South by Java Head - Softcover

February, 1942: Singapore lies burning and shattered, defenseless before the conquering Japanese Army. A boat slips out of the harbor into the South China Sea. On board is a desperate, disparate group of people, each with a secret to guard, each willing to kill to keep that secret safe.
By dawn they are traveled far--but are still within range of the murderous dive bombers aimed at their ship. Few will survive the nightmarish succession of disasters wrought by the Japanese, the unrelenting tropical sun, and the passengers themselves.Soon it becomes a desperate battle of wills and wits to stay alive as the ship journeys south by Java Head.

Heroes of amazing strength and resolve, impossible odds, and betrayal where it is least expected are all hallmarks of Alistair MacLean's work. His riveting books, especially those set during World War II or in the naval arena he knew so well, have long enthralled readers, and many of them--such as The Guns of Navarone, Ice Station Zebra, and Where Eagles Dare--became blockbuster Hollywood films.