What do you think?
Rate this book
Chinese Poison: A Royal Navy military thriller
The first book in a thrilling British Royal Navy series! Perfect for fans of Dewey Lambdin, Patrick O’Brian, John Winton, and Douglas Reeman.
A Royal Navy recruit enters service in Chinese waters…
China Station, 1920s
The ‘M’ class destroyers had little or nothing to commend them. Possessing such a low freeboard that they constantly rolled or pitched, they had one redeeming feature — any seaman who survived a term without dying of seasickness, being swept overboard, or going mad, could survive anything in the Royal Navy.
Paul Dexter, sent to Chinese waters as First Lieutenant of HMS Mistletoe, finds he has more than just the ‘M’ class destroyer to contend with…
Thrown in at the deep end on a mission to intercept gun-running pirates, Dexter gets the chance to prove himself while gaining the loyalty of the crew.
But he also earns his ship a dangerous reputation that could put them all at risk…
CHINESE POISON is the first book in the Paul Dexter action-packed historical naval adventures.
PAUL DEXTER
BOOK 1: Chinese Poison
BOOK 2: All Stations to Malta
BOOK 3: An Explosive Situation
BOOK 4: Shadow of the Rock
BOOK 5: Second-in-Command
BOOK 6: Redoubtable Dexter
BOOK 7: Dexter at War
A Royal Navy recruit enters service in Chinese waters…
China Station, 1920s
The ‘M’ class destroyers had little or nothing to commend them. Possessing such a low freeboard that they constantly rolled or pitched, they had one redeeming feature — any seaman who survived a term without dying of seasickness, being swept overboard, or going mad, could survive anything in the Royal Navy.
Paul Dexter, sent to Chinese waters as First Lieutenant of HMS Mistletoe, finds he has more than just the ‘M’ class destroyer to contend with…
Thrown in at the deep end on a mission to intercept gun-running pirates, Dexter gets the chance to prove himself while gaining the loyalty of the crew.
But he also earns his ship a dangerous reputation that could put them all at risk…
CHINESE POISON is the first book in the Paul Dexter action-packed historical naval adventures.
PAUL DEXTER
BOOK 1: Chinese Poison
BOOK 2: All Stations to Malta
BOOK 3: An Explosive Situation
BOOK 4: Shadow of the Rock
BOOK 5: Second-in-Command
BOOK 6: Redoubtable Dexter
BOOK 7: Dexter at War
287 pages, Paperback
Published October 2, 2025
159 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 17, 2026
A young Royal Navy officer is sent to 1920s China and given command of a destroyer. He then spends the rest of the novel in spy/anti-criminal adventures failing upwards.
It appears to have been written for teens, but for all that is pretty good. The author liked using parenthesis within dialog.
The main issue is the MC is a little too stupid. He is dumber than at least half of the other characters.
It appears to have been written for teens, but for all that is pretty good. The author liked using parenthesis within dialog.
The main issue is the MC is a little too stupid. He is dumber than at least half of the other characters.
October 23, 2025
Paul dexter
A great book looking forward to getting the rest of the series and hope that they are as good as the first
A great book looking forward to getting the rest of the series and hope that they are as good as the first
March 15, 2026
Very good.
This should be made unto a movie, or maybe a series like Downton Abbey. I think it that good. Read it.
This should be made unto a movie, or maybe a series like Downton Abbey. I think it that good. Read it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews