Résultats de "David Donachie" dans Toutes les catégories

John Pearce faces a court martial, but will a cowardly chief witness stand up to questioning? With the matter unresolved, HMS Hazard is put under the command of Horatio Nelson. In London, the government denies prize money for the cargo of silver Pearce took off the Santa Leocadia, claiming it as property of the Crown. Pearce’s prize agent seeks to fight this, only to be outmanoeuvred by devious Henry Dundas. From Elba, Pearce is sent on a mission to collect fleeing members of the Corsican government.

Die französische Küste im Jahre 1795. Während die Feuer des Krieges sich auf dem Festland immer weiter ausbreiten, tobt auch auf See ein Kampf um die Vorherrschaft. Doch nicht alle kämpfen mit so fairen Mitteln wie der ehrenhafte Freibeuter Harry Ludlow und sein Bruder James: Als der skrupellose Kapitän Toner von der Royal Navy ihn unrechtmäßig zwingt, ihm die Hälfte seiner Crew zu überlassen, schwört Harry, seine Männer zu retten – und nimmt allen Widrigkeiten zum Trotz die Verfolgung von dessen Fregatte auf.

Der zweite Teil der "Harry Ludlow"-Reihe – fesselnd und voller Intrigen. Die ligurische Küste im Jahre 1794: Eigentlich sollte es ein einfacher Botendienst werden – doch als Harry Ludlow, der sich als "Detektiv der Meere" einen Namen gemacht hat, und sein Bruder James, der als Künstler zu Ansehen gekommen ist, im schmutzigen Hafen von Genua ankommen, sind schon bald ihre ungleichen Fähigkeiten gefragt: Der gewaltsame Tod eines britischen Kapitäns hat die Stadt in Aufruhr versetzt, die Stimmung ist zum Zerreißen gespannt.

Der Golf von Mexiko im Jahre 1795. Als sie vor der Küste ein verlassenes spanisches Handelsschiff entdecken, wittern der Freibeuter Harry Ludlow und sein Bruder James leichte Beute. Doch was eine einfache Kaperung werden sollte, entpuppt sich schon bald als raffinierte Falle: Angeheizt von Machtgier und Patriotismus wird ihr Schiff, die stolze "Bucephalas", vor dem spanischen Fort von New Orleans festgesetzt. Schnell wird klar, dass der erfahrene Seemann keine Hilfe vom hiesigen Gouverneur zu erwarten hat.

Der Ärmelkanal im Jahre 1796. Nach zwei Jahren auf hoher See und vielen geschlagenen Schlachten will Harry Ludlow, der "Detektiv der Meere", mit seiner stolzen Fregatte "Bucephalas" wieder im sicheren Heimathafen einlaufen. Doch bevor der erfahrene Kapitän die Cinque Ports erreichen kann, werden sie im Englischen Kanal in eine tödliche Falle gelockt: Als die Freibeuter inmitten des dichten Nebels das Donnern von Kanonen vernehmen, können sie nicht anders, als diesem Lockruf zu folgen. Doch was als Jagd nach einer letzten Beute beginnt, wird bald zu einem erbitterten Kampf auf Leben und Tod.

Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts: Harry Ludlow wurde einst aus der Royal Navy geworfen. Nun zieht er zusammen mit seinem jüngeren Bruder James als Freibeuter über die Meere. Doch statt Jagd auf fette Beute zu machen, stolpern die Ludlows regelmäßig in tödliche Intrigen. Gerade als die Brüder sich an Bord eines britischen Kriegsschiffs befinden, geschieht dort ein Mord. James wird über der Leiche gefunden und verdächtigt. Kann Harry die Unschuld seines Bruders zu beweisen? Dies ist der spannende Auftakt der Reihe um Kaperkapitän Harry Ludlow und seine Gefährten.

Der mitreißende dritte Teil der Serie um die Freibeuter-Brüder, die niemals zur Ruhe kommen. Während im Jahre 1794 die Schrecken der französischen Revolution ganz Europa in Brand zu stecken drohen, spitzt sich auch auf See die Situation zu: Im Ärmelkanal geraten der erfahrende Freibeuter Harry Ludlow und seine Mannschaft in den erbitterten Kampf zwischen rivalisierenden Schmugglern. Zwar gelingt es ihnen, sich in Sicherheit zu bringen, doch die ist trügerisch: Hinter der Fassade der idyllischen Hafenstadt Deal herrschen Korruption und Gewalt.

It’s the perfect Special Forces snatch, kidnapping the Vice President of the USA and killing three of his Close Protection Team? For Brit Jamie Strachan, ex-SAS soldier and long-time friend of Vice-President, Phil Beekman, it looks too perfect. The Veep is ex-Delta Force so he knows how to survive. With the help of feisty New Yorker, Clare Holman, Jamie Strachan is able to access the investigation trying to find him. He is soon mystified and damned curious... Beekman is vying for the Presidential Nomination; he needs to be at the convention.

