1842. Twenty-five-year-old Joshua Weyland is languishing in Key West, USA, desperate to return to England to marry his fiance. He ships as second mate on a small brig bound for Bristol. But when the ship founders on rocks off the coast of Cornwall, and Josh narrowly escapes with his life, it's clear to him that it's been deliberately wrecked. Who could be responsible for this terrible act?
From the eccentric doctor and his daughter who nurse him back to health, to the local fishermen, tin miners and 'Preventers' tasked with subduing any smuggling activity, Joshua has plenty of questions which could land him in serious trouble. When the worst storm of the year erupts from the Atlantic and another ship is in peril, Joshua is forced to fight for his life to avert disaster and get to the bottom of the mystery.