The Powder Monkey

By Ted Bell and James Patterson

Experience a heart-pumping and thrilling tale of suspense!

Originally published in THRILLER (2006),edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author James Patterson.

In this offbeat Thriller Short, New York Times bestselling writer Ted Bell takes his hero Alex Hawke on a different kind of journey. It’s 1880 and a lovelorn newspaperman journeys to the Channel Islands to learn the true story of the pirate captain Billy Blood’s demise. While there, he learns how a small boy held captive aboard Blood’s frigate is saved from certain death. The boy’s name is Alex Hawke. His dramatic rescue sets the stage for later adventures.

Don’t miss any of these exciting Thriller Shorts:

James Penney’s New Identity by Lee ChildOperation Northwoods by James GrippandoEpitaph by J. A. KonrathThe Face in the Window by Heather GrahamKowalski’s in Love by James RollinsThe Hunt for Dmitri by Gayle LyndsDisfigured by Michael Palmer and Daniel PalmerThe Abelard Sanction by David MorrellFalling by Chris MooneySuccess of a Mission by Dennis LyndsThe Portal by John Lescroart and M. J. RoseThe Double Dealer by David LissDirty Weather by Gregg HurwitzSpirit Walker by David DunAt the Drop of a Hat by Denise HamiltonThe Other Side of the Mirror by Eric Van LustbaderMan Catch by Christopher RiceGoodnight, Sweet Mother by Alex KavaSacrificial Lion by Grant BlackwoodInterlude at Duane’s by F. Paul WilsonThe Powder Monkey by Ted BellSurviving Toronto by M. Diane VogtAssassins by Christopher ReichThe Athens Solution by Brad ThorDiplomatic Constraints by Raelynn HillhouseKill Zone by Robert LiparuloThe Devils’ Due by Steve BerryThe Tuesday Club by Katherine NevilleGone Fishing by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Dec 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781488094583

Ted Bell

Ted Bell is the former Vice-Chairman of the board and World-Wide Creative Director of Young & Rubicam, one of the world’s largest advertising agencies. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Hawke, Assassin, Pirate, Spy, Tsar, Warlord, Phantom, and Warriors, along with a series of YA adventure novels. He lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Book preview

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Experience a heart-pumping and thrilling tale of suspense!

Originally published in THRILLER (2006),

edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author James Patterson.

In this offbeat Thriller Short, New York Times bestselling writer Ted Bell takes his hero Alex Hawke on a different kind of journey.

It’s 1880 and a lovelorn newspaperman journeys to the Channel Islands to learn the true story of the pirate captain Billy Blood’s demise. While there, he learns how a small boy held captive aboard Blood’s frigate is saved from certain death. The boy’s name is Alex Hawke.

His dramatic rescue sets the stage for later adventures.

Don’t miss any of these exciting Thriller Shorts:

James Penney’s New Identity by Lee Child

Operation Northwoods by James Grippando

Epitaph by J. A. Konrath

The Face in the Window by Heather Graham

Kowalski’s in Love by James Rollins

The Hunt for Dmitri by Gayle Lynds

Disfigured by Michael Palmer and Daniel Palmer

The Abelard Sanction by David Morrell

Falling by Chris Mooney

Success of a Mission by Dennis Lynds

The Portal by John Lescroart and M. J. Rose

The Double Dealer by David Liss

Dirty Weather by Gregg Hurwitz

Spirit Walker by David Dun

At the Drop of a Hat by Denise Hamilton

The Other Side of the Mirror by Eric Van Lustbader

Man Catch by Christopher Rice

Goodnight, Sweet Mother by Alex Kava

Sacrificial Lion by Grant Blackwood

Interlude at Duane’s by F. Paul Wilson

The Powder Monkey by Ted Bell

Surviving Toronto by M. Diane Vogt

Assassins by Christopher Reich

The Athens Solution by Brad Thor

Diplomatic Constraints by Raelynn Hillhouse

Kill Zone by Robert Liparulo

The Devils’ Due by Steve Berry

The Tuesday Club by Katherine Neville

Gone Fishing by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

The Powder Monkey

Ted Bell

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CONTENTS

The Powder Monkey

TED BELL

Ted Bell wrote his first novel for children. In the pre-Harry Potter 1990s, Bell lived in London. The generally inclement weather kept his nine-year-old daughter indoors much of the time. Fine reading weather but, in the neighborhood bookstores, the children’s fare was dominated by horror and message books. Where was Treasure Island, Captain Blood or their modern equivalents?

So Bell wrote a young-adult novel that