The Wreck: A Jack Penrose Crime Thriller

by Phillip Strang

When marine archaeologist Owen Marsh is found dead on the Cornish coast, DS Jack Penrose has one detail that won't leave him alone. Divers in distress shed their gear. This one didn't.

The post-mortem confirms it. The tank valve was deliberately tampered with. Someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

Owen had just made the discovery of his career — a Spanish galleon off St Petroc Head, four hundred years on the seabed, commercially priceless. And he had filed the legal protection in his own name.

The case against the prime suspect is solid, then it falls apart entirely.

Now Penrose has to start again. Colder. Faster. With a killer who has been cooperative, patient, and helpful from the very first day.

Dark, precise, and unrelenting. The Wreck is Cornwall noir at its best.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 26, 2026

About the author

Phillip Strang is a crime fiction writer with over 150 novels published across multiple series. Born in Sydney, Australia, he has spent much of his life travelling extensively — installing telecommunication networks across remote regions of Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. That experience of working in difficult, culturally complex environments shapes his writing: his books are grounded in real places, real tensions, and believable characters under pressure.

His main series are DI Keith Tremayne (Salisbury and rural Wiltshire), DCI Isaac Cook (London), DI Sarah Lynch (Scottish Highlands), Natalie Campbell, Alex Harlan, and Maya Thorne. Between them, they span village murders, urban homicide, remote Highland crime, and beyond — all with the same focus on detectives who don't give up, whatever the politics thrown at them.

He is married and lives in Australia.

Find him on Facebook: facebook.com/PhillipStrangWriter and Instagram: instagram.com/phillipstrangauthor

Reviews

[Manie · Rating 5 out of 5]

St Petroc is not really that well known as a key holiday sea destination on the Cornish coast. But then, that is not why Owen Marsh was there. He is there as clues lead him to this place where an ancient ship wreck may be located and which in turn will no doubt make St Petroc quite a future famous holiday place.
Or not. Not when Owen's dead body is found floating on a rock near the beach.
And Jack Penrose got involved determining that Owen's death was no accident at all.
I am astonished at how well DSe Penrose can follow up on almost non existing clues, expanding on what should have been an impossible murder investigation into a fascinating show piece of how proper police investigations can and should be conducted.
Well done indeed.
Enjoy.

[Craig Smedley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A common catch cry we hear nowadays is “bogged down by red tape”. This murder mystery exemplifies the huge amount of red tape the police must go through to ensure charges stick on the perp and the legal fraternity have no means of arguing contrary to the evidence. An intriguing investigation of a murder of a marine archaeologist made to look like an accidental drowning with more than one suspect initially identified before the real culprit is unmasked. Well worth a read.

[Susan Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very intense and detailed investigation. There are two suspects and Penrose must find and follow many clues which could lead to either one. It's very detailed on how the evidence is used and also how it is recorded for the follow-up in court.

[Richard JF Gallick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review from an Advance Reader copy.

The book as you would expect from Philip Strang has been well researched and the story is excellent. For readers of Philip Strang books this is right up there. I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Graeme Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great

Far too repetitive, almost as if it was AI. Quite a tedious read, I'm afraid. I've read over a dozen of Mr Strang's books. This was simply not up to scratch. I only finished it to see if someone else 'dunnit'. Unfortunately not. Just predictable.

[Phillip Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is not my favourite book by Phillip Strang.
Its detail a thoroughly authentic description of a detectives lot.
As a reader of the genre and as a reader who has enjoyed Phillip Strang I found this book colourless and repetitive.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wreck - a review by Rosemary Kenny.

Detective Jack Penrose and sidekick Sophie's latest investigation is the death of marine archeologist, Dr Owen Marsh. His body is found  still in his diving gear, after visiting the eponymous wreck - a sunken Spanish galleon he'd found during his long, diligent research. Main suspects in his death are Rosa Velarde, a dive tour operator and Dan Rowe, a deep sea diver who was working for Owen to document the wreck. 
The pair concentrate on Rosa first, and their progress is related in great detail over the latter half of the book in particular, as they make sure the reader knows exactly what's going on, before changing their direction.

The Wreck by Phillip Strang is a tense, gritty police-
procedural, in which following the money helps, but not very quickly.
Why not try The Wreck for yourself and see what you think?

[Manie · Rating 5 out of 5]

St Petroc is not really that well known as a key holiday sea destination on the Cornish coast. But then, that is not why Owen Marsh was there. He is there as clues lead him to this place where an ancient ship wreck may be located and which in turn will no doubt make St Petroc quite a future famous holiday place.
Or not. Not when Owen's dead body is found floating on a rock near the beach.
And Jack Penrose got involved determining that Owen's death was no accident at all.
I am astonished at how well DS Penrose can follow up on almost non existing clues, expanding on what should have been an impossible murder investigation into a fascinating show piece of how proper police investigations can and should be conducted.
Well done indeed.
Enjoy.