Described by Ken Follett as "the first modern thriller", The Riddle of the Sands is the best-known sailing narrative and a true classic. It was recently ranked 37th in The Observer's list of the 100 Greatest Novels of the past 300 years. Winston Churchill even credited it for the Admiralty's decision to build naval bases in Scapa Flow, Invergordon and Rosyth.
With its prescient plotline and patriotic call for the nation to prepare against its foreign foes, The Riddle of the Sands has remained enduringly popular ever since it was first published in 1903. This new edition includes detailed maps of the Dutch coastline and evocative black and white photographs of some of the places Carruthers and Davies visit.
This is an enduring classic, loved by sailors and non-sailors alike, and its new illustrative material will be welcomed by readers following the storyline.