内容简介
NationalbestsellingauthorofTheRussianConcubine,KateFurnivallspinsataleofwar,desperation,andthediscoveryofloveoffthecoastofMalaya.Malaya,1941.ConnieThorntonplaysherroleasadutifulwifeandmotherwithoutcomplaint.Sheisamongthefortunateafterall-theBritishrubberplantationownersreapingthebenefitsofthecoloniallife.ButConniefeelsasthoughsheisoppressed,crippledbyboredom,swelteringheat,alovelessmarriage...Then,inDecember,theJapaneseinvade.Connieandherfamilyflee,sailingsouthontheiryachttowardSingapore,wheretheBritisharecertaintostandfirmagainsttheJapanese.Enroute,inthecompanyoffriends,theylearnthatSingaporeisalreadyundersiege.Tensionsmount,tempersflare,andtheyacht'sinhabitantsaredrivenbyfear.Increasinglydesperateandshortoffood,theyaretakenoverbyapiratecraftanditsMalayancrewmakingtheirperilouswayfromislandtoisland.Whenafighterplanecrashesintothesea,theyrescueitsJapanesepilot.ForConnie,that'swheneverythingchanges.Inthesuffocatingconfinesoftheboatwithherlifeupended,Conniediscoversanewkindoffreedomandanew,dangerous,exhilaratinglove.
作者简介
DickFrancisDickFranciswasoneofthemostsuccessfulpostwarsteeplechasejockeys,winningmorethan350racesandridingforHerMajestyQueenElizabeth,theQueenMother.Afterhisretirementfromthesaddle,hepublishedanautobiography,TheSportofQueens,beforegoingontowritemorethanfortyacclaimedbooks,includingtheNewYorkTimesbestsellersEvenMoneyandSilks.Athree-timeEdgarAwardwinner,healsoreceivedtheprestigiousCrimeWriters’Association’sCartierDiamondDagger,wasnamedGrandMasterbytheMysteryWritersofAmerica,andwasawardedaCBEintheQueen’sBirthdayHonoursListin2000.Hediedin2010atageeighty-nine,andremainsamongthegreatestthrillerwritersofalltime.FelixFrancisistheyoungerofDickFrancis’stwosons.OverthelastfortyyearsFelixhasassistedwiththeresearchofmanyoftheDickFrancisnovels,notleastTwiceShy,Shattered,andUnderOrders.Since2006,Felixhastakenamoresignificantroleinthewriting,firstwithDeadHeatandthenincreasinglywiththebestsellers,SilksandEvenMoney.Crossfireisthefourthnovelofthisfather-and-soncollaboration.FelixFrancislivesinEngland.BiographyDickFranciswasborninLawrenny,SouthWalesin1920.HeservedintheRoyalAirForceforsixyearsduringWorldWarII,pilotingfighterandbomberaircraftincludingtheSpitfireandLancasterbetween1943and1946.Followingthewar,Francis,thesonofajockey,becameacelebrityintheworldofBritishNationalHuntracing.Hewonmorethan350races,wasChampionJockeyin1953-1954,andwasretainedasjockeytoHerMajestyQueenElizabeththeQueenMotherforfourseasons,1953through1957.FrancisrodeeighttimesintheworldfamousGrandNationalSteeplechase,andnearlywonin1956whenhishorse,theQueenMother'sDevonLoch,afewstridesawayfromvictorywithaclearfield,suddenlycollapsed.Thisincident,whichFranciscalls"boththehighpointandlowpointofmycareerasajockey,"wastheimpetusforhimtobeginasecondcareerasawriter.Shortlyaftertheincident,aliteraryagentapproachedFrancisaboutwritinganautobiography.In1957,Francissufferedanotherseriousfallandwasadvisedtoretirefromraceriding.Hecompletedhisautobiography,TheSportofQueens,whichwaspublishedlaterthatyear,andacceptedaninvitationtowritesixfeaturesfortheLondonSundayExpress.Hestayedonasthenewspaper'sracingcorrespondentfor16years.Sportswritingsoonledtofictionwriting,whichinturnledtoastringofbestsellingnovels.Hisfirst,DeadCert,waspublishedin1962.His36thnovel,10Lb.Penalty,waspublishedintheU.S.byG.P.Putnam'sSonsinSeptember1997.Inadditiontohisnovelsandautobiography,FrancishasalsopublishedabiographyofLesterPiggott,AJockey'sLife,andeightshortstories.Hehasedited(withJohnWelcome)fourcollectionsofracingstories,andhascontributedtoanthologiesandperiodicals.Francis'sbookshavebeenbestsellersinanumberofcountries,andhavebeentranslatedintomorethan30languages,includingallEuropeanlanguages,Japanese,Korean,Taiwanese,Bantu,andseveraldialectsofChinese.EachofhisnovelshasalsobeenrecordedonaudioinbothBritainandtheUnitedStates.FranciswasmadeanOfficerofthemostnobleOrderoftheBritishEmpirein1984,andwasawardedtheBritishCrimeWritersAssociationsilverdaggerin1965,golddaggerin1980andCartierdiamonddaggerforhislife'sworkin1990.TherecipientofthreeEdgarAllenPoeAwardsforBestNovelfromtheMysteryWritersofAmerica,mostrecentlyfor1995'sCometoGrief,Francisistheonlypersontohavebeenawardedtheprestigiousawardmorethanonce.TheMysteryWritersofAmericanamedFrancisGrandMasterforhislife'sworkin1996,andhewasawardedanHonoraryDoctorateofHumaneLettersfromTuftsUniversityin1991.AuthorbiographycourtesyofPenguinGroup(USA).AlsoKnownAs:SirRichardStanleyFrancis(fullname)Hometown:GrandCayman,CaymanIslands,BritishWestIndiesDateofBirth:十月31,1920PlaceofBirth:Tenby,Pembrokeshire,southwestWalesDateofDeath:二月14,2010PlaceofDeath:GrandCayman,CaymanIslands,BritishWestIndies
