Barracuda 945 (Admiral Arnold Morgan Series #6)

Iranian-born British Commando Major Ray Kerman was a rising star in the SAS — until he abruptly switched loyalties while on a mission in the Middle East. Fanatically determined to employ his brilliant talents and training in the destruction of those he once swore to protect, he is now General Ravi Rashood, leader of the world's most vicious terrorist organization — and he has found his ultimate weapon: Barracuda 945. A sleek and silent Russian hunter-killer nuclear submarine that can fire land-attack guided missiles from below the ocean's surface, it is invisible to all pursuers and virtually impossible to track. Yet Admiral Arnold Morgan, the President's National Security Adviser, must somehow marshal America's forces and hunt down this 8,000-ton nightmare of modern warfare before it unleashes its fire and death . . . or the first target to fall will be California.

The master of naval thrillers returns with a chilling scenario: a diabolical terrorist wields a nuclear submarine against the United States.

Patrick Robinson takes you into the heart of international terrorism with an explosive blend of military suspense, cutting-edge technology, current events, and superb storytelling.

Publishers Weekly

Terrorists lay siege to the West Coast in this engrossing if frustratingly digressive naval thriller that features a turncoat British officer matching wits with Robinson's series star, National Security Adviser Arnold Morgan. The crusty, steel-nerved Morgan, making his sixth appearance (The Shark Mutiny, etc.), goes up against former SAS commando Ray Kerman, who has become a leader in the terrorist group Hamas. Kerman has spearheaded such daring missions as a $100-million bank robbery in Jerusalem and a raid on an Israeli prison that freed 47 of the most feared Arab terrorists. With the help of the Iranians, Kerman is now taking his battle to the West. He has purchased a Russian nuclear submarine, the Barracuda 945, and has begun using it for missile strikes against Alaskan oil supplies for California's electrical grid. Along with strategist and sidekick Lt. Jimmy Ramshawe, Morgan directs the might of the U.S. Navy, as well as his raging temper, toward capturing the Barracuda. After weeks of fruitless pursuit, U.S. forces finally pin down the elusive sub in the confines of the Panama Canal. Though marred by a pallid finale, Robinson's latest is the work of a skilled storyteller and researcher. Some readers may chafe at his tendency to drift into pedantry-on the history of the Panama Canal, presidential speechwriting and the Academy Awards, among others-just when the plot gets hot. Those who don't mind such lectures will be treated to an audacious, richly told tale with action both above sea level and below. 8-city author tour. (Aug.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Patrick Robinson is the author of seven international bestselling suspense thrillers, including Nimitz Class and Hunter Killer, as well as several nonfiction bestsellers. He divides his time between Ireland and Cape Cod.