From Publishers Weekly
Llewellyn's genre-bending mystery mixes suspense with elements of a sea saga.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
The ironically named Fred Hope is a disillusioned ex-environmental activist who served a prison sentence for his part in an antiwhaling action that left his wife, Helen, a quadriplegic. Fred now runs a small seaside hotel in England and operates a charter ship with his ne'er-do-well brother-in-law, Hugo. Fred's beloved Uncle Ernie is arrested for gunrunning, mysteriously escapes from custody, and then, just as mysteriously, turns up dead. Ernie has long been a pacifist, and Fred refuses to accept the official story of his arrest. Fred's pursuit of the truth sucks him into a vortex of Norwegian Nazis, ex-KGB agents, the IRA, smuggling, forgery, and illicit whaling. Along the way, he is beaten, shot at, tossed in the sea, and has his eyes threatened on a spike fence. Author Llewellyn's prose rarely rises above the pedestrian, he spends far too long telling Ernie's life story, and the pat ending is much too abrupt. Still, the characters are engaging, and the scenes of high-seas action are wonderfully crafted. Marginally recommended, especially where earlier Llewellyn thrillers have been popular.
George Needham
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
