REVIEWS
TWO IF BY SEA by Richard McCann is an exciting maritime thriller. Drug cartels devised a way to affix nearly undetectable containers to ships' hulls. International terrorists thwarted their plans and began using the containers to smuggle nuclear waste, to use in constructing dirty bombs. A hurricane, international terrorism, and a budding relationship all complicate the life of the Captain of the Palm Princess.
AMAZON
Editorial Review
"I highly recommend TWO IF BY SEA by Richard McCann. Beginning with a young woman pursuing her life's dream, and achieving it, the plot grows, encompassing a hurricane, drug smugglers, and international terrorism. This edge-of-your-seat plot will keep you guessing throughout to the thrilling conclusion. Be sure to read this exciting adventure!" Larry Parr
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Reader Reviews
Terrorism on the high seas by this first-time author. A tale of drug cartels and middle eastern terrorism converge on a merchant captain and her first command! Working together with Navy SEALS, they work to, hopefully, prevent dirty nuclear bombs from plunging the United States into a nuclear war. An outstanding debut novel! JS
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Wow! This book was insanely good!! I wasn't sure what to expect when I started it, but it pulls you in and you are lost in it. You can relate to the characters, and the detail to explain what the author was talking about was impressive. I would love to see a movie made from this book.... move over James Patterson!! stmary
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I enjoyed the book and the fast action! Good research into how the government coordinates action when borders are involved. Well done and so glad I spied the author’s post on Facebook! CAG
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The author has vast knowledge of maritime operations. The characters were well developed. Although the story shifted between characters at times made the flow of the story, a little choppy at times. Looking to the author's next novel!!!! LD
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A great read. I like to learn new information and this book taught me information about cargo ships and the national security system. Patriotism and love of our country was inspiring. PSM
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This is the best book I have ever read. It is full of intrigue and mystery and plenty of spice. It holds you on the edge of your seat. It definitely has the comparison to the great thriller writers. This book belongs on the Best Sellers List. Mr. McCann did I phenomenal job holding my interest. VEM
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Two If By Sea kept me entertained and interested. I thought it was a very good story. JC
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I couldn’t put this book down! From start to finish, it was an amazing read! The visualizations that the reader gets through the in depth descriptions is phenomenal! I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is into thrillers!! AWESOME JOB CAPTAIN! SL
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Loved this!!! Brought back memories of living in Cape May!!! Once you started reading it, you couldn't stop! Congrats Rick! TW
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Such an excellent story, a quick and great read! IN
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I love everything about this book! Vivid sunsets, great friendships! WP
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Tom Clancy watch out for this promising new author. I had a friend recommend "Two If By Sea" as a great read that was chuck full of action and intrigue. They were right. I started to read it, and 8 hours later I was done. WOW! What a GREAT read! I could not put it down!. It would take the collaboration of every government agency, if the USA had a chance to stop the terrorists from nuking America. The Author's ability to transport the reader into the world of all the characters and how each had to negotiate all the potential problems their respective government agencies could sabotage the best laid plans. All the characters were engaging while the author's ability to describe each one with such detail you soon felt like you knew them immediately. Throughout the book the Author show's his great research and knowledge in all aspects of the journey he takes us on. Get ready to be taken on a journey into the world of the cartel, drug smuggling, terrorists, Coast Guard rescues, Navy Seals, operations of the oil transporting industry, romance, and all the engaging characters working to thwart the terrorists. I can't wait for the movie. SS
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Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2021
The story of a woman captain of deep draft ships is a story worth telling- Captain Rick did an awesome job of relating the finer points of real, big ships in action. I can’t wait for more stories of the action on the high seas. The book is truthful and overly optimistic at times- but overall- Rick weaves a tale which certainly could have already happened or is happening as I write this- read it! CC
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This book peaked my attention from page one! Loved the names...I'm curious about the possible references to actual people! This book should turn out to be a best seller. Hard to put down. Wish I knew what the final decision was regarding Lamar. Thanks for the adventure! BM
Barnes & Nobel
This was a well written and informed book with lots of action, and so many surprises. Could not put the book down and didn’t want it to end. KN
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The Author is my cousin. This book is great. I would recommend it. Philly Cuz
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I'm not a reader of fiction but this book was an excellent fiction thriller and written very well. Kept you inter-whined with all the characters throughout each chapter. Jerseygull
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It reads like an action movie. I didn’t want it to end. In all honesty, one of the best books I’ve read recently!! MW
GOODREADS
Finished book best book I've read in twenty years! Couldn't put the book down! Fred M
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POWELL'S CITY OF BOOKS
This book should be read by anyone that loves a great suspense thriller! Full of believable characters and contemporary action on the high seas involving romance, internal conflict, and the government and international terrorism! This is a hit by this first-time author and should be on the best seller list! Would make a great movie! BL
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Two If By Sea is a great maritime mystery/suspense novel. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and can't wait to turn the page to see what happens next! This new author has a hit on his hands. Everyone who love a good mystery/suspense thriller needs to get this book! MK
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More people are talking:
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The storm rises fast, steel hull groaning beneath the Palm Princess as hidden cargo clings silently below the waterline, and in that moment the sea feels less like freedom and more like a threat waiting to surface. That opening tension, where nature, danger, and secrecy converge, immediately pulled me into Two If by Sea. You place the reader squarely on deck, feeling the weight of command, the unease of what cannot be seen, and the knowledge that one wrong decision could ripple far beyond the horizon.
