The History and American Studies Department welcomes the publication of the e-book, Dangerous Waters, authored by our late colleague Richard “Doc” Warner, who passed away last year. A description of his new novel:

The Wreck of the Nottingham Galley is a suspenseful historically based novel relating the events that led to the notorious Wreck of the privateer ship the Nottingham Galley off of Boon Island in Maine in the early 1700s. Conflicting reports of the shipwreck from the 1700’s have baffled historians for years with controversial descriptions regarding the cause and nature of the events casting a dark shadow over the legacy of Captain John Deane. Well researched by Warner, a history professor who specialized in maritime history and is well known for his academic publications of the subject, Dangerous Waters tells the fictionalized tale of John Deane, the events leading up to the fateful voyage, the wreck, and the aftermath. The tale features the dashing captain, an enticing love interest, espionage, colorful English folk, and the wreck and the survival of the crew. The story is built upon the quiet desperation of Deane, a former English Navy Captain trying to make his way as a merchant captain. With tremendous intelligence and daring, Deane attempts to rescue his career and reputation after the wreck which culminating in his employment as a spy in the Russian Navy. Warner writes with an acute understanding of the strategies employed by the politicos of the time period, as only an expert in the field can. He brings the characters from Deane to the lowliest of servants to life through deed and dialogue that is believable and immensely entertaining. Warner’s insight into the time period, characters, and events surrounding the wreck and the time period are humorous, suspenseful, and intriguing. The novel is supported by appendices including a lengthy bibliography of historical research, Jasper Deane’s narrative of the wreck from 1711, and Christopher Langman’s account of the voyage from 1711 in which he blames Deane for intentionally sinking the ship.

Dangerous Waters is now available at multiple online sellers, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Apple iBookstore, among others.