Dead Calm (Perennial library) [Paperback]

Charles F. Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1983 | Series: Perennial library (Book 655)

John and Rae Ingram are alone on their honeymoon yacht in the Pacific, becalmed. It shoud be idyllic. . .but it's not.

On the near horizon a ship is sinking. They rescue its lone passenger, a young man who claims he buried his wife and another couple, dead from food poisoning. But suspicion gnaws at Ingram, a suspicion only too soon justified. Soon Ingram and his wife are nearly overside with the killer's other victims!

"A brilliant tour de force. . .breathtaking." (The New York Times)

--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

8 1-hour cassettes --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (July 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060806559
• ISBN-13: 978-0060806552
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,475,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A tale of gripping suspense, December 5, 1999

By 

Dr. John M. Pacy (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead Calm (Perennial library) (Paperback)

I just finished reading the book and thought it was an excellent tale. I liked the author's style of character developement and explaination of past events that led to the present situation. However, I was very disappointed in the movie adaptation of the novel. True to Hollywood form, it did not even come close to the original storyline!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dead Calm, September 4, 2001

By 

Ron Burkett (Birmingham, AL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead Calm (Perennial library) (Paperback)

I saw the movie first, with Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill and Billy Zane, and realized I had the book, so read it. Really good book, brought this landlubber reader right down to water level in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Memorable, well-drawn characters. Action cuts from one yacht, with a madman and the new bride, to the other yacht, which is slowly sinking, with the husband and two other people aboard. The husband and wife are frantically trying to reunite in the vast, empty sea. Tension abounds on both boats. The boats go further apart, then come closer, trying to find each other as the hours pass, the water rises in the sinking boat, and darkness falls. Climax? Wow!

I wasn't surprised to find the book was out of print, but it shouldn't be, it's that good. A classic. Written in 1963. Williams born when Joseph Conrad was alive. I bought it and many other Perennial Library paperback mysteries 15 years ago for $.99 each, and was amazed to find it made into a current movie with big stars.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Have Read It!, July 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dead Calm (Perennial library) (Paperback)

Dead Calm was written by Charles Williams in 1963. The movie "Dead Calm" was based on this novel. The book was much better! The story will keep your interest from cover to cover. The ending is one you will never forget. Well worth the effort of trying to find a copy.