When I read the first book in this series, Star-Crossed, I looked forward to reading more about the characters. It's been a long wait for it to come out, but the second in the Patricia MacPherson Nautical Adventure Series, Surgeon's Mate is now available and I wasn't disappointed.
Collison develops very strong characterisations and writing the book in the first person, from the point of view of a young lady disguised as a man, makes this series unique within the genre. Modern research indicates that there were ladies on many ships of the Royal Navy, some in disguise and some just carried unofficially and never mentioned in the ship's records. It is only in recent series that some authors are starting to introduce strong female characters aboard ship but so far only Collison has written from their perspective and started to reveal this hidden world.
As the title indicates the heroine, or should it be hero, is disguised as a surgeon's mate and enjoying the freedoms that in those days men enjoyed but women did not. Her ship, HMS Richmond, is soon berthed in New York for repairs but she begins to worry that someone may be aware that 'Patrick' is not who he is supposed to be. To say more would spoil the plot of this fast based book for readers.
This novel was a real page turner, which I highly recommend, and let's hope there is a shorter interval before the next book in the series is with us.
Description of: Surgeon's Mate
Author: Linda Collison
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