The Reverse Of The Medal

This is in all respects an unconventional naval tale. Jack Aubrey returns from his duties protecting whalers off South America and is persuaded by a casual acquaintance to make investments in the City on the strength of supposedly certain information.

From there he is led into the half-worlds of the London criminal underground and of government espionage – the province of his friend, Stephen Maturin, on whom alone he can rely.