Based on a true story, a riveting novel of a deadly hurricane, a dramatic rescue attempt, and a quest for redemption in a nineteenth-century English town . . . Dorset, England, 1866: The worst hurricane in over a century is devastating the south coast of England. In the town of Poole, the newly appointed lifeboat is launched to aid the numerous stricken ships in the vicinity—but unaccountably fails to save any lives. Many sailors drown as a result. In an era when gallantry and self-sacrifice are expected, the lifeboatmen are publicly accused of cowardice by local dignitaries, creating a serious rift in a close-knit community. It is in this atmosphere of suspicion and blame that lifeboat coxswain Richard Stokes finds himself tasked with overcoming a prevailing sense of pessimism and creating a viable team that will be ready for the next maritime emergency. By recognizing the weaknesses that lie within both his crew and himself, he endeavors to take the sometimes-painful steps to put things right. In a divided community battered by the rages of the sea, relationships and loyalties are tested. When another opportunity eventually presents itself for the lifeboatmen to test their mettle, they are prepared to venture into violent seas to the site of a treacherously unstable wreck—in an attempt to redeem themselves, and to save forty-six souls trapped on board . . . This fast-paced historical novel based on a true story provides an authentic and enthralling evocation of a seafaring community on the brink of great change.
