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The Joubert Family Chronicles #3
The ghost ship
The Barbary Coast, 1621. A mysterious vessel floats silently on the water. It is known only as the Ghost Ship. For months it has hunted pirates to liberate those enslaved by corsairs, manned by a courageous crew of mariners from Italy and France, Holland and the Canary Islands.
But the bravest men on board are not who they seem. And the stakes could not be higher. If arrested, they will be hanged for their crimes. Can they survive the journey and escape their fate?
A sweeping and epic love story, ranging from France in 1610 to Amsterdam and the Canary Islands in the 1620s, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling novel of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes and hidden secrets on the high seas.
But the bravest men on board are not who they seem. And the stakes could not be higher. If arrested, they will be hanged for their crimes. Can they survive the journey and escape their fate?
A sweeping and epic love story, ranging from France in 1610 to Amsterdam and the Canary Islands in the 1620s, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling novel of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes and hidden secrets on the high seas.
496 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2023
813 people are currently reading
11112 people want to read
About the author
Kate Mosse
91 books3,347 followersKate Mosse is an international bestselling author with sales of more than five million copies in 42 languages. Her fiction includes the novels Labyrinth (2005), Sepulchre (2007), The Winter Ghosts (2009), and Citadel (2012), as well as an acclaimed collection of short stories, The Mistletoe Bride & Other Haunting Tales (2013). Kate’s new novel, The Taxidermist’s Daughter is out now.
Kate is the Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize) and in June 2013, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to literature. She lives in Sussex.
Kate is the Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize) and in June 2013, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to literature. She lives in Sussex.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 605 reviews
June 30, 2023
To begin, I should preface with the fact that I have not read the first two novels in this series by Kate Mosse. I am sure there was a lot of story before this one that lead to what happens in The Ghost Ship. Having said that, if you are like me and haven't read the others, you definitely won't be disappointed or have a hard time reading this. In fact, this can absolutely be read as a standalone.
Mosse clearly did her homework and knows how to bring history to life! This was outstanding, well thought out and well researched. I am not a sailor, nor a history buff, but this story makes me want to become both. It begins with Louise, a young woman who lives with her grandparents. Having lost both of her parents earlier, she is about to become very wealthy when she comes of age and accepts her inheritance. This sets her up for her future, where she decides to follow her dream of sailing. When she meets Gilles, a wine merchant's apprentice, she realizes she can be more than she ever thought possible. Their relationship is modern and refreshing and everything it should be for a female captain in the 1600's looking to change the rules.
If you read the title and believe it to be something having to do with the supernatural you may be disappointed to learn that it's the name of a ship. However, this ship is what leads Louise to her destiny and, eventually, her infamous legacy. Her quest to break the rules is heart-pounding and vibrant and taking the journey with Louise ,and following her adventure, is everything you could want in a pirate story . I loved every part! Thank you, Minotaur Books, for the opportunity to read this fantastic book!
Mosse clearly did her homework and knows how to bring history to life! This was outstanding, well thought out and well researched. I am not a sailor, nor a history buff, but this story makes me want to become both. It begins with Louise, a young woman who lives with her grandparents. Having lost both of her parents earlier, she is about to become very wealthy when she comes of age and accepts her inheritance. This sets her up for her future, where she decides to follow her dream of sailing. When she meets Gilles, a wine merchant's apprentice, she realizes she can be more than she ever thought possible. Their relationship is modern and refreshing and everything it should be for a female captain in the 1600's looking to change the rules.
If you read the title and believe it to be something having to do with the supernatural you may be disappointed to learn that it's the name of a ship. However, this ship is what leads Louise to her destiny and, eventually, her infamous legacy. Her quest to break the rules is heart-pounding and vibrant and taking the journey with Louise ,and following her adventure, is everything you could want in a pirate story . I loved every part! Thank you, Minotaur Books, for the opportunity to read this fantastic book!
July 26, 2023
After reading this book, I am grateful once again for living when and where I do. The heroine of this story, Louise lives in sixteenth century Holland, where women were definitely considered to be at the beck and call of men. Louise has a wish that was considered outlandish at the time, and that is to be captain of her own ship.
Through fate and the bequest of a beloved uncle, Louise acquires her wish, and buys a ship, meets the beguiling Gilles, a wine merchant's apprentice who she takes under her wing as poor Gilles has been sorely mistreated by his mother, and sails off with him to the Barbary Coast where adventure, death, pirates, and love await her.
Louise is a rule breaker and those rules broken could result in her death as the shadow of the Inquisition hangs over all. She is a sixteenth century hero with the modern flair thrown into the story to give it a very different type of story. I have read and enjoyed the previous two books i this, The Burning Chambers series,and once again Kate Mosse has put extensive research into her story.
Thank you to the author, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this long but extensive look into former times and adventure. This story published in early July.
May 6, 2023
Louise lives in the Netherlands, and she has both Huguenot and Catholic ancestry. She sails on the ship that she owns, and finds herself the captain as they are sailing into an area where there are pirates and slavers. She and the crew decide to take a stand, and there are those who feel threatened by a powerful woman, especially the men of the Inquisition. I haven't read much about this time period, but the author has done extensive research. Recommended for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a strong female protagonist (and pirates). Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
June 24, 2024
I received an AD PR copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Random Things Tours.
