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The Wicked Trade
(2003)(The second book in the Sea Officer William Bentley series)
A novel by Jan Needle
Sea Officer William Bentley is back...
A survivor of the bloody mutiny on the Welfare, the young Bentley resumes his naval career with some reluctance, for he finds himself posted as an officer to the press tender, Biter. The Impress Service is the most reviled part of the Navy, continuing the process of legally kidnapping seamen in order to fill His Majesty's war-strapped ships.
Though his earlier experiences have stripped away the last traces of innocence, Bentley's new service in the London River - surrounded by corruption and greed - soon teaches him new lessons about the darker side of city life. When the Biter is reassigned as part of the effort to combat The Wicked Trade, smuggling, Bentley becomes entangled in the investigation of the murder of two customs officers.
With bribery rife and danger lurking in every shadow, will Bentley be able to navigate the seedy underworld the smugglers operate in and stay alive?
The Wicked Trade is a dark naval adventure that will appeal to fans of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester. It is the second in the series of Sea Officer Bentley thrillers.
'... the characters as drawn into a destiny of fear, love, hatred, and horrifying tragedy.' - Yorkshire Gazette & Herald
'Needle introduces readers to 14-year-old officer William Bentley and life aboard the ill-fated frigate Welfare... Such tales can easily fall prey to convention, but in Needle's hands the Welfare comes alive with rich, compelling characters and vivid imagery. There are no white knights here and no one-dimensional villains... an invigorating story.' - Publishers Weekly
'A fresh voice in maritime fiction... gritty, realistic and thoroughly entertaining [Needle] does not flinch from portraying the uglier aspects of life aboard a man-of-war, which is just one of the reasons his work stands out from the crowd.' - James L. Nelson, author of The Brethren of the Coast Trilogy
'Brilliant. I found myself being drawn back into that twilight world again, despite myself. I was grossly entertained and thrilled... [Jan Needle] is a rare talent.' - Jimmy Boyle
'A thundering great novel. What's really amazing is how much he seems to know about so many different things...what more could you want from a thriller? A cracking good read.' - Tony Parker, New Statesman & Society
'So topical...[Needle] develops a complex, ingenious plot at breakneck speed and has a sharp underdog's eye.' - John McVicar, Time Out
Jan Needle has had more than forty books published, including the best-selling Death Order, The Death Card, Nelson: The Poisoned River and Nelson: The Dreadful Havoc.
Genre: Historical
A survivor of the bloody mutiny on the Welfare, the young Bentley resumes his naval career with some reluctance, for he finds himself posted as an officer to the press tender, Biter. The Impress Service is the most reviled part of the Navy, continuing the process of legally kidnapping seamen in order to fill His Majesty's war-strapped ships.
Though his earlier experiences have stripped away the last traces of innocence, Bentley's new service in the London River - surrounded by corruption and greed - soon teaches him new lessons about the darker side of city life. When the Biter is reassigned as part of the effort to combat The Wicked Trade, smuggling, Bentley becomes entangled in the investigation of the murder of two customs officers.
With bribery rife and danger lurking in every shadow, will Bentley be able to navigate the seedy underworld the smugglers operate in and stay alive?
The Wicked Trade is a dark naval adventure that will appeal to fans of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester. It is the second in the series of Sea Officer Bentley thrillers.
Praise for Jan Needle:
'... the characters as drawn into a destiny of fear, love, hatred, and horrifying tragedy.' - Yorkshire Gazette & Herald
'Needle introduces readers to 14-year-old officer William Bentley and life aboard the ill-fated frigate Welfare... Such tales can easily fall prey to convention, but in Needle's hands the Welfare comes alive with rich, compelling characters and vivid imagery. There are no white knights here and no one-dimensional villains... an invigorating story.' - Publishers Weekly
'A fresh voice in maritime fiction... gritty, realistic and thoroughly entertaining [Needle] does not flinch from portraying the uglier aspects of life aboard a man-of-war, which is just one of the reasons his work stands out from the crowd.' - James L. Nelson, author of The Brethren of the Coast Trilogy
'Brilliant. I found myself being drawn back into that twilight world again, despite myself. I was grossly entertained and thrilled... [Jan Needle] is a rare talent.' - Jimmy Boyle
'A thundering great novel. What's really amazing is how much he seems to know about so many different things...what more could you want from a thriller? A cracking good read.' - Tony Parker, New Statesman & Society
'So topical...[Needle] develops a complex, ingenious plot at breakneck speed and has a sharp underdog's eye.' - John McVicar, Time Out
Jan Needle has had more than forty books published, including the best-selling Death Order, The Death Card, Nelson: The Poisoned River and Nelson: The Dreadful Havoc.
Genre: Historical
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