The Gunroom

Morgan's criticism of the British Navy in this novel led to the book's limited distribution.

The Lane Fleming collection of early pistols and revolvers was one of the best in the country. When Fleming was found dead on the floor of his locked gunroom, a Confederate-made Colt-type percussion .36 revolver in his hand, the coroner's verdict was "death by accident." But Gladys Fleming had her doubts. Enough at any rate to engage Colonel Jefferson Davis Rand--better known just as Jeff--private detective and a pistol-collector himself, to catalogue, appraise, and negotiate the sale of her late husband's collection.

The fictional exploits of sailors in the Royal Navy have thrilled readers around the world. This title covers various aspects of the Royal Navy including the workings of the admiralty, the designs and building of ships, life on board, food and drink, discipline, seamanship, merchant fleets, and opposing navies.

The experiences of men who fought at sea reveal the relationship between discipline, leadership, and the strength of the fleet.

Capt. Aubrey and his friend Maturin sail to the Indian Ocean to save the British merchant fleet from the French.

The career of the legendary British battlecruiser is vividly recounted from its commissioning to its tragic end in this naval history. The HMS Hood was the glory of the Royal Navy. In The End of Glory, historian Bruce Taylor combines in-depth research and thrilling narrative to tell its story. For twenty years Hood symbolized the Royal Navy during the twilight years of the British Empire. Yet in 1941, it was destroyed in seconds by the battleship Bismarck, a catastrophe that shattered the morale the British public. Through official documents as well as the personal accounts and reminiscences of more than 150 crewmen, this volume offers a vivid portrait of this naval icon. An insider’s view of a warship in peace and war, The End of Glory not only paints an intimate picture of everyday life but deals with controversial issues such as the Invergordon mutiny, escapades ashore and afloat, the Christmas mutiny of 1940 and the terrible conditions onboard in war. This coverage, based on so many original sources, makes for a truly compelling story that neither historian, enthusiast nor general reader will find easy to put down.

“A wonderfully illustrated biography” of one of history’s greatest warships whose sinking “signaled the end of the surety that Britannia ruled the waves” (War History Online). Unmatched for beauty, unequalled for size, for twenty years the HMS Hood was the glory ship of the Royal Navy, flying the flag across the world in the twilight years of the British Empire. Here, in words, photos and color illustrations, is the story of her life, her work and her people from keel-laying on the Clyde in 1916 to destruction at the hands of the Bismarck in 1941. Among the eyecatching strengths of the book is a unique gallery of photos, including stills from a recently discovered piece of color footage of the ship, plus a spectacular set of computer-generated images of both the exterior and interior by the world’s leading exponent of the art—a man who worked with the film director James Cameron (of Titanic fame). A wealth of new information on Hood’s structure and operation make it essential reading for the enthusiast, modeler and historian alike. Hugely successful from its first publication, this is the third printing of the ultimate book on the ultimate ship of the pre-war era. “The most comprehensive study of a modern warship ever undertaken.”—Warship World