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Company of Rogues #5

Ship of Thieves: High-octane historical fiction' Daily Mail

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Dead thieves tell no tales...Jonas Flynt's stepmother, Mercy, has been abducted from Edinburgh and carried back to the West Indies by her former owner.

Gideon Flynt his father, has followed in hot pursuit, but Cassie, Jonas's first love, knows he is not the man he once was and appeals to Flynt for help. Naturally, he agrees.

Against Colonel Nathaniel Charters' wishes, he sails for the Caribbean, where he will unwittingly join forces with the most notorious pirate of all time, Blackbeard.

But this time he may be out of his depth.

An utterly gripping historical crime thriller set on the high seas from the McIlvanney Prize longlisted author of An Honourable Thief.



Praise for the Company of Rogues series
'Reads like a genuine eighteenth century spy novel. I see a long future for Jonas Flynt' Ambrose Parry, author of The Way of All Flesh

'Anyone who enjoys a good historical mystery and likes an edgy, charismatic protagonist is going to love the adventures of Douglas Skelton's new hero, Jonas Flynt' S.G. MacLean, author of The Seeker

'An absolute triumph ... Five stars from me, and I look forward to reading more of Jonas's adventures' James Oswald, Sunday Times bestselling author

'Historical crime fiction at its absolute best. I loved it!' Marion Todd, author of the Detective Clare Mackay series

'Pitch-perfect stuff. Like all great historical novels you'll feel you're there! This is a departure for Skelton, who seems born to write high-end historical fiction' Denzil Meyrick, author of the DCI Daley thrillers

'Uniquely combines a page-turning thriller with a perfectly evoked sense of time and place. Powerful stuff from a master of his craft' Craig Russell, author of Hyde

'Skelton's mastery of time and place inhabited with richly drawn characters is a delight. It held me to the last tantalising page' David Gilman, author of The Englishman

'Jonas Flynt is one of those characters you'll be rooting for from the very first chapter ... it looks like Skelton has found a new home writing first-class historical fiction' Alison Belsham, author of The Tattoo Thief

'This is a fascinating, totally engrossing historical novel. Flynt is a most attractive, three-dimensional character and the same is true of the world he moves through. A brilliant, most enjoyable read' Paul Doherty, author of The Nightingale Gallery

'A cracking historical drama with breathless pacing and knuckle-chewing tension, all shot through with Skelton's deft characterisation and flashes of pitch-black humour. The perfect read to lose yourself in' Neil Broadfoot, author of Falling Fast

381 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 21, 2025

36 people are currently reading
46 people want to read

About the author

Douglas Skelton

42 books141 followers
Douglas has been a shelf stacker, bank clerk, tax officer, factory worker, advertising salesperson, taxi driver (for two days), wine waiter (for two hours), journalist and criminal investigator. His early books were all in true crime or criminal history but now he writes fiction, beginning with the Davie McCall series. The final book in the series, OPEN WOUNDS, has been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize 2016, alongside such authors as Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Lin Anderson, Doug Johnstone and James Oswald.
His next book is THE DEAD DON'T BOOGIE, which will kick off a new series.

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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Profile Image for Christine.
1,515 reviews45 followers
July 25, 2025
Definitely one of favourite series and author! I love both the characters and the plots. The author masterfully paints atmospheric settings whether in London or, like here, Nassau. I was hooked by this new novel from the first page. Mounting tension , through emotional as well as action and suspense didn't let down till the end. I was very intrigued by the conclusion and I am very pleased that Jonas Flynt will come back again. I can't wait! (part of a series but can be read as a standalone).
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
Profile Image for Mary Picken.
1,003 reviews55 followers
September 9, 2025
Ahoy there, me hearties, gather round while I spin ye a yarn about Douglas Skelton’s latest Jonas Flynt adventure, Ship of Thieves. I’ve sailed with Flynt since the first outing, and by thunder, this fifth entry might be the stormiest voyage yet. It takes our dour, damaged man-for-hire from the grey cobbles of Edinburgh to the blistering heat of the Caribbean, and what a wild passage it is!

