title: The Pirate Queen: The Story of Grace O'Malley, Irish Pirate
author:  Alan Gold 
description: Gold celebrates the bravura of "a woman in a man's world" with his swashbuckling second novel (after <i>Warrior Queen</i>) about a 16th-century Irish buccaneer as gorgeous as she was dauntless. Set against the backdrop of Ireland and England from 1544 to 1588, the novel tracks Grace O'Malley's career from girlhood to middle age, with the occasional chapter cutting away to Queen Elizabeth I, an equally red-haired, resourceful and outspoken heroine. The daughter of a chieftain and merchantmancumpirate, Grace takes up her father's trade and commands a merchant fleet by age 30. An astute trader, ruthless pirate and Irish patriot, she plunders the ships of the Dutch, French, Spanish and Turksand with particular relish stymies the oppressive English. She also achieves two marriages, four children and many amorous liaisons. Grace's story meets Queen Elizabeth's toward the novel's end, when the English kidnap Grace's youngest son. The Irishwoman courageously calls on the queen to ask for her son's return, and the two kindred spirits spend a remarkable night together of shared confidences and political wheeling and dealing. This fantastical yarn will satisfy readers looking to root for a strong woman with a sharp sword and even more pointed tongue. <i>(Jan.)</i> <br />Copyright  Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > > THE PIRATE’S ANGEL
  
  > > CAROLINE LEE
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  >
  
  
  > ABOUT THIS BOOK
  
  
   The Black Banner has been the scourge of the Western Isles for as long as
  there have been stories of fierce and bloodthirsty pirates. But sometimes, a
  lady is desperate.
  
  
  
   Tavish MacLeod is the latest in a long line to wear the black kilt, but life
  has gotten simpler since his twin sister became Scotland's spy-mistress. Sure,
  he's pillaging and burning less often, but thanks to his royal connections, he
  and his crew are handed all the juiciest opportunities to help Scotland's
  interests at sea. A royal privateer, so to speak.
  
  
  
   Which will come in handy, since this latest mission isn't a mission at all.
  
  
  
   Lady Isabel de Strathbogie is one of the Queen's Angels, an elite group of
  spies masquerading as ladies-in-waiting. She loves her place at court, secure
  in her knowledge of her skills and her place...until disaster strikes. When
  her young son is kidnapped along with one of the royal princes