Vernon H. Baker

Ex Royal Australian Navy and Merchant Service, retiring as Pacific Island Master and Australian Coastal Ship Master. Various ships and shipping companies — Mainly Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Queensland and W.A. coasts. Experience as relieving lighthouse keeper: various locations on the Queensland and South Australian coasts. Marine signalman for Queensland Department of Harbours and Marine; Port Control Officer for South Australian Harbours and Marine, plus a four month term as Plantation Manager (rubber and copra) at Mamai Plantation, southern Papua New Guinea. Also experience as Customs Officer (examiner) in the Fiji Customs, Port and Marine Department for eighteen months. Have written four other novels: ‘whodunits’ and romance‑adventure stories as well as a screenplay adapted from one of my novels about Papua New Guinea.

The Morutau Affair