The #1 New York Times bestseller: "The greatest sea story ever told." The SpectatorIn January 1742, a windswept sailboat washes up on the coast of Brazil. On board are 30 men, the only survivors of the royal conquest ship "The Wager", which was wrecked in a storm. Six months later, three shipwrecked men land on the coast of Chile and claim that the 30 men were mutineers who had disobeyed royal orders and committed ruthless murder... Who is lying, who is telling the truth? A British court martial is to decide. It's a matter of life or death. David Grann uses archive material from a historical criminal case to spin a tale as gripping and atmospherically dense as a first-class adventure novel. Guilt and innocence, loyalty and betrayal are closely intertwined, and in the end a shocking truth comes to light.With illustrated section and mapsFeatures: with maps and colour illustrated section.