Note: Each Dugan book is a standalone story. Read them in any order.
Take a ship hijacked by murderous pirates, its crew held hostage. Add a fortune in sunken treasure, guarded by an aging, unstable Nazi bioweapon. Stir a bit and things get really interesting. Based on a true story.
When Tom Dugan’s desperate effort to ransom his crew from murderous Somali pirates is halted by order of the US and British governments, the angry pirates ratchet up the mistreatment of their captives, broadcasting the abuse over the internet. Witnessing a crewman murdered before his eyes on a live video feed is too much, and an enraged Dugan defies government orders and launches his own rescue, only to stumble across something far more sinister — a nearby treasure recovery expedition that's raised a long lost weapon of mass destruction. Isolated at sea on an ancient rust bucket previously destined for the ship breakers, Dugan and his ragtag little band of Russian mercenaries and Texas rednecks find themselves the last line of defense between the world and a terrifying bio-weapon -- presuming they don't kill each other first.
Weaving historical fact with fiction, Deadly Coast takes the reader into the very real world of modern day pirates — and their victims.
A Note from the Author
The public has long romanticized pirates, but reality is a long way from Treasure Island. Each year in forgotten backwaters of the world, merchant ships are hijacked, with their crews becoming hostages -- or worse. It’s a thought never far from the minds of those of us who once sailed, or who have friends and loved ones who still, in the words of the King James Bible, ‘go down to the sea in ships.’
My concern is personal. In 2006, I attended the dry-docking of the ship M/V Biscaglia in Singapore. For weeks, I worked and shared meals with the ship’s crew, and my heart sank some months later when that ship was hijacked by pirates. I was thankful when after two months, ransom was paid and the crew freed, mistreated but alive. Crimes aren’t so abstract when you know the victims.
Pirates were much on my mind as I researched my next book and found the record of the treasure ship SS John Barry sunk near Somali waters in 1944 by a German U-boat. That event fit well with related research on the very real and terrifying Japanese bioweapon program of World War II. Together, the blend of historical events and modern day pirates formed the backdrop for the plot of Deadly Coast. The book is fiction, but the underlying story is historical fact, and the details are as accurate as I could make them.
Warning: While this book is suitable for a young adult audience, parental discretion is advised for persons younger than 15 years, due to the mature subject matter.
Excerpts From Amazon Reviews (See Full Text Below)
A fast read with surprising twists. In the style of Clive Cussler, and every bit as interesting. – Doug in Arizona
Absolutely riveting! Piracy off the Somali coast and a world held hostage to the pirate’s demands provide the back drop to undisclosed historical secrets cleverly woven into the story. A must read for Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler fans. – RxConsult
I'm a voracious reader of action and adventure. This book will not disappoint fans of Clancy, Cussler, Matthew Reilly, etc. I was searching for modern submarine novels and came upon this author. He’s now on my ‘must read’ list. – Greg Bell
I’m an avid Cussler/Clancy fan, and McDermott weaves equally compelling tales. His knowledge of his subject matter is apparent in the fine details, used just enough to make the story feel truly genuine. His Tom Dugan character has the potential to rival Dirk Pitt and Jack Ryan as a favorite fictional character. – Sandy Schmeling
I love Cussler and McDermott is just as good. The non-stop action grabs you from the start and doesn't let go. – Richard Smith
Take a ship hijacked by murderous pirates, its crew held hostage. Add a fortune in sunken treasure, guarded by an aging, unstable Nazi bioweapon. Stir a bit and things get really interesting. Based on a true story.
When Tom Dugan’s desperate effort to ransom his crew from murderous Somali pirates is halted by order of the US and British governments, the angry pirates ratchet up the mistreatment of their captives, broadcasting the abuse over the internet. Witnessing a crewman murdered before his eyes on a live video feed is too much, and an enraged Dugan defies government orders and launches his own rescue, only to stumble across something far more sinister — a nearby treasure recovery expedition that's raised a long lost weapon of mass destruction. Isolated at sea on an ancient rust bucket previously destined for the ship breakers, Dugan and his ragtag little band of Russian mercenaries and Texas rednecks find themselves the last line of defense between the world and a terrifying bio-weapon -- presuming they don't kill each other first.
Weaving historical fact with fiction, Deadly Coast takes the reader into the very real world of modern day pirates — and their victims.
A Note from the Author
The public has long romanticized pirates, but reality is a long way from Treasure Island. Each year in forgotten backwaters of the world, merchant ships are hijacked, with their crews becoming hostages -- or worse. It’s a thought never far from the minds of those of us who once sailed, or who have friends and loved ones who still, in the words of the King James Bible, ‘go down to the sea in ships.’
My concern is personal. In 2006, I attended the dry-docking of the ship M/V Biscaglia in Singapore. For weeks, I worked and shared meals with the ship’s crew, and my heart sank some months later when that ship was hijacked by pirates. I was thankful when after two months, ransom was paid and the crew freed, mistreated but alive. Crimes aren’t so abstract when you know the victims.
Pirates were much on my mind as I researched my next book and found the record of the treasure ship SS John Barry sunk near Somali waters in 1944 by a German U-boat. That event fit well with related research on the very real and terrifying Japanese bioweapon program of World War II. Together, the blend of historical events and modern day pirates formed the backdrop for the plot of Deadly Coast. The book is fiction, but the underlying story is historical fact, and the details are as accurate as I could make them.
Warning: While this book is suitable for a young adult audience, parental discretion is advised for persons younger than 15 years, due to the mature subject matter.
Excerpts From Amazon Reviews (See Full Text Below)
A fast read with surprising twists. In the style of Clive Cussler, and every bit as interesting. – Doug in Arizona
Absolutely riveting! Piracy off the Somali coast and a world held hostage to the pirate’s demands provide the back drop to undisclosed historical secrets cleverly woven into the story. A must read for Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler fans. – RxConsult
I'm a voracious reader of action and adventure. This book will not disappoint fans of Clancy, Cussler, Matthew Reilly, etc. I was searching for modern submarine novels and came upon this author. He’s now on my ‘must read’ list. – Greg Bell
I’m an avid Cussler/Clancy fan, and McDermott weaves equally compelling tales. His knowledge of his subject matter is apparent in the fine details, used just enough to make the story feel truly genuine. His Tom Dugan character has the potential to rival Dirk Pitt and Jack Ryan as a favorite fictional character. – Sandy Schmeling
I love Cussler and McDermott is just as good. The non-stop action grabs you from the start and doesn't let go. – Richard Smith
