South by Java Head by Alistair MacLean is a World War II-era thriller about a diverse group of desperate survivors fleeing the fallen city of Singapore on a crippled ship, the Kerry Dancer. As they are forced onto open boats and face Japanese attacks, the unforgiving elements, and dwindling supplies, they also contend with treachery and secrets from within their own ranks, with the first officer, John Nicolson, trying to ensure their survival at sea while unmasking a hidden enemy among them.
