The Blighted Cliffs (2003)

"This is a great book, exciting and utterly unique. For the lover of naval fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, this book has it all."---James L. Nelson, author of Reign of Iron

The first of a trilogy set at the turn of the nineteenth century, when Britain was fighting hard to rule the waves; a wonderfully entertaining, swashbuckling adventure series.

Not many men emerged from Trafalgar with not an ounce of credit to their names, but through an overreliance on rum and his habitual bad luck, Lieutenant Martin Jerrold managed it. In February 1806, he comes to the White Cliffs of Dover with one final chance to redeem his reputation. Before he has been there a day, however, he finds himself standing over a corpse at the foot of the cliffs. Jerrold is suspected of murder. Only the fact that no one can identify the corpse prolongs his freedom. Distrusted by his superiors, set upon by intriguingly well-informed smugglers, and attacked by the French at sea, Jerrold has two weeks to save his skin---or perish in the attempt. 
 
Praise for The Blighted Cliffs
 
"Enchanted readers loath to say bon voyage will impatiently await the sequel to this well-researched, charmingly outrageous debut."---Publishers Weekly
 
"Jerrold swashes his buckles and splices his mainbraces to good effect, and this series will solve the gift problem for all armchair admirals."---Scotland on Sunday (UK)