Northern Edge

Book 6 of the Nicholas Cruwys Naval Series

By: Adrian Westbrooke

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Baltic, Autumn of 1787. A king's ambition. A conspiracy that could drag Britain into war.

When Captain Nicholas Cruwys in the frigate Miranda is dispatched to Copenhagen and the Baltic as part of small Royal Navy squadron, he finds the cold northern waters turning towards winter even as events threaten British supply routes through the Sound. King Gustav III of Sweden is spoiling for war with Russia, and powerful forces are moving to ensure that when the conflict comes, Britain will be caught in its grip.

Captain Henry Harrington, commanding the frigate Romulus, joins Nicholas in Swedish waters—and finds himself drawn into a web of intrigue that reaches from the glittering royal court of Stockholm to the frozen archipelago where Sweden's navy lies in wait. When a conspiracy emerges that threatens to force England into an unwanted alliance, both captains must navigate treacherous political waters where a wrong word can be as deadly as a enemy broadside.

As winter begins and tensions mount, Nicholas is pulled ever deeper into the shadow world of intelligence and espionage, where trusted allies may be secret enemies and every observation carries consequences. Henry, meanwhile, finds his carefully ordered life upended by an encounter that will change him forever—if he survives long enough to see it through.

From Copenhagen to Stockholm and among the rocky islands of the Swedish coast, Northern Edge delivers the authentic naval action, meticulous period detail, and richly drawn characters that have made this series essential reading for fans of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester.

Great series regardless of AI narration

One of the better AI narrators. I can’t stop the series. Very enthralling. Just when I thought I’ve listened through every age of sail series, this one came along. Much appreciated.

A cold change of climate

I loved the story shift to Nicholas’ best friend Henry. The story is well developed and perhaps a bit overly optimistic, but another very fine and enjoyable sail and fighting adventure in the Baltic Sea.