Not as good as the first in the series. Once again Rennie and Hayter are sent in HMS Expedient on another politically-charged mission, this time to Jamaica, where the French are believed to be considering invasion plans in the event of a resumption of hostilities. With the sinister Sir Robert Greer again in the background, the Expedients are expected to tease out treasonous plots in the sugar plantations, at considerable risk of their lives. Disappointingly little sea action this time, except for a marvellously depicted battle in the denouement. Still a good read but I would have prefered the story to occur more at sea than in convoluted plots on land. ( )

A very turgid disappointing book, the author was imitating the Aubrey / Maturin style without the quality O’Brian has in those books. I kept waiting for something to happen.