The Bluff (2026) is a new R-rated action-thriller on Prime Video starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas as a former female pirate in the 19th-century Caribbean defending her family. Directed by Frank E. Flowers, the film focuses on "Bloody Mary" (Chopra Jonas) confronting her past when a menacing former captain (Karl Urban) returns.
It’s no surprise that there has been an uptick in titles being published featuring female pirates. To put you in the mood for The Bluff, we’ve put together a list that will make your swashbuckling heart sing!
Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley - This swashbuckling pirate story is based on the true story of Jacquotte Delahaye and her band of women pirates who roamed the Caribbean Sea in 1675. A mixed-race daughter of a wealthy tavern owner on the island of Tortuga, she dreamed of seafaring and smuggling and becomes formidable across the region. Then she is forced to make a choice between honor and the sea when her fellow pirates turn to slavery as profit.
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron - 1656, Saint-Domingue. Jacquotte Delahaye is no ordinary prisoner: she is a pirate. Fierce. Legendary. Deadly. As the hangman prepares the noose, Jacquotte's story is told, charting her humble origins from the island of Hispaniola to the deck of a fearsome pirate ship. There, against all odds, she swiftly rises through the ranks, travelling across the Caribbean, facing duels across land and sea, and savoring tender moments stolen in the night. With the sun rising, can Jacquotte fight her way to freedom and find the woman she loves? Or will she die a legend?
The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh - Condemned as a witch, sentenced to die, Alys Tanner uses her innate magical power to flee Puritanical New England. Stealing a ship, Alys becomes captain of The Sea Witch, leading its all-female, sorcery-wielding pirate crew. But the colonial British navy is in hot pursuit. The navy fights for a choke hold on the Caribbean and will destroy anything they cannot control, especially witches. When Ben Priestley, a headstrong naval navigator, is inadvertently captured by the lady pirates, dangerous truths are revealed.
Woman, Captain, Rebel: the Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain by Margaret Willson - Many people may have heard the old sailing superstition that having women onboard a ship was bad luck. Thus, the sea remains in popular knowledge a male realm. Cultural anthropologist Margaret Willson would like to introduce a fearless woman into our imagination of the sea: Thurídur Einarsdóttir. Captain Thurídur was a controversial woman constantly contesting social norms while simultaneously becoming a respected captain fighting for dignity and equality for underrepresented Icelanders.
Ultramarine by Mariette Navarro - The metaphysically disorienting tale of a female captain who loses control of her thinking-and her crew-aboard a cargo ship in the Atlantic. Ultramarine begins when the female captain agrees to let her crew stop the engines and go for a swim. But when they return, the crew of mariners is not the original 20, but 21. When the ship itself begins behaving strangely, a haunting question emerges: is she hallucinating, or is this real?
The Price of Redemption by Shawn Carpenter - Despite her powerful magic, Marquese Enid d'Tancreville must flee her homeland to escape death at the hands of the Theocratic Revolution. When a Theocratic warship overtakes the ship bringing her to safety, Enid is spared capture by the timely intervention of the Albion frigate Alarum, under the command of Lt. Rue Nath. The strange circumstances make for an odd alliance, and Enid finds herself replacing Alarum's recently slain sea mage. Now an officer under Nath's command, Enid is thrust into a strange maritime world full of confusing customs, duties, and language. Worse she soon discovers the threat of the revolution is not confined to shore.
Rears & Vices by E.M. Caro - This story takes readers on a swashbuckling adventure from start to finish. A highly enjoyable poly pirate romp, lush with historical and nautical detail, with a fantastic cast of characters, it delivers all the passion, intrigue, and high stakes of a thrilling pirate adventure with deliciously modern sensibilities. A bygone maritime era comes alive in Caro's lush, vibrant prose.
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty - Chakraborty gives readers an unlikely high-seas historical fantasy about a retired, happy, stay-at-home mom and middle-aged pirate captain brought back for one last job. To save a kidnapped girl, Amina must reunite her crew and face demons, sorcerers, and dangerous supernatural threats in the Indian Ocean. This is a witty, action-packed story about motherhood, legacy, and found family. The next book in the series, The Tapestry of Fate, comes out in May, so buckle up for more pirate adventures.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson - This delightful tale is a whimsical, standalone Cosmere fantasy adventure by Brandon Sanderson that serves as a “reverse-Princess Bride” tale. Tress, an ordinary woman from a sleepy island, leaves home to rescue her friend Charlie, who has been captured by a sorceress on the dangerous Midnight Sea, which is filled with treacherous, water-activated spores. If you’ve ever wanted to try Sanderson without committing to a multibook series, this is the book for you.
