m more like a tadpole in an ocean.
Later this year, I am releasing Book 3 of the Newman Adventure series. Up until now, I haven’t given a single soul a title, a full run-down of the plot, or a hint as to what prize Cedric and his team are actually hunting. Normally, an author would blast all of this out in a newsletter to their inner circle. But since we're keeping things transparent on here, I’m going to tell all right now on the blog.
This is where you find out exactly what Book 3 is about, and where Cedric and company go to track down a piece of missing history that, if found today, would easily be the most expensive automobile on the planet.
🏎️ The Holy Grail of the Motoring World
Did I just say automobile? I certainly did. Book 3 shifts gears into the search for a legendary car that vanished into thin air just as Germany occupied France.
Right on the border of France and Germany sits a small town called Molsheim. It is so close to the border that, at various points in history, it has actually changed hands and been part of Germany. Molsheim is the historic home of a giant in the motoring world, and it remains their headquarters to this day: Bugatti.
Our story starts in June 1940. The German front line was advancing incredibly fast, and the workers at the Bugatti factory knew that if they stayed put, the facility would be seized by the Nazis. In a desperate, frantic bid to protect their lifework, they packed the entire factory's contents onto a train to ship everything as far away as possible while staying within French borders. Their destination was Bordeaux.
Loaded onto that train were a few priceless cars they absolutely couldn't allow to fall into German hands. One of them was a deeply personal masterpiece belonging to Jean Bugatti (Ettore Bugatti's son): the Type 57SC, famously known as La Voiture Noire—The Black Car.
The train eventually arrived safely in Bordeaux. The Type 57SC, however, did not.
What happened to the car during that transit? Nobody knows. It has never been seen or recorded since 1940. Experts estimate that if that exact car were unearthed in a barn or warehouse today, it would be worth in the region of $100 million.
In this new adventure, Cedric and Daniela Fischer take absolute centre stage. Hans takes a bit of a back seat this time around, though his specific skillset is still desperately needed before the end. The hunt takes them mostly across France, where their research leads them down an incredibly unexpected path. Is it possible the car is still sitting out there in one piece, or is it completely lost to history?
📖 The Official Blurb for Book 3
A VANISHED LEGEND FROM A WORLD AT WAR.
AN UNSEEN THREAT IN THE SHADOWS.
A PERILOUS CHASE ACROSS EUROPEAN SOIL.
In June 1940, as the shadow of Nazi occupation fell over France, Jean Bugatti’s greatest automotive masterpiece—La Voiture Noire—was packed onto a train bound for Bordeaux and vanished without a trace. For over eighty years, the location of the legendary black car has remained the ultimate holy grail for historians and collectors alike.
Decades later, billionaire Cedric Newman and his perceptive partner Daniela Fischer are drawn into the mystery while attending the Monaco Grand Prix. Approached by a desperate classic car specialist drowning in debt, Cedric agrees to lead his trusted team on a high-stakes hunt to uncover the truth and restore the lost masterpiece to history.
But a shadow falls over the hunt before it even begins. A brutal enforcer named Charles Stocker appears with a chilling warning to back off. He isn’t looking to claim the fortune for himself; instead, he is determined to force the team into a dead end, leaving Cedric to unravel why this dangerous adversary will stop at nothing to keep the past buried.
From the historic streets of France and the rugged ports of Normandy to the archives of London, the lines between history and conspiracy begin to blur. Is the car still out there waiting to be found, or is Cedric blindly walking into a trap meant to hide a far darker truth?
🗳️ The Title Debate: Help Me Choose!
What about a title, I hear you say? I want to keep the tradition of the series alive by ensuring the title starts with the word "An" (following An Irish Mystery and An American Treasure). I’ve brainstormed a dozen ideas, and I have whittled the list down to my final two favourites:
- Option 1: An Atlantic Ghost
- Option 2: An Atlantic Shadow
I can’t quite decide between the two, so I am putting it entirely to a reader vote. Let me know in the comments your favorite.
📚 What I’m Reading...
Celtic Empire by Clive Cussler (with Dirk Cussler)
Because of the great lawnmower disaster, I haven’t managed to get much reading done this week! I am still parked on chapter eight of Clive Cussler’s Celtic Empire. I am desperate to find out where the mystery goes next, but the book is going to have to wait until my new contact lenses or a replacement pair of glasses finally turn up.
Enjoyed the ride? 📖
I balance my writing life with a full-time day job, which means covers, research, and advertising all come out of my own pocket. If you’d like to see these books reach more readers—and help me stay caffeinated while I write them—you can support my work here. Your help keeps the "Stream" flowing and the books coming.
📬 Want to follow the journey?
I send occasional emails about writing, publishing, and the stories behind The Newman Adventures.
Newsletter subscribers also get an exclusive sneak peek of Book 2, An American Treasure.
👉 Join here: The Newman Chronicle
📚 The Newman Adventures
An Irish Mystery A fast-paced historical adventure about stolen treasures, hidden histories, and the cost of obsession. The story that started it all.
An American Treasure The journey continues! Cedric Newman returns in a high-stakes hunt for the lost riches of Mosby's Rangers. Action, mystery, and a new enemy await.
Available in Ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & Hardcover
📱 Let’s Connect
You can also find me on Instagram, Bluesky, X, and Facebook, where I share writing updates, research snippets, and behind-the-scenes moments from the school building and the writing desk.
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