Shortly after Thomas Marlowe's arrival in Williamsburg, Virginia, all in that newfound capital city are speaking his name. With the bounty from his years as a pirate—a life he intends to renounce and keep forever secret—he purchases a fine plantation from a striking young widow, and soon after kills the favorite son of one of Virginia's most powerful clans while defending her honor. But it is a daring feat of remarkable cunning that truly sets local tongues wagging: a stunning move that wins Marlowe command of Plymouth Prize, the colony's decrepit guardship.But even as the enigmatic Marlowe bravely leads the King's sailors in bloody pitched battle against the cutthroats who infest the waters off Virginia's shores, a threat from his illicit past looms on the horizon that could doom Marlowe and his plans. Jean-Pierre LeRois, captain of the Vengeance—a brigand notorious even among other brigands for his violence and debauchery—plots to seize the colony's wealth, forcing Marlowe to choose between losing all or facing the one man he fears. Only an explosive confrontation on the open sea can determine whether the Chesapeake will be ruled by the crown or the Brethren of the Coast.

In a blind rage, King James, ex-slave and now Marlowe's comrade in arms, slaughters the crew of a slave ship and makes himself the most wanted man in Virginia. The governor gives Marlowe a Hunt James down and bring him back to hang or lose everything Marlowe has built for himself and his wife, Elizabeth. Marlowe sets out in pursuit of the ex-slave turned pirate, struggling to maintain control over his crew—rough privateers who care only for plunder—and following James' trail of destruction. But Marlowe is not James' only threat, as factions aboard James' own ship vie for control and betrayal stalks him to the shores of Africa.

Another gripping, captivating and unputdownable naval adventure from the pen of bestselling author James Nelson. Perfect for readers of Julian Stockwin, CS Forester and Alexander Kent. "A master both of his period and of the English language" PATRICK O'BRIAN "A master storyteller" — SAILING "Brilliant...Readers will gladly be swept along by a wonderful plot" — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "A great swashbuckling adventure!" — \\\\\* READER REVIEW " Compelling and easy to read" — \\\\\* READER REVIEW "James Nelson is a master storyteller who breathes life into his characters and immerses you in his stories.....great seafaring adventures..." — \\\\\* READER REVIEW \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ CAN YOU EVER REALLY ESCAPE THE PAST? Former pirate and captain of the Guardship, Thomas Marlowe, is now a man of property, keeping his prosperous tobacco plantation in Virginia with his beautiful wife Elizabeth. But the Anglo-Spanish war has meant a decline in tobacco prices, and Thomas decides to come to England to trade his wares, little thinking that in the busy streets of London he will meet an old enemy from his pirating days. Forced to abandon his tobacco and flee, he has to take to sea and finds himself in battle with the ships bound for the Moghul Empire, and in Madagascar he at last comes face to face with his pirate foes. The Pirate Round is the final book in the Brethren of the Coast trilogy. Have you read The Guardship and The Blackbirder ?