When master explorer Dirk Pitt finds a fabled coin linked to a historical legend, he takes on the adventure of his life as he embarks on a treasure hunt through some of the most dangerous regions of West Africa. As they search for what locals call the Ship of Death--a long-lost Civil War battleship that protects a secret cargo--Dirk and his wisecracking sidekick, Al Giordino, meet Dr. Eva Rojas, a beautiful and brilliant doctor who believes that the hidden treasure may be connected to a larger problem that threatens the world around them. Hunting for a ship that no one else thinks exists, Dirk, Al, and Eva must rely on their wits and their daring heroics to outsmart dangerous warlords, survive the threatening terrain, and get to the bottom of both mysteries.