Michael DeStefano's The Old Corsair is a mystery and historical tale set in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In 2013, Lt. Terrie Murphy, a young naval intelligence officer, joins the Navy's intelligence center in Portsmouth. At the historic Badger Island marina, she discovers the logbook of an American merchant ship, the Justice, presumed lost in 1788. Intrigued, Terrie researches colonial-era newspapers and correspondence. She learns of Captain Vernon Tunney, known as "the Old Corsair." Tunney fought Barbary corsairs and captured their flagship. Terrie's research is halted. An expert on the Middle East, she is fluent in Arabic and Pashto. Her work on Middle East materials reveals inexplicable links to the past. An American ship, "Neptune’s Trident," presumed lost in 1850, is of importance to Middle Eastern terrorists. The tension and pace of the story rise dramatically.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Michael DeStefano's The Old Corsair for its gripping suspense and the complex character of Terrie Murphy, her courage and tenacity. Terrie comes under growing, intense, and life-threatening pressure to stop her investigations. But she is tenacious. I liked the way Terrie's character opens up from a fiercely independent and solitary young woman to one who cares for her colleagues, their achievements, and personal grief. I liked the way Michael DeStefano brings in the other characters, including Terrie's colleague and friend, Lt. Jack O'Hara. His intelligence, his empathy and honesty help Terrie to uncover the mysteries of the merchant ships, and to identify the people who want to stop her. I liked the development of teamwork as the story twists and turns through dangerous life-threatening situations. A spellbinding tale of a young woman's incredible courage, of 18th-century American merchant ships, and The Old Corsair.

The Old Corsair by Michael DeStefano is a masterly blend of mystery and suspense, following a compelling female protagonist. Terrie Murphy has just discovered vital information about the murder of her sister. With the press and the government mute, she decides to handle it her way. She trains to be a Naval Intelligence officer in the guise of investigating her sister’s murder. Stationed at a site for the demolition of an old marina on Badger Island, she discovers startling information buried in old newspapers, a Navy’s classified library, and most importantly, the logbook of a merchant vessel from 1788 that went missing. Now Terrie is in the midst of investigating a mysterious ship called Neptune Trident, run by Captain Vernon “Cyclops” Tunney. As she gets closer to the truth, enemies work hard to stop her, including the government.

The story is gripping and I enjoyed the way the author pursues motivation in the protagonist. Initially, Terrie just wants to solve the murder of her sister, and she makes major decisions to achieve this goal. Surprisingly, she becomes embroiled in a mystery that goes back two centuries and makes enemies that are equally determined to cover up the truth. As I read the story, I couldn’t help but fear for the protagonist. She is genuinely flawed and her drive to uncover the truth also blinds her. The prose is great, sprinkled with strong descriptions. The plot is well imagined and deftly written, featuring themes of murder, adventure, and a young woman’s unrelenting quest for the truth. The Old Corsair is a page-turner, written in a cinematic style that floods the reader’s imagination with strong imagery.