The Ghost Ship is the third novel in the Burning Chambers series, and even though I haven't read books one and two yet, I didn't find it affected my read of this book at all. I want to read the first two books ASAP to find out what happened prior to this book, but it didn't confuse me or hinder me from reading this one and I'd say it could be read as a stand-alone.
We follow Louise, who longs to own her own ship one day. Being set during the sixteenth century, this was obviously something unusual and classed as outlandish. But Louise achieves her dream after coming of age and receiving an inheritance and purchases her very own ship. Louise then meets Gilles, who's the apprentice of a wine merchant who's been abused at the hands of his own mother. The pair set off on an adventure on high seas where much faces them along the way.
This book was so captivating, and I found myself lost within the pages out at Sea with this adventurous, rule-breaking heroine. This was just the adventure I needed right now, and I basked in the historical fiction era and the freedom of adventure from the first few chapters. Don't let the size of the book put you off as I flew through the chapters completely captivated and was at the end of the book before I knew it.
The Ghost Ship is the third novel in the Burning Chambers series, and even though I haven't read books one and two yet, I didn't find it affected my read of this book at all. I want to read the first two books ASAP to find out what happened prior to this book, but it didn't confuse me or hinder me from reading this one and I'd say it could be read as a stand-alone.
We follow Louise, who longs to own her own ship one day. Being set during the sixteenth century, this was obviously something unusual and classed as outlandish. But Louise achieves her dream after coming of age and receiving an inheritance and purchases her very own ship. Louise then meets Gilles, who's the apprentice of a wine merchant who's been abused at the hands of his own mother. The pair set off on an adventure on high seas where much faces them along the way.
This book was so captivating, and I found myself lost within the pages out at Sea with this adventurous, rule-breaking heroine. This was just the adventure I needed right now, and I basked in the historical fiction era and the freedom of adventure from the first few chapters. Don't let the size of the book put you off as I flew through the chapters completely captivated and was at the end of the book before I knew it.
September 3, 2023
In The Ghost Ship the publishers promise us ‘piracy, romance, revenge’ and the book certainly delivers on all three. The Ghost Ship is the third book in the series following the fortunes – and misfortunes – of various generations of the Joubert family. I’ve read both the previous books in the series – The Burning Chambers and The City of Tears – as well as plenty more of Kate Mosse’s other books so I know she is a consummate storyteller and once again she doesn’t disappoint.
Although some characters make a return appearance, such as Marguerite ‘Minou’ Reydon-Joubert and her husband Piet, and the storyline involving a disputed inheritance and a desire for revenge continues from the earlier books, I would say The Ghost Ship is the easiest book in the series to read as a standalone because it moves quickly from historical saga to maritime adventure – and love story. For new readers, the author includes some recaps of events in earlier books and a helpful list of principal characters.
Historical detail has always been a strong point of Kate Mosse’s books so much so that you can easily imagine yourself walking the streets of Amsterdam or the quayside of La Rochelle, or later in the book, the Canary Islands. And, in this book, you can add to that what it would be like to be onboard a trading ship, one that at any moment might come under attack from corsairs.
Louise Reydon-Joubert makes a spirited protagonist, determined not to let her gender prevent her achieving her ambition to become captain of her own ship, an ambition she has harboured (if you’ll pardon the pun) ever since her first experience aboard a ship as a young girl. In this, Cornelia van Raay, the companion of Louise’s great-aunt, provides an example of a woman making her way in a man’s world, and one in an unconvential relationship. However, several things – and individuals – stand in Louise’s way and even when one of those is unexpectedly removed it doesn’t mean the end of her troubles, but in fact just the beginning.
An encounter with a corsair galley propelled by slaves chained to its oars sets Louise on a path that sees her and the crew of the Old Moon embark on a new and very dangerous mission. Horrified by the idea of a trade in human lives, she sets out to disrupt the corsairs’ activities. ‘She was determined to become not a pirate herself, but the scourge of pirates – a ‘she-captain’, the huntress and hellion of the high seas.’ Unfortunately, pirates are not the only opposition she faces because legitimate merchants are also starting to scent the possibility of profit from transporting human cargo rather than grain or other goods. And although Louise proves her worth to her crew there are people who simply cannot accept a woman as captain of a ship. (Cue the famous line from a Monty Python sketch, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!”)
Louise’s companion in her endeavours is Gilles Barenton who has his own reasons for wanting to escape his past. Their paths become entwined in the most dramatic way, triggering long buried memories of bloody events in Louise’s own childhood.
Kate Mosse doesn’t write short books but, despite its length, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling page-turner with a story that will sweep you along and some brilliant action scenes. (My one grumble is that I think the blurb gives too much of the story away.) As is her way, the author leaves us with a tantalising introduction to the next book in the series, set in Cape Town.
Although some characters make a return appearance, such as Marguerite ‘Minou’ Reydon-Joubert and her husband Piet, and the storyline involving a disputed inheritance and a desire for revenge continues from the earlier books, I would say The Ghost Ship is the easiest book in the series to read as a standalone because it moves quickly from historical saga to maritime adventure – and love story. For new readers, the author includes some recaps of events in earlier books and a helpful list of principal characters.
