A Hanging Matter - David Donachie

The third volume in The Privateersman Mysteries1794: Returning to England, Harry and James become embroiled in a vicious struggle between rival smugglers played out in the English Channel. Witnesses to a bloody confrontation, they flee to Deal—only to find that, behind its picturesque façade, the town is a haven for traders in contraband, seething with corruption and violence. The Ludlow brothers’ search for a well-deserved rest quickly turns into a savage contest of wills between Harry and an unseen enemy who intends to protect his livelihood by any means available.