Tide went out (British Library Publishing)

A classic British novel of environmental disaster from 1958. A nuclear explosion causes a clossal tear in the Earth's crust, through which the oceans begin to drain. As sea-levels drop noticeably, journalist Philip Wade finds his reporting obstructed and then co-opted aby mysterious forces; the government need to maintain control of the 'truth' for sake of Britain's survival - or for the survival of a select few, at least. This sharp and cynical novel of society's descent into ruin marries a thrilling portrayal of ecological disaster with the terrifyingly convincing vision of a regime striving to control information and dominate the populace.