Those in Peril was published by Macmillan in 2011. Hazel Dobie is the CEO of a major oil company; her daughter Cayla is kidnapped by Somali pirates while on a yacht off the Horn of Africa. The pirates — led by a warlord called Sheikh Adam — demand an enormous ransom. Hazel hires Hector Cross, a former SAS officer running a private military company, to retrieve her daughter.
The novel is set in the contemporary world of Somali piracy, private military contractors, and the lawless coastal territories where international shipping is vulnerable. Smith researched the world extensively — the details of pirate operations, the economics of ransom payments, the capabilities of modern PMCs — and the result is his most contemporary-feeling novel in decades.
At seventy-eight, Smith was no longer writing everything himself — he worked with co-writers on his later novels, though the degree of collaboration varied. Those in Peril reads as recognizably Smith: the action is visceral, the villain is irredeemably evil, the hero is physically formidable and morally uncomplicated, and the Africa (this time the Horn rather than the south) is rendered with genuine knowledge.
The Co-Writing Era
Smith’s later novels were written with co-authors — a practice that became common among bestselling thriller writers (James Patterson, Tom Clancy). Smith was open about the collaboration: he provided the story, the setting, and the voice; the co-writers did much of the drafting. Those in Peril was the first novel clearly influenced by this approach, maintaining Smith’s signature style while updating his subject matter for the twenty-first century.
Collecting Those in Peril
First edition (Macmillan, London, 2011): Boards with dust jacket.
Approximate market values:
- First edition, fine/fine: $15–$35
- Very good/very good: $8–$20
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation. Smith’s death in 2021 has increased interest in his complete works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Wilbur Smith use co-writers? In his later career, yes. From Those in Peril (2011) onwards, several novels were co-written, initially with Tom Cain and later with other collaborators. Smith provided the outlines, characters, and African settings; the co-writers handled much of the drafting. This was a common arrangement for prolific bestselling authors.