King, Ship, and Sword

The sixteenth tale in the classic historical series featuring Alan Lewrie: “Stunning naval adventure, reeking of powder and mayhem.” ―Bernard Cornwell, New York Times–bestselling author

December 1801. The Peace of Amiens ends the long war with Napoleon Bonaparte’s France, but Captain Alan Lewrie, Royal Navy, is appalled by its consequences. What is a dashing and successful frigate captain to do with himself, if he’s ashore on half-pay, and if so, for how long?

Second, and even worse, is where will Lewrie twiddle his thumbs and be bored to death until the war begins again, as he’s sure it will? Will he idle in expensive, exciting London, or go home to his rented farm in Anglesgreen in Surrey, and rejoin his wife and in-laws who (mostly) despise him?

Peace and domesticity are hellish-hard on the rakehells!

Yet by the spring of 1802, Lewrie and his Caroline have somewhat reconciled (again) and embark on a second honeymoon—in Paris of all places! But Lewrie’s notion to return the swords captured from deceased French officers to their kinfolk gets turned into a formal presentation at a levee in the Tuileries, and a face-to-face rencontre with the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte. Lewrie can’t help spurring him into a “kick-furniture” rage, and he and Caroline must flee for their lives, with aid from the most unlikely source imaginable.

When war breaks out again in May of 1803, Lewrie has fresh orders, a new frigate, and a chance to punish and pursue the French, but it’s no longer for Duty or King and Country—now it’s personal!

“You could get addicted to this series. Easily.” ―The New York Times Book Review