Morgan's Choice (46 page)

June 1629. Laden with treasure
and the riches of Europe, the merchantman Batavia, flagship of the
Dutch East India Company, sails on her maiden voyage from Amsterdam
bound for the East Indies. But thirty miles off the coast of Terra
Incognita Australis—the unknown south land—she s
mashes into an uncharted
reef.

The survivors—women and
children, sailors, soldiers and merchants—are washed ashore on a
pair of uninhabited, hostile islands, with little food or fresh
water. Desperately seeking help, the ship's officers set out in an
open boat to make a two-thousand-mile journe
y to the nearest trading
post.

While they are gone, from the struggle for
survival on the islands, there emerges a tyrant whose brutal lust
for power is even deadlier than the reef which wrecked the
Batavia.

Reviews for To Die a Dry Death:

“I recommend this book to any historical
fiction fan, and to all friends of books based on real life and
given an extra dimension through fiction.”—Heikki Hietala, author
of Tulagi Hotel

“Die a Dry Death cannot fail to satisfy the
most demanding and critical of readers of historical fiction. An
excellent read and highly recommended.”—Malcolm H. Mendey

“…a fascinating historical adventure that
ratchets up the tension with every turn of the page. Greta van der
Rol's accomplished debut novel is a gripping exploration into both
the endurance of the human spirit and its darker side. Steeped in
authenticity, Die a Dry Death is sure to impress even the most
demanding of historical fiction readers.”—G. Brickson

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