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Zack Chasteen #4
A Deadly Silver Sea
The Royal Star , the most exclusive cruise ship in the world, has just set sail from Miami on its inaugural voyage. For the hundred or so notable and well-heeled passengers, including Zack Chasteen, and his wife, Barbara, the itinerary is a secret and the week ahead promises to be an ultra-indulgent tropical sojourn.
But just an hour out of port, gunmen take over the Royal Star , killing most of the officers and sequestering passengers throughout the ship. Not only is Zack separated from Barbara, he has another worry —Barbara is eight months pregnant with their first child and could go into labor at any moment. As Zack and his fellow captives struggle to get an upper hand, the ship’s hijackers offer few clues to their motives. Maybe it’s a simple kidnap/extortion plot. Or maybe the hijackers are bent on more devious ends – using the Royal Star as a giant torpedo to blow up another cruise ship. Either way, Zack must figure out a way to stop them--while keeping himself and his wife alive.
But just an hour out of port, gunmen take over the Royal Star , killing most of the officers and sequestering passengers throughout the ship. Not only is Zack separated from Barbara, he has another worry —Barbara is eight months pregnant with their first child and could go into labor at any moment. As Zack and his fellow captives struggle to get an upper hand, the ship’s hijackers offer few clues to their motives. Maybe it’s a simple kidnap/extortion plot. Or maybe the hijackers are bent on more devious ends – using the Royal Star as a giant torpedo to blow up another cruise ship. Either way, Zack must figure out a way to stop them--while keeping himself and his wife alive.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2008
13 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Bob Morris
74 books51 followersRobert Morris is an American novelist who writes Caribbean themed mysteries. He is previously known as a columnist for several newspapers and magazines.
Series:
* Zack Chasteen
Series:
* Zack Chasteen
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 31, 2018
It wasn't you, it was me. No, really. It turns out I really just like Zach Chasteen as a Caribbean mystery solver, partly because I love mysteries and partly because I love the Caribbean. They were light and fun and perfect. But this one is a heavier thriller, with Chasteen and his pregnant wife being held hostage on a cruise ship, with little mystery and a much less exciting setting. While I liked Under Siege twenty-odd years ago when I saw it, I didn't need this series to lampshade it, and I put this one down about halfway through.
September 6, 2025
A high octane Caribbean cruise thriller with Zack and Barbara. Terror ensues on the maiden voyage of new ultra luxe cruise ship. Buckle up!
February 3, 2011
I have become a big fan of Bob Morris and his Zach Chasteen mysteries. They are all fun and intriguing reads that capture the sense of place they are set. In A Deadly Silver Sea, Morris moves the action from one particular island to a cruise ship sailing the Caribbean Sea, and once again, Morris has captured the atmosphere perfectly. His descriptions are spot on and the "technical workings" of the ship are believable. As always, the characters are hilarious and well-rounded.
Both Zach and Morris are growing into this character and his actions. Through the series, Zach has become a hero with just enough shade to be interesting. I couldn't put this book down and stayed up through the wee hours of the morning to finish just one more chapter.
I finished it last night and am looking forward to starting Baja Florida, book five, tonight.
Both Zach and Morris are growing into this character and his actions. Through the series, Zach has become a hero with just enough shade to be interesting. I couldn't put this book down and stayed up through the wee hours of the morning to finish just one more chapter.
I finished it last night and am looking forward to starting Baja Florida, book five, tonight.
February 26, 2013
I purchased this paperback awhile ago to take along on a Caribbean cruise and started the book the first day out. When I got to the part where he describes sitting in the theatre of the boat for safety instructions, there I was, sitting in the theatre going through the safety instructions. When the book mentioned a Bulgarian waiter, I happened to look up and give a drink order to a waiter whose badge said he was from Bulgaria. Strange, but ties in to the sense of realism in the story. Realism, yes but some aspects are a bit of a stretch, but what is a hero to do?
I met Bob many years ago when I lived in Orlando and he was a columnist for the Sentinel so was glad to discover this series of novels as I have always enjoyed his writing. Treat yourself, it moves along and is a great bit of "mind candy" to take to the beach or on a cruise.
