The 15th KYDD adventure, PASHA, is published in the UK today by Hodder. In this latest instalment of Julian Stockwin’s acclaimed maritime adventure series, an Admiralty summons to England cuts short Thomas Kydd's service in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. While the crew of L'Aurore can look forward to liberty and prize money, a shadow hangs over their captain: the impending court martial of his one-time commander, Commodore Popham, who led a doomed attack on South America.

Fans should also look out for Stockwin’s new novel, THE SILK TREE, which will be published in November by Allison & Busby. It tells the tale of a quest to bring the secret of silk production out of China to the west.

At 14 Stockwin joined a tough sea-training school, followed by the Royal Navy, transferring to the Royal Australian Navy when his family emigrated. He saw active service in the Far East, the Antarctic, the South Seas and Vietnam, and was on board the Melbourne at the time of its disastrous peace time collision with the Voyager. Later worked for NATO on the strategic deployment of merchant shipping.

Praise for the KYDD series:

‘The story takes you on an explosive journey, which is full of unexpected turns … rich in action and full of interesting characters, this thrilling novel leaves you in awe of the 18th century seaman.’ -- Evening Telegraph

‘A wonderfully fresh and incredibly vivid debut novel … I reckon [the series] will be as popular as the novels of Patrick O’Brian so exciting is this new author.’ -- Publishing News