Captain Kidd

The ninth-great-grandson of legendary privateer Captain William Kidd, Samuel Marquis, M.S., P.G., is a professional hydrogeologist, expert witness, and bestselling, award-winning author of twelve American non-fiction-history, historical-fiction, and suspense books, covering primarily the period from colonial America through WWII. His American history and historical fiction books have been #1 Denver Post bestsellers and received multiple national book awards in both fiction and non-fiction categories (Kirkus Reviews and Foreword Reviews Book of the Year, American Book Fest and USA Best Book, Readers’ Favorite, Beverly Hills, Independent Publisher, Colorado Book Awards, and others). His historical titles have garnered glowing reviews from bestselling authors, colonial American history and maritime historians, U.S. military veterans, Kirkus Reviews, and Foreword Reviews (5 Stars).

Praise for Captain Kidd: "Riveting revisionist history. . . A caustic takedown of a centuries-old hit job."—Publishers Weekly  (starred review) "An important addition to the literature of piracy."—Booklist "Samuel Marquis makes history feel like a thrilling drama. . . . Captain Kidd is a great read for anyone who loves history, adventure, or just a great true story about how easily someone’s legacy can be rewritten."—Readers' Favorite, Book Awards Gold Medal-winner “With Captain Kidd, Samuel Marquis deftly separates the man from the myth in a riveting narrative that includes a compelling cast of characters, cannon fire, sword fights, mutiny, and treasure—all with the fate of empires hanging in the balance. A rollicking tale that proves that true stories are the best ones.”  —Buddy Levy, bestselling author of Realm of Ice and Sky and Empire of Ice and Stone  “Marquis paints the life of the inimitable Captain Kidd in bold, rich colors. A dashing, absorbing tale.” —Stephan Talty, bestselling author of Empire of Blue Water  “Captain Kidd presents one of the most intriguing tales of all time, with author Samuel Marquis bringing it to life through a blend of Clive Cussler-esque prose and Biblical-scholar-level research. You will taste the salty air, feel the cannonballs buzzing past, and not merely hear the explosions, but feel them in your teeth.” —Keith Thomson, author of Born to Be Hanged  “Captain Kidd is a well-researched and thoroughly readable account of the rise and downfall of this enigmatic character and is a welcome addition to the world of pirate history.” —James L. Nelson, author of Benedict Arnold’s Navy  “If you enjoy a good read about piracy this is a book for you.” —Robert Ritchie, PhD, former Foundation Director of Research, Huntington Library, Professor of History-UCSD, and author of Captain Kidd and the War against the Pirates  “Samuel Marquis provides the reader with a remarkable impression of Captain William Kidd, one that attempts to reincarnate the real person rather than the caricatured and often enigmatic villain-trope.” —Benerson Little, historian and author of The Golden Age of Piracy and The Sea Rover’s Practice  “Marquis has written a fascinating and engaging new study of the pirate Captain Kidd. A must-read for all pirate fans and scholars!” —Rebecca Simon, PhD, historian and author of Why We Love Pirates “A new book tackling Kidd’s career on both sides of the law with fresh information and evidence is bound to find an enthusiastic audience.” —Guy Chet, PhD, Professor of History, University of North Texas, and author of The Ocean Is a Wilderness and The Colonists’ American Revolution  “Anchored in rapidly globalizing seventeenth century seascapes and crewed by some of the most compelling and historically consequential characters that you’ve never heard of (until now), Marquis takes us on an action-packed voyage to discover the real Captain Kidd and his contributions to the making of America.” —John R. Welch, PhD, Professor of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University “Few authors could tell Kidd's complicated story as well as Samuel Marquis. With a beachcomber's eye for detail and a playwright's sense of drama, Marquis traces Kidd's zig-zagging trajectory as he threads his way through history, gaining fame and absorbing blame.” —Kris Lane, PhD, Professor of History, Tulane University, and author of Piracy in the Early Modern Era