Justin Somper Books in Order
Explore Justin Somper’s books in order, with concise summaries, series background, and helpful reading-order guidance for choosing where to start next.
Last updated: July 14, 2026
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Justin Somper books in publication order
13 books
The Pyramid Plot
by Justin Somper
1993
Jaz and Gusto’s Egyptian holiday becomes a hunt for clues when they encounter crooks and an ancient treasure trail. Readers solve puzzles alongside them as they try to outwit Iona Fortune and uncover the pyramid’s secret.
The Third Usborne Book of Puzzle Adventures
by Justin Somper
1994
This illustrated collection gathers three interactive mystery adventures, including The Pyramid Plot. Readers decode clues, solve visual puzzles, and follow the action through separate cases involving spies, conspiracies, and hidden secrets.
Demons of the Ocean
by Justin Somper
2006
After their father dies, twins Grace and Connor flee by sea and are separated in a storm. Connor is rescued by pirates, while Grace boards a mysterious ship where vampires may be hiding behind strict rules.
Tide of Terror
by Justin Somper
2007
Grace and Connor are together again, but pirate life brings fresh danger after an attack goes wrong. At Pirate Academy, Connor’s loyalties are tested while Grace plans a perilous return to the Vampirate ship.
Blood Captain
by Justin Somper
2008
Grace travels to Sanctuary, where healing Vampirates and dangerous new temptations test her growing powers. Connor joins a risky pirate heist and must protect an unpredictable crewmate, forcing him to confront the violence of his new life.
Black Heart
by Justin Somper
2009
Grace and Connor learn a truth about their identity that drives a painful wedge between them. As Sidorio builds his power with the ruthless Lady Lola, the Pirate Federation prepares a new force to fight back.
Empire of Night
by Justin Somper
2010
Sidorio and Lola step up their campaign of terror as Grace and Connor are drawn toward their true father. Meanwhile, an uneasy alliance between pirates and Vampirates becomes the only hope of stopping a war for the oceans.
Immortal War
by Justin Somper
2011
War engulfs the oceans as the Pirate Federation and Nocturnal Vampirates fight Sidorio and Lola’s rebels. Grace works to heal the wounded while Connor joins a mission to reclaim the Diablo before the final battle.
Allies & Assassins
by Justin Somper
2013
After his older brother’s death, sixteen-year-old Jared becomes Prince of All Archenfield. With only physician’s apprentice Asta at his side, he investigates a murder that may lead straight into the dangerous heart of his new court.
A Conspiracy of Princes
by Justin Somper
2015
Newly crowned Prince Jared must find allies against invading rivals, but his own court may be plotting to remove him. As he leaves Archenfield to save it, betrayal grows among the people he trusted to rule in his absence.
Missing at Sea
by Justin Somper
2026
The Barracuda class finally gets to sail without teachers during the Oceans Bound challenge. But as Jacoby, Jasmine, and Neo tackle its tasks, someone takes control of the course and turns their school adventure into a fight to survive.
New Kid on Deck
by Justin Somper
2026
At the elite Pirate Academy, Jacoby Blunt and Jasmine Peacock train in sailing, knots, and combat. Then a mysterious new student arrives with a secret, bringing a ruthless enemy far closer than anyone expects.
Sword Echoes
by Justin Somper
2026
A trusted Pirate Academy teacher is linked to the growing League of True Pirates, leaving the Barracuda class shaken. While Jasmine risks dangerous waters to find her father, Neo follows his mother’s trail toward a powerful sword.
Where to start with Justin Somper
For pirate fantasy: Demons of the Ocean → Tide of Terror → Blood Captain → Black Heart
For court intrigue and murder mystery: Allies & Assassins → A Conspiracy of Princes
For younger pirate adventures: New Kid on Deck → Missing at Sea → Sword Echoes
For interactive puzzle stories: The Pyramid Plot → The Third Usborne Book of Puzzle Adventures
Justin Somper sub-series and character series
Enemies Of The Prince books in order
Explore this seriesPirate Academy books in order
Explore this seriesUsborne Puzzle Adventures books in order
Explore this seriesVampirates books in order
Explore this series
Demons of the Ocean
by Justin Somper
2006Vampirates, Book 1
Tide of Terror
by Justin Somper
2007Vampirates, Book 2
Blood Captain
by Justin Somper
2008Vampirates, Book 3
Black Heart
by Justin Somper
2009Vampirates, Book 4
Empire of Night
by Justin Somper
2010Vampirates, Book 5
Immortal War
by Justin Somper
2011Vampirates, Book 6
Vampirates books in chronological order

Demons of the Ocean
by Justin Somper
2006Vampirates, Book 1
Tide of Terror
by Justin Somper
2007Vampirates, Book 2
Blood Captain
by Justin Somper
2008Vampirates, Book 3
Black Heart
by Justin Somper
2009Vampirates, Book 4
Empire of Night
by Justin Somper
2010Vampirates, Book 5
Immortal War
by Justin Somper
2011Vampirates, Book 6
Author bio
Justin Somper grew up in Hertfordshire, England, in a busy family where books, theatre, art, and music were part of everyday life. He was the youngest of four children, and all their names began with J. Even the family dog was called Jasper.
He started writing early, filling pages with stories, poems, and plays while at school. Teachers encouraged him, and at seventeen he wrote a mystery-comedy play for a local youth theatre group. He later studied English and American Literature at the University of Warwick, including a creative writing course.
The sea was just as important as books. Although he grew up far from the coast, Somper’s family spent summer holidays in North Devon, where he swam, surfed, explored beaches, and fell in love with the feeling of being near the water. That long-running fascination would later shape much of his fiction.
After graduating during the recession of 1990, Somper answered an advert for a writer and editor at Usborne. The job led to his first published book, The Pyramid Plot, an interactive Egypt-set adventure packed with clues and puzzles. It arrived in 1992 and gave him a practical introduction to how children’s books are made.
It was a useful first step.
Somper then built a career in children’s publishing and publicity, working at Puffin and later becoming Publicity Director for Children’s Books at Random House. In 1998, he went freelance as a publicist and consultant, helping authors and publishers with campaigns while continuing to make time for his own writing.
His big fictional world arrived with Demons of the Ocean, the first Vampirates novel. The series follows twins Grace and Connor Tempest after a shipwreck separates them between a pirate ship and a mysterious vessel of vampires. It combines sea battles, strange ships, family secrets, friendship, and the uneasy question of whom to trust. The six main novels have been published widely in many languages.
Pirates and vampires turned out to be a very workable combination.
Somper later wrote the Allies & Assassins books, a court mystery set in the troubled princedom of Archenfield. In Allies & Assassins and A Conspiracy of Princes, young ruler Jared and physician’s apprentice Asta face murder investigations, rival territories, and a court full of people with their own plans. The books shift from open ocean adventure to political pressure, but keep Somper’s interest in danger, loyalty, and young people forced to grow up fast.
His newer Pirate Academy series returns to the wider world of Vampirates for younger readers. Beginning with New Kid on Deck, it follows pupils learning sailing, knots, combat, and teamwork at a pirate school, while a real threat builds around them. Somper now lives in Western Australia, close to the Indian Ocean, and has taken sailing lessons while writing these sea-bound stories.
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