Dark Transit

Lt. (j.g.) Anthony Pacino, the son of DiMercurio’s series hero Adm. Michael A. Pacino, last seen in 2002’s Terminal Run, stars in this meticulously detailed and yet relentlessly propulsive naval thriller. Anthony reports to the new Virginia-class submarine USS Vermont, a “project boat” whose missions are so secret only the crew, the National Security Council, and the U.S. president know about them. The Russians have invented a lead-bismuth liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor and installed it in Panther, an old Kilo class submarine. Because the reactor is so dangerous, the Russians have given Panther to the Iranians to test. The Vermont’s primary mission is to sneak into the Gulf of Oman, hijack Panther, and sail it back to a U.S. base where it can be tested and disassembled. Anthony proves to be a brave, innovative sailor, and is eventually placed in a leadership position for the mission. The real-life experiences of DiMercurio, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who served on submarines, are evident on every page. Readers will find themselves swept along on a nonstop tide of authenticity and suspense. (Dec.)