Joycey Becket runs a second-hand bookstore in the seedier part of Greenwich in London. Never too worried about the legality of some of the material that comes his way, he is offered and purchases a strange 17th century manuscript. Suspecting that the document, with its curious map, may be the key to unlocking a real 300-year old pirate mystery, Joycey and his two companions set to work. The consequence is a brutal murder and increasing violence as they pursue the meaning of the letter. The story behind 'The Wapping Conspiracy' is based on a genuine historical incident and suggests the answer to a pirate mystery that has puzzled historians and treasure hunters for centuries. Richard Thomas's book is based on years of research and refers to real historical material and characters.