The Dangerous Shore - by Sara Vladic (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Sara Vladic, New York Times bestselling author of Indianapolis, reveals the gripping, untold history of the United States under attack during World War II and the improbable patriots who stepped up to defend their country in her hour of need.

History books have told us, in the decades following World War II, that Pearl Harbor was the only major attack on the United States' home front. But this is not the whole truth. In The Dangerous Shore, leading researcher and bestselling author Sara Vladic unveils a much different story, one hidden away in dusty archives and behind press embargoes: Throughout the Second World War, German U-boats presented a very real threat to America's eastern coastline, destroying ships, landing spies, and planning assaults on cities. With the country's attention focused on the European and Pacific fronts, the U.S. would have been left undefended, if not for a ragtag bunch of characters who rose to the occasion.

Comprised of misfits, rejects, and outlaws, this motley crew came from unexpected places. Among their ranks was the stalwart Gill Robb Wilson, leader of a barnstorming corps of volunteer civilian pilots; the brilliant Dayton engineer, Joe Desch; and the nearsighted yet "clairvoyant" Kenneth Knowles, commander of the Phantom Fleet, entrusted with ULTRA intelligence.

Meanwhile, the cooperation of Grace Buchanan-Dineen, a self-styled countess and German spy turned double agent, helped the FBI net even more spies. Notorious but all-American mobsters Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, and Socks Lanza struck deals with Naval Intelligence and kept watch over critical ports. Together their efforts turned the tide of war at home and saved thousands of American lives.

A thrilling and eye-opening read, The Dangerous Shore leads you through American history like never before. The story is an ode to the bravery, loyalty, and patriotism of our most unsung--and unlikely--heroes.

Review Quotes

"In her new book The Dangerous Shore, filmmaker and bestselling author Sara Vladic has crafted a humdinger of a World War II tale populated by a cast of characters even Hollywood couldn't invent--all on a mission to protect America from German sabotage. With pages filled with gangsters and codebreakers, scientists and double agents, The Dangerous Shore is a helluva great read!"
--James M. Scott, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Black Snow, Rampage, and Target Tokyo

"The Dangerous Shore takes us inside a hidden battle waged by ordinary Americans against threats aimed at the nation's very survival. With keen insight and a storyteller's soul, Sara Vladic captures how imagination and quiet courage--from some of the unlikeliest heroes--helped defend the home front at a moment of genuine peril. A powerful testament to the distinctly American resolve that kept disaster from our shores."
--Robert Kurson, New York Times bestselling author of Shadow Divers and Rocket Men

"Sara Vladic combines strong research and clear storytelling to take us inside the lives of the unlikely heroes who rallied to action when America's coasts were under siege. Her new book, The Dangerous Shore, offers a rare kind of history, one that feels both deeply personal and comprehensive in scope. This is a must-read for aficionados of powerful wartime nonfiction."
--Marcus Brotherton, New York Times bestselling author

"Sara sheds a bright light into dark and mysterious corners of forgotten history. She breathes life into real characters who we knew only from faded photos and dry archives. Sara's vivid prose captivates the reader in the fashion of the movie Night at the Museum, but be warned . . . You won't be able to close the book until dawn breaks and the incredible characters all return to their frozen places on the pedestals of the past."
--Rick Stone, Police Medal of Valor recipient, MIA researcher, and former Chief Historian for the United States Navy

"With an incredible cast of characters, this impeccably researched and comprehensive account is gripping and eye opening. In The Dangerous Shore, Sara Vladic vividly brings World War II to America with an important and highly entertaining read."
--Matt Birkbeck, author of The Life We Chose and The Quiet Don

"Better than any espionage novel, because it's all true. Sara Vladic takes meticulous research and turns it into a can't-put-down thriller. It's an extraordinary and accurate treatment of the desperate see-saw battle for war-winning intelligence among the U.S. and Allies against the depredations of German and Japanese submarines."
--Sam Cox, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.); former Commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence

"In addition to being a master story-teller, Sara is a master weaver, successfully weaving together a half-dozen disparate tales into a smooth-flowing book. It is a great piece of work, rivalling Indianapolis, which, in my mind, has always been in a class by itself. In navy lingo, BRAVO ZULU."
--RADM Thomas Brooks, USN (Retired); former Director of Naval Intelligence.

"This book takes the reader on a journey into the history of the 1930's and 1940's, when ruthless dictators put the world in a headlock, eventually causing millions of dead during a global war. Using the life stories of selected characters of this time, carefully woven into a full picture, Sara Vladic focuses on the role of German U-boats against America and the multiple ways to overcome this deadly threat. Presenting World War II naval history without bias in a fascinating new approach, this highly readable book will capture readers from the first page till the end."
--Dr. Axel Niestlé, noted German naval historian and U-boat specialist

"In The Dangerous Shore, Sara Vladic weaves together the lives and remarkable achievements of a plucky and diverse group of men and women, both those dedicated to protecting their nation in some of its darkest hours through their own wits and resources and others bent on humbling the United States. Vladic's careful research and lively retelling of these stories makes for a refreshing, entertaining, and lively read of the nation's home front history during the twentieth century's greatest conflict."
--Col Frank A. Blazich, Jr., CAP, National Curator (Smithsonian), National Historian Emeritus

"Sara Vladic writes with deep care for the people who lived this dramatic, untold chapter of World War II history. While most Americans supporting the war effort from home thought they were safe from the enemy, The Dangerous Shore shows they were not. Rich, alive and full of heart, this book is a powerful tale of ordinary Americans who rose to extraordinary challenges on the homefront."
--Lynn Vincent, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"I found the book a delightful and easy read! A rare combination of just the right amount of detail but not "in the weeds." In particular, I loved Sara's coverage of the Navy and specifically 10th Fleet. Back in the 2005 timeframe I actually had the 10th Fleet in mind as I stood up Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare Command. The story of the 10th Fleet is critically important to understanding our success across the Atlantic! Well done!"
--Captain William J. Toti, USN (Ret.), co-host of The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War podcast and Naval Academy graduate, and career submariner, who served more than 26 years in the Navy

"Sweeping in scope but intimate in detail, The Dangerous Shore invites readers to follow seemingly unrelated threads that make unexpected connections, revealing a history that is an intricate web rather than a simple timeline. Through vivid storytelling and meticulous research, the book serves as a compelling reminder that global events are often shaped by unlikely people who do not make headlines."
--Scot Christenson, author and director of communications for the US Naval Institute