Book excerpt: An ancient cargo long thought lost is found. With terrible consequences . . . Dirk Pitt is surveying in the Middle East when a stroke of luck reveals an Ottoman wreck with a very curious cargo. While investigating the find, he foils a night raid on Istanbul's Topkapi Palace Museum. This puts Pitt at the centre of a race to acquire a series of legendary artefacts. Meanwhile, the region is being pushed to the brink of war by a series of explosions across Turkey and Egypt. Finding that his search for the artefacts is linked to the attacks, Pitt must prevent a deranged brother and sister's fanatical plans succeeding... Packed with breathtaking suspense and fired by an extraordinary imagination, Crescent Dawn is a barnstorming read starring Dirk Pitt for all fans of action, suspense and intrigue. Praise for Clive Cussler 'No holds barred adventure ... a souped-up treat' Daily Mirror 'Frightening and full of suspense ... unquestionably entertaining' Daily Express