REVIEW: The Woman in Cabin 10, by Ruth Ware

Have you ever dreamed about being a travel writer assigned to take trips and explore the world?  What a treat it would be to stay in luxury accommodations and have elegant (and expensive) meals on someone else’s dime.  “The Woman in Cabin 10” by Ruth Ware allows you to imagine what that’s like.   As the novel begins, Lo is getting ready for a very exclusive weeklong cruise to Norway.  Lo’s boss would have taken the trip herself, but she was pregnant, and couldn’t do it.  So Lo is thrilled to accept the assignment. The first night, there’s champagne and a delicious dinner.  The guests are encouraged to consider themselves at home, enjoying the pools and gym, and free food or drink any time of the day or night.  There are spa treatments to try, and interesting people to meet.

Things start to go wrong quickly, though.  Lo sees something late at night, and it looks to her like a body has been thrown overboard.  When the event is investigated, though, no one appears to be missing from the boat.  The book reminds me of some of the great stories of Agatha Christie.  “Murder on the Orient Express” comes to mind. Lo is convinced there’s been a murder on this ship that’s in the middle of the ocean, but the staff try to convince her that all is well so that the cruise can continue on as planned.  I would have to say that I don’t think every single loose end was tied up on the final page, but it was a fun page-turner nonetheless.

— Lua Wells, Mount Pleasant Regional Library, Mount Pleasant, S.C.

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