Son of a Son of a Pirate: A Tale of Pirates, Conquistadors, and Parrot Heads

by Chris Harvey, Anthony La Vecchia (Narrator)

A Pirate Legacy. A Lost Treasure. A Deadly Secret That Could Change History.

From the sun-soaked streets of Key West, John “Teach” Taylor—Jimmy Buffett-loving tour guide by day—chases the long-lost fortune of his infamous ancestor, Blackbeard. Said to be the greatest pirate treasure ever plundered, the hoard was stolen from a doomed Spanish treasure fleet and is rumored to conceal an ancient Aztec relic of unimaginable power.

But Teach isn’t the only one hunting for the prize. He’s joined by Giselle, a mysterious beauty with secrets of her own, and pursued by those who will kill to keep history’s darkest truths buried. As he follows Blackbeard’s cryptic ship’s log, Teach unearths a past far more sinister than he ever imagined—one that stretches from the Golden Age of Piracy to Hernán Cortés’s brutal conquest of the Aztec Empire.

What begins as a quest for gold becomes a race against time. Because some treasures aren’t just lost—they were meant to stay hidden.

Son of a Son of a Pirate is a swashbuckling, time-spanning adventure worthy of a Buffett classic—best enjoyed with your toes in the sand, a salty breeze in the air, and a margarita in hand.

Genres: Pirates

Audible Audio

Published March 18, 2025

About the author

Chris is a husband and proud father of three amazing children. He has spent his life living a short drive to the coast and hearing the deep call of the ocean. He is literally a son of a son of a sailor. His grandfather was in the merchant marines during WWII and his great-grandfather was 1st mate on merchant brigantines sailing from the coast of Maine to the Caribbean. The sea is in his veins. Unfortunately, no known pirate lineage. As a student of history and inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffet, he has stories percolating inside him asking to be told. The first, Son of a Son of a Pirate, is a blend of history, fiction, and events lost to history.

Reviews

[Taigh White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of surprises and great adventure. It really took me back to Key West in such a magical way. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in pirates, ancient Aztec history, Jimmy Buffet and the whole south Florida vibe. Chris Harvey is a great story teller and he keeps things moving in this book. Looking forward to party 2.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read, totally captured the spirit of the tropics and Jimmy Buffett, even throwing in a few random song lyrics. And I loved the weaving together of pirates, conquistadors and Parrotheads. If you're a fan pretty sure you'll enjoy the book.

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Read it in the keys. It was a great adventure! I enjoyed the dual story lines and the way it ended. Well done!

[Kelly Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book with a lot of cool facts and history really love Key West and this book

[FrancesCanRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I'm not the typical pirate loving reader, but I did enjoy the history behind a lot of the story. It goes into great detail about the origin of the very important "treasure" and why it is as important as it is. The non linear timeline worked well between going back to the past and jumping back to the future. Overall I would recommend this to anyone interested in a bit of history and adventure.

[R Hoffmeister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book about pirates and hunting for treasure

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! For any fan of Jimmy Buffett, pirates, or adventure in general this should be added to your must read list!

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review title: Building a mystery on Buffettmania

Let me say right up front the three stars are from a Buffett fan perspective. For everyone else this is two stars looking for a reason to exist.

First-time author Chris Harvey weaves three timelines into his story: the 1500s conquest of Mexico by the Spanish, the 1700s conquest of Spanish gold (the result of the Mexican conquest) by pirates, and the 21st century trail of tourist gold left by Buffett fans in search of their hero in Key West. The big names are here: Cortes capturing Montezuma's crown (and heart), Blackbeard Edward Teach crowned the unofficial king of the golden age of piracy....and John "Teach" Taylor, his distant offspring who leads Buffett tours by day and searches for his ancestor's legendary lost treasure in his spare time.

While a publisher is listed, the copyright page lists Harvey as responsible for cover design, interior design, and formatting. So this is essentially a self-published debut by an amateur author, with the typical flaws I've encountered reading books like this over the years: uncorrected misspellings and grammatical errors and awkward hackneyed dialogue. it isn't an unreadable one- star disaster, but it isn't a polished literary piece.

And it isn't the end of Harvey's writing career either. He published a second mystery with the same modern-day lead with the same publisher and the same Buffett theme so he's found a niche worth pursuing based on his persistence, pride, or profitability. And yeah, I bought it and I'm reading it next.

[BuffettFan1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Jimmy Buffett fan and am fascinated by the life of Blackbeard. This was a fun summer read that weaves three stories together in a classic treasure hunt. It kept me guessing, and I finished the book in just a few days. I couldn't put it down. There are so many great Buffett references, and in the end, it was all about family legacy. I have been sharing it with all my Parrot Head friends!

[KATHY Dorris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m a Southerner. I’m a History teacher turned librarian. I’m a Parrothead. I LOVE stories. This book felt like a recitation. This happened, then that happened, on and on. This should be a story with heart and adventure, instead it felt almost clinical. It felt like a tour guide at the end of a long day. I did enjoy the JB references and the geological features but the telling was just blah.

[Andrew G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pirates, Buffett, Key West, a recipe for a fun beach book! I enjoyed how the book took me on a tour of Buffett's favorite spots in Key West. I want to book a trip as soon as possible! I loved following the clues to find Blackbeard's treasure. It kept me guessing to the very end.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun story but needs some polishing. Lots of little mistakes. As a parrot head, loved the Buffett references but at times felt forced.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun story, but the spelling errors and mistakes in tense bothered me a little too much. There were a few references to Jimmy Buffett and Key West, but not much. Probably wouldn't read it again.

[Bethany Cognion · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not an actual story.