I was looking for something immersive, tense and action-packed to keep me turning the pages. I definitely found it in ‘A Stranger on Board’, and was just sorry that I didn’t pick this up before now.
The plot follows Sarah, an ex-Royal Marine suffering from PTSD and trying to carve out a career for herself as a security expert after leaving the Navy. She is persuaded to join the crew of ‘The Escape’, a luxury superyacht being moved from Spain to the Caribbean at the request of the mysterious owner. However, once they leave the relative safety and calm seas of the Mediterranean, Sarah soon learns that this voyage will not be the cushy job she thought. As the conditions on the open Atlantic worsen, the crew suffer a series of setbacks which suggest that this journey will have a tragic end for them all – one orchestrated by someone in their midst.
I have no idea about the authenticity of the details of the story and did have a few questions. Crewing a superyacht? Being a Marine? Security provisions for ocean voyages? If you’re just prepared to go with it and not overthink these things, this is quite the ride! It’s the ultimate in a closed circle mystery – and the list of possible suspects is pretty small which makes for some real tension. Lots of the characters have their flaws and motives, so unpicking the solution is quite tricky for any reader – even those well-versed in this type of mystery, like myself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and was totally caught up in the peril facing the crew as their situation seemed to worsen by the second. I wasn’t totally convinced by the James Bond-style heroics exhibited by Sarah against the odds, but it was refreshing to see a tough female lead taking charge, In fact, most of the strong characters in the novel are women – something I am absolutely here for even if (to my eternal shame!) I can’t totally relate to a young, ripped, fearless ex-Marine…
The setting is interesting and what initially drew me to this book – to have such sinister events happening on a yacht which is the last word in luxury is an intriguing choice. I liked the contrast of the extreme wealth on display – art collection, hot tubs and guest suites – with the functionality of the crew quarters. It made for an interesting look at the lives of the super-wealthy who – despite it all – don’t have immunity from extreme weather conditions or a loose killer on board.
I’d recommend this to fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley. If you’re after a never-a-dull-moment page-turner, this could be for you.
Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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Header photo by Arno Senoner on Unsplash