Historical detail has always been a strong point of Kate Mosse’s books so much so that you can easily imagine yourself walking the streets of Amsterdam or the quayside of La Rochelle, or later in the book, the Canary Islands. And, in this book, you can add to that what it would be like to be onboard a trading ship, one that at any moment might come under attack from corsairs.
Louise Reydon-Joubert makes a spirited protagonist, determined not to let her gender prevent her achieving her ambition to become captain of her own ship, an ambition she has harboured (if you’ll pardon the pun) ever since her first experience aboard a ship as a young girl. In this, Cornelia van Raay, the companion of Louise’s great-aunt, provides an example of a woman making her way in a man’s world, and one in an unconvential relationship. However, several things – and individuals – stand in Louise’s way and even when one of those is unexpectedly removed it doesn’t mean the end of her troubles, but in fact just the beginning.
An encounter with a corsair galley propelled by slaves chained to its oars sets Louise on a path that sees her and the crew of the Old Moon embark on a new and very dangerous mission. Horrified by the idea of a trade in human lives, she sets out to disrupt the corsairs’ activities. ‘She was determined to become not a pirate herself, but the scourge of pirates – a ‘she-captain’, the huntress and hellion of the high seas.’ Unfortunately, pirates are not the only opposition she faces because legitimate merchants are also starting to scent the possibility of profit from transporting human cargo rather than grain or other goods. And although Louise proves her worth to her crew there are people who simply cannot accept a woman as captain of a ship. (Cue the famous line from a Monty Python sketch, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!”)
Louise’s companion in her endeavours is Gilles Barenton who has his own reasons for wanting to escape his past. Their paths become entwined in the most dramatic way, triggering long buried memories of bloody events in Louise’s own childhood.
Kate Mosse doesn’t write short books but, despite its length, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling page-turner with a story that will sweep you along and some brilliant action scenes. (My one grumble is that I think the blurb gives too much of the story away.) As is her way, the author leaves us with a tantalising introduction to the next book in the series, set in Cape Town.
July 13, 2023
I loved The Burning Chambers and liked The City of Tears. Unfortunately, the stories moved beyond the history of the War of Religion in France and we're left with a family drama story that is entirely boring. I do recommend the first two books in the series, but not this one. I didn't care for the characters or the story and ended up dnfing. The first two books also started with prologues set in 1862. The latest date in The Ghost Ship is 1688. Readers of the first two books are left hanging as that secondary story in the prologues of the first two books makes no appearance here. It seems very strange that the author introduced that story in the first book, continued it in the second book, and forgot about it in the third book.
Thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2025
Some books are impossible to put down. Logically speaking, those should be filled with action, rushing events chasing each other in a never-ending stream, but it is not at all the kind of book that I find unputdownable.
Last time it happened, I believe I was reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead — definitely not a Jason Bourne type of story, but something in it took hold of me and refused to let go. The Ghost Ship that had me immediately absorbed too, is at least one step closer but still very far away from Jason Bourne. It is set in the 17th century and follows an independent woman from a French-Dutch Huguenot family who is, having come to a substantial inheritance, both able and willing to make some very unconventional choices in her life. It is a continuation of The Burning Chambers, which I read earlier this year and which enchanted me unexpectedly after years of sitting on my shelves.
Minou Joubert and Piet Reydon, the charming young couple from The Burning Chambers, are now grandparents, and it is their orphaned granddaughter Louise who is the one to be taking her life in an unconventional direction. The plot seems initially to swirl for a while indecisive about what to do next, between Paris, the day the king is murdered, Amsterdam where the family is, La Rochelle where Louise conducts her business, until finally deciding to be off to the high seas…
Really enjoyable. There is some adventure, without pumping up the adrenaline levels all too high, some history and some opportunity to ponder choices and the changing perceptions of what we are expected to do in our lives.
Last time it happened, I believe I was reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead — definitely not a Jason Bourne type of story, but something in it took hold of me and refused to let go. The Ghost Ship that had me immediately absorbed too, is at least one step closer but still very far away from Jason Bourne. It is set in the 17th century and follows an independent woman from a French-Dutch Huguenot family who is, having come to a substantial inheritance, both able and willing to make some very unconventional choices in her life. It is a continuation of The Burning Chambers, which I read earlier this year and which enchanted me unexpectedly after years of sitting on my shelves.
Minou Joubert and Piet Reydon, the charming young couple from The Burning Chambers, are now grandparents, and it is their orphaned granddaughter Louise who is the one to be taking her life in an unconventional direction. The plot seems initially to swirl for a while indecisive about what to do next, between Paris, the day the king is murdered, Amsterdam where the family is, La Rochelle where Louise conducts her business, until finally deciding to be off to the high seas…
Really enjoyable. There is some adventure, without pumping up the adrenaline levels all too high, some history and some opportunity to ponder choices and the changing perceptions of what we are expected to do in our lives.
August 31, 2023
Both vol 1 & 2 were very much about roman Catholic religion this about the Spanish Las Palmas and Lanzarote. Side of religion. But many sides of slavery here we see the hidden side that not all slaves were black and not all slavers were white.
