Act of War

The Normandie was a symbol of glamour and opulence — but the mighty luxury cruise ship found herself berthed at Pier 88 in New York after the fall of France, slowly falling into decay as everyone from the FBI to Hitler himself tried to decide what to do with her.

Recognising the danger the Normandie posed as a warship, capable of carrying fifteen thousand troops across the Atlantic at a speed that would outpace every other seagoing vessel in service, Hitler gave the order for the Normandie to be sunk, come hell or high water.

Walther Von Beck, a former U-boat captain with misgivings about the war, has grown up with a deep and abiding love for the Normandie.

Chosen to execute the plan, Von Beck arrives in New York and enlists the aid of Rachael, a German Jew spying for the Nazis in return for a guarantee that her family will be safe.

As Von Beck and Rachael make their plans, their lives intertwine with those of Captain Maurice Raynal, who would rather destroy his beloved Normandie than see it fall into the hands of the Nazis; and FBI agent Bonham, who is determined to prove himself by uncovering German spies on American home soil.

As their paths converge, they find themselves aboard the Normandie at a time when their loyalties — and what kind of men they are — will be tested.

Packed with action, vivid characters and heated passions, Act of War is a chilling wartime masterpiece.

“Leonard Sanders is one of my favorite writers.” – Sidney Sheldon

“Act of War is Leonard Sanders’s richest and most complex novel yet.” – David Westheimer, author of ,Von Ryan’s Express

Leonard Sanders was the author of numerous novels, including The Hamlet Warning and The Hamlet Ultimatum. As a journalist in Texas and Oklahoma, he was the long-time books editor of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, writing book reviews and a weekly column. His historical novels include Fort Worth and Light on the Mountain. He also wrote non-fiction books. He passed away in 2005.