Sharpe's Gold (Sharpe Series #9)

A year after the victory at Talavera, Wellington's army, outnumbered and bankrupt, is on the verge of collapse. Its only hope lies in a cache of gold hidden in the Portuguese mountains, and the only man capable of stealing it is Captain Richard Sharpe--even if it means turning against his own side.

A year after the war at Talavera, Wellington's army, outnumbered and out of money, is on the verge of collapse. Its only hope lies in a cache of gold hidden in the Portuguese mountains, and the only man capable of stealing it is Captain Richard Sharpe. He embarks on a secret mission that pits him against the French army; El Catolico, the fanatical Spanish guerrilla leader; and El Catolico's lover, the beautiful but deadly Teresa. A series of battles lead him through Portugal to the fortress town of Almeida, where he is trapped. But Sharpe is determined to succeed--even if it means turning against his own side.

Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe series takes its hero to the battle of Waterloo--and beyond. Several novels are the basis of a television miniseries. He was born in London and lives in Chatham, Massachusetts.