I met Bob many years ago when I lived in Orlando and he was a columnist for the Sentinel so was glad to discover this series of novels as I have always enjoyed his writing. Treat yourself, it moves along and is a great bit of "mind candy" to take to the beach or on a cruise.
February 17, 2013
I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries, but for some reason A Deadly Silver Sea really got my interest. Chapter One introduces the characters and set-up. By Chapter Two you're off to the races as hijackers take over the cruise ship Royal Star and it's quite a ride after that. As someone has already noted, A Deadly Silver Sea reads like Die Hard at Sea. Sure, there are improbabilities and Zack Chasteen doesn't make mistakes, but the story only slowed down twice for me. I guess Zack needed to catch his breath. As it pounds down to the climax, the chapters get shorter and shorter. One was only half a page. This would be a perfect book if you're in an airport or on a plane. Now I'll have to look for the other Zack Chasteen books by Bob Morris.
May 22, 2017
The fourth Zack Chasteen book took a while for me to accept it as another outstanding book by Bob Morris. It took a while because it felt like nothing new. Terrorists on a cruise ship written by a Florida author? See "Buzz Cut" by James W Hall for an earlier superb variation on this story. Pregnant woman goes into labor during a terrorist ordeal? See "Vanished" by Tess Gerritsen for an earlier thriller that does likewise. Halfway through the book some major twists occur and the book takes on an identity of its own. With the wise-cracking first person, the zippedy short 110 chapters and non-stop action, it's another winner...though give it just a little time to distinguish itself.
August 14, 2014
Good stuff. Zack Chasteen is courageous but not to the point of stupidity and he's got a good sense of humor. He's on a cruise ship for the rich and famous plying the Caribbean. Wrong place. Wrong time. Terrorists, thieves, backstabbers, and one very pregnant wife. It's a thriller I tore through.
March 3, 2011
This was a thoroughly enjoyable novel. I found the plot riveting, the characters believable and varied. I will HAVE to read more books by this author. This is a great book on several levels. The story is never boring.
February 13, 2011
#4 in the series veers more into thriller territory than the previous entries. Zack and his new (and pregnant) wife are taken hostage on a luxury cruise ship. Zack has to figure out how to save Barbara and the rest of the crew - and handles it with his usual style!
August 6, 2011
This is probably the best of the Zack Chasteen stories by Bob Morris. (I've read three so far.) While not literary by any sense, this is an entertaining book. As with all his novels, Morris weaves his tale to it's exciting and satisfying conclusion. Great book for an entertaining read.
December 18, 2009
a great read. His earlier books in the series were heavier on the humor, while this one adds a heavier dose of the thriller.
March 7, 2018
Exotic cruise ship....sailing into the sunset....maiden voyage with luxuries galore!! A destination - who really cares.......we're headed somewhere in the Caribbean so we can sail easily into the sunset and we will all be treated like royalty. Sounds romantic doesn't it? And so it began.........
Doesn't take long before beauty becomes ugly! Terrorists who had infiltrated and disguised themselves as staff - - shortly out of port......(by page 50) we are under full siege..... Now what happens???
Doesn't seem to be much security on the boat - so will anybody go up against these terrorists? After all, one doesn't normally go on a cruise ship with guns in your suitcase.....especially one that is as luxurious as this one. Is there anybody on board that can somehow save the passengers, especially one lady who is about ready to give birth within an hour. The intrigue continues........
Doesn't take long before beauty becomes ugly! Terrorists who had infiltrated and disguised themselves as staff - - shortly out of port......(by page 50) we are under full siege..... Now what happens???
Doesn't seem to be much security on the boat - so will anybody go up against these terrorists? After all, one doesn't normally go on a cruise ship with guns in your suitcase.....especially one that is as luxurious as this one. Is there anybody on board that can somehow save the passengers, especially one lady who is about ready to give birth within an hour. The intrigue continues........
