I cannot recall a time when the words "To be continued..." at the end of a book made me this sad.

Sure, ending a book on a cliffhanger can be frustrating, particularly if you're an impatient reader and the next volume isn't expected for a number of years. But in the case of Droits of the Crown, the 18th book in David Donachie's John Pearce long-running series, the final three words carry a special significance. Donachie, a popular and immensely talented author of dozens of books, most of which fall in the thrilling genre of British naval adventures, died late in 2023. I do not know how far along the next book was when he died, but his passing leaves the series forever unfinished.

And, yes, it ends with a great many plot lines unresolved.

How would the court find in Pearce's unfinished court martial? Would he ever receive his well-deserved share of the Spanish silver that he seized in a bold ship-to-ship action? Would he ever earn the respect of his superiors and peers in the navy? Would he have fought at Trafalgar, where his most notable ally, Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, achieved his greatest victory and lost his life?

In matters ashore, what of the tangled skein of affairs involving the duplicitous prize agent Edward Druce, government agent Samuel Oliphant, former smuggler Franklin Tolland, conscientious thief-taker Walter Hodgson, persistent conman Cornelius Gherson, and Lt. Toby Burns, the perjured ally of the late Captain Ralph Barclay? What of Pearce's troubled romance with Barclay's widow Emily, who conceived their son during a torrid affair (while Captain Barclay was still alive) and who now keeps him at bay for fear of a public scandal and humiliation? Would he ever have been acknowledged as their son's true father?

Donachie had a lot of active storylines in play, some of which stretch back to the first few books in the series. A few threads had been neatly tied off in recent novels, but so many remain hanging ... it's hard to believe we'll never know how the author planned to resolve them. Who knows, perhaps he left a half-finished manuscript on his desk, with copious notes explaining his ultimate plan for the series, and maybe his heirs will find a suitable writer to finish the story on his behalf. I haven't heard any rumors to that effect, but we can always hope.

In the meantime, we can be happy that Donachie left us with such a rich library of stories -- not just the John Pearce books, but his Nelson & Emma trilogy, his six-book series of Privateersman Mysteries, his Markham of the Marines books, among others. Donachie was a prolific writer, and I for one am grateful for his legacy.

In John Pearce, Donachie gave us a flawed hero who overcame a great many obstacles and injustices in his path. Droits of the Crown is an excellent chapter in Pearce's ongoing adventures, including a desperate mission to evacuate members of the Corsican government before French agents can capture them.

Unless some posthumous conclusion is in the works, we'll have to accept that as the final word on the subject.