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New release ‘Ballot: When Fate Called Their Name’ tells a tale of youth, loyalty, and the hidden cost of war

Dan Mulvagh exposes Australia’s Vietnam War conscription — and the fate of those lives changed by a lottery draw

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Author Dan Mulvagh returns to the literary scene with the release of “Ballot: When Fate Called Their Name” (published by Xlibris NZ), a thought-provoking novel that sheds light on the personal struggles of a generation caught between opposing political and philosophical worldviews.

 

Set in the late 1960s, the story opens as four young men — Mitch Masters, Jay Petrovich, Greg Sunderland, and Kiwi Parata — watch their birth dates tumble from a televised lottery barrel, sealing their futures as conscripts in Australia’s Vietnam War. What begins as a test of courage in the jungle evolves into a mystery that stretches across decades and continents. When Jay, the son of Russian refugees fluent in his parents’ language, is captured and handed over to Soviet forces, rumours of Australian prisoners in the USSR ignite questions no government dares answer.

 

Combining historical accuracy with fast-paced storytelling, “Ballot: When Fate Called Their Name” examines how ideology, identity and allegiance collide when choice is stripped away. “It’s not a war story per-se,” Mulvagh describes. “It goes beyond the horror of combat, and explores the oscillations of xenophobic and patriotic pressures experienced by a generation in the 60s and 70s and 80s, the collisions of ingrained world-views, of allegiance and identity, of mateship that transcends decades, continents, and opposing political and social philosophies. It entertains and provokes simultaneously.”

 

“Ballot: When Fate Called Their Name” is a deeply human exploration of fate, friendship and resilience that resonate far beyond its time and place. It is an invitation for readers to confront the uneasy parallels between past and present — from the Cold War to today’s geopolitical rifts. The book is available in print and digital formats and may be purchased directly through https://www.xlibris.com/en-nz/bookstore/bookdetails/868235-ballot.

 

“Ballot: When Fate Called Their Name”

By Dan Mulvagh

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 366 pages | ISBN 9781669882763

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 366 pages | ISBN 9781669882756

E-Book | 366 pages | ISBN 9781669882749

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

 

About the Author

Dan Mulvagh was born in Cornwall, England, raised on the Channel Island of Guernsey, and now resides on the rural fringe of Auckland, New Zealand. A lifelong traveller who has lived in Australia, Hong Kong, and Papua New Guinea, Mulvagh draws on rich global experiences and a deep interest in military history to craft stories that entertain and provoke reflection. Known for his meticulous research and cinematic storytelling, he is also the author of “Where the Truth Was Buried.” For more information, visit www.danmulvaghauthor.com.

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Link: https://www.amazon.com/Ballot-When-Fate-Called-Their/dp/1669882756/

 

 

New historical thriller ‘Where The Truth Was Buried’ tells a story of espionage, sacrifice and a son’s search for the truth

Dan Mulvagh blends history with suspense as a man uncovers the wartime secrets that shaped his identity

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Dan Mulvagh delivers a powerful and emotionally charged narrative in “Where The Truth Was Buried: A story of espionage, betrayal, and the long shadow of WW2” (published by Xlibris NZ). Having been raised in a family that lived through World War II and lived on the island of Guernsey that had been occupied by German forces during the war, the author crafts an immersive novel that bridges two eras — Nazi-occupied Europe and late-1980s England — to explore how the long shadow of war can reach across decades and reshape a life.

 

The story follows James Hamilton, a British-born orphan who was forcibly migrated to New Zealand as a child. Thirty years later, an unexpected inheritance draws him back to the Cornish fishing village he once considered home. There, he uncovers letters and military documents that suggest the cottage’s former owner, a retired Royal Navy commander, was involved in a clandestine WWII operation with direct ties to James’s true identity.

 

What begins as a simple homecoming becomes an intense journey into the past. The deeper James digs, the more he uncovers a shadowy network of British Intelligence, the French Maquis, and Nazi sympathisers operating within Allied ranks — all bound to a secret that has remained concealed in the memory of the village for decades. His discoveries unravel a sweeping story of divided loyalties and extraordinary courage.

 

“It’s a classic tale of love, loss, and sacrifice,” Mulvagh describes. The book will appeal to readers because of its strong characters, human drama, and grounded portrayal of WWII espionage.

 

“Where The Truth Was Buried: A story of espionage, betrayal, and the long shadow of WW2”

By Dan Mulvagh

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 350 pages | ISBN 9781669882732

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 350 pages | ISBN 9781669882725

E-Book | 350 pages | ISBN 9781669882718

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble