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Latitudes Edge: Book 2 of the Nicholas Cruwys Naval Series
Book Two of the Nicholas Cruwys Naval Series
In the wake of the Battle of the Saintes, Lieutenant Nicholas Cruwys is promoted to commander and granted his first independent Alert, a captured American schooner refitted for speed, stealth, and irregular duty. He earns distinction along the fractured edges of empire—chasing rumours, carrying dispatches, and sailing far from the lines of fleet engagement.
The war is ending and his command may be lost. But for Nicholas Cruwys, the most perilous waters lie ahead.
Returning across the Atlantic with Alert, Cruwys finds himself cast into the quiet anteroom of peace—London in autumn, a navy in flux, and a command that may be sold from under him. Admiralty favour is fleeting, commissions vanish overnight, and the politics of peacetime prove more treacherous than any lee shore.
As old alliances shift and new suspicions surface, Cruwys is drawn into a subtler coded letters, veiled threats, and the careful watching of men who say nothing and mean rather more. From drawing rooms and coffee houses to fogbound estuaries and contested sea-lanes, Latitudes Edge traces a man navigating the uncertain space between war and peace, honour and ambition, loyalty and memory.
Following Soundings Edge, this second novel in the Cruwys series deepens its exploration of character, naval life, and the quiet tensions beneath surface command. For readers of Patrick O’Brian, C.S. Forester, and Andrew Taylor, Latitudes Edge offers a taut, lyrical continuation of a seafaring life shaped by silence, resolve, and the ever-shifting winds of history.
In the wake of the Battle of the Saintes, Lieutenant Nicholas Cruwys is promoted to commander and granted his first independent Alert, a captured American schooner refitted for speed, stealth, and irregular duty. He earns distinction along the fractured edges of empire—chasing rumours, carrying dispatches, and sailing far from the lines of fleet engagement.
The war is ending and his command may be lost. But for Nicholas Cruwys, the most perilous waters lie ahead.
Returning across the Atlantic with Alert, Cruwys finds himself cast into the quiet anteroom of peace—London in autumn, a navy in flux, and a command that may be sold from under him. Admiralty favour is fleeting, commissions vanish overnight, and the politics of peacetime prove more treacherous than any lee shore.
As old alliances shift and new suspicions surface, Cruwys is drawn into a subtler coded letters, veiled threats, and the careful watching of men who say nothing and mean rather more. From drawing rooms and coffee houses to fogbound estuaries and contested sea-lanes, Latitudes Edge traces a man navigating the uncertain space between war and peace, honour and ambition, loyalty and memory.
Following Soundings Edge, this second novel in the Cruwys series deepens its exploration of character, naval life, and the quiet tensions beneath surface command. For readers of Patrick O’Brian, C.S. Forester, and Andrew Taylor, Latitudes Edge offers a taut, lyrical continuation of a seafaring life shaped by silence, resolve, and the ever-shifting winds of history.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
404 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2025
About the author
Adrian Westbrooke
56 books31 followersAdrian Westbrooke has long been a student of the sea and of the men and ships that sailed it. His interest in the great age of sail led him into naval history — the voyages of discovery and the long wars that set the Royal Navy against the fleets of France, Spain, and Holland. An experienced offshore and cruising sailor, he brings to his work both a lifetime of reading and a sailor's own feel for wind, weather, and the rhythms of life under sail, even if on a far smaller scale than the great ships of the line. His writing pays close attention to seamanship, gunnery, and life ashore, giving readers as clear a picture of that vanished world as we can reasonably hope for today.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 27, 2025
Spectacular series by Westbrooke
I’m not one to comment much but am really enjoying this series. It’s Thanksgiving weekend here in the states and my only concern as I rip thru this great story is hoping it’s follows Nicholas for more than the 3 books I know are available!
Really well written and descriptive of an interesting time in world events. A lot of great suspense and character development. Nice job Adrian Westbrooke and I hope to find more of your work.
Walt
I’m not one to comment much but am really enjoying this series. It’s Thanksgiving weekend here in the states and my only concern as I rip thru this great story is hoping it’s follows Nicholas for more than the 3 books I know are available!
Really well written and descriptive of an interesting time in world events. A lot of great suspense and character development. Nice job Adrian Westbrooke and I hope to find more of your work.
Walt
November 20, 2025
Equals Hornblower
Highly accurate tales of British sea power and naval challenges in the 18th century with credible descriptions of life at sea, sea battles and London life.
Highly accurate tales of British sea power and naval challenges in the 18th century with credible descriptions of life at sea, sea battles and London life.
