Silent Watcher Chapter 1 Free – Read Jon Cronshaw’s New Dark Fantasy on Patreon

Read the opening chapter of Silent Watcher for free on Patreon. A dark political fantasy of espionage, conspiracy, and betrayal set in the Ravenglass Universe.

I’ve started posting my new novel Silent Watcher on Patreon—and you can read the opening chapter right now for free.

This one’s a bit different. Darker. More claustrophobic. The kind of story where the truth keeps shifting just out of reach the closer you get to it.

Here’s the setup:

A dead Watcher. A town that won’t speak. A truth someone is desperate to bury.

Anselma Versen arrives in Halborg to investigate a colleague’s death. Officially, it was an accident.

It doesn’t feel like one.

The streets are scrubbed too clean.

The townsfolk speak like they’ve rehearsed it.

And the dead Watcher left behind a journal he was never meant to write.

Then things start to get… stranger.

Records don’t match.

Witnesses remember different versions of the same events.

And Anselma finds her own name—her own signature—on reports she never wrote.

At that point, it’s no longer just an investigation.

It’s a system.

And it’s already accounting for her.

If she follows orders, she survives.

If she keeps digging… she probably doesn’t.

If you like your fantasy with a strong espionage edge—something closer to a spy thriller in tone—this might be your kind of thing. Think conspiracies, institutional power, and a protagonist who refuses to accept the official version of events.

I’ll be posting chapters on Patreon, starting now, and the first one’s free if you want to take a look.

👉 You can read Chapter 1 HERE.

If you give it a try, I hope you enjoy stepping into Halborg. It’s not a friendly place.

Three of Swords, Running Blind, and Loving Dungeon Crawler Carl | Author Diary – February 6, 2026

60% through Three of Swords, loving Dungeon Crawler Carl, and starting Couch to 5K with my wife as my sighted guide. Writing progress, reading joy, and a new running challenge.

This week I’ve been making strong progress on Three of Swords (The Ravenglass Chronicles, Part 24), reaching around 60% of the draft.

It’s always a great feeling when a story starts accelerating towards the final stretch.

I’ve also been reading Dungeon Crawler Carl, which I’m enjoying immensely—fast, funny, and brilliantly inventive.

On a personal note, I’ve started the Couch to 5K running programme. As someone who is legally blind, this is a new challenge, but my wife has trained as a sighted guide, so we’re tackling it together. It’s early days, but I’m excited to see where the journey leads.

Secret Project Revealed: The Ravenglass Chronicles Returns! | Author Diary, January 16, 2026

The Ravenglass Chronicles is back! This week I reveal my secret project, post Ace of Swords to Patreon, try Meta’s Smart Glasses for vision aid, and talk about finishing Stranger Things.

This week I reveal my long-hinted secret project—I’m back writing The Ravenglass Chronicles!

The first two chapters of Ace of Swords is now live on Patreon, and I’m deep into Two of Swords.

I also tried out Meta’s Smart Glasses, a game-changer for accessibility, and share my thoughts on the Stranger Things finale.