When The Leeward Islands Squadron begins, Captain Edward Carlisle has left the Mediterranean -- setting of The Colonial Post-Captain, the first book in the series -- behind. Now commanding a larger frigate, HMS Medina, Carlisle is sailing in company with Commodore Robert Jermy, onboard the HMS Wessex, on a mission escorting a small merchant fleet to Madeira before sailing together to reinforce the British naval presence in the West Indies.

An encounter with privateers in the opening pages shows Jermy to be an infirm, unimaginative commander, and Carlisle will have his work cut out for him simply appeasing the man's ego while justifying his efforts to protect the merchantmen. The problem only worsens after they cross the Atlantic and assail a fort and privateer ships in Port Louis, Grenada, a mission that further proves Jermy's lack of strategic awareness. But, when Jermy falls during the failed assault, Carlisle finds the commodore's second in command, First Lt. Miles Godwin, an entirely different problem to solve.

The Leeward Islands Squadron picks up shortly after the conclusion of the previous book, and author Chris Durbin has kept the primary characters -- Carlisle, First Lt. George Holbrooke, sailing master John Hosking, chaplain John Chalmers and able seamen Jackson and Whittle -- together for their second adventure.

Holbrooke has continued to mature into his new position of authority, and Chalmers, who is largely ignorant of naval matters, still provides an avenue for Durbin to explain various aspects of running a ship and engaging in battle. While the book does not contain any plot points as dramatic as the French invasion of Minorca, it delves further into the events of the Seven Years War, with an eye now on maneuvers in the Caribbean -- placing Carlisle closer to his home in Virginia, an allegiance that could prove problematic for him in a few decades.

The action includes several ship-to-ship battles and the mutiny of the crew of a poorly run British schooner -- a mutiny that could have far-reaching effects if not quickly contained and corrected.

My only criticism of the book, and it's a minor one, is Durbin's occasional habit of peeking into the future, mentioning events and innovations that Carlisle and his men would have no knowledge of. The omniscient narrator revealing future tidbits has the unfortunate side effect of lifting the reader out of the moment -- but, fortunately, it's easy to slide back into the scene without too much discomfort. Otherwise, I am very much enjoying the adventures of Carlisle and Holbrooke, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.