The Darkening Sea - Tapa dura

Returning safely to England after the dramatic capture of Martinique Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho finds an all too brief respite from war and politics in the arms of his mistress, Lady Catherine Somervill. But the shadow of a new conflict already darkens the horizon. The old enemy, France, forges an uneasy alliance with America -threatening the safety of British trade routes. Although ordered immediately to the Indian Ocean, for the first time Bolitho's thoughts are not of glory but his own- and the Navy's -past. Both Nelson and Collingwood died in their counry's service. For the Navy's newest Admiral, is there life beyond the sea itself?

This sequel to "Beyond the Reef" begins in 1809 after Bolitho's return from the West Indies and the capture of Martinique. To his surprise and dismay, Bolitho is ordered to take command of an operation against the French in the Indian Ocean, in order to protect English trade routes.