Local author Martin Nuza has launched his crime novel 'Snatched: The Unforgettable Cruise'. The novel is based on actual events and revolves around real crimes committed aboard cruise ships. It is available on Amazon on both Kindle and Paperback versions.

Local author Martin Nuza, has just finished a crime novel which has been published by Michael Terence Publishing in the UK entitled "Snatched: The Unforgettable Cruise". The novel is based on actual events and revolves around real crimes committed aboard cruise ships.

 

For three years, Martin was given unrestricted access to thousands of true life reported crimes from the "International Cruise Victims Organisation" (ICV) in America, where he has been researching for his book.

 

"Back in 2019, I was watching a mini-documentary about a woman who mysteriously disappeared during an Alaskan cruise in August 2004," explains Martin. "Her name was Merrian Carver, and her father, Kendall, tried everything in his power to find his daughter and learn the truth behind her disappearance.

 

"From the beginning, Kendall was railroaded and all the doors were immediately closed, preventing him from understanding what really happened. "Eventually, Kendall discovered that Merrian was reported missing on the second day of her cruise by a cabin steward, yet the steward's supervisor just brushed it aside without investigating any further and simply instructed the steward to continue cleaning her room, despite the fact she was nowhere to be found. At the end of the cruise, all of Merrian's belongings were swiftly disposed of, and her cabin was made ready for the next guests boarding that same afternoon.

 

"Many months passed and Kendall persisted, demanding answers from the cruise company until finally receiving an official letter from them informing him that Merrian jumped from the ship to commit suicide and this case was now closed. 

 

"There were many red flags needing answers about Merrian's mysterious disappearance. Kendall knew from the start there was more to it than met the eye, as Merrian had much to live for, including her own daughter waiting for her back home, so suicide was not on her agenda.

 

"The more Kendall investigated the more he learned that these disappearances were a common incident aboard cruises, together with an astonishing high level of crimes, too, the top crime being sexual assaults. Kendall set up the International Cruise Victims Organization (ICV) to fight for Congress to change legislation to make cruising safer, not only for passengers but for crew members also, as many of the cruise lines were not obliged to reveal their crime statistics, so the public were not aware of what was really going on aboard the ships."

 

Martin got in contact with Kendall and told him he was interested in creating awareness by alerting the public, in order to, hopefully, save lives and prevent innocent people from falling victim. It was then that Kendall gave full access to Martin to do his research. "I remember having regular skype video calls with Kendall," Martin explains, "and on one particular call, he was in tears, as he had just finished reading the first draft of the book.

 

"The main character is a young woman called Chloe who goes missing and this reminded him of his daughter Merrian. He was praying she didn't have the same horrible fate Chloe did."

 

Unfortunately, Kendall passed away without knowing what really happened to his daughter. The new president of the ICV is Jamie Barnett, whose 25-year-old daughter, Ashley, was unfortunately found dead in her stateroom during a Mexican cruise in 2005. Jamie has also been very supportive about this book, helping Martin with everything he needed.

 

In the book, Martin tells the story of a young woman who goes missing on a cruise, and of her father, a police detective, trying everything in his power to find her. But he is being prevented from doing so by the current system in place. The father will not stop until discovering the truth, even if it costs him his life. A gripping action adventure thriller that has nothing to envy films, such as "Taken" with Liam Neeson.

 

"Many people who go on cruises," explains Martin, "are not really aware of the full extent of the maritime laws and how vulnerable they really are once they step foot onboard that cruise ship, especially if that ship has a flag of convenience, which is where the vessel is registered in."

 

Martin was given technical legal guidance for his book from the ICV lawyer, Mr. JIM WALKER (WALKER & O'NEILL P.A.) MARITIME LAWYERS based in Miami, Florida. "This obligation," explains Mr. Walker, "of enforcement, is the responsibility of the flag states, like the Bahamas, Panama, or Bermuda, which have little to no interest in overseeing U.S. based cruise ships on the high seas. 

 

"These countries have few laws governing cruise ships to enforce, which is the main reason why cruise lines register their ships in such jurisdictions in the first place. Cruise passengers leaving ports in the U.S. like Miami, New Orleans, Galveston, Los Angeles and Seattle, typically do not realize that they are subject to the laws of the flags of convenience where the ship is registered. Most cruise lines hire crew members from hiring agencies which do not perform background checks on their prospective employees. Non-U.S. crew members are not subject to screening on sexual predator databases which do not exist in countries like India or Islands in the Caribbean. The majority of  rapes and other sexual crimes which are committed on cruise ships are committed by crew members." 

 

It is important to note, the book does not target the cruise industry in anyway nor is it intent to stop people from cruising. The book covers and exposes many of the loopholes with the intention of creating awareness for passengers to have a much safer and enjoyable voyage by not falling victim to one of the many crimes aboard.

 

At the end of the book, there are a handful of statements/testimonies from family members/victims, reliving their ordeals. The book also has a  segment providing tips on how to have a safer cruise by highlighting certain things a passenger can do, in order to be more aware of their surroundings and avoid becoming a victim, especially if they are travelling alone or with children. The book has been edited by Executive Producer, Jane L. Fitzpatrick, in Washington State.

 

"Snatched: The Unforgettable Cruise" is a must read so people can truly understand what the cruise industry is so keen to bury under the carpet. It is available worldwide on Amazon on both Kindle and Paperback versions.