October 3, 2025
Another excellent book
Really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. One moment it's all about the navy, it moves to the darker side of intelligence gathering and then becomes a Mills & Boon. I read a lot but, so far, this series has cost me sleep, as I've not been able to put it down
Really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. One moment it's all about the navy, it moves to the darker side of intelligence gathering and then becomes a Mills & Boon. I read a lot but, so far, this series has cost me sleep, as I've not been able to put it down
December 17, 2025
This book continues the story of Nicholas Cruwys in the 1780's as the American Revolution is coming to a close, and Lt. Cruwys (I've been pronouncing it to rhyme with Lewis, although it's an unfamiliar spelling) is transferred to Rear Admiral Hood's staff where he gets to participate in the Battle of the Saintes, a historical event, and then is sent on a special mission to capture a Spanish dispatch vessel. He brings back documents and prisoners including a female spy, turns them all in to the Admiral's staff, where his secretary Mr. Thornhill becomes an important character. Then he's sent back to England on the Baltimore clipper schooner he used for that mission and is promoted to Commander.
Once in England, however, the book turns into a story of intrigue and espionage, or rather counterespionage. Other than this rather abrupt transition, I would have given it 5 stars because it's a suspenseful, taut thriller with memorable characters and a fast moving plot. The naval action is spectacular and absorbing, how could it not be, when Britain's two greatest admirals of the time face down the Comte de Grasse and stop his conquest of the sugar islands. It's not surprising that this part of the book distracts us from the spying narrative. However, the espionage episode is every bit as exciting.
The author is clearly a romantic, and at the end he brings Nicholas and Caroline, the merchant's daughter he met in India, back together again and even has her husband, Lord Ashton, prove to be a traitor and villain. The female spy he captured turns out to have been a confidante of Caroline from her time in India. While that sequence is a little contrived, it's still good entertainment and sets the stage for an unorthodox career for Cdr. Cruwys. He's acquired powerful enemies, as well as powerful friends, in this book and I'm planning to continue with the series.
Once in England, however, the book turns into a story of intrigue and espionage, or rather counterespionage. Other than this rather abrupt transition, I would have given it 5 stars because it's a suspenseful, taut thriller with memorable characters and a fast moving plot. The naval action is spectacular and absorbing, how could it not be, when Britain's two greatest admirals of the time face down the Comte de Grasse and stop his conquest of the sugar islands. It's not surprising that this part of the book distracts us from the spying narrative. However, the espionage episode is every bit as exciting.
The author is clearly a romantic, and at the end he brings Nicholas and Caroline, the merchant's daughter he met in India, back together again and even has her husband, Lord Ashton, prove to be a traitor and villain. The female spy he captured turns out to have been a confidante of Caroline from her time in India. While that sequence is a little contrived, it's still good entertainment and sets the stage for an unorthodox career for Cdr. Cruwys. He's acquired powerful enemies, as well as powerful friends, in this book and I'm planning to continue with the series.
January 31, 2026
Latitudes Edge.
Well that was an unexpected experience and an extremely pleasant one. Adrian Westbrooke has written a stormer of a book which i have enjoyed immensely. Just wonderful writing which at times reminded me in some ways of Bernard Cornwall at his best.
I have obviously missed the first book in this wonderful series but will not go back to read it as I think sufficient information has been given in this book to clarify the back story.
Back to this book, great story, clear details of life at sea back in those turbulent times, exceptional descriptions of the heroes battles at sea together with beautifully described and detailed personal experiences.
This is one hero I can’t wait to follow in his next voyages and to live with him the challenges that will emerge.
Finally, I would like to say this is one of the best and most intriguing books I have read in the last year and I read a lot. The authors style of writing I envy, it’s that good.
Michael D Lloyd.
Well that was an unexpected experience and an extremely pleasant one. Adrian Westbrooke has written a stormer of a book which i have enjoyed immensely. Just wonderful writing which at times reminded me in some ways of Bernard Cornwall at his best.
I have obviously missed the first book in this wonderful series but will not go back to read it as I think sufficient information has been given in this book to clarify the back story.
Back to this book, great story, clear details of life at sea back in those turbulent times, exceptional descriptions of the heroes battles at sea together with beautifully described and detailed personal experiences.
This is one hero I can’t wait to follow in his next voyages and to live with him the challenges that will emerge.
Finally, I would like to say this is one of the best and most intriguing books I have read in the last year and I read a lot. The authors style of writing I envy, it’s that good.
Michael D Lloyd.
February 6, 2026
Excellent research, excellent story, excellent writing
Adrian Westbrooke is a writer's writer…and a reader's treasure. Having written and published many tens of thousands of newspaper and magazine articles, novels, political and presidential commentaries, and writings in dozens of other formats, I can fully appreciate his skills in telling semi-fiction stories featuring incredibly well-researched, amazingly literate writings that all-but-transport readers into that era when British ships ruled the seas and London was a nice place to visit but a rotten place to live! I have read, probably, 50 novels of this genre -but none better than Westbrooke's. If you want to read the "top of the line" in such writings, instead of those at the bottom of the barrel, you won't go wrong with Westbrooke's Nicholas Cruwys Naval Series.
Adrian Westbrooke is a writer's writer…and a reader's treasure. Having written and published many tens of thousands of newspaper and magazine articles, novels, political and presidential commentaries, and writings in dozens of other formats, I can fully appreciate his skills in telling semi-fiction stories featuring incredibly well-researched, amazingly literate writings that all-but-transport readers into that era when British ships ruled the seas and London was a nice place to visit but a rotten place to live! I have read, probably, 50 novels of this genre -but none better than Westbrooke's. If you want to read the "top of the line" in such writings, instead of those at the bottom of the barrel, you won't go wrong with Westbrooke's Nicholas Cruwys Naval Series.
November 14, 2025
Nicholas' success in rather non-orthodox situations is exploited again by the senior leaders of His Majesty's Navy. His familiarity with the unique ship Alert makes them the logical team to seek out and destroy a French ship transporting a "Noble" British traitor carrying critical diplomatic documents. Personal relationships from his relatively brief past strongly influence his decision-making. Not your usual "Age of Sail" story and all the better for it.
March 12, 2026
The Price of Duty & Honor
Nicholas Cruwys is advancing in his naval career, following a path similar to that of many young naval officers. This is the second installment in a series that showcases adventures in exotic locations as the story unfolds.
The action is relentless, and the political intrigue culminates in a satisfying conclusion. We can only hope that the author continues this engaging journey in the next installment.
April 10, 2026
Compelling and unique
I find these books compelling, very well written. The focus is not on the details of shipboard life, of the setting of sails , the hardships on the ratlines in heavy weather. But the story is well told, as detailed as Aubrey and Maturin, but more focused on character, and the British navy is central. There are sea battles and prizes to seize, strategy and tactics, but these are not the center of the story. Highly recommended.
I find these books compelling, very well written. The focus is not on the details of shipboard life, of the setting of sails , the hardships on the ratlines in heavy weather. But the story is well told, as detailed as Aubrey and Maturin, but more focused on character, and the British navy is central. There are sea battles and prizes to seize, strategy and tactics, but these are not the center of the story. Highly recommended.
February 16, 2026
Superior writing in a great story line. Characters you'd like to meet in real life.
The detail of the writing is amazing you can a picture everything that has happened on this ship Because it is So vividly described. The character development Is also above average You get to know the people he's talking about Altogether a great book.
The detail of the writing is amazing you can a picture everything that has happened on this ship Because it is So vividly described. The character development Is also above average You get to know the people he's talking about Altogether a great book.
February 22, 2026
Disliked
I disliked several aspects of this book. The character development left much unfinished. The description of place and time was well done. The continuity of characters other than the main subject left much to be desired. I wouldn't recommend this series of books. I read the first but couldn't finish the second. I will NOT be following this author.
I disliked several aspects of this book. The character development left much unfinished. The description of place and time was well done. The continuity of characters other than the main subject left much to be desired. I wouldn't recommend this series of books. I read the first but couldn't finish the second. I will NOT be following this author.
June 27, 2026
very satisfying read - an unusual mix of sail and stealth
I enjoyed this book, though at times I was worried because it deviated from the usual royal Navy subject matter. This book had a whole bunch of interesting goings on mostly concerning intelligence work, not expected!
But, I enjoyed it nonetheless, and I’m sure you will too!
I enjoyed this book, though at times I was worried because it deviated from the usual royal Navy subject matter. This book had a whole bunch of interesting goings on mostly concerning intelligence work, not expected!
But, I enjoyed it nonetheless, and I’m sure you will too!
December 8, 2025
Dramatic
Nice storytelling with twust and turns to whet your imagination.
Well composed and seductive bits to entertain us readers. Lookin forward to the next book and hopefully more are following. I hope the rest as just as entertaining and compelling reading.
Nice storytelling with twust and turns to whet your imagination.
Well composed and seductive bits to entertain us readers. Lookin forward to the next book and hopefully more are following. I hope the rest as just as entertaining and compelling reading.
