“All I need is three days of fog,” Napoleon told his admirals, and they would have his greatest enemy at their mercy and the world at his feet.
It is 1803, and Britain and France are on the eve of war. Captain Nathan Peake, still in command of the sloop Falaise, is recruited to coordinate a secret operation to land agents and weapons on the coast of Brittany and Normandy to raise the flag of rebellion. Instead, he discovers that the real plan is to kidnap or assassinate Napoleon on the road to his country home of Malmaison on the outskirts of Paris. As Peake navigates the conspiracy and its aftermath, he finds his paths crossing with those of the legendary Sir Sidney Smith, American inventor Robert Fulton, and the Empress Josephine. But as the fog of war thickens, the risk of a chance encounter with someone who knows Peake’s true identity also grows. And all the while Napoleon is strategizing to divide his enemy and concentrate his forces on the weakest link. It has worked for the general many times on land—but will it now work at sea?
This is the story of the murders and intrigues, the myths and mysteries—and crucially the naval encounters—that preceded the most famous battle in nautical history. This is Nathan Peake’s Trafalgar, the true story of the events leading up to the campaign.
Seth Hunter is the pseudonym of London-based Paul Bryers, the author of six highly acclaimed naval adventures set against the canvas of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. One of his childrens stories, In a Pigs Ear, was named as one of the Guardians six best novels of the year. He has written and directed many historical dramas for British television, radio, and the theatre.
Whether you’re in the mood for a historical spy adventure or a rousing naval fiction, Trafalgar: The Fog of War is a skillful combination of espionage, high-stakes assignments, suspense, betrayal, and even a hint of romance, made even more enjoyable by Peake’s wry sense of humor and a fast-moving plot. — Quarterdeck
Really engaging. Seth Hunter has a more natural storytellers eye than Patrick OBrian . . . well wrought and deftly told. — Daily Telegraph
This book has it all . . . will be welcomed by lovers of historical naval fiction. — Daily Mail (UK)
The action is handled with complete assurance and all matters nautical carry the requisite salty whiff of authenticity . . . Hunter keeps the plot continually on the boil. — Yorkshire Evening Post
Will exceed expectations of lovers of historical fiction. Anyone who appreciates excellent prose, witty anecdotes, complex action, intertwining plots, and all-round great writing will anxiously await the next installment. — Foreword Reviews
[Hunter] delivers another slick nautical adventure in the Patrick OBrian tradition . . . The rousing naval battles, twisty plot, and muscular prose lift Hunters nautical yarn a few notches above the competition. — Publishers Weekly
Imaginative, knowledgeable, fast-moving . . . full of twists and turns. — Naval Review
A highly compelling read. — Historical Novels Review Online
