In 1841, in the south Pacific, madness took the helm of the Massachusetts whaleship Sharon.  Those who survived the ill-fated voyage neever divulged what really happened.  Now, more than 150 years later, award-winning maritime historian Joan Druett solves the mystery of the brutal murder of Captain Howes Norris--one of the most ruthless and maniacal characters in nautical history.  This never-before-told true story about a deranged captain, a desperate, mutinous crew, and the man who--in the wake of madness--became a hero, is nautical writing at its best.