The murders of a team of United Nations scientists in El Salvador. . . A deadly collision in the waterways off the city of Detroit. . . An attack by tomb raiders on an archaeological site along the banks of the Nile. . . Is there a link between these violent events? The answer may lie in the tale of an Egyptian princess forced to flee the armies of her father three thousand years ago.

During what was supposed to be a routine investigation in South America, NUMA Director Dirk Pitt finds himself embroiled in an international mystery, one that will lead him across the world and which will threaten everyone and everything he knows--most importantly, his own family. Pitt travels to Scotland in search of answers about the spread of an unknown disease and the shadowy bioremediation company that may be behind it. Meanwhile, his son and daughter face a threat of their own when the discoveries they have made in an Egyptian tomb put killers on their trail. These seemingly unrelated riddles come together in a stunning showdown on the rocky isles of Ireland, where only the Pitts can unravel the secrets of an ancient enigma that could change the very future of mankind.

Published
March 19, 2019
Where to find this book
External links open a book search at the selected retailer. Availability may vary.
Dirk Pitt

The series

Full series details →

Beneath the surface of our modern world lies a labyrinth of forgotten civilizations, lost technology, and secrets long buried by time and tide. The Dirk Pitt series plunges into that shadowy realm, surfacing with high-stakes discoveries that threaten to reshape history and the future. These are not quiet puzzles. They are explosive, fast-moving adventures anchored in real-world science and steeped in the eerie allure of maritime mystery.

Read full series description

Set across remote deserts, submerged ruins, and volatile political landscapes, the stories follow a man who never shies from danger and rarely plays by the rules. Part oceanographer, part detective, and part reluctant hero, Dirk’s role isn’t just to solve the mystery, it’s to stop the catastrophe that comes with it. What begins with a sunken artifact or a strange anomaly often spirals into international chaos, forcing him to outwit corrupt powers, outpace time, and outlast the elements.

What gives the series its staying power is the seamless blend of historical intrigue, cutting-edge technology, and environmental tension. It’s a world where the past and present collide, sometimes violently, and where the biggest threats don’t come from myths, but from what people choose to do with forgotten knowledge. Each book builds a layered atmosphere that balances suspense, exploration, and a dry edge of wit that keeps things grounded even when the stakes reach global proportions.

There’s a cinematic pulse to these stories, but the real magic lies in how they tap into a deep fascination with the unknown—those places on the map still marked by silence, and the hidden stories that lie beneath our feet and below the waves. For readers who crave adventure that’s both intelligent and visceral, this series doesn’t just deliver action, it evokes the thrill of uncovering something monumental, and the danger of waking what should have remained lost.

Risingshadow

Rating distribution

How reader ratings are distributed across the 1–10 scale.

100
90
81
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Risingshadow

Be the first reviewer

Sign in and write the first reader review.

Risingshadow

Readers Also Enjoyed