May 4, 2023
A Deadly Silver Sea is a well crafted story featuring a very likable main character in Zach Chasteen working to save his very pregnant new wife from bad actors who have taken over a luxury smaller cruise ship. Morris gives Chasteen a strong do the the right thing element coupled with reasonably good action. This was a nice lighter vacation read from a Caribbean resort. I was on the fence between high 3 and low 4 star book ultimately settling on high 3. Recommended reading if you like Laurence Shames Key West capers or Carl Hiaasen books without being as zany.
October 28, 2024
Love this series. Zack and Barbara get into some wild situations, but he's smart and always finds a way to pull through! Not a cozy like I usually prefer reading, but it's not real gory either. Let's just say I enjoy reading about an area I live in (FL) and the Islands I wish I'd get to visit more often than I do!
May 28, 2018
2018 Pop sugar challenge—your favorite prompt from 2017 pop sugar reading challenge
August 9, 2025
Would have given it 4 stars but author got a little too political and preachy at one point. Really had nothing to do with the story. The story made me think of the first "Die Hard" movie.
December 25, 2019
First, a truth in advertising disclaimer: the author and I are former journalism colleagues who worked together on a Florida newspaper back in the 1980s when he was a columnist and I was a roving correspondent. We've kept in touch sporadically through the years, but it's been a long time since we've swapped lies over an adult beverage -- too long.
As he did with his columns, Bob Morris tells a damn good story, with a distinct voice and a wiseguy's dash of don't-take-me-too-seriously-I-don't humor. "A Deadly Silver Sea" is the fourth in a string of thrillers featuring ex-jock Zack Chasteen, all of them with a setting in Florida or the Caribbean and heavily influenced by the author's love of life on the salt, food and the aforementioned adult beverage.
In this one, Chasteen and his pregnant wife, Barbara, are on the maiden voyage of the Royal Star, an uber-luxury liner with an A-list roster of passengers featuring the rich and famous. From jump street, the story takes a hard turn when the ship is hijacked by a cadre of crew members. There are multiple layers of deception and crime in play and Chasteen has to peel through them all like a malignant onion -- a ship-owner running a bulk money-laundering operation, a defrocked federal agent in on the money scam, crew members in it for the money. And at the center, is a Trinidad-born jihadist bent on a spectacular act of terrorism.
Morris, an Edgar finalist, has done his homework and skillfully weaves details about luxury liners, the cruise industry, money laundering, sailing, explosives and the relatively unknown world of Caribbean jihadists. The action is fast-paced and the story is driven by snappy dialogue. My one quibble is that I occasionally felt I was missing some backstory from earlier Chasteen novels, but that's my fault for not reading them all -- something I plan to remedy.
No spoilers here, but do yourself a favor and pick up this book -- and the rest of the Chasteen series. I highly suggest you accompany your reading with some aged rum from one of the islands. Make it Barbancourt or Havana Club instead of that cheap Captain Morgan stuff.
As he did with his columns, Bob Morris tells a damn good story, with a distinct voice and a wiseguy's dash of don't-take-me-too-seriously-I-don't humor. "A Deadly Silver Sea" is the fourth in a string of thrillers featuring ex-jock Zack Chasteen, all of them with a setting in Florida or the Caribbean and heavily influenced by the author's love of life on the salt, food and the aforementioned adult beverage.
In this one, Chasteen and his pregnant wife, Barbara, are on the maiden voyage of the Royal Star, an uber-luxury liner with an A-list roster of passengers featuring the rich and famous. From jump street, the story takes a hard turn when the ship is hijacked by a cadre of crew members. There are multiple layers of deception and crime in play and Chasteen has to peel through them all like a malignant onion -- a ship-owner running a bulk money-laundering operation, a defrocked federal agent in on the money scam, crew members in it for the money. And at the center, is a Trinidad-born jihadist bent on a spectacular act of terrorism.
Morris, an Edgar finalist, has done his homework and skillfully weaves details about luxury liners, the cruise industry, money laundering, sailing, explosives and the relatively unknown world of Caribbean jihadists. The action is fast-paced and the story is driven by snappy dialogue. My one quibble is that I occasionally felt I was missing some backstory from earlier Chasteen novels, but that's my fault for not reading them all -- something I plan to remedy.
