Creepy, Claustrophobic Mystery-At-Sea Another Page Turner From Ware

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

In the ten years journalist Lo Blacklock has worked for Velocity, a travel magazine, she's gone exactly nowhere.  Both literally and figuratively.  So, when Lo's pregnant boss passes on the opportunity to sail through the Norwegian fjords on a brand new luxury liner, Lo is thrilled to go in her place.  A little R&R is just what she needs after a break-in at her apartment that has left her shaken and paranoid.  Plus, the experience should be just the thing to give her lagging career a much-needed boost.

From the moment Lo steps on the boat, she's captivated by its opulence.  From the glittering chandeliers to the glamorous guests, the small ship is everything it's been advertised to be.  On her first evening at sea, something strange occurs—a tipsy Lo witnesses a body being thrown overboard.  At least she thinks she does.  Although she spreads her concern to the crew and passengers, no one believes her as everyone on board is accounted for.  Lo might not be sure exactly what she saw that night, but she knows there was a living, breathing woman in Cabin 10.  Even if the room has always been vacant.  Lo borrowed makeup from a real person.  Where is that person now?  

As Lo tries to convince her fellow travelers—and herself—that something sinister has happened, she comes to realize just how cut off she is from the outside world.  She knows something's not quite right aboard the Aurora Borealis.  But what is it that's off?  And how can she prove that something fishy is going on?  Especially when she can't quite persuade herself.   

I love the premise behind The Woman in Cabin 10, Ruth Ware's sophomore thriller.  It's intriguing, it's chilling, it's a conundrum that kept me flipping pages to find out what was going to happen.  The creepy, atmospheric setting added to the novel's claustrophobic vibe making it an even more intense mystery.  While its plot could definitely have been more complex, The Woman in Cabin 10 tells an exciting, engrossing story.  I didn't find it quite as compelling as In a Dark, Dark Wood, but I still enjoyed the read overall.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, sexual content, and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The Woman in Cabin 10 at Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.