"A searing novel about the corruption of power and the power of corruption. In an isolated outpost on Newfoundland's northern coastline, Abe Strapp is about to marry the daughter of a rival merchant to cement his power. But a ruthless act of sabotage by his nemesis, the Widow Caines, becomes the opening salvo in a battle between the most powerful man and woman in Mockbeggar, each fighting for the scarce resources of the North Atlantic, each seeking...

Draws on firsthand accounts of pitched sea battles, skillful negotiations, and diplomatic maneuvers to offer a complete history of Venice's centuries-long reign as a naval power and maritime trading empire.