Book picks similar to
Cayman Cross by Jack Scott


atw-caribbean
historical-fiction
pirates

The Final Flight


James Blatch - 2021
    A system to take long-range bombers deep into the Soviet Union, undetected. There’s just one problem. And veteran engineer Chris Milford has found it. A lethal flaw that means aircrew will pay a terrible price.Undermined and belittled by a commanding officer who values loyalty over safety, Milford is forced down a dangerous, subversive path.Even his closest friend, Rob May, the youngest test pilot on the project has turned his back on him.Until the crash that changes everything.James Blatch’s page-turning thriller is set in the 1960s world of secret military projects and an establishment that wants victory over communism at almost any price.

Spears of Britannia


Scott Hurst - 2013
    And two brothers are turning on each other in a fight that will determine the fate of a nation.The mighty Roman Empire is on the wane.Under attack from its enemies, it is losing interest in its far-flung colony - Britannia.The Saxons are threatening the land.Unless the native tribes come to together to create a united Britain they will be crushed by a fresh invader.‘Since the Empire will not defend us, we must defend ourselves,' goes the cry of the British warriors. 'We Britons no longer need Rome. We need only each other.’Maximus has returned to his tribe. With his father, Severus, old and feeble, he is ready to take back his seat as the prodigal son, next in line to lead the Catuvalluni tribe.However, his drunkard younger brother, Dye, ruled by his cruel and manipulative wife, Calista, has set his sights on the title and is ready to challenge Maximus for their father’s position.With his family torn apart and his right to rule undermined, does Maximus have any hope of recovering the legendary Great Torc - a revered symbol of peace and unity - to bring the British tribes together against the ruthless Romans and blood-thirsty Saxons?And can the 'Spears of Britannia' ever be turned on the real enemy?Description from Amazon.com

Outremer


Richard Allibone - 2012
    In this five year period, the Muslim world inflicted a major defeat on the Christian army of Jerusalem that resonated around the known world, and which directly resulted in the confrontation between two of the most celebrated figures in medieval history – Richard the Lionheart, renowned as the great warrior king and personification of the knightly chivalry, and Saladin, Sultan of Egypt, Syria, Arabia and Mesopotamia and consummate diplomat and strategist.The story unfolds through the reminiscences of Geoffrey de Moissac, who relates his incredible first-hand experiences fifty years after the main protagonists have perished. Geoffrey has been witness to all the dramatic events of that time, from the Christian disaster at Hattin, through a perilous journey to the west to solicit aid, and finally as part of the mighty Crusader army intent on the re-conquest of the Holy Land.

Sisters at War


Clare Flynn - 2021
    The pressures of war threaten to tear apart two sisters traumatised by their mother's murder by their father.With her new husband Will, a merchant seaman, deployed on dangerous Atlantic convoy missions, Hannah needs her younger sister Judith more than ever. But when Mussolini declares war on Britain, Judith's Italian sweetheart, Paolo is imprisoned as an enemy alien, and Judith's loyalties are divided.Each sister wants only to be with the man she loves but, as the war progresses, tensions between them boil over, and they face an impossible decision.A heart-wrenching page-turner about the everyday bravery of ordinary people during wartime. From heavily blitzed Liverpool to the terrors of the North Atlantic and the scorched plains of Australia, Sisters at War will bring tears to your eyes and joy to your heart.

The Long Walk


Ron Schwab - 2020
    

The Whitechapel Girl


Gilda O'Neill - 1994
    As her mother sinks deeper into alcoholism, the violent lodger with whom they share their one-room slum has been turning his attentions to Ettie, and she can’t stand it any longer. So when debonair Professor Jacob Protsky picks Ettie out of the crowd at a penny gaff, she is determined to seize her chance. Despite the warnings of her friends, Ettie goes to live with Protsky in Bow, assisting him with his skilful brand of spiritual clairvoyance. But when Ettie befriends Celia Tressing, she soon finds herself increasingly worried by events down the road in Whitechapel. A series of gruesome murders and whispers of a man called ‘Jack the Ripper’ have shaken even that resilient community, and outsiders like Protsky are prime suspects… An East End drama perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Sheila Newberry.