No spoilers here, but do yourself a favor and pick up this book -- and the rest of the Chasteen series. I highly suggest you accompany your reading with some aged rum from one of the islands. Make it Barbancourt or Havana Club instead of that cheap Captain Morgan stuff.
December 14, 2015
Some good stuff, but this one was just to violent and fantastical for me to really enjoy. The final act of payback was pretty goofy as well.
Chastee reprises his bull in a china shop routine and can thank his lucky stars that it is fiction because it works out. This book gets into cinematic big summer action movie story, but I prefer the more personal and less showy Chasteen stories. Everything is apocalyptic and even end up with two sunk ships. The best part is when he is on the trimaran smuggling Haitians. Not so frenzied.
I have never been on a cruise ship, but everything I read about the experiences makes me glad I have not. Pretty cool that you can have an onboard marina though.
It is interesting how much Mr. Morris knows about offshore bank accounts and money laundering, reading his stories you begin to wonder if any of the luxury travel business are actually legit or just money laundering.
Chastee reprises his bull in a china shop routine and can thank his lucky stars that it is fiction because it works out. This book gets into cinematic big summer action movie story, but I prefer the more personal and less showy Chasteen stories. Everything is apocalyptic and even end up with two sunk ships. The best part is when he is on the trimaran smuggling Haitians. Not so frenzied.
I have never been on a cruise ship, but everything I read about the experiences makes me glad I have not. Pretty cool that you can have an onboard marina though.
It is interesting how much Mr. Morris knows about offshore bank accounts and money laundering, reading his stories you begin to wonder if any of the luxury travel business are actually legit or just money laundering.
February 1, 2015
#4 in the Zack Chasteen series. Zack Chasteen, ex-Miami Dolphin safety, served time in prison after being wrongfully convicted of counterfeiting. After winding up with some money in a subsequent off-shore adventure he did not find it a problem to avoid reporting it to the IRS.
Zack Chasteen and very pregnant wife Barbara are on the maiden voyage of a luxury cruise ship as part of her travel magazine job. The ship is hi-jacked by a group of automatic rifle toting crewmembers. Most of the hijackers are doing it for the promise of loot but the leader has a different goal. A sub-plot involves bulk cash smuggling.
Zack Chasteen and very pregnant wife Barbara are on the maiden voyage of a luxury cruise ship as part of her travel magazine job. The ship is hi-jacked by a group of automatic rifle toting crewmembers. Most of the hijackers are doing it for the promise of loot but the leader has a different goal. A sub-plot involves bulk cash smuggling.
February 6, 2016
Great adventure aboard a cruise ship! Series character Zach Chasteen and expectant wife Barbara are on the maiden voyage of the super luxury Royal Star. Barbara is the publisher of a travel magazine and, therefore, gets some of these kinds of perks. This perk gets a little out of hand and therefore this story gets quite exciting. Short chapters move the story very quickly.
February 24, 2009
Essentially Die Hard on an ocean cruiser, but still an enjoyable entry in the Zack Chasteen series. Takes a different path than past books in the series, but ends up like a typical book in series. Fun, light and easy read.
January 25, 2009
Not the best in the series, but still a quick and easy read. A lot darker and voilent -- and less tropical -- than the first three books, and for that reason I didn't enjoy it as much.
May 1, 2009
fun cartoonish action
June 13, 2010
I'd rate this about a 3.8. I enjoy this series and the main character Zack. Fast moving story but a bit far fetched at times but I guess that's why it's called fiction.
August 26, 2010
Like Die Hard, on a cruise ship, but the bad guy is Muslim instead of being Hans Gruber.
September 24, 2010
Not my usual pick for a book, but I found it entertaining without being annoying.
July 20, 2011
Imagine Die Hard on a cruise ship and you've pretty much got this one pegged. I'm a sucker for these novels, but I was bummer our that Boggy didn't get into the picture until the tail end.
July 2, 2014
A bit unrealistic but still a good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews