The Baltic Gambit

Lambdin and his Napoleonic War hero, Capt. Alan Lewrie, do their usual nautical thing in the series' 15th installment, but this account of the Battle of Copenhagen takes a backseat to the main character's Tom Jones antics and some underdeveloped espionage activities. The novel begins, in prologue, with unfinished business from the previous novel (Troubled Waters ), and soon, after cooling his heels in London and plotting personal revenge, Lewrie gets his new orders to deliver a peace delegation to Russia. Lewrie is then pressed into service to help Vice Adm. Lord Horatio Nelson defeat the Danish fleet at Copenhagen. For those who know history, the outcome of this engagement is never in doubt, but the author still has one surprise in store when the true purpose of the peace delegation is revealed. With his mannered style, leering sensibility and attenuated plotting, Lambdin has always been second tier to C.S. Forester. This new novel is no exception but it does the trick as an entertaining time killer. (Feb.)