This is a children’s adventure story that reminded me somewhat of Treasure Island. It’s the story of John Trenchard, an orphan who takes up with a gang of smugglers (or ‘gentlemen of the Contraband’, as the book puts it) in his home village of Moonfleet and his search for the legendary lost treasure of ‘Blackbeard’ Mohune. I first read this story in English class at school and when I saw it going cheap, I picked it up, having forgotten everything whatsoever about it.
It’s a fairly simple story all in, with a strong message of love and family bonds, while its sympathetic treatment of the smugglers and general derring do made me smile. The protagonist was generally sympathetic and fairly believable most of the way through the book, but the events that led to the climax of the book had me shaking my head at his stupidity, although this may have been intentional and intended to link in to the idea that Mohune’s treasure was cursed and would bring misfortune on those who bore it.
