“. . . These meticulously researched novels explore how personal ambition and family loyalty shape the founding of American maritime commerce, told through the perspectives of both powerful patriarchs and the strong women who guide them behind the scenes. . .
Wagner-Wright’s extensive research shines through rich period vernacular, detailed descriptions of maritime commerce, and unflinching portrayals of 18th-century hardships. The novels capture everything from the perils of childbirth without modern medicine to the treacherous realities of international trade in an era of pirates and hostile foreign governments. Rather than romanticizing the past, Wagner-Wright shows how families built fortunes through calculated risks while facing genuine dangers—both on the high seas and in Salem’s ruthless social hierarchies.”