Holy.

First off, for anyone reading this review who hasn't read any of James S. Murray's books with Darren Wearmouth yet, and is only familiar with his comedy, please don't underestimate him. The man transitions to thriller and horror seamlessly.

This was such a ride. It's fast-paced, original, and the main character is just so multidimensional and human. It took some unexpected turns, and the one reveal towards the end made me audibly gasp. I love the way it ended, and I really hope to be reading more about Maria Fontana (a certified badass through and through) soon. ( )

The Short of It:

Gruesome, but oddly entertaining.

The Rest of It:

Two years ago, Maria Fontana, the head of the Psychology Department at Columbia University, sat on a jury for one of the most depraved cases ever to pass through the hallowed halls of City Hall. ~ Indiebound

The set-up is very good. Maria’s role on that jury comes back to haunt her and her family as they are vacationing on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. Maria and her fiancé are trying to put the events of the past behind them while getting a little R&R with Maria’s young children in tow. But things suddenly take a dangerous turn on the ship when people turn up dead. People, mostly, young children. How can this be? Could the man on trial, Wyatt Butler have a copycat?

Maria spent a lot of time reviewing the evidence of that case. All the gruesome photos of Butler’s young victims. Plus, her background in Psychology gives her enough info to know how these serial killers work, but could there really be a copycat on board? Why? What is he after?

This book is a classic example of being trapped with no place to run. It’s a ship but there are only so many places to hide and Maria’s knowledge of the case and what this killer is capable of keeps the story flowing at a breakneck pace. I really enjoyed this one. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down for long.

But…

It’s gruesome. The crime scenes are very graphic. It seemed somewhat tolerable only because the killings are not in real time. As readers, we only hear of the aftermath but it’s children, which is a bit hard to swallow. Many of you warned me about how graphic it was but it was done well-enough that it didn’t keep me from frantically turning those pages.

If you need something a little different, something that is hard to put down and you don’t mind the graphic nature of these killings, then I highly recommend it.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter. ( )

This is a quick read, 310 pages of double spaced writing. It was a bit slow getting off the mark, using up a little over 10% of the book to set the stage. I selected the book because I love cruises, and since it isn't the best time to be cruising I figured a murder mystery on a cruise might be interesting. It wasn't bad, I didn't dislike it, but I didn't really like it all that much either. Reading it was similar to going on a cruise, but not getting out of it what you expected. Upon finishing the book my takeaway was: Meh, O.K. - not too bad, but not too great. ( )

I am sadden to report that this book was a fail for me. I had been looking forward to reading it when I saw it a few months back. The premise is what drew me in and made me want to read this book.

I listened to this on audio. The narrator was fine but the narrator could not help the story be better. The main character, Maria was alright but at least she was better then the rest of the characters. They were just annoying and unhelpful. Everyone acted like Maria was stupid. Yet, even when the first body was discovered, the captain and security did not act with urgency.

The pacing never got above a five. If you are a reader like me who have read many thrillers, then you will probably figure out early on the plot of the story. By the time the story was wrapping up I was over it. ( )

I can’t imagine a scenario much more frightening than being trapped at sea with a serial killer on board. It seems as if a “ghost” is on the ship that isn’t seen on cameras and is likely not listed on the manifest. Who is he and how did he get on board?

One passenger, Maria, believes she knows who he is and she also served on the jury that let him off some other murders just two years ago. With a background in psychology, Maria teams up with the ship’s security officers to help find the killer before he takes more victims.

I really liked this thriller. It moved at a good clip and gave me a few characters to consider as possible suspects. For sensitive readers, it could be a bit morbid, seeing as how there is a decapitation involved. I have a sneaking suspicion that there may be a sequel in the mix, so I’ll just get in line for that one right now.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review. ( )