The Navy may be finished with HMS Expedient. Her former officers are not.

Devastated by personal tragedy, Captain Sir James Hayter has turned his back on the sea. But when his old friend William Rennie arrives with an audacious proposal, James is drawn into one final venture: buy their former frigate, refit her at their own expense, and sail as privateers against Britain’s enemies.

With a Letter of Marque in hand, Expedient is free to hunt French and Spanish shipping for profit. But before James and Rennie can begin taking prizes, the Admiralty demands a favour – a secret mission to Gibraltar that plunges them into a dangerous world of espionage, murder and political intrigue.

Soon Expedient is fighting for survival against enemy warships, hunting a ruthless French privateer and pursuing a fortune in missing gold. And as tensions aboard ship threaten the friendship between James and Rennie, they discover that the greatest danger may come not from the enemy across the sea, but from those they thought they could trust.

From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, The Privateer is a gripping tale of naval combat, deception and adventure in the age of fighting sail. Perfect for readers of Patrick O’Brian, C. S. Forester, Alexander Kent and Dudley Pope.