The tale begins with a kidnapping—Mercy, Flynt’s stepmother, is snatched by her old slave master and taken back across the Atlantic like stolen treasure. Gideon Flynt, Jonas’s father and once a formidable force, gives chase, though the years and rum have worn him down to something less than the pirate king he once fancied himself. Cassie, Jonas’s first love and a woman with sharper instincts than most admirals, pleads with our man to intervene, knowing full well Gideon will struggle in such waters. Jonas, though always reluctant to fly anyone’s flag but his own, cannot say no. That’s the hook, and it’s sharp enough to set the course.

Now, let me tell you, the pace here is as swift as a frigate under full sail. Skelton wastes little time raising anchor. Once Flynt reaches the Caribbean, the seas become filled with action, intrigue, and the constant threat of betrayal. Encounters with the most infamous pirate of all time are handled with confident style—no exaggerated pirate show, but a well-rounded, clever rogue who feels as dangerous as a squall in the dead of night. The tension crackles like gunpowder; even moments ashore in taverns or a governor’s mansion feel replete with danger, with knives hidden in smiles and cannon fire just beyond the horizon.

What truly keeps this series afloat, though, are the relationships. Colonel Charters, Flynt’s employer, remains a constant thorn—a man who sees Flynt as both tool and liability, and their dynamic here is all the more brittle as Jonas charts his own course. With Cassie, there’s a poignant agitation; she sees the man he could be, not just the weapon he’s become. And Mercy—though absent for much of the tale—casts a long shadow, her abduction the spark for everything. Flynt’s family ties are as tangled as a rope in a storm, and Skelton makes us feel every tug on his conscience.

A pirate’s life in the Caribbean is vividly brought to life by Skelton. The smell of blood on deck, steamy nights full of danger, and sugar plantations. It is an exotic yet harsh universe that never veers into romance for its own sake, though echoes of Treasure Island hover in the wind. Historical facts, such as the cruel codes of piracy and the grim reality of enslavement, give substance to this high adventure.

So, will ye board? ‘Twas never in doubt. The Ship of Thieves is swift, ferocious, and brimming with tension. You won’t regret raising the Jolly Roger with Jonas Flynt if you have a penchant for peril, a love of outlaws, and a stomach for the darker tides of history.

Verdict: As relentless as the sea and as sharp as a cutlass, The Ship of Thieves is a cracking yarn.
237 reviews17 followers
July 26, 2025
Jonas Flynt as you've never seen him!

"Ship of Thieves", book 5 in the Company of Rogues series, opens in January 1718, shortly after the events of "A Thief's Blood". While attending an event with his love, Belle, Jonas Flynt is flabbergasted when his first love, Cassie, appears with their son, Jonas. She explains she needs his help - his stepmother, Mercy has been abducted and taken to New Providence, and his father, Gideon has headed off in pursuit. But Gideon is no longer young, and she appeals to Jonas to take ship to the West Indies and help rescue both Mercy and Gideon.

Jonas pays his employer, Colonel Nathaniel Charters, the courtesy of telling him of his mission. Although he initially refuses permission (which Jonas had not asked for) he changes his mind when he realises Flynt can help with a problem - to journey ahead of Woodes Rogers, whose mission it is to offer the pirates of New Providence a pardon in exchange for giving up their privateering ways. Unknown to Charters, Flynt also has been tasked with another job...

And so the reader and Flynt are plunged into a new world - literally. Flynt is transplanted from London, where he has resources, contacts, and a wealth of knowledge, to the other side of the world, where he finds himself a stranger in a strange land - he knows no-one, he doesn't know the people or their ways, except that everyone is after his blood. All he has are his wits, his sword cane, and of course, his pistols Tact and Diplomacy. Along the way, we learn a little more about Flynt, his parents, and the regrets he lives with every day. Flynt truly has become a three-dimensional character.