This starts with the assassin François Ravaillac killing the King Henri IV thus set in motion once again the Huguenots hunt.
Louise Reydon - Joubert her life in France to meting Gilles Barenton her voyagers at sea to lot of blood and murders
Here we see wreckfish a type of sea bass and gofio served with honey which rare maze flour. It's little things that make this special. Lots of twist and turns. I voted this best Historical book for 2023.
I cannot say to much or it spoil the book, but once again show Roman Catholic Church in very bad light. It shows another bad side to slaves the taboo side that nobody talks about the Italy, France, Dutch white slaves torched viable filth and urinal shit and blood disgusting side. White slaves, black slavers.
This book also is heavily influenced by the Tarot cards the early French cards I read the Tarot which made this special for me. The mane cards are the Justice and the love card the ten of cups. In 1600s the French Tarot cards were very mysterious and new and hated by the Roman Catholic Church. The Justice card is very important to Gilles whole life from aged 10.
This starts with the assassin François Ravaillac killing the King Henri IV thus set in motion once again the Huguenots hunt.
Louise Reydon - Joubert her life in France to meting Gilles Barenton her voyagers at sea to lot of blood and murders
Here we see wreckfish a type of sea bass and gofio served with honey which rare maze flour. It's little things that make this special. Lots of twist and turns. I voted this best Historical book for 2023.
I cannot say to much or it spoil the book, but once again show Roman Catholic Church in very bad light. It shows another bad side to slaves the taboo side that nobody talks about the Italy, France, Dutch white slaves torched viable filth and urinal shit and blood disgusting side. White slaves, black slavers.
This book also is heavily influenced by the Tarot cards the early French cards I read the Tarot which made this special for me. The mane cards are the Justice and the love card the ten of cups. In 1600s the French Tarot cards were very mysterious and new and hated by the Roman Catholic Church. The Justice card is very important to Gilles whole life from aged 10.
May 10, 2024
This was surprisingly poor from Mosse. I had said beforehand how I was looking forward to reading Follett and Mosse back-to-back to compare and contrast two different authors of historical fiction. What I didn’t expect was for there to be such a contrast!
Unfortunately, I just found there to be a massive lack of effective character development and thought that the relationships between characters, in particular the two principal characters, was super lacking. The depiction of events of high importance was lacklustre and underwhelming, and certain plot events just “appear” with little explanation, leading to a poor fit. Moreover, Mosse fails to set a lot of the scenery, a key part of ensuring immersion in historical fiction.
Overall, I found the plot jagged, random and lacking in cohesion, let down by poor characterisation. It was saved by good prose and enough of a decent plot to maintain my interest, perhaps supported by the fact that I enjoyed the first two books in this series enough to give the whole thing a proper go.
Unfortunately, I just found there to be a massive lack of effective character development and thought that the relationships between characters, in particular the two principal characters, was super lacking. The depiction of events of high importance was lacklustre and underwhelming, and certain plot events just “appear” with little explanation, leading to a poor fit. Moreover, Mosse fails to set a lot of the scenery, a key part of ensuring immersion in historical fiction.
Overall, I found the plot jagged, random and lacking in cohesion, let down by poor characterisation. It was saved by good prose and enough of a decent plot to maintain my interest, perhaps supported by the fact that I enjoyed the first two books in this series enough to give the whole thing a proper go.
February 27, 2025
Setting: France (La Rochelle/Carcassonne)/Netherlands (Amsterdam)/Canary Islands; 17th century.
This is the third book featuring the Joubert family as they struggle to maintain their Huguenot traditions in the face of persecution from the ruling Catholic hierarchy. The story concentrates primarily on Louise Reydon-Joubert who is determined to break male tradition by captaining her own ship, which she eventually does - and is drawn into a battle against slaving galleys operating from the Barbary Coast and targeting communities on the Canary Islands. But her actions aren't appreciated by the Catholic male-dominated hierarchy who run the islands, despite the benefits of her actions for their people.....
This is another great story in this series. There aren't many authors who can tempt me to read books set in this time period, which isn't one of my favourites, but Kate Mosse is certainly one of them and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all her books so far - 8.5/10.
This is the third book featuring the Joubert family as they struggle to maintain their Huguenot traditions in the face of persecution from the ruling Catholic hierarchy. The story concentrates primarily on Louise Reydon-Joubert who is determined to break male tradition by captaining her own ship, which she eventually does - and is drawn into a battle against slaving galleys operating from the Barbary Coast and targeting communities on the Canary Islands. But her actions aren't appreciated by the Catholic male-dominated hierarchy who run the islands, despite the benefits of her actions for their people.....
This is another great story in this series. There aren't many authors who can tempt me to read books set in this time period, which isn't one of my favourites, but Kate Mosse is certainly one of them and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all her books so far - 8.5/10.
May 6, 2023
Privileged to have been granted the gift of reading this 1600 saga of survival as a female with skills and knowledge to oversee a ship in treacherous times. Unusual twist in this story that brings two women together to overcome extreme odds.
May 4, 2023
The Ghost Ship is book 3 in the Burning Chambers series, and as the saga of the Reydon-Joubert family continues, Minou and Piet's granddaughter Louise comes into her inheritance.
10 years later.
