THE LEATHER HAND

From the perspective of his middle years, Ron looks back on the most significant event of his boyhood. Attempting to free his mother of the grievous shock caused by his father's sudden death, Ron takes her to an island in the Mediterranean where they set up shop for the inhabitants. With his carefree friend Jap, Ron calculates the position of an underwater treasure from a map and the two proceed to dive for it in the face of thwarting obstacles cast by a mysterious enemy. In an unusual twist of plot, the villain reveals motives for coveting the gold which are wholly sympathetic, endowing his inevitable suicide with a tragic dimension. The writing is bright and flavorful and the content will stimulate the thoughtful reader. Definitely not a routine adventure story.