Robby Run, named for a mocking nickname given to the book's main character, takes readers from Florida to South America in 1845, the Antebellum period preceding the American Civil War.

Lt. Robert Chase Roebuck had served briefly in the U.S. Navy but found the Revenue Marine service, a branch of the Treasury Department, more to his liking. However, when he arrives in Port Leon, Florida, to take command of the revenue cutter Massachusetts, he finds his ship destroyed and the local customs agent hostile -- and soon, Roebuck finds himself in dire straits that could land him in prison for a very long time. His only avenue of escape is to reactivate his Navy commission -- at the behest of Captain Matthew Perry, a historical figure with an impressive naval career ahead of him -- and assume command of the frigate Savannah bound for Rio de la Plata, where the French have captured two American merchant ships and enslaved their crews.

Roebuck isn't the best man for the job, but he's the only one available in a situation that is both urgent and volatile. Reluctantly, he accepts. On board, he finds a resentful crew, including a first lieutenant who seems one step away from open mutiny. And there are French ships in the water that don't want Savannah to arrive at its destination.

Meanwhile, political situations are turning in Argentina and Uruguay, where opposing factions war for control and the great European powers are exerting their influence. It's a diplomatic minefield; fortunately for Roebuck, he finds an ally in Dona Belen, a powerful businesswoman with important connections in both the military and government.

From Roebuck's perspective, it certainly doesn't hurt that she's beautiful ... and recently widowed.

Roebuck is not the most likable protagonist. He's not always the nicest person, and his motives are often self-serving. That said, he has a knack for turning a losing situation around, and he has a lot of gumption when the chips are down. He's a flawed hero, which helps to keep him interesting.

Robby Run bogs down in places, but overall it's a thrilling tale set at a time when the U.S. Navy was going through a massive evolution. (Roebuck, for the record, is not a fan of the smoky steamships that were, at the time, beginning to replace cleaner, more elegant sailing ships. It's a point on which he and I agree.) The political situation in South America in that era was complicated, but author Sutton Stern guides readers through the turmoil with a steady hand.

The romantic elements of the book feel a little unnecessary at times, but it gives the author an excuse to supplement all the fighting with a little sex.

Sutton gives us complex characters amid layers of plot development that kept me turning pages eagerly to the end. This is the first book in a series, and I would love to see where Roebuck goes next.

[ visit the author's website ]