Lewrie takes on his roughest adventure yet: maritime life beyond the Royal Navy.
Three mismatched troop transports, lots of 29-foot barges, and an under-strength regiment of foot – a waste of Royal Navy money, a doomed experiment, or a new way to bedevil Napoleon’s army in Italy? Either way, it’s Capt. Sir Alan Lewrie’s idea, and it seems to be working, with successful raids all along the coast of Calabria.
But it depends on timely information, and Lewrie must trust either a lord of the Sicilian criminal underworld, Don Julio Caesare, and his minions or the amateur efforts of a disorganized network of needy Calabrian partisans for it.
When at last the fourth transport arrives with reinforcements, what seems to be a blessing could turn out to be the ruin of the whole thing! Lewrie has been too successful in his career at sea and he’s made bitter, jealous enemies who are out to crush him and his novel squadron, no matter if it’s succeeding.
Lewrie has always been lucky, always finding a way to prevail – but can he this time?