Treasure of the General Grant. This item is unavailable.Treasure of the General Grant

On the 4^th May 1866 the General Grant, a 179-foot clipper carrying gold, came to grief on the cliffs of the Subantarctic Auckland Islands of New Zealand. Robbie, a Southland (New Zealand) sheep farmer suspects that his uncle a famous treasure hunter salvaged this treasure but the secret dies on his uncle's deathbed. Robbie's obsession to resolve this mystery takes him down a dangerous path where he brushes with unsavoury characters who have more than a passing interest in the gold. Did his uncle salvage the gold and who really was his uncle?

This thriller involves historical events woven into a work of fiction. In the early history of New Zealand and Australia, ships took the dangerous but fastest route to England sailing west to east through the Southern Ocean. Many ships disappeared hitting icebergs, coming to grief around the horn or ending up as wrecks like the General Grant on sub-Antarctic islands. In 1986 and 1996 salvage expeditions to the Auckland Island meticulously searched the seabed where the General Grant had come to rest but no gold was found. What happened to this treasure?

As a friend and workmate of Brian whom I have known for almost thirty years, it is a privilege to write this biography for Brian. Throughout his life, Brian has continuously increased his knowledge in a variety of fields. With his perceptive nature, it was no surprise when he breezed thought his MA (honours) degree in psychology. Brian also has accounting and management qualifications. I worked with him for approximately 25 years. Brian was a natural at investigation work being selected for a special technical assignment team. He enjoys the outdoors and sport. In our younger days, we had several competitive games of tennis. Brian's well-disguised and cunning backhand and the difficulty in playing it as the ball just slipped low and slow over the net will haunt me forever. One can speak easily with Brian. His mind and thinking run deep and he is well capable of covering the different aspects of reality and related characters that are covered in his books. Hence, I have continuously grown as a person through my discussions with Brian and through reading his books. Add in a great sense of humour and obvious enjoyment of life and family life and you have the mix for a very thought-provoking book. Keith Shand