On November 10, 1975, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald vanished in a furious Lake Superior storm. One moment she was on the radar of the nearby SS Arthur M. Anderson; the next. she was gone. No distress call. No survivors. Vanished. Twenty-nine men lost, and America’s most famous Great Lakes freighter sinks without a trace.

For decades, the truth of what happened that night has remained shrouded in mystery. Official hearings pointed to rogue waves, structural weakness, or faulty hatch covers. Families demanded answers. Industry insiders whispered of deferred maintenance, negligence, and a conspiracy of silence. Even today, underwater ROVs exploring the wreck raise more questions than answers.

The Edmund Fitzgerald – Without a Trace brings the tragedy to life in a powerful blend of history and fiction. Grounded in research yet imagined through the eyes of the men aboard, it fills in the silences history cannot explain: the storm-battered crew struggling below decks, the captain’s final decisions, whispered prayers, and the terrifying moments before the Fitz disappeared forever.

This is not only the semi-fictional story of a shipwreck but also of legacy—of grieving families, of memorial bells that still toll each November, and of a vessel that became an American legend.

For readers of maritime history and historical fiction, award winning Author Tom McAuliffe captures the mystery, the loss, and the enduring legend in Edmund Fitzgerald—Without a Trace.