Author:Alexander Kent

December 1815
Adam Bolitho's orders are unequivocal. As captain of His Majesty's frigate Unrivalled of forty-six guns, he is required to 'repair in the first instance to Freetown, Sierra Leone, and reasonably assist the senior officer of the patrolling squadron. But all efforts of the British anti-slavery patrols to curb a flourishing trade in human life are hampered by unsuitable ships, by the indifference of a government more concerned with old enemies made distrustful allies, and by the continuing belligerence of the Dey of Algiers, which threatens to ignite a full-scale war.
For Adam, also, there is no peace. Lost in grief and loneliness, his uncle's death still unavenged, he is uncertain of all but his identity as a man of war. The sea is his element, the ship his only home, and a reckless, perhaps doomed attack on an impregnable stronghold his only hope of settling the bitterest of debts.
One of our foremost writers of naval fiction
—— Sunday TimesShipwreck, survival ... a spirited battle ... a splendid yarn
—— The TimesThe Everyman edition promises to be a splendid celebration of the divine Plum
—— The IndependentThe handsome bindings are only the cherry on top of what is already a cake without compare
—— Evening StandardA handsome, collectable hardback edition
—— Lynne Truss, THE TIMESCompelling
—— Woman's OwnJoughin's characters are always tangible. Yet while her dialogue has the ring of authenticity, the inclusion of selected lines from Larkin, Hughes and Yeats ensures an appealing languor
—— The ObserverJoughin's second novel confirms her gift for mining tragi-comic gems from outposts of shabby bohemia
—— The IndependentJoughin's poetic prose perfectly conveys the delicacy of human emotion, and the frequent disjunction between art and life'
—— Choice MagazineLike a cross between Margaret Drabble and Francoise Sagan
—— The TimesJoughin has an appealing darkness and urgency, as she potently conveys the pleasures and pains of human interactions
—— The Sunday TimesAdeptly written and enjoyable... Ruth's childhood perspectives are extremely well captured
—— TelegraphStriking story of Ruth and Gray under the spell of famous poets' lives
—— Good Housekeeping's 8 Great ReadsReading Joughin's second novel is like immersing yourself in a cool pool at a hazy summer party ...as addictively abrasive as a shot of cold vodka, this wil leave you both refreshed and gasping for stability
—— Time OutThis darkly comic story about unpredictable love is perfect if you're looking for some intelligent chicklit
—— Family Circle






