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The Sinners
The schooner Pan had been a proud forty-foot creature of hardwood and brass and clean, white canvas. Now, torn and wounded, her foremast gone, her mahogany decks encrusted with salt and littered with debris, she limped into the quiet cove.
Her crew had suffered a sea change, too. Two men, friends since college, had set off with their wives for a basking, leisurely year's cruise of the Caribbean. But the storm had ended all of that—as if the wind itself had ripped away the masks of convention and courtesy to show them the primitive. terrors, and passions that only haunt the edieS of our dreams.
Her crew had suffered a sea change, too. Two men, friends since college, had set off with their wives for a basking, leisurely year's cruise of the Caribbean. But the storm had ended all of that—as if the wind itself had ripped away the masks of convention and courtesy to show them the primitive. terrors, and passions that only haunt the edieS of our dreams.
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1953
14 people want to read
About the author
Edward S. Aarons
264 books17 followersAKA Paul Ayres, Edward Ronns.
Edward Sidney Aarons (September 11, 1916 - June 16, 1975) was an American writer, author of more than 80 novels from 1936 until 1962. One of these was under the pseudonym "Paul Ayres" (Dead Heat), and 30 were written using the name "Edward Ronns". He also wrote numerous articles for detective magazines such as Detective Story Magazine and Scarab.
Aarons was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and earned a degree in Literature and History from Columbia University. He worked at various jobs to put himself through college, including jobs as a newspaper reporter and fisherman. In 1933, he won a short story contest as a student. In World War II he was in the United States Coast Guard, joining after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. He finished his duty in 1945, having obtained the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
Edward Sidney Aarons (September 11, 1916 - June 16, 1975) was an American writer, author of more than 80 novels from 1936 until 1962. One of these was under the pseudonym "Paul Ayres" (Dead Heat), and 30 were written using the name "Edward Ronns". He also wrote numerous articles for detective magazines such as Detective Story Magazine and Scarab.
Aarons was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and earned a degree in Literature and History from Columbia University. He worked at various jobs to put himself through college, including jobs as a newspaper reporter and fisherman. In 1933, he won a short story contest as a student. In World War II he was in the United States Coast Guard, joining after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. He finished his duty in 1945, having obtained the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 23, 2025
A taught thriller that kept reading late into the night.
Henry Donegal and his wife Clarice have gone sailing in the West Indies with his old pal Max and Max's new wife Anne. A storm hits the boat and it's only because of Henry's courage and quick thinking that they survive it. The boat is badly damaged, though, and, come morning, they manage to limp into a cove on a small island. Hoping to find help on shore, they wander into a tiny community run by wicked folks who operate via violence more than anything else. They survived the storm, but now they have to survive their "rescue."
Aarons pulls the tension tight and puts poor Henry through challenge after challenge. He tests the poor character emotionally, physically, psychologically, and philosophically. Every time Henry looks like he's found a solution, another problem arises setting the guy back worse than before. "What's he gonna do now?" ran through my head after about every chapter.
I didn't really believe the backstory of the main villain and how they came to power. Seems to me it could have been a less convoluted story. Also, there's some emotional jumps that Henry does in the story that sometimes seemed more for the sake of the plot than because his heart was leading him there. And towards the end, Henry dwells on violence and human nature for a few too many pages. So the book's not perfect, but it's been a while since I read a book that made me ignore the clock as I finished it past midnight.
Henry Donegal and his wife Clarice have gone sailing in the West Indies with his old pal Max and Max's new wife Anne. A storm hits the boat and it's only because of Henry's courage and quick thinking that they survive it. The boat is badly damaged, though, and, come morning, they manage to limp into a cove on a small island. Hoping to find help on shore, they wander into a tiny community run by wicked folks who operate via violence more than anything else. They survived the storm, but now they have to survive their "rescue."
Aarons pulls the tension tight and puts poor Henry through challenge after challenge. He tests the poor character emotionally, physically, psychologically, and philosophically. Every time Henry looks like he's found a solution, another problem arises setting the guy back worse than before. "What's he gonna do now?" ran through my head after about every chapter.
I didn't really believe the backstory of the main villain and how they came to power. Seems to me it could have been a less convoluted story. Also, there's some emotional jumps that Henry does in the story that sometimes seemed more for the sake of the plot than because his heart was leading him there. And towards the end, Henry dwells on violence and human nature for a few too many pages. So the book's not perfect, but it's been a while since I read a book that made me ignore the clock as I finished it past midnight.
Displaying 1 of 1 review