The author has very cleverly interwoven this tale with real-life events - from the mission of Woodes Rogers to re-establish British sovereignty of New Providence to the demise of the pirate Blackbeard. The story is full of actual characters including Benjamin Hornigold, Charles Vane, Woodes Rogers and Anne Bonney, (oh, and one other) all painted against the backdrop of the Bahamas and in particular Nassau, New Providence. At the heart of the story is the slave trade - the treatment of people as property, and Flynt has his work cut out fighting not just the slavers but the system.

Fans of the series will be pleased to see again Gabriel Cain, the Admiral, and the hidden and mysterious Fellowship.

If Robert Louis Stevenson was alive today, this is the story he would be writing. This surely has to be the finest book in the series so far. Full of drama, emotion, excitement and tragedy, it takes the reader from Edinburgh to London, to the West Indies. It also takes Jonas Flynt on a journey - one which will forever change the direction of his life. This story marks a very definite turning point in the adventures of Jonas Flynt, and while fans of the series are going to love it, they'll be champing at the bit for the next instalment. Maybe there's just time to go off and re-read "Treasure Island".

Highly recommended.
731 reviews
September 7, 2025
I can’t believe we are already on book number five in the Company of Rogues series and this time it is personal for Jonas Flynt. His stepmother Mercy is kidnapped and on her way back to the West Indies and the control of her former owner. His father Gideon Flynt has taken after them to bring her back home and Mercy’s daughter Cassie has turned up after Jonas’s help. What he wasn’t expecting was that she would have her son and his best friend with her. For Jonas there is no choice to be made. He needs to help his family even though he knows that it will mean going against Colonel Nathaniel Charters. Its not going to be easy as he is literally in unchartered waters and even though he knows he is likely sailing into a trap it doesn’t change his decision.
This book is a little different from the previous in the series and I have to say I think that it is my favourite so far. We are used to Jonas putting himself in harms way for a good cause (or by order of Colonel Charters) but this time he is willing to go that extra step when he comes face to face with Blackbeard himself. Not only is he trying to protect Cassie and her son but also one of the young mates on board who seems in awe of the pirate life. Trusting what is left of his family to his friend he has to take on a whole new persona to fool everyone and stay alive.
I think this time we get to see a bit more of the real Jonas, the one he tries to keep hidden so that he can justify what he has to do. He is really torn, he knows he did wrong by Cassie in the past and she is headstrong, a trait that seems to have passed to her son who seems to hate Jonas with a passion, blaming him for the death of the only father he knew and that hate is going to get him in a lot of trouble if he cant keep it in check. I understand why Cassie wants to go to help rescue her mother, after all Jonas doesn’t have a very good track record when it comes to sticking around for her, but you just know somehow that her impetuous decisions are not going to end well.
As ever Douglas Skelton has given his readers a book that is pacy and has you invested in the outcome of all involved. Even the new characters are well developed, and I loved the introduction of real people that add an air of authenticity to the whole book. The ending was not quite what I expected (but I knew that Jonas would suffer personally somehow) and I am not sure how he will recover from this but I am happy to know that we are going to get a chance to find out.
Profile Image for Helen.
611 reviews16 followers
August 13, 2025
I thank NetGalley and Canelo Adventure for an advance reader copy of Ship of Thieves. All opinions and comments are my own.

Can things get any worse for Jonas Flynt? Well, yes, yes, they can. But author Douglas Skelton knows how to make an exciting story out of it in any event, and Ship of Thieves has all the elements of a rip-roaring adventure, even with “that” ending.

Lest you think “yo ho yo ho the pirate’s life for me,” this is no pleasure cruise, not with the likes of Edward Thatch AKA Blackbeard as a main character. Following along as Flynt searches for his abducted stepmother and then seeing her slave master get his just desserts is highly satisfactory, even if it comes at a terrible cost. There will be more work for Jonas, no matter where his travels take him. Most likely, perhaps, with the one who got away.

