Escape to Pirate Island by Niamh MurphyEscape to Pirate Island by Niamh Murphy was an intense swashbuckling adventure.

Catherine Meadows and Lillian Exquemelin have both just lost everything.

Catherine is a wanted woman for smuggling and Lillian’s father has passed away leaving her nothing but debt. Once Lillian’s sister has passed too she receives a map in the mail. This isn’t just any map, it is the other half of the piece to the puzzle of Lilly’s father’s treasure.

Lilly has nothing left except her map, code book, and debt. With no other choice she seeks out a ship to hire with a crew who will ask no questions. And a captain who is gathering a crew who isn’t asking any questions is exactly what Catherine needs to escape.

Aboard the ship it is anything but smooth sailing with mutiny, pirates, and betrayal.

The Characters

Our two main ladies are Catherin Meadows and Lillian Exquemelin. Both women had very distinct but unique personalities.

Lillian wound up being my favorite because I really felt for her. She was just trying to make it in the world and people screwed her right and left. I really enjoyed her resilience and strength.

Catherine was quite a trouble maker but her character really grew and developed through the story.

The Writing Style

The over-all tone through the book remained serious. The book read smoothly and the story moved along at an even pace.

The Pros

How invested the author had me in Lilly and her resolve to make it through the journey.

The Cons

n/a

The Conclusion

This book had me talking like a pirate again, I did enjoy this book and me thinks others shall too.

Excerpt to Escape to Pirate Island by Niamh Murphy

There were as many rumours about Miss Lillian Exquemelin as there were crewmen. Some said that they had spotted her sneaking into the Captain’s cabin at ungodly hours, Cat had even seen her out on deck at night with a sextant and looking up at the stars, playing at navigation like a child.

She had at least changed from her ridiculous outfits and no longer wore the hat or the large skirts as if she were pretending at being practical.

Cat hated her. Cat hated that she had to be up in the rigging, her knuckles raw, her hands numb with cold, and her belly growling for the next meagre rations, while that painted aristocrat wafted around the ship as if it were a parlour game.

“Eyes on the job, Jack,” Davies suddenly called from his arm of the yard, “You can moon over that beauty another time!”

“I ain’t moonin’,”Cat shouted back, defensively.

“Oh aye?” he teased, “I know that puppy dog look, Jack, I think you’ve gone soft on her!”

“She’s the one what’s soft, bet she don’t know what a line is let alone how to tie it!” Davies’ taunts had irritated her, and she tried to focus on her knots and ignore him.

“I bet you likes them soft, Jack! Soft hands, ay? Soft skin? Soft—”

“Hush your gums, scut!” Cat shouted. Davies laughed, throwing back his head laughing at her anger, which only served to further infuriate her. She noticed he’d brought up a marlin spike and was using it do undo the knots while she was struggling with bare hands, “throw me the spike, hog-features,” she ordered, hoping it would take his mind of his games.

“Come and fetch it, ya scrawny whelp!” he shouted back, his lopsided grin endearing and irritating in equal measure.

Cat looked down. A mistake. The deck seemed to be swinging a hundred feet below, she clutched the yard beam tighter and closed her eyes.

Davies must have seen the look on her face for he immediately shouted that he would bring it over now he was done. Thankful, she looked up to see Davies leap to his feet and ready himself to walk across the yard beam toward her, his deftness made her sick to her stomach with fear.

“Careful!” she shouted, as a fresh gust of wind swept around them.

But, as if to prove her fears, his foot caught. The moment seemed to take a hundred years; Cat watched helplessly as Davies’ arms flailed wildly and the marlin spike shot from his hands. He seemed suspended, hanging perilously, nothing between him and wooden deck so many feet below. He called out to her but she was too far for him to reach.

Then he was gone.

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[tweetthis]Even in the most arduous of circumstances, Miss Lillian Exquemelin had to have the last word[/tweetthis]

Bits and Bobs

ISBN number: 9781521191354

Publisher: NIM Publishing

Niamh Murphy Online

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Note: I received a free review copy of Escape to Pirate Island by Niamh Murphy. No money was exchanged for this review. I will always review books as honestly as possible and on occasion I refuse to review books.