Port Beaufort, North Carolina - May 1765
Seventeen-year-old Adam Fletcher is no stranger to fist fights, but when he bloodies the nose of the obnoxious son of Port Beaufort's customs agent, the local magistrate offers Adam two choices: jail or an apprenticeship.
Choosing the latter, he soon finds himself bound apprentice to a reclusive old man with a secret, colorful past.
Although Adam is less than thrilled about his new situation, when he is asked to spy on his master as a suspected smuggler, he has to decide where his loyalties lie. Will he perform his civic duty to the Crown, or will he do whatever is necessary to protect the old man, possibly putting even his own family in danger?
Secrets will be revealed, loyalties will be questioned, betrayals will be uncovered, and a young man's character will be put to the test in The Smuggler's Gambit.
The Smuggler's Gambit is the first book in the Adam Fletcher Adventure Series of historical fiction novels. If you like fast-moving adventures, impetuous young heroes, suspense-filled plots, and a dash of romance, then you'll love Sara Whitford's entertaining series!
With a seamless plot and vivid characters, this novel, set in Port Beaufort, North Carolina, in 1765, captivates the reader's imagination. When seventeen-year-old Adam Fletcher chooses to recklessly defend his single mother's reputation with his quick temper and fists, he is given two choices: jail or an apprenticeship. The delinquent's only consolation is the hope that he will work under the impressive Richard Rasquelle, a local hero and a successful port merchant. Adam, however, lands in the care of the elder Emmanuel Rogers, a staid member of the coastal colony and the only competitor of Rasquelle. It does not take long for Adam's impetuousness to land him in a tangled web filled with spying, betrayal, and life-threatening danger. When Adam finally uncovers the true evil players and the reasons behind his master's imprisonment, he is kidnapped and led away to a deserted coastal island. Readers will not be able to put down this historically accurate tale until they discover how Adam redeems himself and reveals the truth. Ages 15 up. (Reviewer: Krisan Murphy)
"The Smuggler’s Gambit will transport you in time to a formative period in our nation’s history, when young Colonial Americans like Adam Fletcher bravely faced life-changing choices, moral perplexities, and danger at every turn. Perfectly paced with characters and dialogue so real the reader feels they are right in the middle of the action. I found this well-researched, finely-crafted tale to be altogether plausible. No doubt, this book will leave you yearning to find out what's next for Adam Fletcher."
The Smuggler's Gambit (Adam Fletcher Adventure Series Volume 1) by Sara Whitford revolves around seventeen-year-old Adam Fletcher, and is set in 1765 against the backdrop of Port Beaufort, North Carolina. Adam gets into a fist fight with Francis Smythe in his desire to defend his mother and is forced by the local magistrate to be a shipping apprentice to Emmanuel Rogers, an old man. Things take a different turn when he is asked to spy on his master and Adam is caught between being loyal to his master and performing his duty as a citizen. Which one will he choose? Will Adam betray his master or listen to the higher authorities and spy on the old man? As the story progresses, readers get to understand Adam Fletcher more and the test of his character.The plot is compelling with many layers, not only in the story but also in the way the characters are portrayed. The book has a blend of everything – adventure, history, mystery, suspense and romance - which makes it fast-paced and entertaining. The author weaves in all the emotions, facts, fiction, and action seamlessly, without sounding forced. From the moment where Adam Fletcher is kidnapped till the very end, the book will hold the attention of readers. Adam Fletcher’s complex character, his growth as a person, along with the colonial era, the authentic historical setting, and the sea faring adventure give the plot its uniqueness and originality. Readers will be waiting to read the next book to learn more. (Reviewer: Mamta Madhavan)
