When I first started writing The Midnight Series, I had no idea quite how strongly Jessie Fordham would take hold of my imagination. I knew she would be clever, determined and quietly rebellious, but I did not expect her to grow into one of the most fascinating characters I have ever written. Looking back, it seems only right that her story begins long before she ever steps into the world of espionage.
Walking Away from Midnight is where we first meet Jessie. Not as the quick-witted operative she later becomes, but as a young girl navigating a military household that never quite feels like home. She is bright, observant and far more aware of the cracks in her world than any child ought to be. The book explores the roots of her resilience, and the early moments that begin to shape the instincts which will one day serve her in the shadows of war-torn Europe.
It is a story of survival, family, secrets and the quiet forging of a mind that was always destined for more. Long before the war calls her. Long before the Midnight dossiers land on her desk. Long before she becomes the Jessie Fordham readers have come to know.
What many readers may not realise is that Jessie’s earliest steps into danger lie even further back, in the events of Midnight’s Shadow.
Although written after Book 1, this novella reveals a pre-graduation from Cambridge Jessie, who is facing the sort of peril that would leave a mark on anyone. It is, in many ways, the true ground zero of her journey. The moment where her talent, courage and intuition first spark into life.
Together, these two stories offer a fuller portrait of Jessie’s path from troubled girl to wartime asset. If Walking Away from Midnight shows the cracks in the family she grows up in, Midnight’s Shadow shows how she begins to step beyond them.
With nine books planned for the full Midnight arc, Jessie’s story is only just beginning. Her choices, her strengths and her shadows will shape the direction of the series in ways even she cannot yet see.
Every spy has an origin story. This is Jessie Fordham's. If you would like to start Jessie’s journey from the very beginning, you can find all store links here, and remember, this is a FREE Novella:- https://geni.us/ShadowD2D
And now, you can read the first three books in the series with this great new box-set exclusive to Amazon.
The Midnight Files: Volume One, contains the first three novellas of a nine book series. Walking Away from Midnight, Midnight's Child and Midnight's Secret. Plus, a bonus of the Midnight's Shadow Prequel. Al for the low price of $6.99. These books purchased separately would cost you $2.99 each.
The box-set is exclusive to Amazon Kindle and is also available on Kindle Unlimited. Click here - https://geni.us/TheMidnightFiles
Copyright © Tom Kane December 2025