Documents the story of the luxury liner that burned off the coast of New Jersey in 1934, drawing on previously classified FBI reports and first-person survivor interviews to reveal how the Morro Castle's captain died under mysterious circumstances seven hours before the ship caught fire and how many of the crew abandoned ship, leaving passengers to fend for themselves. 40,000 first printing. On September 7, 1934, the captain of the luxury ocean-liner Morro Castle died under mysterious circumstances. A fire then started in the engine room and rapidly spread throughout the ship as it was returning from a Labor Day cruise to Havana. Gale-force winds caused the vessel to burn and run aground off the New Jersey coast of Asbury, and 134 passengers died. George Rogers, a crewmember, sent out a distress signal and was hailed for his bravery. The cause of the fire officially remains unsolved. Hicks believes that Rogers, who later was convicted of two murders, set the fire. The author read thousands of previously classified FBI reports and transcripts of innumerable public hearings, and he conducted interviews with survivors. With eight pages of black-and-white photographs, the book is a riveting account of this tragedy and the man who apparently caused it. George Cohen Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Used Book in Good Condition