His future depends on bringing the smuggler to justice. His heart demands to join him. Customs officer Peregrine Dean is sent by his patron to investigate rumors of corruption in the Porthkennack customs house. There he is tasked by the local magistrate to bring down the villainous Tomas Quick, a smuggler with fingers in every pie in town. Fired with zeal and ambition, and struck to the core by his first glimpse of Tomas, Perry determines to stop at nothing until he has succeeded. Tomas Quick is an honest thief—a criminal regarded by the town as their local Robin Hood. He’s also an arrogant man who relishes the challenge posed by someone as determined and intelligent as Perry. Both of them come to enjoy their cat-and-mouse rivalry a little too much. But the eighteenth century is a perilous time for someone like Perry: a black man in England. Two have already disappeared from the wrecks of ships. Tomas and Perry must forsake their competition and learn to trust each other if they are to rescue them, or Perry may become the third victim. NOTE: All profits from the sales of this book are donated to the Trans Women of Color Collective.

The heart of this book is the remarkable Civil War diary of the author’s great-grandfather, William Benjamin Gould, an escaped slave who served in the United States Navy from 1862 until the end of the war. The diary vividly records Gould’s activity as part of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron off the coast of North Carolina and Virginia; his visits to New York and Boston; the pursuit to Nova Scotia of a hijacked Confederate cruiser; and service in European waters pursuing Confederate ships constructed in Great Britain and France. Gould’s diary is one of only three known diaries of African American sailors in the Civil War. It is distinguished not only by its details and eloquent tone (often deliberately understated and sardonic), but also by its reflections on war, on race, on race relations in the Navy, and on what African Americans might expect after the war. The book includes introductory chapters that establish the context of the diary narrative, an annotated version of the diary, a brief account of Gould’s life in Massachusetts after the war, and William B. Gould IV’s thoughts about the legacy of his great-grandfather and his own journey of discovery in learning about this remarkable man.

The Heart of Mid-Lothian - Walter Scott - The Heart of Midlothian is the seventh of Sir Walter Scott's Waverley Novels. The title of the book refers to the Old Tolbooth prison in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the time in the heart of the Scottish county of Midlothian. The historical backdrop was the event known as the Porteous Riots.Based on true events, The Heart of a Mid-Lothian depicts two stories. The first regards the Porteous Riots of 1736 in Edinburgh, Scotland. After the execution of two smugglers, a riot breaks out in Edinburgh. Unable to control the crowd and impatient, Captain John Porteous, the captain of the city guards, ordered his soldiers to fire into the crowd, murdering civilians. While this disbanded the original riot, the captain's actions soon warrant serious consequences as the civilians demand justice. Next, the story of Jeanie Doss unfolds. Born into a lower class, Jeanie had a humble upbringing, and is a very devout Presbyterian. After a tragic incident leads to her sister being wrongly accused of murdering a baby, Jeanie is determined to help her sister in the most virtuous and just way she can imagine. Traveling mostly on foot, Jeanie decides to go to London, in hopes of meeting with the queen. Determined to obtain justice for her sister, Jeanie fights to receive a royal pardon on her sisters behalf, clearing her name. First published in 1818, Sir Walter Scott wrote The Heart of a Mid-Lothian to be an imaginative depiction of actual events. Tied together by common themes, these two stories form a moving and shocking narrative. With themes of class, government brutality, social injustice, and religion, The Heart of a Mid-Lothian explores timeless topics that remain to be relevant and compelling. Praised for the masterful and intimate portrayal of Jeanies character, The Heart of a Mid-Lothian is descriptive, authentic, and captivating. This edition of The Heart of a Mid-Lothian by Sir Walter Scott now features a striking new cover design and is printed in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, this edition of The Heart of a Mid-Lothian crafts an accessible and pleasant reading experience for modern audiences while restoring the original mastery and drama of Sir Walter Scotts literature.

Michael Gray returned from World War One injured, but at least he returned. Others were not so fortunate, including his first and greatest love, Thomas Carter-Clemence, with whom Michael had parted bitterly before the conflict began. Broch, the Carter-Clemence home in Porthkennack, was an integral part of pre-war holidays for the Grays, the two families drawn together in the wake of their sons’ friendship. Returning to the once-beloved Cornish coast for a break with his sister and her family, Michael has to find the courage to face old memories . . . and dare new relationships. When Thomas’s brother Harry makes an unexpected appearance, Michael is surprised to find himself deeply attracted to Harry for his own sake. But as their relationship heats up, it unearths startling revelations and bitter truths. Michael must decide whether Harry is the answer to his prayers or the last straw to break an old soldier’s back.