Louise is the "secret" owner of a cargo ship and hosts a farewell dinner party for the captain who is retiring when she meets a troubled young man called Gilles with some secrets of his own.
This was a fabulous read. Kate Mosse is a fantastic storyteller who can bring historical fiction to life. I felt like I was sailing on board with the crew of the ghost ship.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC
10 years later.
Louise is the "secret" owner of a cargo ship and hosts a farewell dinner party for the captain who is retiring when she meets a troubled young man called Gilles with some secrets of his own.
This was a fabulous read. Kate Mosse is a fantastic storyteller who can bring historical fiction to life. I felt like I was sailing on board with the crew of the ghost ship.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC
September 6, 2024
I’m so glad I randomly decided to pick this up in the bookstore. I knew nothing of this book prior, nor did I know it was apart of a series 😅 but fortunately you can technically read this as a stand-alone.
The story immediately drew me in as we meet our protagonist Louise Reydon-Joubert, the captain of the Ghost Ship as she is getting ready for her public execution for the crimes she’s committed. Louise’s voice was so strong and clear that I immediately got a sense of who she was and it made me eager to see how she got to this point. She commands a ship during a time when the idea of a female sea captain was unimaginable as well as frowned upon.
Along side Louise, we follow Gilles Barenton, a woman who had to assume her dead brothers identity as a child. Gilles was another fascinating character and I loved seeing how the paths between Gilles & Louise begin to intertwine.
The writing in the Ghost Ship is gorgeous. Kate Mosse prose paint beautiful picturesque scenes that truly transports you into the novel. I could feel the ebb and flow of the sea, the breeze of the night air, the love and anguish between the characters and the tension among various communities.
I thought this would just be a quick fun seafaring story, and it is that, but so much more. The novel delves into the history and experiences of France & Amsterdam during the Huguenot diaspora of the 1600’s . Mosse’s writing makes you feel the essence of that time while making the story feel fresh and relevant. The book touches on, the slave trade, the high contention between religious groups, exploration of sexuality and much more. Amidst all of this is, there’s an unexpected love story between Louise & Gilles brewing.
The Ghost Ship is one of those stories you just sink into and enjoy. I wish I had better words to describe the feeling it gave me, but it felt like the book surrounded and filled the space around me. The short chapters made it easy to read, I loved how it balanced adventure, family dynamics, politics, and romance.
The story immediately drew me in as we meet our protagonist Louise Reydon-Joubert, the captain of the Ghost Ship as she is getting ready for her public execution for the crimes she’s committed. Louise’s voice was so strong and clear that I immediately got a sense of who she was and it made me eager to see how she got to this point. She commands a ship during a time when the idea of a female sea captain was unimaginable as well as frowned upon.
Along side Louise, we follow Gilles Barenton, a woman who had to assume her dead brothers identity as a child. Gilles was another fascinating character and I loved seeing how the paths between Gilles & Louise begin to intertwine.
The writing in the Ghost Ship is gorgeous. Kate Mosse prose paint beautiful picturesque scenes that truly transports you into the novel. I could feel the ebb and flow of the sea, the breeze of the night air, the love and anguish between the characters and the tension among various communities.
I thought this would just be a quick fun seafaring story, and it is that, but so much more. The novel delves into the history and experiences of France & Amsterdam during the Huguenot diaspora of the 1600’s . Mosse’s writing makes you feel the essence of that time while making the story feel fresh and relevant. The book touches on, the slave trade, the high contention between religious groups, exploration of sexuality and much more. Amidst all of this is, there’s an unexpected love story between Louise & Gilles brewing.
The Ghost Ship is one of those stories you just sink into and enjoy. I wish I had better words to describe the feeling it gave me, but it felt like the book surrounded and filled the space around me. The short chapters made it easy to read, I loved how it balanced adventure, family dynamics, politics, and romance.
April 28, 2023
Louise Reydon-Joubert is a defiant, fearless adventurer. Owner of the Old Moon, a vessel out of Amsterdam, she is more than confident to take charge when the captain dies in mysterious circumstances.
From the start, with a young woman in Paris to claim her inheritance, this book is full of adventure and spirit, with the main protagonist, Louise, far ahead of her day. Her heroic schemes and plans, along with her fight for justice hold no bounds.
A truly remarkable story of epic proportions, a real page turner. Totally absorbing from the off, I couldn’t read this fast enough to see what happened next. The settings are beautifully depicted, the characters and their exploits superbly told, a real gem.
This is the third book in this series, and not having read the previous two I thought I may be a bit lost. Not at all, it made no difference whatsoever, a complete standalone, though I shall now definitely seek out the other books in the Joubert Family Chronicles.
Outstanding, Kate Mosse at her very best.
Thank you NetGalley.
From the start, with a young woman in Paris to claim her inheritance, this book is full of adventure and spirit, with the main protagonist, Louise, far ahead of her day. Her heroic schemes and plans, along with her fight for justice hold no bounds.
A truly remarkable story of epic proportions, a real page turner. Totally absorbing from the off, I couldn’t read this fast enough to see what happened next. The settings are beautifully depicted, the characters and their exploits superbly told, a real gem.
This is the third book in this series, and not having read the previous two I thought I may be a bit lost. Not at all, it made no difference whatsoever, a complete standalone, though I shall now definitely seek out the other books in the Joubert Family Chronicles.
