"Ships in the Bay!" is a historical novel set during unsuccessful French invasion near Liverpool in a late eighteenth-century. Martin Tyrrell is an Englishman who falsely represents himself as Mr. Thompson who gets mixed up in some traitorous schemes with his Irish relatives and ends up being accused of treason. Tyrrell enjoys the affection of beautiful Miss Nest Meredith and an unusual friendship of Mr. Jerome Salt, the antiquarian and historian. The French attack arrives suitably for Martin to clear himself of treasonable motives and with the help of his friend he proceeds to pursue his fair lady, and prove his honorable intentions.