The Lubber’s Hole - A Patrick O’Brian Podcast

The crew of the Leopard go through hell and out the other side. We have disease and despair, a finely-honed intelligence coup, an escape to higher ground, and a fascinating detour into the 18th-century literary and theological easter eggs hidden in Louisa Wogan’s cabin. Grab a slice of iced pudding and settle in!

We get a thickening of the plot with Louisa Wogan and her lover Herapath; plants everywhere to be paid off in this book and later ones; idyllic sailing time, Old Adam, a saintly cleric, decomposed puffins, and Stephen's nemesis finally declares itself as he gathers allies.

There's death below decks, a stowaway, rats and a dog, Stephen stepping up as surgeon and spy (despite his Jonesing), an introduction to the wardroom, classical poets, toasted cheese and Corelli in C Major.

Jack and Stephen get some help from their friends, Stephen navigates the highs and lows of London street life, and we discover what's been happening to Diana Villiers.  To cap it all, Stephen and Jack are persuaded that the best place for them is at sea.

Desolation Island opens with bucolic absurdity - we’ve got Jack Aubrey on ‘Fiddler’s Green’, Stephen dissecting a fresh cadaver's hands before dinner, a catastrophic get-rich-quick scheme, and Jane Austen-style fibbing from almost everyone. Grab a glass of port and mind your poke—we're getting the band back together.