Owen Wedgwood is moderately happy
with his life as a successful chef working for a shipping magnate in
England. His wife and newborn child died
a few years past and he’s still grieving for them every day; cooking is his
escape and his life. Unfortunately for
Owen it is 1819 and pirates sail the seas and pirate queen Mad Hannah Mabbot
has a bone to pick with his employer.
After shooting his employer dead she kidnaps Owen and forces him to
create elaborate Sunday meals for her from the little supplies on board
ship. If the food is good, he lives; if
the food is bad, he dies. Great
motivation to do good work!
This is a lighthearted tale overall
with serious storylines. Mabbot is a
pirate with an agenda – the downfall of the opium trade that has ruined the
lives of so many in the South Pacific.
She wants to bring the shipping giant, which still deals in slavery among
other unsavory business practices, to its knees. So does her nemesis the Brass Fox, a man of
mystery and cunning, but his motivations may not be as pure. Then of course there is the wildly inventive
Frenchman obsessed with bringing Mabbot down with whatever insanely destructive
means necessary.
This is a fun filled pirate tale
with a lot more substance to it than you would assume by the title and
cover. This is another book to read on a
full stomach. While the ingredients at
Owen’s disposal are meager, the culinary creations he prepares will make your
mouth water.
