Phoenix: A Jon Hunt Novel

by Larry Jeram-Croft

One of the greatest maritime mysteries of all time. In sixteen thirty two, the Spanish treasure galleon, the Santa Ana, sails from Cartagena, Colombia. She is never seen again.

Jon and Jenny Hunt have bought a refurbished house in Antigua and discover an artefact which directly relates to the Santa Ana. The only problem is that it was found where the Galleon could never have been.

Malcolm Macgregor is the owner of a deep-sea salvage company and has long been intrigued by the story of the Santa Ana. He tracks down the descendants of the owners of the galleon and discovers that the ship never even made it as far as Cuba. Now it’s feasible to look for her. He has the ship, the staff and expertise to do just that.

The search proves fruitless. Then, by chance, Malcolm hears about Jon’s discovery so Jon and Jenny join the search. A suggestion by Jon, supported by help from his old friend Brian Pearce, now an Admiral back in the UK, gives them a chance of finding her.

The value of her cargo is in the billions. Keeping a secret when the stakes are so high is never going to be easy. The location of her whereabouts leaks out and a race begins to cash in on her cargo. But the mystery hasn’t given up all its secrets and it’s up to Jon and Jenny to finally work out what really happened to the Santa Ana.

This is the eleventh book chronicling the life and times of Jonathon Hunt from his career in the Royal Navy, to his attempt at a quiet retirement, sailing the Caribbean with his new wife.

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 4, 2026

About the author

Best selling author, Larry Jeram-Croft spent thirty years in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot and engineer. He then worked in industry for seven years before retiring. When he retired, he and his wife bought a yacht and went to live in the Caribbean. It was this experience that led to the idea for his 'Jacaranda trilogy'. The novels are based on true events in the West indies of Nelson's time and provide thrilling and exciting stories for all who love the sea and sailing. Brought up on the books of C S Forester and Patrick O'Brian he was surprised that no one was writing similar stories about the modern Royal Navy, especially with so much going on in previous decades. As he was himself a Lynx helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, he decided to start there, using his own extensive knowledge of the conflict. 'Sea Skimmer' was the result; a book based on many true stories, the main one being why the Argentinian Exocet missiles failed to explode. Directly involved in anti Exocet countermeasures and also with a grandstand seat of the final Exocet raid of the war, the book, although a novel, has an authenticity that cannot be bettered. More books have followed. The latest 'Diamant' is a historical novel set in 1805 about the Royal Navy setting up a garrison on Diamond Rock off Martinique an exercise that almost brought Nelson and the French together well before Trafalgar.
In addition to his fiction, last year he published his first non- fiction work, an operational history of the RN Lynx helicopter. Another about the RN Wasp helicopter is due out this year.
Larry now lives in Martock, Somerset and spends most of his time writing and playing golf extraordinarily badly.

You can keep up to date on his blog at: http://sowethereyet.blogspot.co.uk/

Reviews

[James]

A gripping blend of maritime history, mystery, and adventure

Phoenix: A Jon Hunt Novel is an engaging maritime thriller that combines historical mystery with a modern-day search for a legendary treasure. The story surrounding the Santa Ana, the Spanish galleon that disappeared in 1632, provides a fascinating foundation for the adventure.

What particularly stood out to me was the way the discovery of an artefact in Antigua creates a mystery that seems almost impossible to explain. From there, the search for the lost galleon develops into a compelling adventure, with Jon and Jenny Hunt becoming involved alongside Malcolm Macgregor and his deep-sea salvage team.

The historical elements give the story considerable depth, while the enormous value of the treasure raises the stakes and adds a real sense of urgency. I especially enjoyed the combination of history, exploration, mystery, and the question of whether such a secret can actually remain hidden when billions are at stake.

As the eleventh book in the Jon Hunt series, Phoenix also feels like part of a much larger adventure, and it leaves you curious about the journey that brought Jon Hunt to this point.

A worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys maritime thrillers, treasure-hunting adventures, historical mysteries, and stories built around long-lost secrets.

[Richard Collins]

Great read with an excellent twist

I thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing story, which was cleverly written with lots of twists and turns!
It followed a sequence of events and theories that are believable and add to the tale. I believe it has all the ingredients to make an excellent movie!

[William Rowe]

Throughly enjoyable story

Nice people in an enjoyable story with easily followed nautical details. The author crushing of the Crab might be tax deductible as research for the stories.

[Stuart Ross]

Great series

I have really enjoyed this series. Lots of excitement and plot twists. Great job Larry! Perhaps Jon has another story to two in him…..