In 1939 the world was in turmoil. Germany, under Hitler and the Nazi regime had invaded several smaller countries with little or no resistance. When they invaded Poland, Great Britain and France declared war and World War II began. On the other side of the world, the Japanese had invaded China and were also at war. Emboldened by the lack of response to Hitler’s aggression they attacked China and were making inroads into the South Pacific driven by their imperialism and need for raw materials.

The United States was trying to remain neutral as they were providing aid to both Great Britain and Europe. Tensions were also rising between the United States and Japan as the United States was aiding China and refusing to sell oil to Japan.

Thomas Dunne, known as Tahiti Tom around the Solomon Islands, was an American Ex-pat who operated a tramp steamer, the Island Girl. Tahiti Tom liked his freedom and wasn’t interested in the political turmoil of the outside world. He was interested in watching out for his own interests, running his ship and wasn’t averse to taking on ‘contraband cargo’ for the right price. Tramp steamers were small cargo ships that transported cargo and some passengers to out of the way, backwoods ports throughout the world, especially in the South Pacific. They were normally owned by companies who didn’t put much money into their repair or upkeep. Most were crewed by hard men who had checkered pasts often involving criminal activities and brushes with the law.

When two tramp steamers disappear, rumored to have been sunk by a Japanese submarine, then some German gunrunners show up at Viru Harbor followed by headhunters raiding local plantations, Tahiti Tom and his crew are forced to take action.

Find your copy of Voyage Of The Island Girl: A Wartime Tale of the South Pacific on Amazon