The Smugglers (The High Seas Adventures)

Description

A swashbuckling thriller, part two of THE HIGH SEAS TRILOGY, set on the oceans of the eighteenth century -- drama, horror, adventure..."Steer clear of that ship," warns the mysterious gentleman who shares the coach to Dover with John Spencer and his father. "Death she'll bring you. It's the way of a ship that was christened in blood." This is an ominous introduction to the schooner John is about to be entrusted with for a voyage north to London. But he's too charmed by the pretty Dragon to heed the advice. The ship looks clever and quick, and John, now sixteen, can't wait to sail her. She was a smugglers' vessel once, but that was in the past. Now she's the Spencers' Dragon, and she will proudly carry wool for honest trade. But soon John will be forced to consider the gentleman's warning. Could a ship that's seen a smuggling run truly be spoiled for anything else? And what does John really know about his "bonny" crew of four? Alive with breathtaking action and unforgettable characters, this companion to The Wreckers is masterfully entertaining -- a rousing nautical adventure full of danger and surprise.

Iain Lawrence was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the second of four children. He studied journalism in Vancouver and went to work for the Prince Rupert Daily News. Eighteen years later, he went to work on a fish farm before he started writing full-time. He learned to sail at the age of nine, and as he grew up, boating became a huge part of his life. He lives with his long-time partner Kristin and dog Skipper on a remote radio-transmission site on an island off Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

"A second riveting high-sea adventure featuring swashbuckling characters, salty dialogue, and a taut succession of cliffhangers" Publishers' Weekly, starred review "Readers who devoured The Wreckers will be eager to dig into this seafaring sequel... [filled with] a cast of wildly colourful characters." Booklist, starred review