Outstanding, Kate Mosse at her very best.
Thank you NetGalley.
August 29, 2023
This entire series has been such a wo
nderfully epic journey, and The Ghost Ship was an amazing continuation of the story.
With an inheritance from her father, Louise Reydon-Joubert is a woman of means and independence. She is free to do the only thing she's ever wanted to do. Go to sea.
While in La Rochelle, she meets and feels an instant connection to Gilles Barenton. However, Gilles has a long-held secret. The two of them sail away in her ship, The Old Moon, and along the way forge a beautiful relationship.
This was easily my favorite of this series. Louise's bravery and spirit were incomparable. She was a woman ahead of her time.
This book was simply magnificent. I can't wait to read the next installment.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
nderfully epic journey, and The Ghost Ship was an amazing continuation of the story.
With an inheritance from her father, Louise Reydon-Joubert is a woman of means and independence. She is free to do the only thing she's ever wanted to do. Go to sea.
While in La Rochelle, she meets and feels an instant connection to Gilles Barenton. However, Gilles has a long-held secret. The two of them sail away in her ship, The Old Moon, and along the way forge a beautiful relationship.
This was easily my favorite of this series. Louise's bravery and spirit were incomparable. She was a woman ahead of her time.
This book was simply magnificent. I can't wait to read the next installment.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 22, 2024
Quelle joie infinie de retrouver la plume de Kate Mosse dans la suite des aventures de la famille Reydon-Joubert !
Après La cité de feu et La cité des larmes, on part cette fois-ci dans La Cité des mers : une aventure historique palpitante dans l'univers des océans, des bateaux, de la piraterie...
On retrouve tous les ingrédients des tomes précédents : aventure, femmes fortes, romance, famille, avec toujours ce fond historique de guerre de religion entre huguenots et catholiques. Il y a toujours plusieurs villes dans lesquelles on voyage, ce tome nous emmenant donc à La Rochelle, Amsterdam et les îles Canaries.
Après Minou et Piet, on suit principalement Louise, leur petite-fille, rêvant d'aventure maritime dans un monde où les femmes n'ont pas le droit d'être capitaine. Qu'à cela ne tienne, secrets et héritage seront au cœur de l'intrigue, surtout quand son chemin croise celui de Gilles Barenton, un homme mystérieux à bien des égards.
Une lecture qui se dévore, qui change des tomes précédents tout en étant dans la continuité. Une réussite pour moi, qui me suis attachée à toute cette famille, qui ai tremblé pendant leurs épreuves... Et cette fin ! Je veux la suite...
Après La cité de feu et La cité des larmes, on part cette fois-ci dans La Cité des mers : une aventure historique palpitante dans l'univers des océans, des bateaux, de la piraterie...
On retrouve tous les ingrédients des tomes précédents : aventure, femmes fortes, romance, famille, avec toujours ce fond historique de guerre de religion entre huguenots et catholiques. Il y a toujours plusieurs villes dans lesquelles on voyage, ce tome nous emmenant donc à La Rochelle, Amsterdam et les îles Canaries.
Après Minou et Piet, on suit principalement Louise, leur petite-fille, rêvant d'aventure maritime dans un monde où les femmes n'ont pas le droit d'être capitaine. Qu'à cela ne tienne, secrets et héritage seront au cœur de l'intrigue, surtout quand son chemin croise celui de Gilles Barenton, un homme mystérieux à bien des égards.
Une lecture qui se dévore, qui change des tomes précédents tout en étant dans la continuité. Une réussite pour moi, qui me suis attachée à toute cette famille, qui ai tremblé pendant leurs épreuves... Et cette fin ! Je veux la suite...
March 18, 2024
Attracted to the description of this as “a sweeping historical epic of adventure on the high seas” I was disappointed to find out that most of this story does not take place at sea.
Many chapters are devoted to the background of the main characters detailing their families, how their paths cross and how they eventually end up on #TheGhostShip. The story is definitely sweeping in scope, covering many locations and involving a large cast of characters during an interesting period of history. However, this wasn’t the book I was expecting so the many subplots of the characters’ back stories seemed like barriers to what I thought would be the main story of an adventure at sea.
The story is well researched and written but the pace was far too slow for me.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the ARC!
Many chapters are devoted to the background of the main characters detailing their families, how their paths cross and how they eventually end up on #TheGhostShip. The story is definitely sweeping in scope, covering many locations and involving a large cast of characters during an interesting period of history. However, this wasn’t the book I was expecting so the many subplots of the characters’ back stories seemed like barriers to what I thought would be the main story of an adventure at sea.
The story is well researched and written but the pace was far too slow for me.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the ARC!
August 5, 2023
It seems like it’s been a long time between drinks for the Joubert Family Chronicles, and this one takes Louise, living with her grandmother Minou (from a previous book, in a younger age), and taking on the challenge of the sea, thanks to a timely inheritance. The novel explores the boundaries of acceptable life back in the 1620s, and refers to her great aunt Alys and her companion Cornelia - far from the norm. There’s enough excitement and action with a bit of subterfuge to keep me interested, but it took longer than it should to reconnect with all the characters and situations.
