1798. James Burke, British spy, is in Egypt. His task: to investigate the rumour that Napoleon is planning an invasion.

It turns out that the French are coming and Burke is too late to stop them. Undeterred, he works with the Bedouin to delay Napoleon's soldiers while trying to get word to the British Navy so that they can destroy the French fleet. He's got enough on his plate without protecting Bernadita, the Spanish slave he rescues from her cruel master – but Burke can't leave a damsel in distress, even with hired killers on his trail ...

Set against a meticulously researched background of the Napoleonic Wars, Burke's adventures reach a dramatic climax at one of Britain's greatest naval victories, the Battle of the Nile.