***2022 FOREWORD INDIES BOOK AWARD – FINALIST***

A story of adventure, betrayal, and resilience in Newfoundland set against the backdrop of the historical events of the American War of Independence.

Loyalty and betrayal meet in Newfoundland during the tumultuous War of American Independence. Jonah Squibb returns to the Royal Navy to defend his beloved island from Yankee raids and predation. The task is a welcome respite from grief at the death of his wife and the estrangement of his son. The future holds other heartaches, however, as the war at sea intensifies and he is called upon to achieve a great deal with very little. Victory and defeat are never more than a hair’s breadth apart as he is pushed to the limit of his skills and endurance. The novel is a sweeping drama of battles on the Grand Banks and romance and intrigue in St. John’s harbour.

Derek Yetman is a former journalist and editor, and the author of four previous books, including Midshipman Squibb and The Beothuk Expedition (Breakwater Books). His historical novels of Newfoundland have an authenticity that comes from his many years as a sailing skipper and student of Newfoundland history. He has served as a naval reservist, officer of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, secretary to the Crow’s Nest Officers’ Club, and communications manager for Canada’s national ship and ocean technology research centre. His debut novel won first prize in the Atlantic Provinces Writing Competition and later books have won widespread praise for their depiction of life and events from the island’s colourful past. He lives and works in St. John’s and Chance Cove, Trinity Bay.   

Derek Yetman's profile page

• Short-listed, Foreword INDIES Book Award

“You don’t need to approach this novel with a penchant for maritime adventure, just anticipate a good read and the story will do the rest.”

The Telegram

“Set during the American War of Independence, this is an adventure on the high seas wherein the naval engagements depicted here are genuinely thrilling (even for those of us who can’t tell our aft from our stern). And the descriptions of the vessel ‘answering’ to her captain’s hand are poetry in motion.”

The Telegram

"There is plenty of action on land and sea, by turns heart-pounding and heart-wrenching. Breakwater Books has performed a great service to naval enthusiasts by publishing The Yankee Privateer."

Atlantic Books