First published 2006
British warships block Delaware Bay in 1812, forcing Captain Ezra Hand and his son Will to abandon their regular packet service between Cape May and Philadelphia. The Hands convert their sloop Fair Molly into a privateer vessel, slipping past enemy blockades to attack British merchant ships. Will thrives in this dangerous new life, particularly after an old Navy friend of his father joins their crew on a classified mission. Their success draws unwanted attention when someone begins feeding information about their operations to the British fleet. Will suspects he knows the identity of the traitor but lacks evidence to prove it. His investigation leads him into enemy custody, where he must engineer a daring escape. The story captures the world of farmer-sailors who defended America's coastline during the war.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Cape May, Delaware Bay, Philadelphia
Period: 1812
Paperback · Southern Skies