'A powerful, compelling yarn in the tradition of Joseph Conrad.' Matthew Willis

When four old friends, three of whom are retired ship's captains, meet for a few days' sailing and reminiscing, one of them, Mitchell, asks 'did any of you run across Claude Bastable?'

Early in his seafaring life Mitchell had experienced more of the world than his friends. He had not only been ship-mate with Bastable but had found his life more entangled with Bastable's than he cared for.

Finding the others know nothing of the man, Mitchell goes on to reveal the terrible story of Bastable's life, from his birth as the son of a naval hero to the appalling act he had committed and of which he was found guilty, and of what followed afterwards.

But, they find themselves asking, was there anything that could explain Bastable's perfidious conduct that led him to effectively murder a score of people by an act of gross professional misconduct?

Based on real events, bestselling author Richard Woodman skilfully weaves together fact and fiction to create an engrossing narrative which proves difficult to put down.

A novella not just for those who enjoy a tale of men, ships and the sea, but those interested in human motivation, the consequences of human frailty and violent events.

Praise for Richard Woodman:

'In The Judgment of his Peers, Richard Woodman once again combines the seductive style and absolute authenticity of Joseph Conrad's Marlow narratives like The Heart of Darkness and Lord Jim with the powerful story-telling of Alaistair MacLean's HMS Ulysses and Nicholas Monsarrat's The Cruel Sea.' Peter Tonkin

'This series could develop into something very special. Richard Woodman knows how to tell a story, but has a healthy respect for history... Compulsive reading.' Saul David

'Brings medieval Europe to life. The well-crafted action and historical insights enthral and entertain.' Richard Foreman, author of Band of Brothers

'If Neptune's Trident sets the standard for what is to follow - we can at least rest assured that there is a series that truly does justice to our proud merchant maritime past.' Nautilus UK Telegraph

'Richard Woodman tells many a good tale in this first volume and it is fascinating to read. If the rest of the series is as good as this one, they should all be on the bookshelves of those studying the history of Britain, from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries.' Open History

Captain Richard Martin Woodman LVO is an English novelist and naval historian. He is the author of the series 'A History of the British Merchant Navy' and the Sword of State trilogy, which recreates the true story of George Monck