Saltblood
An epic historical fiction debut inspired by real life female pirates
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:13th Mar '25
£9.99
Available for immediate dispatch.
An epic literary historical novel set during the Golden Age of Piracy, about the life of the infamous female pirate Mary Read.
**WINNER OF THE WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE **
'A gripping tale of one woman's extraordinary adventures ...Saltblood is a triumph of the imagination'
ELODIE HARPER, author of 'The Wolf Den' trilogy
'A ravishing picaresque told with fireworks, finesse and gusto'
PAUL LYNCH, author of Prophet Song
'A well crafted, salty, old-fashioned adventure about identity and freedom' The Times
In a rented room outside Plymouth in 1685, a daughter is born as her half-brother is dying. Her mother makes a decision: Mary will become Mark, and Ma will continue to collect his inheritance money.
Mary’s dual existence as Mark will lead to a role as a footman in a grand house, serving a French mistress; to the navy, learning who to trust and how to navigate by the stars; and to the army and the battlegrounds of Flanders, finding love among the bloodshed and the mud. But none of this will stop Mary yearning for the sea.
Drawn back to the water, Mary must reinvent herself yet again, for a woman aboard a ship is a dangerous thing. This time Mary will become something more dangerous than a woman.
She will become a pirate.
Breathing life into the Golden Age of Piracy, Saltblood is a wild adventure, a treasure trove, weaving an intoxicating tale of gender and survival, passion and loss, journeys and transformation, through the story of Mary Read, one of history’s most remarkable figures.
'Saltblood is exquisite. The writing is sumptuous and lyrical, the story fascinating'
LOUISE O'NEILL, author of Asking for It and Idol
'Startling, fresh and brilliant'
ANNA MAZZOLA, author of The Clockwork Girl
'A wonderful tale and so exquisitely told ... Master and Commander meets Thelma & Louise'
JAMES OSWALD, author of the ‘Inspector McLean’ series
'A thrilling, gender-shaking roar of a tale every reader will enjoy'
NEIL BLACKMORE, author of Radical Love
'Saltblood is a complete triumph. A glittering jewel of a novel; a treasure chest of delight. I cannot bring myself to put it down' E.S. THOMSON, author of Beloved Poison
A ravishing picaresque told with fireworks, finesse and gusto -- PAUL LYNCH, author of Prophet Song
A wholly original vision of a life, Saltblood is not only a gripping tale of one woman's extraordinary adventures, but also a profound meditation on identity, sexuality, survival and what makes us human. The sensory detail of the period is vivid, immersive and sometimes shocking in its intensity. You are on board the ship with Mary, bearing witness to her life, listening to her inimitable voice. Saltblood is a triumph of the imagination -- ELODIE HARPER, author of 'The Wolf Den' trilogy
A wonderful tale and so exquisitely told ... Master and Commander meets Thelma & Louise -- JAMES OSWALD, author of the 'Inspector Mclean' series
Like some great, lost 18th-century adventure novel, Saltblood is a thrilling, gender-shaking roar of a tale every reader will enjoy. Moll Flanders answers back -- NEIL BLACKMORE, author of Radical Love
I was not expecting a story about pirates to be as beautiful as this one; indeed, Saltblood is exquisite. The writing is sumptuous and lyrical, the story fascinating -- LOUISE O'NEILL, author of Asking for It and Idol
An absolute treasure trove of book. Francesca has taken the real story of 18th century female pirates Mary Read and Anne Bonny and woven somethingstartling, fresh and brilliant. Deserves to be huge -- ANNA MAZZOLA, author of The Clockwork Girl
Saltblood is a complete triumph. A glittering jewel of a novel; a treasure chest of delight. I cannot bring myself to put it down it’s so utterly absorbing ... The infamous but scantily documented Mary is rendered so human I am with her on every step of her piratical journey. I adore this book * E.S. THOMSON, author of Beloved Posion *
A well crafted, salty, old-fashioned adventure about identity and freedom * The Times *
Addictive * Sunday Post *
A blood-soaked story of piracy and prejudice * Telegraph *
An immersive, poignant, hurrah of a feminist tale … Francesca has shown herself to be an exciting new voice in historical fiction * Debut Digest *
Adventure, intrigue, subterfuge, romance, brilliantly evocative * Chiswick Calendar *
Exploring gender, survival, friendship, love and identity, this novel is a treasure indeed * Woman & Home *
Both a gripping read and intellectually and emotionally nuanced ... A rollicking read, a compelling picaresque of journey and challenge and change * Australian Book Review *
A swashbuckling picaresque, with a lively mix of gender-bending adventure and romance * Sydney Morning Herald *
Saltblood is an engrossing, deeply felt historical novel … De Tores's portrayal of Mary is nuanced and riveting, and her prose feels both historically accurate and gorgeously poetic … A joy to read * Books + Publishing *
ISBN: 9781526661319
Dimensions: 196mm x 128mm x 28mm
Weight: 263g
368 pages