Jake Hawking and his crew come into port after a long voyage of piracy only to find themselves the target of dark looks and mutterings. But since they haven’t been back to the port in three months, how could one of the crew possibly have been in town at the same time?

It’s a short, solid, story and although the twist is a little cliched for a story and raises a few questions,  it works well as an introduction to Jake Hawking, his character and his world. Pirate cliche and trope abound, but you are duly warned – not least by the lead character’s name, a nice take on Treasure Island’s Jim Hawkins.

As a teen and young adult book this is the piracy of adventure literature and film, not the Spanish Main, so there’s little gore and more daring-do. The writing style is simple, as is the plot, but then it is simply an introduction to the characters. If you want to sample the author’s work before committing to the series, this is a good place to start.

For older readers, this may be a bit basic, but it’s not meant for them. Instead it’s a short story that will appeal to  fans of pirates, particularly young adult readers.