Tommy Kenny has left the discipline of the Navy behind, stepping into a world where reward is measured in risk-and survival depends on instinct. Aboard a privateer vessel led by a man he once knew, he finds a system built not on rank, but on profit. Efficient. Relentless. Equal. But success has a cost. As deception turns to conflict and the line between privateer and pirate begins to disappear, Tommy is forced to face a question no man at sea can avoid- how much is enough?

Richard Oswestry writes character-driven historical fiction with a focus on discipline, choice, and consequence. His work favors restraint over spectacle, allowing events to unfold through action rather than explanation. The Mercy and The Return form part of an ongoing series exploring lives shaped by the sea, where structure, reward, and intent are constantly tested.