At the end of World War II, Nazi war treasure was hidden by British soldiers within the structure of a Russian ship. Now, fifty years later, with the Cold War well and truly over, the people who hid the treasure are trying to recover it, leaving behind them a trail of murders. This story is pieced together by Michael Kyle, a merchant sailor whose best friend, a historian, had stumbled on the story, only to die in mysterious circumstances. The more Kyle endeavours to find the truth behind his friend's death, the more his own life is threatened - until the final showdown at sea where, in a dramatic salt-and-spray action sequence on board the treasure ship, Kyle comes face to face with the other people who are seeking the treasure, including the killer.