The Treaty of Amiens is signed and Nelson's navy languishes in port. Ramage is at home on half pay and suspects Napoleon will yet break the terms of the Treaty. He is then given secret Admiralty orders to survey a small island off the coast of Brazil. He sails in Calypso, but then encounters more danger than in previous exploits.

Nelson's crews are standing down and Ramage is on leave when he received secret Admiralty orders to inspect the small island of Trinidad off the coast of Brazil. Reaching the island's shores, Ramage and the crew of the Calypso fetch up in a battle to free several captive merchant ships—and a beautiful woman passenger—as they cross swords with bloodthirsty pirates.

The Calypso and her captain, Lord Nicholas Ramage, venture further into the French-dominated waters of the Mediterranean on an Admiralty mission to sink, burn, and destroy. Aiming to confuse and distract the enemy, Ramage and his men find themselves isolated and outnumbered as they take on the might of Napoleon's fleet.

Ramage is suddenly caught behind enemy lines when on honeymoon in France, as the Peace of Amien unexpectedly ends. The story chronicles his escape and dashing adventures in true Ramage style; as an enemy ship is captured and a sub-plot develops involving a pursuit to the prison colony on Devil’s Island.

Nelson's crews are standing down and Ramage is on leave when he receives secret Admiralty orders to inspect the small island of Trinidade off the coast of Brazil. Reaching the island, Ramage and the crew of the Calypso fetch up in a battle to free several captive merchant ships-- and a beautiful woman passenger-- as they cross swords with blood-thirsty priates.

Filled with high-seas intrigue and sharp tensions, this nautical novel takes an intense voyage into the heart of Napoleonic-era Africa. The year is 1819 and Captain Adam Bolitho has been sent on an urgent but risky mission to make a fast passage from Plymouth to Freetown, West Africa, with secret orders for the senior officer stationed there. Due to the slave trade being declared illegal, ships in every harbor are waiting to be scrapped and officers have been cut loose without hope of future commands, thus Adam soon finds himself the object of envy and jealousy. In Africa he discovers unexpected allies and faces an enemy far more powerful and ruthless than any he has known before.

Post Captain Ramage is prowling the Tuscan coast and far from English aid when he encounters a daunting French invasion fleet. As the enemy gathers strength, Ramage must decide how to thwart its actions with only the frigate Calypso and a pair of bomb ketches.