December 1773. Midshipman Bolitho's ship, the Gorgon is laid up in Falmouth for refitting, and the young sailor - now seventeen - looks forward to a peaceful Christmas with his family. But Cornwall is now a violent place. Smuggling is rife, witchcraft abounds, and ugly rumors lead to the murder of a revenue officer.

As the Gorgon lies helplessly in dry dock, piracy and 'wrecking' becomes a dangerous threat to the undefended shores. Then one day the Avenger, a small man-of-war, sails into Falmouth...