In seventeenth-century Italy, a skilled young artisan must search for his sister after both are kidnapped by slave traders targeting the English coast.

1604, England. Richard Sheriff is a headstrong young craftsman. His sense of justice often gets him into trouble, but his sister Elizabeth is his steadfast defender.

When pirates from North Africa attack the English coast in search of slaves to trade in the markets of Tunis, Richard, Elizabeth and their neighbours are captured. Despite pursuit by the Royal Navy, the slavers make headway on their voyage.

Their captives must endure savage storms, fire and murder, and the machinations of their cunning captain. Once Richard and Elizabeth are separated, he vows never to stop looking for her - but first he must come to terms with his new life. For as a skilled metalworker, he is sought after in his new home: the great city of Venice, a place of intrigue and corruption, where the dispossessed from far and wide are cast together.

Reviews for David Gilman

'A gripping ride' Wilbur Smith
'Gilman does heart pounding action superlatively' The Times
'A gripping chronicle of pitched battle, treachery and cruelty' Robert Fabbri
'The level of suspense is ratcheted up to a truly brutal level' Sharon Penman