The WWII Motor Torpedo Boat Series

It was a time of war. It was a time of sacrifice. It was a time of brave deeds, death, and destruction. Yet it was also a magical time of love and romance. Will those traits ever fade? Ice Flotilla is a story about ordinary people caught up in the extraordinary horrors and challenges of World War Two. In the midst of this terrible conflict, human beings were also faced with many of life's seemingly mundane choices too. How they handled the pressures of war, the loss of loved ones, and still managed to discover their dignity during those tumultuous times, is what this book is all about. With a world at war, love still made a difference in so many ways. Once again Iceland was a major locale for one of Derek Hart's novels. Intrigued by the culture, the people, the landscape, and the history, the author felt motivated to write another book expounding the virtues and complexities of this fascinating nation. Ice Flotilla compliments Crooked Cross Factor, Hart's other Icelandic-based adventure.

Nathan Talbot participated in the 1936 Olympics, as captain of the Tyrian Tempest, representing the United Kingdom in the 6-Meter Class Yachting races. The competition was fierce and even though Talbot was a skilled sailor, he was disappointed with only winning the Bronze Medal, outmaneuvered by the German sailing master Werner Grossman. However, there were other darker issues plaguing the young Englishman once he returned from Nazi Germany. Something sordid and dangerous was simmering underneath all the pomp and circumstance of the new Fatherland. Less than four years later, Nathan's concerns were realized, as Germany plunged the world into yet another war. This time, Talbot took command of a Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) and this time set sail for combat in the English Channel. Nathan was soon to discover that his old nemesis, Werner Grossman, had been given command of an entire E-boat flotilla operating in the same area. Then one night, while Talbot was sneaking about Occupied France, he literally ran into 19-year-old Elise Dube and it was love at first sight. While taking daring risks to keep the flames of romance burning, Talbot was also assigned to British Intelligence. It seemed that the former yachtsman's first-hand experience with French ports would come in handy for more covert reasons. There was just one problem. It also became obvious that Herr Grossman had also been captivated by Elise Dube's charms and planned to seduce her. Failing that, the German officer had every intention of forcing himself upon her. While the war at sea was often decided with lightning speed and brutal results, World War Two became incredibly personal for Nathan Talbot, who would stop at nothing to rescue his true love. Seas Aflame is the second book in Derek Hart's MTB Trilogy. It is packed with furious action, derring-do and sizzling romance, but is also the result of extensive research. This is not just a tale about brave men and women wrapped up in the cruelty of war, but about the sacrifices and losses good people were forced to make in the face of great evil. In the end, love was what made the difference.

Travis Kelland was 20 years old when Germany invaded Poland to start World War II. He was also the only son and heir to Sir Charles Kelland, a wealthy and powerful businessman whose vastholdings stretched across many provinces of Canada. Sir Charles was grooming young Travis toeventually take the reins of the Kelland empire. However, Travis had other plans. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy and set forth on a grand adventure to fight the Nazis. Of course, Travis was in for a rude awakening. He joined the MTB's (Motor Torpedo Boats)squadrons fighting in the Channel and the North Sea and was immediately faced with death and destruction. Yet Travis was a survivor too. After proving himself in combat, he was transferred to the Mediterranean and took command of his own MTB based out of Alexandria, Egypt. In this theatre of operations, his crew fought German and Italians, constantly faced with overwhelming odds and the constant threat of Rommel. One mission took Kelland to Greece to rescue the family of a powerful Greek merchant and Travis fell instantly in love with his daughter Kathryn. As Travis continued to make a name for himself with the Admiralty, he and his crew became wrapped up in the war's casualties on a much more personal level. In the end, Travis couldn't compete with a dashing Greek officer in the Royal Navy and he lost his dear Kathryn. It was just a matter of time, however, when dashing and decorated Lt. Commander Kelland rescued a Spanish refugee named Carlota, when the freighter she was traveling on was attacked by a German U-boat. This indeed was a romance that neither war nor the British Empire could prevent. These are the adventures of MTB 545, from 1940 - 1945, spanning the desperate years to the days of victory just after the D-Day invasion. Travis Kelland proves that his adventure-had much more to do with love and respect, than war and destruction. Element of Surprise, like most of Derek Hart's previous novels, is based around extensive research and filled with interesting and diverse characters. This war at sea, in little tiny wooden boats, was fast and furious, but the men and women who fought against the German onslaught were just everyday citizens. Their hopes and dreams, fears and losses are captured within the pages of Element of Surprise, the first book to the Torpedo Boat Trilogy.