Indies Inferno

When the cover story becomes more dangerous than the main mission…
 

USCGC Kauai heads to the Caribbean under a simple cover: provide transport and protection for a volcanology survey on the island of Saint Ignatius while quietly shielding a deeper intelligence operation elsewhere in the Caribbean. On paper, the crew are just Coasties watching a sleepy mountain.
 

The mountain doesn't stay sleepy. As volcanic activity spikes and evacuation plans start to crack, the "cover" mission turns into the one crisis no one can ignore. By the time Saint Ignatius finally erupts, the Kauai is already in harm's way—racing ash, fire, and failing infrastructure to pull the last survivors off the dying island.

While the crew battles the elements, their personal lives are anything but calm. Lieutenant Ben Wyporek, newly married and serving as executive officer, struggles to balance a high‑risk career with supporting his neurodiverse soulmate Victoria. Captain Haley Reardon discovers that command doesn't have to mean isolation when a slow‑burn romance with DIA officer Peter Simmons complicates an already dangerous assignment. Cadet Marcus Porter's routine Academy internship explodes into a fight for survival—and an unexpected connection with island administrator Isabelle Jones—when the volcano blows.

From foiling an eco‑terrorist attack on an oil tanker to rescuing dozens from a burning dive boat, Indies Inferno, book four in the Cutter Kauai Sea Adventures, delivers explosive action at sea, layered relationships, and a crew forced to choose how far they'll go when duty, desire, and disaster collide. Perfect for readers of action/adventure, military and spy thrillers, and fans of shows like Sea Patrol.

"Dive in to an exciting sea thriller featuring the small Coast Guard cutter Kauai, assigned to a covert intelligence operation, but caught up in rescue effort during a volcanic eruption on the small Caribbean island of Saint Ignatius. Along the way, Kauai's crew foils an eco-terrorist attack on an oil tanker, saves dozens of people from a burning and sinking dive boat and carries out a dangerous espionage mission. Join the crew of Kauai as they face a high stakes sea odyssey with bravery, loyalty, friendship, and humor in a thrilling maritime adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page is turned.

"Riveting maritime drama with explosively high stakes and a consistent edge of gritty realism, Indies Inferno by Edward M. Hochsmann is a military procedural flavored with a romantically entangled and unforgettable crew. When a natural disaster interrupts a classified mission, the crew must balance duty to their country with the humane responsibility to preserve life. Boosted in believability by the author's own experience, the prose is immersive, the action is steeped in authentic suspense, and the dialogue crackles with realism. Drawing on diverse themes of emotional attachment, patriotism, the trauma of disaster, and law enforcement ethics, this latest installment of Hochsmann's series is a multifaceted and gripping read."
The Independent Review of Books