Onwards and Upwards


Lynda Page - 2006
    As a milkman and a nanny, making ends meet is a constant juggling act – not helped by their mothers who are sworn enemies - but they are happy together and that’s all that matters. But when their flashy new neighbours convince Danny he is not giving Maxie the sort of life she deserves, he fears he’ll lose her if he doesn’t do something about it. Embarking on a series of disastrous money-making schemes, Danny finds himself getting into deeper and deeper trouble. But then Maxie begins to face a few troubles of her own...

Women of the Plantations


Kay Nelson - 2014
    The Civil War is igniting, and the young wife is suddenly left to manage his rice plantation and "his" slaves. The War's growing turbulence brings danger close to home - - rapes, hangings, and harrowing escapes through the Underground Railroad. Sara's abolitionist mother pleads with her daughter to return to the safety of the North.But Sara will remain on the plantation, as she, herself, becomes a mother. The plantation welcomes a daughter. As Lilly Grace grows, so does a friendship with a young slave, Little Bubba. He introduces her to the lively Gullah culture, rich with chants, trickster lore, and spiritualism. His mother, a medicine woman and conjurer, chillingly foretells the hardships to come. As the war approaches, Lilly Grace and Little Bubba form a bond of blended insights well beyond their years. How they come to use this knowledge will affect many lives.This is a frenzied era as time honored traditions crumble. The women of the plantation push on and on to save their homes from perils in many forms. Their brave decisions and courageous actions change the course of history.It's time their voices are heard.

The Flames of Resistance (Women Spies in World War II Book 2)


Kit Sergeant - 2021
    

Mountain Pearl: Appalachian Heritage


Peggy Poe Stern - 2015
     From Chapter 1: “Pearl,” Momma tried to make her voice strong. “I aim to whip you for what you done.” Those words struck me hard. Why was she saying a thing like that to me? “I saved you from those dogs,” I said triumphantly as I looked down at Momma’s bleeding legs. Surely she knew what would have happened to her if it hadn’t been for me. “You disobeyed me. You know better than to disobey me.” Her words troubled me something awful, and I shivered with dread as tried to think of a way to make her appreciate what I’d done. I didn’t deserve a whipping for saving her life. From Chapter 23: I had what few things I owned in a feed sack when Frank came in the door. “Them’s my hogs,” I told him. “I’ll cross the hill twice a day to feed ‘em. Don’t you dare do anything with ‘em.” “What are you talkin’ about.” “Your precious ma said she’d get Ralph’s shotgun and kill me if I didn’t get out of her house.” “No way,” Frank said. “Ask her yourself,” I told him. I heard the sound of Effie moving her wheelchair over the floor. “Frank, honey. I said no sech a thing. You know what a liar she is.” I lifted my chin and glared at Frank. I needed to see whose side he was going to take.” “Calm down,” he told me. “I’ll put Ma in bed so we can talk.” Those weren’t the words I needed to hear. “Oh, Frankie,” Effie moaned. “What are we gonna do with her?” Frank didn’t answer as he took hold of the chair. I slung the sack over my shoulder and left the house. The least I could do was see if Lizzie would welcome me for a few days or not. From the Epilogue: I saw the tiredness come to Aunt Pearl’s face and didn’t ask her any more questions. I’d been told hundreds of stories by dozens of family members as well as non-family members. Aunt Pearl was right. My favorite words when I was growing up were, “Tell me a story.” Most everyone willingly obliged. Some people would be slow getting started, but once they got their story telling ability warmed up, they would hold me captive for hours. Pearl’s story has taken me many years to write. Pearl died less than a year after I’d gone to see her with my trusty tape recorder in hand. Much to my regret, she told me what was true. I’d waited a little too long to tape her stories, but I could still replay those stories in my head. Most of the stories I remember came from Lizzie. Once she started talking she continued talking even when there was no one left in the room to listen. I’ve done my best to connect some of the stories I’ve been told together in order to make this book possible. These stories hold a lot of truth, but I want the readers to realize that I’ve taken an author’s liberty in order to fit each story together into what I hope to be both entertaining and insightful. Therefore, I’ve written this book as fiction. There’s no way I could possibly know what people were thinking long before I was born. No way I can second-guess exactly what happened and why it happened, no way I can claim this book to be non-fiction although it is based on real happenings.