1723:
Spider John is tired of the pirate life and at last has a
job on board an ordinary merchant vessel and is bound for
home. At last he will see his beloved Em and young son –
or will he? Everybody liked Captain Brentwood, but when he
is found shot dead in a locked cabin, his daughter implores
John to discover whodunit. He was depressed after the recent
death of his wife, but did he really commit suicide?
There ought to be more pirate whodunits, especially those
with Dickson Carr style locked room murders! This salty tale
includes everything you associate with a pirate yarn, including
thrilling fights, enigmatic crew members, exotic Caribbean
islands, rum and a beautiful, mysterious woman. Spider John
makes a good protagonist, as although he is a good man to
have with you in a fight, he is not cruel, and dreams about
going home to his family. His friends Odin and Hob are good
foils to this and likeable in their own ways, while there
are plenty of hissable villains and, of course, those whose
true nature is harder to discern. There is always something
going on from the initial hanging in Port Royal to the murder,
tortuous investigation and thrilling denouement. This series
is sure to appeal to anybody who likes an exciting historical
mystery, whether or not they enjoy sea stories. I’m
already looking forward to reading book three – highly
recommended
Reviews
of other titles in this series
The
Bloody Black Flag - Book 1
The
Devil’s Wind - Book 2
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