The Time of Terror

The setting for this novel is Europe 1793, the French have just executed their king, and declared war on their enemies, including England.  Englishman Nathan Peake is in charge of a little brig near the French coast when it is fired upon by the French.  Little does he know that this will be the start of a new adventure for him.

He is called before The Lord of the Admiralty and tasked with taking a special cargo to Le Havre.  He is given a new ship, a motley crew, but is allowed to bring the mate from his brig.  Tully is a Guernsey man, and a former smuggler pressed into the British navy, and someone Peake is sure he can rely on.  He and his crew are to masquerade as Americans.

Upon reaching Le Havre, Peake finds that the person to whom he has to deliver the cargo is in Paris.  He must travel to Paris, where his life is almost lost to the mob, when he is rescued by the American he is to deliver his cargo to, and two young women.  He is intrigued by the latter two since one knows his mother and the other is very attractive to him. 

Important characters of the Reign of Terror appear in the story such as Danton, Robespierre and Desmoulins.  Peake is asked to take a message back to his masters requesting money for Danton so he might fight for peace against Robespierre.  Unfortunately for Danton and Desmoulins, they are arrested and tried for crimes against the revolution.  Peake finds himself in a conspiracy to free the men, but he himself is arrested.  Danton and Desmoulins meet Madame Guillotine, while Peake is held without charge.  Fortunately for Peake, he doesn't have an appointment with Madame Guillotine, but is rather released because he is supposedly s friend of Thomas Jefferson.

This is hardly the end of the adventures for Nathan Peake as he finds himself in a naval battle and returning to Paris to get the woman he has fallen in love with before the revolution claims her.

Author Seth Hunter has written a well researched novel.  For any fan of history and historical fiction, this novel is well worth the read.  The Time of Terror is the first in a trilogy and I am looking forward to the sequels.