John Pearce discovers that Madrid plans to desert the British-led coalition and join the enemy. In company with Lord Langholm, he has taken a Spanish treasure ship but is forced into a deep bay overlooked by Spaniards who have a cannon aimed at the entrance. Pearce must take the lead and find a way to get Langholm's frigate and the damaged Santa Leocadia through the bottleneck. His orders take him via Gibraltar, then to Admiral Jervis to warn of Spanish duplicity.

1940. Dunkirk is over? Will Britain fight on or talk peace? Fugitive and Hitler admirer, Billy Houston, craves a Nazi-run Britain. Needing money and intent on burglary, it ends in murder. But he’s in luck, his victim has in his possession the entire anti-invasion plans for Southern Britain, this while Armistice talks are slated to take place on the Isle of Wight. A desperate Billy makes contact with Rudi Graebner, a German naval officer and spy embedded in the Spanish Embassy. The two have nothing in common - they instinctively take a dislike to each other and trust is at a premium.

In the bleak days of 1942, Countess Elisabeth von Trecheim, Berlin-born and city-raised, runs her husband’s family estate in isolated Silesia, while her Panzer officer spouse, Hans-George, confronts the horrors of Stalingrad. Meanwhile, Gideon Rokesby, an English mining engineer, is captured by the Germans in North Africa and endures brutal internment, showing determination to escape. As fate links these characters within a chaotic, war-torn world, a dance of survival, loyalty, and forbidden connection unfolds against the looming collapse of the Third Reich.

1796. John Pearce is stuck with a difficult mission, a crew of Quota Men forced to enlist in the Royal Navy, four new midshipmen as well as Samuel Oliphant, companion cum spy, whom he finds a constant irritant. In his favour, he commands HMS Hazard, a speedy warship, a pair of competent officers and, of course, his trusty friends the Pelicans. Their mission is to head for the Mediterranean Fleet and warn Admiral Sir John Jervis of impending danger he will face, fighting a combined French/Spanish fleet.

John Pearce is going home. But he has to avoid capture by an Algerine warship, having his Pelicans pressed into a British frigate, and that's before they are at risk of being hanged for desertion once home. Then there is the problem of Emily Barclay and their son, Adam. By cunning and bluff, he protects his friends but not his troubled love life. In a whirlwind of action, there are forged wills, devious trades, contrived murders and dangerous spy missions, with so much deceit that Pearce does not know whom to trust. All he can hope to do is survive.

Winter 1795. Lieutenant John Pearce, reckoning to have finally ditched his old enemy, Admiral Hotham, has found a new one in Henry Digby, previously a friend. Meanwhile, Pearce's pregnant and recently widowed lover is adamant they cannot be seen together for the sake of their unborn child as she seeks respectability in society. Aboard HMS Flirt as part of the squadron led by Horatio Nelson, Pearce and his Pelicans soon join them on a reconnaissance which results in the destruction of a key French battery.

John Pearce, having negotiated the highly questionable sale of the two French prizes taken in The Devil to Pay, has left HMS Flirt, as well as the crew and the wounded Henry Digby in Brindisi, and is headed for Naples to see his lover. In an uncomfortable journey, he seeks to work out a way to best both Admiral Sir William Hotham and Captain Ralph Barclay, men who are his sworn enemies. All his calculations are thrown into turmoil when he discovers that Emily is pregnant.

It's 1794. Stuck in Palermo harbour, the headstrong Lieutenant John Pearce and his trusty Pelicans must repair the battle-damaged HMS Larcher with only meagre funds to do so. Sailing into danger, they encounter enemies. Pearce has no option but to run until, trapped in an Italian bay, he is forced to abandon his ship. Pearce must face a court martial for his actions, but his troubles are only just beginning.

The French Revolution is turning in on itself even as the war with the English drags on. As the armies move towards Italy, George Markham and his Marines find themselves assigned to the sloop Sylphide under the impetuous Captain Germain. Set ashore in the midst of the French army, Markham is charged with escorting a group of loyalists on a secret mission and is soon wishing he was back in the thick of it at sea.

With his fiery Irish blood and well-known reputation for trouble, Lieutenant George Markham leads his embattled Royal Marines against the French in Corsica. His mission: to seize the island. Markham ventures across the island to persuade the veteran war hero Pasquali Paoli to unite the Corsicans behind him. But their loyalty remains torn by a heritage of vendettas, French bribery, and cross and double cross.

Introducing George Markham, lately of the 65th Regiment of Foot, now Lieutenant of Marines on His Britannic Majesty’s frigate Hebe. Irishman, papist, reputed coward; he is a man with something to prove. As the winter of 1793 comes to the Mediterranean coast of France, so too does the chill wind of the Revolutionary terror. When the Hebe is sent to help the Bourbon city of Toulon, Markham will have to prove he is a worthy officer of Marines…or die in the attempt.

Unbeknown to John Pearce, the private letter he is delivering on behalf of the prime minister carries the dismissal of the very man he is sailing to see. The need for a government majority to pursue the war with France means John Pearce must step down as Britain’s best sailor, regretfully relinquishing the position to the incompetent Admiral Hotham. Hotham is equally less than pleased about John Pearce, as he is the one person who knows the truth about his dishonest naval career.