Convoy East

In his fourth appearance ( Convoy South ), Commodore John Mason Kemp shepherds a convoy from Britain to Alexandria and on to Ceylon. Troops for Montgomery's planned push in the desert and food for besieged Malta are the main responsibilities for the ex-liner captain, but a contingent of Wrens is also aboard the Wolf Rock . While aircraft carriers, the battleship Nelson and other naval vessels guard against the Nazis and Italians, four-square Kemp must deal with a pregnant--unmarried!--Wren and a Lothario First Officer. As usual, McCutchan's battle scenes are cool, graphic and authentic. Readers of earlier Convoy novels will expect the varied cast of clearly depicted characters, and wealth of historical, tactical and personal details. The book ends in Malta, so we may look forward to a continuation of this convoy. (Sept.)