What struck me most as I moved page by page through your story is how skillfully you blend authentic maritime detail with high stakes global danger. The concept of nearly undetectable containers affixed to ships’ hulls is chilling in its plausibility, and the escalation from drug trafficking to nuclear waste and dirty bombs raises the tension in a way that feels both cinematic and unsettlingly real. You do not rely on spectacle alone. You anchor the story in the lived experience of a captain whose professional responsibility collides with forces far outside his control. The hurricane is not just weather; it is a pressure point that magnifies every choice. The terrorists are not distant villains; they are an ever-present shadow.
I was especially drawn to how you balance the external threats with the quieter, more human elements of the story. The budding relationship woven into the narrative adds emotional texture and vulnerability. It reminds the reader that even amid international terrorism and looming catastrophe, people still reach for connection, comfort, and meaning. That contrast between intimacy and danger gives the book its emotional depth. The sea becomes both a setting and a metaphor, vast, unpredictable, and capable of carrying hope and destruction in the same breath.
This layered storytelling is exactly what makes Two If by Sea such a strong fit for book clubs. Thriller focused book clubs thrive on stories that spark debate and speculation, and your book offers so much to unpack. Readers will naturally discuss the ethical implications of maritime security, the realism of the smuggling methods, the psychological toll of command under pressure, and the way personal relationships shift when the stakes are global. These conversations generate organic reviews because readers feel compelled to articulate their reactions. They also lead to reader to reader referrals, as members recommend the book to friends who enjoy smart, grounded thrillers with emotional weight.
Your novel has all the elements book clubs look for in a standout thriller. High stakes, credible danger, emotional resonance, and a setting that feels both expansive and claustrophobic at once. Two If by Sea brings the reader who will not only race through its pages, but also linger on its questions long after the final chapter.
Warm regards,
Eleanor Jeffery
A Professional Note About the Power Precision and High Stakes Emotion in “Two If By Sea” by Richard McCann
A single sunset quiet, unassuming, almost tender becomes the spark that pulls Captain Karen Ann Murphy back into the memories that shaped her, and forward into the storm of international danger waiting just beyond the horizon. That opening image in Two If By Sea is cinematic in the truest sense: a moment of stillness before a breathtaking, global-scale unraveling begins. The story doesn’t merely start it ignites. And from that instant, the reader is taken aboard a ship where every corridor, every secret, every decision breathes suspense. Page after page, the narrative expands into a multilayered experience: the maritime atmosphere, the complexities of command, the tightening web of Colombian cartels and international terrorists, and the sweeping involvement of D.C.’s most powerful alphabet agencies. You balance the sharpness of thriller pacing with emotional sincerity—characters who feel alive, flawed, human. Readers root for some, distrust others, and stay wholly invested in every shifting allegiance and every rising danger. The romance threaded through the chaos adds a pulse of warmth and vulnerability, deepening the stakes rather than distracting from them. It’s a rare blend: high-octane action grounded in authentic character-driven storytelling.
TWO IF BY SEA is a gripping maritime thriller that immediately hooks readers. The drug cartels’ nearly undetectable hull containers, the international terrorists twisting that technology to smuggle nuclear waste for dirty bombs, the hurricane, and the rising emotional tension aboard the Palm Princess — all wrapped around Captain Karen Ann Murphy’s world — create the perfect blend of high-stakes suspense and human vulnerability.
Best Wishes,
Andrian Z