January 14, 2026
character issues
Mmm why would the character so dedicated to being at see be willing to be manipulated into intelligence services…also why would he who loved so purely be turned and manipulated by every pretty face he encounters? You departed from the characters base in this one.
Mmm why would the character so dedicated to being at see be willing to be manipulated into intelligence services…also why would he who loved so purely be turned and manipulated by every pretty face he encounters? You departed from the characters base in this one.
February 19, 2026
Detailed, well written, more action than Book 1
I read Book 1. It was like an orientation: formative experiences, good luck, bad luck, The writing reminds me of Patrick O’Brien but the character development, personalities, and plot are original.
I read Book 1. It was like an orientation: formative experiences, good luck, bad luck, The writing reminds me of Patrick O’Brien but the character development, personalities, and plot are original.
April 9, 2026
Challenges
The continued making of the man, complete with both personal and professional growth. So very well written. Filled with political intrigues. Success for the audacious. Professional challenges abound. And along the way an increasing financial gain. Recommend this book.
The continued making of the man, complete with both personal and professional growth. So very well written. Filled with political intrigues. Success for the audacious. Professional challenges abound. And along the way an increasing financial gain. Recommend this book.
June 3, 2026
Brevity is a virtue
Book 2 is not as entertaining as Book 1 but it suffices. One reviewer likened Book 1 to a cross between Jane Austin and Patrick O'Brien. That description nailed it. Book 2 is embroiled in politics and espionage. The ending was quite satisfying.
Book 2 is not as entertaining as Book 1 but it suffices. One reviewer likened Book 1 to a cross between Jane Austin and Patrick O'Brien. That description nailed it. Book 2 is embroiled in politics and espionage. The ending was quite satisfying.
June 12, 2026
Excellence upon Excellence
A truly wonderful read with all the control of CS Forester’s Hornblower series and the authors well researched knowledge of the period.
I cannot recommend it enough, I’m hooked!
A truly wonderful read with all the control of CS Forester’s Hornblower series and the authors well researched knowledge of the period.
I cannot recommend it enough, I’m hooked!
June 14, 2026
A very good book, historical fiction with a touch of the seedy political back dealing.
A great historically correct story, with fictional characters and plotlines.....
Even so, the fiction is very close to reality of the time...
A great historically correct story, with fictional characters and plotlines.....
Even so, the fiction is very close to reality of the time...
July 15, 2026
A change in tone
The series suddenly leaves the typical trajectory of a promising young officer and begins a new, clandestine journey for the good of the crown and its navy. It’s truly a “Mission Impossible” situation. Even Cruwys’ love life veers off in a new direction.
The series suddenly leaves the typical trajectory of a promising young officer and begins a new, clandestine journey for the good of the crown and its navy. It’s truly a “Mission Impossible” situation. Even Cruwys’ love life veers off in a new direction.
December 2, 2025
WOW!!!!
Cannot put it down.....lose sleep reading this book.....hurry to the end only to mourn its passing. EXCELLENT WRITING, EXCELLENT PHRASING.....JUST EXCELLENT!!!!!
Cannot put it down.....lose sleep reading this book.....hurry to the end only to mourn its passing. EXCELLENT WRITING, EXCELLENT PHRASING.....JUST EXCELLENT!!!!!
January 8, 2026
multitude of adventures
Very enjoyable read. I am astonished that with his numerous affairs that no lady was with child. A little too much dialogue and not enough action.
Very enjoyable read. I am astonished that with his numerous affairs that no lady was with child. A little too much dialogue and not enough action.
February 25, 2026
Excellent enjoyable reading
Very descriptive with good characters and plot. If you have enjoyed CS Forester you will enjoy this book. A keeper.
Very descriptive with good characters and plot. If you have enjoyed CS Forester you will enjoy this book. A keeper.
February 28, 2026
O'Brian once said he in hindsight should have started the Master and Commander series twenty years earlier. Well now Westbrooke has fulfilled our wishes. Great Story line and Characters.
April 3, 2026
great book
Interesting descriptions of like and works aboard ship in the sixteenth century.I would recommend this a good read if you like saw stories
Interesting descriptions of like and works aboard ship in the sixteenth century.I would recommend this a good read if you like saw stories
June 5, 2026
captivating
Excellently written and researched. Adrian is a master at describing scenes, emotions and battles. The nautical terms he uses are fascinating.
Excellently written and researched. Adrian is a master at describing scenes, emotions and battles. The nautical terms he uses are fascinating.
July 12, 2026
An exciting and interesting continuation of the first story. Have the 3rd book and into it now and finding it just as good as first two books.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews