Until recently, piracy was a crime that few people expected to encounter in the modern world. Today's pirates pilot motorboats and carry assault rifles, and utilize modern technology in order to carry out raids. This book examines modern-day piracy in detail, delving into the social and economic motivators that have given rise to contemporary nautical crime. The engaging text covers the regions in which piracy is most prevalent, famous incidents, And The ways in which the international community has attempted to fight today's pillagers of the sea. Filled with gripping, full-color images of pirates being captured, receiving ransom, and being marched to trial, this book stands alone in giving young readers insight into this fascinating and troubling topic.

The BBC reports that modern day pirates are organized gangs that take people prisoner, steal money, and pilfer expensive goods. Since 1992, approximately 3,583 pirate attacks have taken place, and 340 crew or passengers have been killed. The most dangerous areas for modern piracy are the Malacca Straits, the coast of Somalia, the South China Sea, the coast of Iraq, and the Niger Delta. This book provides thorough and balanced information on modern-day piracy. Its visually appealing presentation and compelling examples provide ample context about the effects and frequency of piracy in the modern era.

A global account of pirates and their modus operandi from the middle ages to the present day In the twenty-first century piracy has regained a central place in Western culture, thanks to a surprising combination of Johnny Depp and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as well as the dramatic rise of modern-day piracy around Somalia and the Horn of Africa. In this global history of the phenomenon, maritime terrorism and piracy expert Peter Lehr casts fresh light on pirates. Ranging from the Vikings and Wako pirates in the Middle Ages to modern day Somali pirates, Lehr delves deep into what motivates pirates and how they operate. He also illuminates the state's role in the development of piracy throughout history: from privateers sanctioned by Queen Elizabeth to pirates operating off the coast of Africa taking the law into their own hands. After exploring the structural failures which create fertile ground for pirate activities, Lehr evaluates the success of counter-piracy efforts--and the reasons behind its failures.

This book examines the complex phenomena of modern maritime piracy. The work offers a cutting-edge analysis of modern maritime piracy in the two most pirate-prone regions – southeast Asia and northeast Africa – from the late twentieth century to the modern day. These case studies present a detailed exploration of how regional and international governments responded to upsurges of piracy and how responses have evolved over the course of the past 40 years. This analysis reveals the results of these efforts and what effect, if any, suppressing piracy at sea had on tensions and instability ashore. The book transcends a simple narrative, providing detailed and extensively researched case studies of contemporary manifestations and responses at the strategic, operational and tactical levels. New insights are offered, such as the role of external navies in the repression of piracy in northeast Africa before the well-documented escalation in 2005. In addition, this book constructs a comparative analytic framework to gauge the effectiveness and shortcomings of modern attempts to counteract piracy, which reveals lessons learned, future policy projections and wider implications. This analysis adds new classifications, innovative concepts and scholarly depth to the field of maritime security studies, naval history and theory and international relations. This book will be of much interest to students of naval history, maritime security, strategic studies and international relations.

A twisty psychological thriller with “the ingenious structure and leaps in time and memory of a Christopher Nolan movie” from an award-winning director (Camden New Journal). Ross Blackleigh is on trial for four crimes which he insists he didn’t commit. A detective inspector and a thoughtful self-reflective man, he goes against his counsel’s advice and takes the stand in court. This is his story. Ross found himself wandering the streets one night, bleeding from the head and unable to remember the past year and a half. But before he could make sense of it, he was summoned to a crime scene where a nurse had been brutally murdered. His amnesia unnerved him and, fearing the worst, Ross allowed himself to be taken to hospital, only to be viciously attacked by a stranger with a knife. Suspecting that the attack was connected with the nurse’s murder and that his own police colleagues were behind it, Ross set out on two parallel investigations: one into the killing and the other into his own mind. But when he digs into his own psyche, he is scared by what he finds . . . Is Ross being set up or is something far more disturbing behind the killings? “Profoundly creepy in the best way, and the desperation of the haunted protagonist makes it a compellingly nightmarish journey.” —Life in Sci-Fi “These changes of gear, the mix of brutal realism and a sense of darker, inexplicable forces are what give Room 15—I won’t reveal the significance of the title—its power, as the novel hurtles back to the courtroom and the jury’s verdict.” —Camden New Journal

While sailing alone one night in the shipping lanes across one of the busiest waterways in the world, John Burnett was attacked by pirates. Through sheer ingenuity and a little bit of luck, he survived, and his shocking firsthand experience became the inspiration for Dangerous Waters. Today's breed of pirates are not the colorful cutthroats painted by the history books. Unlike the romantic images from yesteryear of Captain Hook, Long John Silver, and Blackbeard, modern pirates can be local seamen looking for a quick score, highly trained guerrillas, rogue military units, or former seafarers recruited by sophisticated crime organizations. Including new, up-to-date information for the paperback edition, Dangerous Waters is both a dauntless investigation and an epic, breathtaking modern tale of the sea.

A sailing trip meant to save a family in crisis. A nightmare hostage situation with modern-day pirates. And an FBI negotiator faced with memories of his own family tragedy. Daniel and Vanessa Parker are an American success story. He is a Washington, DC, power broker, and she is a physician with a thriving practice. But behind the gilded façade, their marriage is in shambles, and their teenage son, Quentin, is self-destructing. In desperation, Daniel dusts off a long-delayed dream—a sailing trip around the world. Little does he know, the voyage he hopes will save his family may destroy it instead. Half a world away on the lawless coast of Somalia, Ismail Adan Ibrahim is living a life of crime in violation of everything he was raised to believe—except for the love and loyalty driving him to hijack ships for ransom and plot the rescue of his sister, Yasmin, from the man who murdered their father. There is nothing he will not do to save her, even if it means taking innocent lives. Paul Derrick is the FBI’s top hostage negotiator. His twin sister, Megan, is a celebrated defense attorney. They have reached the summit of their careers by savvy, grit, and a secret determination to escape the memory of the day their family died. When Paul is dispatched to handle a hostage crisis at sea, he has no idea how far it will take him and Megan into the past—or the chance it will give them to redeem the future. Across continents and oceans, through storms and civil wars, the paths of these individuals converge in a single, explosive moment. It is a moment that will test them and break them, but it will also leave behind an unexpected glimmer of hope—that out of the ashes of tragedy and misfortune, the seeds of justice and reconciliation can grow. Stand-alone, page-turning thriller Includes discussion questions for book clubs and author’s note Also by international bestselling author Corban Addison: Harvest of Thorns