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Published by McBooks Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
The eighteenth volume in the popular John Pearce Adventures set on the high seas
John Pearce faces a court martial, but will cowardly Toby Burns, chief witness, stand up to questioning? With the matter unresolved, HMS Hazard is put under the command of Horatio Nelson, with whom any cruise is bound to be eventful. Sure enough, battle is joined with two Spanish frigates, though success is short-lived and flight in the face of a superior foe becomes the only option.
In London, the government denies prize money for the cargo of silver Pearce took off the Santa Leocadia, claiming it as property of the Crown. Pearce’s prize agent seeks to fight this, only to be outmanoeuvred by the devious Henry Dundas. Worse, some very bad pennies from the past have come back to haunt the life of Emily Barclay and the thief-taker Walter Hodgson.
From Elba, Pearce is sent on a mission to collect fleeing members of the Corsican government – an assignment which seems simple but proves to be anything but. Seeking a solution which will not imperil his ship, he sets out to negotiate the aid of a local clan chief, inadvertently putting himself, his crew, and his rescued charges in jeopardy. Pearce finds himself trapped in a deep Corsican bay, facing odds of two to one, which he can only overcome by employing devious tactics. And even if he is successful, he will be forced to make a decision: to follow his instincts or to obey his orders.
John Pearce faces a court martial, but will cowardly Toby Burns, chief witness, stand up to questioning? With the matter unresolved, HMS Hazard is put under the command of Horatio Nelson, with whom any cruise is bound to be eventful. Sure enough, battle is joined with two Spanish frigates, though success is short-lived and flight in the face of a superior foe becomes the only option.
In London, the government denies prize money for the cargo of silver Pearce took off the Santa Leocadia, claiming it as property of the Crown. Pearce’s prize agent seeks to fight this, only to be outmanoeuvred by the devious Henry Dundas. Worse, some very bad pennies from the past have come back to haunt the life of Emily Barclay and the thief-taker Walter Hodgson.
From Elba, Pearce is sent on a mission to collect fleeing members of the Corsican government – an assignment which seems simple but proves to be anything but. Seeking a solution which will not imperil his ship, he sets out to negotiate the aid of a local clan chief, inadvertently putting himself, his crew, and his rescued charges in jeopardy. Pearce finds himself trapped in a deep Corsican bay, facing odds of two to one, which he can only overcome by employing devious tactics. And even if he is successful, he will be forced to make a decision: to follow his instincts or to obey his orders.
Product Details
- Publisher: McBooks Press (September 5, 2023)
- Length: 312 pages
- ISBN13: 9781493076840
Raves and Reviews
Donachie assails your senses with the whiff of salt air and the heave and roll of a living ship beneath your feet. His characters are gritty and authentic, and he describes their world in all its high adventure and low brutality.
– Chris Durbin, author of The Carlisle & Holbrooke Naval Adventures
Droits of the Crown is another winner by David Donachie: a literary burgoo with just the right mix of historical authenticity and storytelling, one that grips the reader and carries them along. Donachie knows his time period and his subject matter, he knows how to spin a yarn, and once again, it shows.
– James L. Nelson, author of the Isaac Biddlecomb Novels
Droits of the Crownexpertly captures the essence of the trials and triumphs of a life at sea while also giving a rare look behind the curtains at the corruption, power, and politics of the era. The characters and superb seamanship will stick with me for a long time. It’s the most fun I’ve had with a historical nautical adventure since Patrick O’Brian, and my next stop is to pick up the very first John Pearce book to find out what else I’ve been missing!
– Stefan Read, former tall ship captain and member of Toronto's shantymen Pressgang Mutiny
David Donachie has written a rousing tale set in the Mediterranean during the French Revolutionary Wars. In this latest addition to the John Pearce series, Donachie weaves a suspenseful plot filled with danger at sea and skulduggery ashore involving treasure taken from a captured Spanish frigate. Donachie is a sure-handed author who knows the history and language of the time period. The scenes at sea—everything from a shipwreck on a rocky shoreline in the Strait of Gibraltar to a narrow escape from French warships off the unfriendly coast of Corsica—are told with a dramatic flair and an eye for detail. Throughout all the naval drama at sea, readers are fully invested in rooting for the impetuous and impatient Lieutenant John Pearce, the captain of the 14-gun brig HMS Hazard, as he awaits news of his impending court martial.
– Robin Lloyd, author of Harbor of Spies and Hidden Cargo
High adventure and detection; cunningly spliced battle scenes which reek of blood and brine; excitements on terra firma to match
– Literary Review
Exciting and unpredictable.
– The Bookbag
Pure adventure with excitement and daring all the way . . . historical fiction at its very best.
– Historical Novels Review Online
High-speed epic from an ace storyteller.
– Daily Sport
Outflanking and out-gunning C. S. Forester.
– Cambridge Evening News
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Droits of the Crown
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