August 6, 2025
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Tras La ciudad del fuego y La ciudad de las lágrimas, El barco fantasma es la tercera entrega de la serie protagonizada por la familia Joubert.
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En esta novela la protagonista absoluta es Louise, nieta de los personajes principales de los dos primeros libros. Hija única y con un oscuro secreto, su vida cambiará de forma radical cuando reciba la herencia por parte paterna a los veinticinco años.
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Afincada en Amsterdam, con el dinero recibido por fin podrá cumplir su sueño que no es otro que navegar en su propio barco. Con todo lo que esto conlleva por su condición de mujer, peleará hasta conseguir embarcar en su propio barco con destino a las islas Canarias.
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Y hasta aquí puedo leer. He leído todas las novelas de la autora publicadas en español y siempre han sido un éxito rotundo. Se nota que está muy familiarizada con la época en la que escribe y la ambientación es excepcional.
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La creación de los personajes es otro punto a favor, y creo que es algo que también hace que una historia enganche.
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Si no habéis leído ninguna novela suya os recomiendo mucho El laberinto. No os va a defraudar.
Tras La ciudad del fuego y La ciudad de las lágrimas, El barco fantasma es la tercera entrega de la serie protagonizada por la familia Joubert.
.
En esta novela la protagonista absoluta es Louise, nieta de los personajes principales de los dos primeros libros. Hija única y con un oscuro secreto, su vida cambiará de forma radical cuando reciba la herencia por parte paterna a los veinticinco años.
.
Afincada en Amsterdam, con el dinero recibido por fin podrá cumplir su sueño que no es otro que navegar en su propio barco. Con todo lo que esto conlleva por su condición de mujer, peleará hasta conseguir embarcar en su propio barco con destino a las islas Canarias.
.
Y hasta aquí puedo leer. He leído todas las novelas de la autora publicadas en español y siempre han sido un éxito rotundo. Se nota que está muy familiarizada con la época en la que escribe y la ambientación es excepcional.
.
La creación de los personajes es otro punto a favor, y creo que es algo que también hace que una historia enganche.
.
Si no habéis leído ninguna novela suya os recomiendo mucho El laberinto. No os va a defraudar.
August 19, 2023
Action-packed, alluring, and exceptionally atmospheric!!
The Ghost Ship is a rich, informative tale that picks up a few years after The City of Tears left off, sweeping us from France to the Canary Islands in the early 1600s and into the life of the independent, bold Louise Reydon-Joubert who, after dreaming of life on the high seas forever, finally gets her chance when she sets sail on her aunt’s merchant ship the Old Moon with a motley crew, a young Huguenot man accused of murder, and a determination to rid the waters of the Barbary pirates who enjoy nothing more than raping, pillaging and overindulging.
The prose is eloquent and vivid. The characters are stubborn, selfless, and courageous. And the plot is an immersive, fascinating tale of life, loss, love, bravery, survival, tragedy, romance, adventure, religion, politics, war, gender fluidity, sacrifice, revenge, the roles of women in 17th century Europe, and the ins and outs of living on a ship.
Overall, The Ghost Ship is another beautifully written, incredibly enthralling third addition to The Joubert Family Chronicles by Mosse that grabs you from the very first page and does an outstanding job of blending historical facts with fiction that is both enlightening, romantic, and wonderfully compelling.
Thank you to PGC Books & Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Ghost Ship is a rich, informative tale that picks up a few years after The City of Tears left off, sweeping us from France to the Canary Islands in the early 1600s and into the life of the independent, bold Louise Reydon-Joubert who, after dreaming of life on the high seas forever, finally gets her chance when she sets sail on her aunt’s merchant ship the Old Moon with a motley crew, a young Huguenot man accused of murder, and a determination to rid the waters of the Barbary pirates who enjoy nothing more than raping, pillaging and overindulging.
The prose is eloquent and vivid. The characters are stubborn, selfless, and courageous. And the plot is an immersive, fascinating tale of life, loss, love, bravery, survival, tragedy, romance, adventure, religion, politics, war, gender fluidity, sacrifice, revenge, the roles of women in 17th century Europe, and the ins and outs of living on a ship.
Overall, The Ghost Ship is another beautifully written, incredibly enthralling third addition to The Joubert Family Chronicles by Mosse that grabs you from the very first page and does an outstanding job of blending historical facts with fiction that is both enlightening, romantic, and wonderfully compelling.
Thank you to PGC Books & Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2024
Having read and loved the first two novels in Mosse’s Burning Chambers series, I had high expectations of The Ghost Ship and, happily, was not disappointed. Once again, Mosse delivers an engrossing piece of storytelling, steeped in historical detail and featuring another fabulous female protagonist in Louise Raydon-Joubert.
At 500 pages, this is a fair chunk of a book, but I was very quickly sucked into the world of early 17th century Europe and Louise’s dream to own and captain her own ship, despite the laws forbidding women from doing so.
Her ambition takes her on a wild adventure across the high seas; one involving betrayal, revenge and romance, as well as captaincy of the feared Ghost Ship, which patrols the seas around the Canary Islands, accosting pirate and slave vessels.
As with the other women in her family, Louise is a formidable character: bold, fearless and with a will of iron. But she also has her weaknesses, especially in matters of the heart, and this softens her otherwise hard edges, making her relatable and likeable.
