Malta, in 1813, is ostensibly a safe harbour, yet the island is a nest of French spies, and even those in authority are not to be trusted.
Entrusted with a secret mission, the perils of the South China Sea await.
With factions on board, and multiple enemies to contend with, only the most careful navigation will save them.
For a man of war, peacetime is the ultimate challenge.
Thrown out of the navy for a crime he did not commit, Jack Aubrey has lost everything he held most dear.
On foreign shores, and far from home, a friend can become a foe in a heartbeat.
An enemy frigate is outward bound to play havoc with the vital British whaling trade, and must be stopped at all costs.
Napoleon has escaped from Elba – the Hundred Days have begun.
On dry land, having been drawn into the half-worlds of London’s criminal underground and of government espionage, Jack Aubrey faces perhaps the greatest challenge of his life.
The higher one climbs, the further there is to fall.
"It has been said that this series is some of the finest historical fiction of our time....Aubrey and Maturin have been described as better than Holmes and Watson, the equal of Quixote... Læs mere
Out of print for many years, this is a brand new edition of the definitive companion to the acclaimed Aubrey-Maturin series of novels, written by the author himself.