In The Dangerous Shore: How a Motley Crew of Scientists, Mobsters, Double Agents, Retirees, Volunteer Pilots (and a Boy Scout) stopped the Invasion of America, New York Times bestselling author Sara Vladic uncovers a little-known chapter of World War II history: the sustained and dangerous campaign waged against the American home front by German U-boats–and the unlikely group of citizens who fought back.
For decades, history books have largely framed the Pearl Harbor attack as the only significant assault on U.S. soil during the war. But as Vladic reveals through years of archival research, the threat extended far beyond Hawaii. Along the eastern seaboard, German submarines sank ships within sight of shore, landed saboteurs on American beaches, and plotted attacks on major cities. With the nation’s focus fixed overseas, the United States was dangerously vulnerable at home.
Stepping into that breach was an improbable coalition of patriots–misfits, outcasts, and unlikely heroes whose contributions have been largely overlooked.
Among them was aviation pioneer Gill Robb Wilson, who led a volunteer corps of civilian pilots patrolling the coastline in small private aircraft. In Ohio, engineer Joseph Desch spearheaded groundbreaking cryptographic work that proved vital to Allied intelligence efforts. Commander Kenneth Knowles oversaw the so-called “Phantom Fleet,” helping coordinate operations tied to top-secret ULTRA intelligence.
Meanwhile, on the shadowy edges of espionage and organized crime, German spy turned-double agent Grace Buchanan-Dineen worked with U.S. authorities to expose enemy operatives. enemy operatives. Infamous mob figures Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, and Socks Lanza struck quiet deals with Naval Intelligence to help secure American ports from sabotage.
Together, this unlikely alliance turned the tide of a secret war at home–one that saved thousands of lives and reshaped the nation’s understanding of its own vulnerability.
A Booklist starred selection, The Dangerous Shore has drawn early praise from historians, military leaders, and bestselling authors:
Pulitzer Prize finalist James M. Scott calls it
“a humdinger of a World War II tale populated by a cast of characters even Hollywood couldn’t invent.”
Robert Kurson describes the book as “a powerful testament to the distinctly American resolve that kept disaster from our shores.”
Rear Admiral Sam Cox (Ret.) praises it as “better than any espionage novel, because it’s all true,” while German naval historian Axel Niestlé commends its fresh and balanced approach to U-boat history.
Blending meticulous research with narrative drive, Vladic brings to life a forgotten battlefield and the Americans who refused to stand by while their country was threatened. Sweeping in scope yet intimate in detail, The Dangerous Shore Challenges long-held assumptions about the war and honors the quiet courage of those who defended the nation when few were watching.
The Dangerous Shore is available wherever books are sold.
About the Author
Sara Vladic is a New York Times bestselling author and filmmaker. Her previous book, Indianapolis, was widely acclaimed for its vivid storytelling and groundbreaking research. With The Dangerous Shore, she once again illuminates a dramatic and largely untold chapter of American History.
For media inquiries, review copies, or interview requests, please contact:
Martin Wilson
Associate Director of Publicity, HarperCollins
Martin.Wilson@harpercollins.co Or visit www.SaraVladic.com; contact@saravladic.com
