In this tightly wound, enthralling story reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s works, Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins. The sky is clear, the waters calm, and the veneered, select guests jovial as the exclusive cruise ship, the Aurora, begins her voyage in the picturesque North Sea. At first, Lo’s stay is nothing but pleasant: the cabins are plush, the dinner parties are sparkling, and the guests are elegant. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a dark and terrifying nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for—and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong…
With surprising twists, spine-tingling turns, and a setting that proves as uncomfortably claustrophobic as it is eerily beautiful, Ruth Ware offers up another taut and intense read in The Woman in Cabin 10—one that will leave even the most sure-footed reader restlessly uneasy long after the last page is turned.
MY REVIEW:
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware is a 2016 Gallery/Scout Press publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This author and this book have generated some buzz lately, and so although this book was very far down on my TBR list, I couldn’t wait that long to read it, so I let it cut to the front of the line.
Did the book live up to the hype? Well, let’s just say my Goodreads friends know a good thriller when they see one.
Laura, or “Lo”, as her friends call her, works for a travel magazine, and is preparing to embark on the maiden voyage of the “Aurora Borealis” luxury cruise ship. But, before leaving on her journey, her flat is burglarized, and she has a terrible argument with her boyfriend, which leaves her feeling a little jumpy and paranoid.
Once aboard the ship, she believes someone has gone overboard, but when she attempts to have the matter investigated, it seems all the passengers are accounted for, excepting the girl in the cabin adjacent to hers, cabin ten, a cabin everyone claims is unoccupied, with Lo being the only one on-board who has seen her. Lo is made to feel as though she is losing her mind, and is accused of making the whole thing up. But, she is not about to give up, with or without help from the staff or crew, or her fellow passengers and colleagues.
Reading as often as I do, I often complain about recognizing plot lines or seeing the twists coming far in advance, having become a little too jaded over the years. So, when a book comes along that challenges me, has me working hard to figure out just what in blue blazes in going on, I can’t help but feel impressed.
This is a very well written mystery, intelligent, with pitch perfect pacing, which kept me in a state of apprehension from beginning to end. The suspense built in a sly way because my mind was so focused on the psychological aspects, I didn’t realize the rope was being pulled so tightly until I noticed I had my kindle in a death grip.
Suddenly the direction shifted and a new kind of mind game began to develop, which leads to an incredible and tense race against the clock, with twists and turns coming so fast, I was nearly breathless.
The author continued to play with me all the way until the very last paragraph, which left me feeling like I most definitely got my money’s worth.
Looking a psychological thriller ride? Look no further, because this book is just what you are looking for.
ON SALE JULY 19, 2016
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Cabin-10-Ruth-Ware/dp/1501132938
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-woman-in-cabin-10-ruth-ware/1123388495
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Her début thriller, In a Dark, Dark Wood, was a New York Times bestseller, and has been optioned for film by New Line Cinema.
She is currently working on her second book, The Woman in Cabin Ten.
Follow her on twitter at www.twitter.com/ruthwarewriter.
Find her on facebook at www.facebook.com/ruthwarewriter.