John Solomon—Supercargo

John Solomon, a ship's supercargo, becomes entangled in a maritime murder mystery when a crewman is found dead aboard a cattle boat. As suspicion spreads among officers and seamen, Solomon helps interrogate suspects, deciphers tensions among the crew and local laborers, and joins a voyage toward an African littoral. The journey mixes detective work with seaborne adventure: political friction, mysterious artifacts, and perilous expeditions bring the party into skull-strewn sites, hidden pits of adders, and searches for a fabled cache, forcing Solomon and companions to confront hostility, betrayal, and the hazards of remote coasts.