This book is a work of fiction, and I have taken a great many liberties with what is known and what is surmised about the fate of Surcouf. The characters in this book are not based on any of the real crew members of the Surcouf, and this imaginary tale does not reflect the great respect and admiration I have for the French and British naval men who sacrificed their lives for the Allies’ cause.

It is my hope that my readers will become intrigued with Surcouf and spend a little time on the Internet reading about this marvelous chapter in naval history.

–Christine Kling

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the following people for their help, ideas, support and encouragement: Kevin Foster for bringing me the idea of SURCOUF, James Rusbridger, author of Who Killed Surcouf, my editors Ramona DeFelice Long and Mary Jastrzebski, my mentors Jim Hall and Lynne Barrett, friends Bruce Amlicke, Kathleen Ginestra, Barbara Lichter, my Britishisms reader Judith Reiss, my brother and fight expert Stephen Gray, explosives expert Paul Laska, Intelligence community critics Michael John Smith and Ed Magno, readers M. Diane Vogt, Joyce Li, Kerry Fisher, Linda Lowe, Rochelle Stabb, Emily Adams, Hawkeye Sheene, PJ Arnn, Lynn Hightower, the muddlers from Writers in Paradise, members of the Bluewater writers group Mike Jastrzebski, Neil Plakcy, Sharon Potts, and Miriam Auerbach, my fellow contributors at writeonethewater dot com, and Akinoluna of afemalemarine dot com.

 The cover art for this book was done by Robin Ludwig Design, Inc.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine Kling has spent more than thirty years messing about with boats. Her articles and stories have appeared in many boating publications including Sailing, Cruising World, and Motor Boating & Sailing and her short stories have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. It was her sailing experience that led her to set her first nautical suspense novel, SURFACE TENSION (2002), on the New River in Fort Lauderdale.  Featuring Florida female tug and salvage captain, Seychelle Sullivan, the first book was followed by CROSS CURRENT (2004), BITTER END (2005), and WRECKERS’ KEY (2007).  Her latest book CIRCLE OF BONES (2011) is Christine’s first stand-alone sailing thriller. Having retired from her job as an English professor at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, Christine lives aboard her 33-foot boat Talespinner and goes wherever the wind and free wifi may take her.

Visit Christine at http://www.christinekling.com

Christine’s eBooks Available on Kindle

Surface Tension

Cross Current

Bitter End

Wreckers’ Key

Sea Bitch: Four Tales of Nautical Noir

Circle of Bones

Table of Contents

Title page

Copyright

Dedication

Inscription

Map

Prologue

1-Royal Naval Dockyard

2-The island of Guadeloupe

3-At sea off Guadeloupe

4-New Haven

5-At sea off Guadeloupe

6-The Atlantic south of Bermuda

7-Aboard the Bonefish

8–The harbor at Point-a-Pitre

9- Washington, DC

10–Pointe-a-Pitre

11-Marigot Bay, Guadeloupe

12-Pointe-a-Pitre

13-The Atlantic south of Bermuda

14-Pointe-a-Pitre

15–Pointe-a-Pitre

16–Pointe-a-Pitre

17-Aboard the Bonefish

18-Aboard the Shadow Chaser

19-Le Mambo Cafe

20-The Atlantic south of Bermuda

21-Le Gosier

22-Aboard the Bonefish

23-Grand Terre, Guadeloupe

24-Fort Napoleon

25-Bourges des Saintes

26-Iles des Saintes

27-The Atlantic south of Bermuda

28-Iles des Saintes

29-Iles des Saintes

30-Aboard Bonefish

31-Aboard Bonefish

32-The Atlantic south of Bermuda

33-Aboard the Fish n’ Chicks

34-Aboard the Bonefish

35-Aboard the Shadow Chaser

36-Bourges des Saintes

37-Aboard Shadow Chaser

38-Aboard the Shadow Chaser

39-The Atlantic south of Bermuda

40-Aboard the Shadow Chaser

41-From Bonefish to Shadow Chaser

42-Portsmouth, Dominica

43-Aboard Fish n’ Chicks

44-Portsmouth, Dominica

45-Indian River, Dominica

46-Indian River, Dominica

47–The Atlantic south of Bermuda

48-Indian River, Dominica

49-Indian River, Dominica

50-In the air

51-The Atlantic Ocean

52-Iles des Saintes

53- Washington, DC

54-McLean, Virginia

55-Foggy Bottom

56-McLean, Virginia

57-Foggy Bottom

58-The Atlantic Ocean

59-Foggy Bottom

60-The Library of Congress

61-Washington, DC

62-Washington, DC

63-Washington, DC

64-Georgetown

65-At sea off Guadeloupe

66-Georgetown

67-Georgetown

68-Leesburg, Virginia

69-Leesburg, Virginia

70-Fort Napoleon

71-Aboard the Savannah Jane

72-Aboard the Savannah Jane

73-The Caribbean Sea off Guadeloupe

74-Scott’s Head Bay, Dominica

75-Scott’s Head Bay, Dominica

76-Iles des Saintes

77-Scot’s Head Bay, Dominica

78-Aboard the Bonefish

79-Aboard Fast Eddie

80-Aboard the Bonefish

81-Aboard Shadow Chaser

82-Aboard the Bonefish

83-Aboard the Shadow Chaser

84-From Bonefish to Fast Eddie

85-Off Iles de la Petite Terre

86-Aboard Fast Eddie

87-Aboard Shadow Chaser

Epilogue - Cherbourg, France

Author's Note

Acknowledgments

About the author

Books by Christine Kling