Publisher's Synopsis
As a part of northern Scotland, the Orkney Islands surround a huge sea basin called Scapa Flow, which served as the United Kingdom's chief naval base during both World Wars. Partly because of this northern location, it truly is a desolate place. But then there are sunsets that paint the evening clouds with a golden pink that can make even a stranger want to stay. And at night the sky comes alive with a wondrous display of the Northern Lights, whose luminous swirls of pure green energy can make that same stranger slightly afraid to stay in its presence. But of greater significance is its history. It is that dramatic history of Scapa Flow that makes it the geographic focal point for this story. And while history is more imposing than fiction, it is creative writing has an ability to convey historic events in a way that makes them more understandable and memorable. This is what The Gold of Scapa Flow hopes to do for events that span the First World War, the fascism of Hitler's Third Reich, and the birth of modern Israel. A key character in the story is Neil McKenzie, a simple young man of the Orkneys who earns his living selling real estate, and running a charter boat service. For him, an ideal life would be to simply live on the shores of Scapa Flow making enough money to provide for his needs, with just a bit left over for an occasional want. But his life suddenly takes an adventurous detour through greed and deception before his ideals are finally restored.
