In this Fourth book of The Dorset Boy series its 1802, peace is declared in Europe and India is in a state of change. The East India Company is gradually gaining control, but the problem of pirate attacks from their base at Réunion on East Indiamen ships in the Indian Ocean is getting worse. On top of that Maharaja Holkar, who is no friend of the British, has had enough of the internal bickering's of the Maratha Nobles and is on the march to capture Pune and eliminate the Peshwa. With a daring rescue Marty helps Arthur Wellesley get the Bassein Accord in place. 1803 sees our hero back in Europe, just in time for the war with France to start up again. Put in charge of the Special Operations Flotilla, he discovers that being in command is very different than being number two, that failure is as likely as success and has its consequences. Ship to ship and shore actions, love, loss, revenge and a little business on the side, Marty and Caroline, Blaez and their followers move from one adventure to the next leaving a trail of destruction and pain for the French.