New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware has written a mesmerising thriller that is as baffling as is it gripping. Like the literary greats of the genre, Ware poses more questions than she gives answers until the final pages of the mystery.
Journalist Lo Blacklock was recently traumatised by a home invasion while she was sleeping. Sent by her magazine’s boss on the maiden voyage of a luxury miniature cruise ship, the Aurora, it seems the perfect assignment to escape her own problems and enjoy being pampered at sea. The dream assignment soon turns dark however, when Lo awakens to the sound of the mysterious woman in Cabin 10 next to her being thrown overboard. When the cabin proves to be unused and all the guests and staff are accounted for, the mystery deepens. No one believes her and Lo finds herself questioning her own sanity as she searches for the truth.
Narrated by Imogen Church, The Woman in Cabin 10 is a tense and terrifying murder mystery, brought expertly to life with all the fear and confusion of the central character. Lo’s post-traumatic suffering makes her unsure and, at times, melodramatic, but Church keeps the central heroine in perspective, remaining always believable and sympathetic as sanity and safety both begin to deteriorate. She runs the gamut of emotions right alongside all the characters and makes Ware’s words leap off the page with breathtaking clarity.
This is a terrific read and an even better listen, with the unfolding danger feeling all the more real and threatening when heard. Church does the accents of the international crew well and creates doubts about everyone on board with her clever delivery and subtle inflections.
The unabridged audiobook of The Woman in Cabin 10 runs for just over 11 hours and is available on CD through Random House Audio or digital download from Audible.
Reviewed by Rod Lewis
Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet
Rating out of 10: 8
Released by: Random House Audio
Release date: June 2016
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