The Historical Note expounds on the very real characters and their activities dramatized in the book. One can see how authors like Douglas Skelton (and, indeed, Robert Louis Stevenson) took those exploits and turned them into rousing stories.
Profile Image for Rebecca .
655 reviews3 followers
September 14, 2025
I have loved every one of the books in this series but this one is a swashbuckling cracker! It follows the appearance of his beloved Cassie at the end of 'A Thief's Blood' She nneds his help and to that end Jonas sets off to Nassau in the Caribbean to recue his father Gideon and his stepmother Mercy. What a brilliant tale. The descriptions of life on board a Pirate ship and pirate justice are bloody and gruesome, but Jonas is never one to avoid danger, particullarly as he is a man on a mission. Fast paced and totally gripping, the danger is palpable. Douglas Skelton perfectly conveyed the conditions in Nassau, the stench, the tension and lawlessness. But oh, the revenge of Thatch (Blackbeard) was shocking - i did not see that coming!
I loved that his friend Cain was by his side for much of the story and I particularly like the ending where fact and fiction combined and we learn of the bloody end of the reign of Blackbeard. Cleverly researched indeed. I am very glad to learn there will be another Jonas Flynt tale!
1,855 reviews26 followers
August 24, 2025
When Jonas Flynt's stepmother is taken one night and his father goes after the kidnappers, he is duty bound to support the family. However this means travelling to the pirate stronghold of Nassau, a long way from London and the Company of Rogues. Captain Charteris gives him a task to do which will support him but Flynt ends up as part of the crew of Edward Thatch, commonly known as Blackbeard. Now Flynt has to use his wits to survive.
I really like the Jonas Flynt books as they are rough and ready but very well-researched historical fiction. This is a rather delightful diversion into the the early history of the British Caribbean colonies and the ending of the golden age of piracy. It's a simple tale of revenge but played nicely and with some fantastic characters.
121 reviews
September 11, 2025
Outstanding…

The wait for this 5th in the Jonas Flynt series was well worth the wait. Never one for remaining in the shadows, Flynt finds himself on a journey to the Caribbean on a rescue mission and in the company of none other than the infamous pirate, Blackbeard. Will he manage to find and rescue his father, Gideon, who is accused of attempted murder and theft? Packed with adventure, blood and guts this book is a swashbuckling good tale with a couple of surprises thrown in for good measure. No spoilers but there is one bit that I may not forgive Mr. Skelton for, it made me gasp out loud. Fact & fiction are woven together in this brilliant book.
Profile Image for Joshkun  Mehmet.
272 reviews3 followers
September 26, 2025
When Jonas Flynt’s stepmother is kidnapped by her former owner and taken back to the Caribbean, his father, Gideon Flynt, sets off in determined pursuit. With no time to lose, Jonas is forced to race across the ocean to rescue them both. As danger closes in, familiar ally Gabriel Cain returns at just the right moment.

This latest instalment in the series is another thrilling adventure—this time set largely at sea and in the Caribbean. It’s action-packed, brimming with blood and gore, and a ruthless cast of villains.

A gripping, fast-paced read that kept me hooked from start to finish. This is another first class novel from this fantastic author.
1,095 reviews13 followers
August 21, 2025
From Edinburgh to London to the Bahamas , this story takes you on a roller coaster of a ride. Thrills and spills, piracy and plundering, lost loves and dangerous enemies. The book has it all ...plus !! This series just gets better and better especially while wondering what Jonas Flynt might be involved in next. I love the use of some historical words and language throughout which adds to the tale and I do like to learn new words along the way too. But the most exciting part was right at the end - Jonas Flynt Will Be Back

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review
Profile Image for Own Timis.
223 reviews
September 1, 2025
The latest outing for Jonas Flynt puts him on a pirate ship, heading through treacherous waters as he makes his way to the Caribbean to rescue his kidnapped stepmother. In my view this is definitely the best novel in the series to date - some real twists and I was on the edge of my seat for much of the second half.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews