The first of a series, this is the mystery debut of an esteemed writer of maritime history. In 1838, William Wiki Coffin, half American, half Maori, signs as a translator and navigator with the U. S. South Seas Exploring Expedition, a fleet of seven ships tasked with mapping and collecting natural specimens from the Pacific Islands. Unfortunately, just before he is about to leave, Wiki discovers a body; it is the wife of an expedition astronomer, and Wiki is accused of her murder. Having cleared his name, Wiki is then asked by the Virginia sheriff who arrested him to find the true murderer, whom the sheriff believes to be a member of the expedition. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.