A powerful alternative history novel! Perfect for fans of Frederick Forsyth, John Le Carré, Irving A. Greenfield and Tom Clancy. Is the 'Pope's battleship' all she seems...? 1969 Once The Columba was a light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. Now, painted white and manned by a crew of young volunteers, she's become a relief ship intended to carry supplies and aid to any stricken area a Catholic order has decided needs help. The ship has been dubbed 'the Pope's battleship' and soon rumours start to swirl about its intentions. Colin Panton has been commissioned to make a television film of the venture, but he soon starts to wonder if The Columba is really as peaceable as she seems. When the ship is attacked during its maiden voyage by unmarked jets, his suspicions deepen. Are the relief missions really as innocent as they seem? Why was The Columba attacked? With war looming in the Middle East, what are the true motives of the Catholic order...? THE HOLY FATHER'S NAVY is a classic literary historical thriller set during the 1960s. It is the third book in the Colin Panton Conspiracy Thrillers series - following an investigative journalist during the Cold War era. 'as exciting and provocative a novel as can be found away from the world of espionage' - Yorkshire Post THE COLIN PANTON CONPIRACY THRILLER SERIES: BOOK ONE: Peregrination 22 BOOK TWO: The Twentymen BOOK THREE: The Holy Father's Navy