Steven Carruthers

Steven L. Carruthers is an Australian maritime historian, former Royal Australian Navy serviceman, and author of acclaimed works on Australia’s wartime maritime history. His books include Australia Under Siege, Japanese Submarine Raiders 1942: A Maritime Mystery, A Parting Shot, and the newly released Ghost Below: The Lost Submarine of Sydney Harbour.

Drawing on decades of research and diving experience, Carruthers has been at the forefront of uncovering the stories of Japan’s 1942 submarine attacks along Australia’s east coast. His work blends meticulous archival investigation with the first-hand insights of divers, veterans, and maritime archaeologists.

A lifelong advocate for preserving Australia’s maritime heritage, Carruthers has worked closely with the No Frills Divers and Heritage NSW in documenting one of the nation’s most significant maritime discoveries—the wreck of the midget submarine M24.

He writes from Warilla, New South Wales, under his Bluewater Press imprint. His titles, including A Parting Shot and Ghost Below, are available through Amazon and leading booksellers worldwide.

Critical Reception

Ghost Below: The Lost Submarine of Sydney Harbour has been widely recognised as the definitive account of the Japanese midget submarine M24 and its long-unresolved fate. Reviewing the book for Military History & Heritage Victoria, historian Jason McGregor described it as “a definitive maritime history that resurfaces a national memory,” praising its meticulous scholarship, depth of sourcing, and integration of wartime history, maritime archaeology, and modern investigation. The review highlighted the book’s extensive use of Japanese and Allied records, its careful treatment of the HMAS Kuttabul tragedy, and its contribution to the protection and understanding of Australia’s underwater cultural heritage, noting that Ghost Below moves the M24 story beyond folklore into evidence-based history.