A true story of shipwreck, survival, and murder.
To Die a Dry Death is a historical novel based on the wreck of the Dutch ship Batavia on remote islands off Western Australia in 1629, and the terrifying events that followed . Stranded, with no law and no rescue in sight, the survivors faced a far greater danger than the sea.
Reviewers say:
“It’s hard to believe any book could come closer to conveying the essence of this astonishing series of events.”
“I found it nearly impossible to put down.”
“This novel definitely deserves five out of five stars.”
To Die a Dry Death
Surviving the shipwreck was the easy part
1629. Shipwrecked on an uncharted reef thirty miles off the coast of Australia, two hundred men, women and children scramble ashore on tiny, hostile islands. There is no fresh water and the only food is what they can salvage from the wreck, or harvest from the sea.
The ship’s officers set out in an open boat on a two-thousand-mile journey across uncharted ocean to seek help. But there’s not enough food and water for everyone on the islands to last until a rescue ship arrives. One man will stop at nothing to ensure that he is among the survivors.
But adversity throws up heroes. Soon there’s war between two groups, both determined to be there to greet that rescue ship when it arrives. If it arrives.
To Die a Dry Death is based on the terrifying true story of the Batavia shipwreck. Contains graphic violence.
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FAQ
To Die a Dry Death is based on the true story of the wreck of the Dutch ship Batavia in 1629 and the horrifying events that followed on the remote islands off the coast of Western Australia.
The novel is built on extensive historical research into the Batavia disaster, one of the most infamous maritime tragedies of the seventeenth century. While some dialogue and character details are imagined, the core events follow the historical record.
Yes. The story takes place off the coast of what was once known as New Holland, now Western Australia, and explores one of the earliest and most shocking episodes in the region’s recorded history.
It is historical fiction based on real events, combining meticulous research with a fast paced narrative of shipwreck, survival, betrayal, and murder.
The Batavia disaster is one of the most disturbing maritime tragedies in history. The novel does not shy away from the brutality of the events, but it also explores courage, endurance, and the strength of the human spirit.
Readers often describe To Die a Dry Death as difficult to put down, with tension building steadily as events unfold.
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