From start to finish, this was a thrilling and hugely enjoyable read. It can be read as a standalone, but I’d still recommend reading the earlier books in order to get to know the Joubert family and its difficult past.
At 500 pages, this is a fair chunk of a book, but I was very quickly sucked into the world of early 17th century Europe and Louise’s dream to own and captain her own ship, despite the laws forbidding women from doing so.
Her ambition takes her on a wild adventure across the high seas; one involving betrayal, revenge and romance, as well as captaincy of the feared Ghost Ship, which patrols the seas around the Canary Islands, accosting pirate and slave vessels.
As with the other women in her family, Louise is a formidable character: bold, fearless and with a will of iron. But she also has her weaknesses, especially in matters of the heart, and this softens her otherwise hard edges, making her relatable and likeable.
From start to finish, this was a thrilling and hugely enjoyable read. It can be read as a standalone, but I’d still recommend reading the earlier books in order to get to know the Joubert family and its difficult past.
May 26, 2023
As always, Kate Mosse's research is second to none. I have been a fan since Labyrinth and although I wouldn't normally read third in a series without reading the first two, she is too much of a draw. I enjoyed this book for the most part but I was disappointed by the ending which seemed too quick and, for me, a little unsatisfactory. I feel that another book is needed to tie up the story.
It also wasn't quite what I expected. With a title, The Ghost Ship, I expected that to take centre stage but actually most of the story is on dry land and the ship doesn't appear until quite late on. Gilles is referred to in quite a strange way once their secret is revealed to Louise, the facade is maintained throughout. I understand this is necessary for the public but not between to two main characters.
That said, the period and setting is vividly brought to life as you would expect from this author and I'm still a fan.
It also wasn't quite what I expected. With a title, The Ghost Ship, I expected that to take centre stage but actually most of the story is on dry land and the ship doesn't appear until quite late on. Gilles is referred to in quite a strange way once their secret is revealed to Louise, the facade is maintained throughout. I understand this is necessary for the public but not between to two main characters.
That said, the period and setting is vividly brought to life as you would expect from this author and I'm still a fan.
July 28, 2023
dnf around 65%. i cannot stand these new characters, i cannot stand this weird and disturbing romance, and i cannot stand this ridiculous plot.
i will try reading the next book, though, but if these characters are there, i’m out.
the characters are cretins. louise is annoying, gilles IS A WOMAN PRETENDING TO BE A MAN, and then the two become romantically involved—AS IF LOUISE WOULDN’T HAVE GONE “well, pardon me” AFTER DISCOVERING GILLES’ RUSE? p l e a s e 🙄
i know a lot of research went into this book, but the plot lines for the characters (how they grow up, how they meet, etc) are simply absurd.
content warnings based on what i did read: sexual situations, abuse, attempted rape
i will try reading the next book, though, but if these characters are there, i’m out.
the characters are cretins. louise is annoying, gilles IS A WOMAN PRETENDING TO BE A MAN, and then the two become romantically involved—AS IF LOUISE WOULDN’T HAVE GONE “well, pardon me” AFTER DISCOVERING GILLES’ RUSE? p l e a s e 🙄
i know a lot of research went into this book, but the plot lines for the characters (how they grow up, how they meet, etc) are simply absurd.
content warnings based on what i did read: sexual situations, abuse, attempted rape
October 16, 2023
Ok I love Kate Mosse, she’s my favourite author but I was so disappointed with this book. This is the final instalment of the trilogy but it feels like there should be a fourth…
The first book of the trilogy was great, the second was good, but this third one was dare I say it, boring. It didn’t have any meat to it, characters that didn’t feel like they really connected and so many unexplained elements. This book also didn’t relate back to anything that was set out in the prologue of the first book.
The ghost ship, as a stand-alone novel, probably actually works quite well, but it just didn’t feel like it was a part of the previous two and the writing just didn’t have the same feeling.
The first book of the trilogy was great, the second was good, but this third one was dare I say it, boring. It didn’t have any meat to it, characters that didn’t feel like they really connected and so many unexplained elements. This book also didn’t relate back to anything that was set out in the prologue of the first book.
The ghost ship, as a stand-alone novel, probably actually works quite well, but it just didn’t feel like it was a part of the previous two and the writing just didn’t have the same feeling.
September 7, 2024
This book completely wrapped me in it's pages. The way Mosse writes makes you feel as if you are on that ship going through the highs and lows with Louise. A wonderful strong female lead and captina!
Really enjoyed this one of the series, gripped throughout and excited to read the next one.
Really enjoyed this one of the series, gripped throughout and excited to read the next one.
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January 12, 2025gives with one hand (gay pirate hunters!!), and takes with the other (underwhelming!!)
February 19, 2025
Masterful.
May 11, 2025
This one’s on me for thinking the blurb would be a description of the plot of the book…
August 21, 2025
An escape to the high seas which I find so uplifting for me as I love the sea. Enjoyable read and tempted now to read the next novel map of bones. I have the two before this to read to. This can be read as an alone novel. I would d definerly recommend it if you like the adventures of the ships. Ahoy captain!! 8 popcorns for this read :)
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