Newcastle-based lawyer Eric Ward is surprised when an important local shipping firm, Goldsteins, pay him a large retainer to do some work for them. Goldstein's have their own in-house legal team so Ward can't understand why they have come to him his usual client list is somewhat on the seedy side and he doesn't have much experience of major shipping activity. But the money is good, so he agrees to takes the case. One of Goldstein's ships, the Sierra Nova, has been 'arrested' and is unable to leave the port. The reason is that one of the crew, Edwards, has been caught smuggling drugs. But now he's been removed from the ship, why can't the voyage go ahead? Things get even more complicated when Edwards is killed on his way into the courtroom. When Ward finally gets to talk to the police, he finds that the Sierra Nova is under investigation by the International Maritime Bureau. They want him to betray his client's confidence and assist them with their case. It isn't long before Ward finds himself immersed in the dangerous world of international conspiracy and modern day piracy. A gripping new legal thriller, Phantom is the latest in Roy Lewis's popular Eric Ward series.