This story is about a mystery submarine operating between Australia  and Papua New Guinea. A Royal Australian Air Force Being P8 aircraft is lost in the Torres Strait and the wreckage is found by a Royal Air Force P8 aircraft on an exercise with the Australians. It becomes clear that the Australian and UK Governments are keeping secrets from one another and the problem is compounded as the United States is also involved. Peter Talbert, helped by Mary the RAF's aircraft navigator with a special security clearance tries to sort out what the Australians are not telling the UK. The RAF P8 tests the latest underwater detection equipment and then on the way home the aircraft is shot down. Mary is one of two survivors rescued by a migrant boat trying to reach the Australian coast. Peter gradually discovers what is really happening and helps to avert what might have become a global fight as the mystery submarine approaches the Australian coast.

This is the sixth book in a series of seven featuring Peter Talbert, insurance investigator. The other titles are Blind Landing, Dire Straight, The Right Choice, Flight to St Anthony, Dire Strait and Java Waters Run Deep. They will appeal to anyone who likes a mystery story as well as to the aviation enthusiast and followers of Peter Talbert will feel very much at home! People who have read one book have great difficulty not going on to read the rest.

The book proves to be incredibly accurate in forecast actual events. 

Recent Press Release:-

Dire Strait: Ex-Test Pilot Rips Latest Aviation Mystery Novel Right From Today’s Fraught Geopolitical Headlines.

Tony Blackman’s ‘Dire Strait’ is now part of a critically-acclaimed six-book series featuring insurance investigator Peter Talbert, as his work takes him around the world, into the dark corridors of global Governments and deep into the secrets they fear ever being taken public. But ‘Dire Strait’ is far from thoroughbred fiction – perfectly mirroring today’s turbulent political climate and the RAF’s P8 procurement programme. One critic recently wrote, “Nice bit of political nudging and an undercurrent of disbelief at UK Government policy to not buy a replacement for Nimrod. It does beggar belief at times.”

Contact:

Tony Blackman
Email: tony@blackmanbooks.co.uk
Telephone: 02072231115

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

United Kingdom – Having served as a test pilot, avionics specialist and as a Board Member for the UK Civil Aviation Authority, Tony Blackman has spent much of his life keeping secrets. Now retired and working full-time as an author, this unique skillset has transposed into a globally-renowned series of aviation-themed mystery-thriller novels.

The protagonist is Peter Talbert, a resourceful and tenacious insurance investigator who goes far beyond the call of duty to uncover secrets that could literally change the world. Titles in the series include ‘Blind Landing’, ‘The Final Flight’, ‘The Right Choice’, ‘Flight to St Anthony’ and ‘Dire Strait’.

But ‘Dire Strait’ is perhaps the most topical volume, with a narrative that is incredibility relevant to the current worldwide political climate, as well as the activities of the UK Armed Forces.

Synopsis:

Dire Strait is a mystery thriller about a maritime search aircraft that crashes in the Torres Strait in mysterious circumstances. This is the sixth book featuring Peter Talbert insurance investigator, and he finds that the Australian, United Kingdom and United States Governments are all keeping secrets from one another. The search for the truth is accompanied by visits to the Ministers concerned in each Country as the action develops. Talbert is helped in his search by Mary, the radar operator of the Royal Air Force that discovered the crashed aircraft, who Peter discovers has a very high security clearance. More lives are lost and there is a real threat of global conflict which Talbert helps to avert. A must read for anybody who likes a fast moving story.

“The RAF’s P8 procurement program, and the retirement of the Nimrod fleet, has been quite a sore subject for many years,” explains Blackman. “The storyline in this novel directly ties in. Other current issues, such as the theft of underwater drones by nations, also makes its way into the book. In all, those who keep up with geopolitical and military news will see many similarities between fact and fiction.”

Continuing, "Obviously from my years in the aerospace industry I've tried to make all the books as technically accurate and realistic as possible. However, I'mnot at all sure  that I would have been as smart as Talbert when it  came to sorting out all the problems he found himself in!^

Readers have praised the novel overwhelmingly. For example, Dolly comments, “Nice book with a readable plot, but especially good detailed knowledge of current and project equipment made it a better read than usual for this genre. Nice bit of political nudging and an undercurrent of disbelief at UK Government policy to not buy a replacement for Nimrod. It does beggar belief at times.”

Another reader adds, “Really good, especially after the recent Malaysian plane went missing. the authors knowledge of equipment used is outstanding. Would recommend.”

AVAILABLE NOW

978-0-9553856-8-1

Order  Dire Strait  978-0-9553856-8-1  from any bookstore  OR  Amazon UK, Amazon USA  

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