Rising Tide

by Alan Bardos

‘Explosive, right from the outset. You’ll be hooked on every twist and turn.’ Tom Walker, The Night Service

November 1940.

Lieutenant Daniel Nichols, a former pacifist turned crusader, is wounded taking part in the Royal Navy’s carrier born air raid on the Italian Battle Fleet in Taranto.

Six months later Sándor Braun, a British double agent, escorts a Japanese delegation around Taranto and discovers that they are planning a similar attack. But what will the target be?

Nichols, now unable to fly, joins the Naval Intelligence Division, despite growing rumours that his nerve has gone. He debriefs Braun in London and sees the implications of his discovery. Britain cannot afford to suffer further setbacks in the far East.

Nichols convinces his superior officer, Ian Fleming, to allow him to travel to Lisbon in a bid to identify the target before it’s too late. The former airman uses the rumours about his lack of moral fibre as cover and poses as a deserter, with information to sell about the Taranto raid.

Braun helps Nichols to gain the confidence of German and Japanese Intelligence officers - and he is recruited to fly to Hawaii and spy on the US Navy.

Convinced that the Japanese plan to attack Pearl Harbour, Nichols travels to America to inform the FBI, but his warnings fall on deaf ears.

Nichols takes matters into his own hands and ventures to Hawaii, with the intention of preventing a catastrophe.

But will the Englishman's intervention prove too little, too late?

Alan Bardos studied an MA in TV Script Writing at De Montfort University. His other novels include The Assassins and The Dardanelles Conspiracy.

Praise for Alan
‘Johnny Swift is an excellent drunken anti-hero, somewhat debauched, but with a good heart.’ David Boyle

‘Gives a carefully-researched and graphically real insight into the doomed campaign, through the eyes of the participants, as well as telling a gripping story of courage and redemption.’ Allan Martin, bestselling author of Death in Tallinn

'A thrilling romp through the delights and dangers of WW1 espionage.’ Matthew Willis, bestselling author of The Fortress of Malta series

'A cracking read, highly recommended.' Roger A Price, bestselling author of Nemesis

'Part historical fiction, part thriller and part love story, this is a compelling and entertaining read.' Gary Haynes, bestselling author of The Blameless Dead

'Very engaging and informative’ Shaun Lewis, bestselling author of The Custom of the Trade

'Well worth it. A total fascination' Jan Needle, bestselling author of The Escape

'Written with polished panache, it kept me gripped from the first to last.' A.A. Chaudhuri, author of The Scribe

'A gripping wartime thriller with more plot twists and turns than a snake with an itch!' Damien Lewis

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2023

About the author

Writing historical fiction combines the first great love of Alan Bardos’ life, making up stories, with the second, researching historical events and characters. He currently lives in Oxfordshire with his wife… the other great love of his life.
 
There is still a great deal of mystery and debate surrounding many of the events of the First World War, which he explores in his Johnny Swift historical fiction series. The series starts with the pivotal event of the twentieth century, the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The second book ‘The Dardanelles Conspiracy’ is based on an attempt by Naval Intelligence to bribe Turkey out of the First World War. In the third book ‘Enemies and Allies’ Johnny is employed as a useful idiot to flush out a traitor working to undermine the Allies.
 
His new World War 2 series follows Daniel Nichols, a former pacifist turned crusader, as he moves from the Fleet Air Arm to Intelligence and Special Operations. The first book ‘Rising Tide’ is set against the backdrop of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; as Nichols is embroiled in a conspiracy to keep the USA bogged down in the Pacific and out of the war in Europe.

The next novel, Hunter Class, is set in 1943. Nichols has been recruited into 30 Commando by Ian Fleming and takes part in the invasion of Sicily, to collect top secret enemy material before it is destroyed. After the fall of Mussolini, Nichols joins forces with Giacomo Moretti, a combat swimmer in the Italian Navy’s elite Decima Flottiglia MAS. As the fate of the war hangs in the balance, they embark on a treasure hunt that will require all their skill and guile to ‘pinch’ a German T52 teleprinter, used by Hitler to communicate with his senior commanders.

Reviews

[Andy Wormald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following on from the excellent Johnny Swift series wet during WW1, Alan Bardos has now turned to WW2 for the start of a new series featuring Daniel Nichols a spy thriller set around Pearl Harbour

Rising Tide is a more than accomplished read, from the opening chapter which wonderfully sets the scene for what will follow, you are thrown into the heart of the action. Alan Bardos has a way of seamlessly blending fact with fiction

Here you have a superbly structured and layered spy thriller, full of character with a storyline built around the events leading up to Pearl harbour. A spy novel where the writing makes you think, you’re never quite sure which side some of the characters are on, subterfuge and double agents abound. It is interesting to see the thinking behind the decisions which were taken.

A read which twists and turns as it builds in intensity, the pace of the book flows as the narrative moves along

Our main protagonist Daniels Nichols is one interesting chracter, flawed yes, with a past maybe still to be explored, his past is one of a strict upbringing, he comes across as a reluctant charmer, it is difficult not like him, it would be fair to say that the author creates his characters with a real semblence of being fully fleshed out, each having a sense of place and belonging

One thing is certainly apparent as you read on and that is the meticulous research that has been carried out, it gives the whole feel of the book that extra ingredient in creating a sense of realism, the book also captures the period giving a geographical feel to the locations and settings

The ending perfectly brings things together, this is a superbly told story with a quality to the writing, which drew me in, an absorbing read

I have been fortuanate to have read all the authors previous books, each one has been a read where the writing has drawn me in, allowing the characters and story to take over, Rising Tide does this in spades, a fantastic absorbing read for what promises to be an outstanding series.

Highly recommend, a pitch perfect blend of WW2 thriller and Spy fiction, I definitely look forward to reading more

[Roger Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alan Bardos is a master at weaving historical fact with gripping fiction; all his novels showcase this skill. In Rising Tide he introduces us to his Daniel Nichols. An unlikely hero who is thrust into the world of espionage working with a double-agent he must trust. He believes he has discovered a plot by the Japanese to bomb Pearl Harbour but the Americans aren't listening. Nichols has to convince those who matter of the imminent threat. Bardos has created an endearing and intriguing character in Nichols, and I can't wait to see where he takes him next. It's always good to get into a series at the beginning; this is therefore a must read. Highly recommended.

[Frank Malley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A splendid read that perfectly blends the drama surrounding Japan's attack on Pearl Harbour with the twists and turns inherent in the world of old-school espionage. Bardos is adept at weaving fact and fiction, especially when evoking the tawdry complexity of a spy's existence. The characters are deeply drawn, not least protagonist Daniel Nichols, a man with flaws and foibles who you warm to and root for because he is real and authentic. In addition, Rising Tide is a work obviously buttressed by meticulous research. Highly recommended.