A deadly French ship stalks the waves. Hazzard must sink her at all costs

The eagerly anticipated fourth novel in the William John Hazzard series.

Late 1799. Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power in a coup in Paris as an Ottoman army of 80,000 descends upon Egypt. Abandoned in the desert, French general Klber wants to get his beleaguered soldiers home, their only hope a rescue fleet led by the mighty 74-gun Gnreux.

For William John Hazzard and the marines of 9 Company, the order is clear: find her and sink her.

Beset by spies from Constantinople to Sicily, Hazzard races after the Gnreux and the desperate French convoy with De la Vega and the Volpone and breaks the heart of Lady Hamilton, as he brings Nelson out to give battle once again.

From brutal combat at sea to the streets of Palermo and the flaming ruins of Heliopolis, this is the epic fourth chapter in the saga of Hazzard's Egypt. Perfect for fans of Julian Stockwin, Bernard Cornwell and C.S. Forester.

Jonathan Spencer is from south-east London, the great-grandson of a clipper-ship captain who brought tea from China. He served in the Canadian army, studied ancient and modern history, and has lectured at universities and private associations on the subject of Napoleonic Egypt. He writes historical non-fiction under the name Jonathan Downs, his major work a revised account of the British acquisition of the Rosetta Stone, Discovery at Rosetta, (London 2008; Cairo 2020). He speaks several languages, has trained with the former Russian National fencing coach, and has lived and worked abroad all his life. He currently lives in the Western Cape in South Africa.

© 2026 Jonathan Spencer (P) 2026 DK Audio