The papers are attributed to Flashman, who is not only the bully featured in Thomas Hughes' novel, but also a well-known Victorian military hero.

"The Road to Charing Cross" is the longest, detailing Flashman's involvement in preventing an assassination attempt on Emperor Franz Josef.

"Flashman and the Tiger", covering 1879 and 1894, borrows some characters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for a tale about blackmail and revenge.

After his escape, he meets Tiger Jack Moran about ten miles (16 km) away, and both head to Rorke's Drift and the nightmare that awaits them.

Moran reveals that he was the cabin boy on Captain John Charity Spring's slave ship Balliol College (see Flash for Freedom!

), who was traded to King Gezo of Dahomey as a white slave and has spent much of his adult life avenging himself on the ship's former crew.