The troubled United States South Seas Exploring Expedition of 1838 (the subject of Nathaniel Philbrick's bestselling Sea of Glory
) makes the perfect backdrop for a tricky murder manhunt in this first mystery from New Zealand maritime historian Druett (In the Wake of Madness
). William "Wiki" Coffin, a Maori half-breed, has just signed on in Virginia as "linguister" for the voyage when he's jailed as a suspect in the murder of wealthy Mrs. Tristram T. Stanton, wife of the expedition's civilian astronomer. Wiki clears himself easily and so impresses the local sheriff with his savvy that he's deputized to pursue the investigation aboard ship. Druett makes fine mystery McGuffins out of the infamous expedition's real-life chaos and mismanagement, notably commander Charles Wilkes's capricious transfers of personnel between ships that made it difficult to keep track of who was where. She also presents some well-realized villains, whose bigoted treatment of Wiki salts the plot with complicating red herrings. Evoking writers from Melville to Patrick O'Brian, and incorporating fascinating snippets of historical and anthropological lore, this novel is a fine start to a series sure to appeal to lovers of historical mysteries and fans of sea adventures. Agent, Laura Langlie. (Oct. 6)
