Mudlark to the Rescue: The Tethered Goat

Jeff Crook

May 2026 · Book Guild Publishing

About this ebook

When word reaches Alex McKay that a ship has been hijacked by Islamic Militants on a remote Pacific atoll, he can’t ignore the call for help. Mudlark, the unassuming dredger he and his friend, Bill, operate, is able to act as mother-ship for a covert midget-submarine operation. Alex is more than willing to rescue the crew; Bill, far less so.

Undeterred, Alex secretly hatches a rescue mission in Portsmouth, only to find fresh trouble brewing. The midget submarine was previously purloined, and its creator, a disreputable academic, is determined to reclaim it and take revenge.

As the rescue team heads for the Pacific, mishaps mount and dangers multiply. On the atoll, they must confront a ruthless armed gang of militants. With loyalties tested and enemies on all sides, it’s touch and go whether Alex’s mission will succeed...

About the author

Jeff Crook joined the Merchant Navy in 1966, leaving in 1973 to work on marine, power and offshore projects. After reporting on the Piper Alpha inquiry in 1988, he wrote for the trade press. His paperback South Coast Shenanigans was published in 2021. Although light-hearted, it advocated closer co-operation between merchant shipping and the Navy. RFA Proteus was commissioned two years later – an unusual vessel, as it is manned by both naval and civilian crew.