A Fatal Crossing: Agatha Christie meets Titanic in this unputdownable mystery

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But at least, that made him have something in common with the other characters because they were just as flat. When I say flat, I mean Ewan-McGregor-in-Trainspotting-flat ( physically speaking!!). Birch is supposed to be more interesting because the reader learns early on that SOMETHING tragic happened in this past that he is still not over yet. All we know is that it’s a familial tragedy that makes him alienated from the rest of the crew, boohoo. I had high hopes for this book. I’m a big Agatha Christie fan and I love settings where the suspects are maintained together such as on a ship like this one.

SPOILER ALERT* the protagonist’s daughter has gone missing, which is an underlying theme within the story. For something which apparently drives the protagonist and is the reason for his journey, there is no information given on HOW she goes missing. It’s his fault? But HOW? He was on a ship when it happened - where was her mother?! It just makes no sense. November 1924. The Endeavour sets sail to New York with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board . I was first drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover, it’s very in keeping with the story. Literally the worst thing I have ever read. I only finished it because it was chosen by my book club. It felt like I was reading a year 11’s GCSE coursework for creative writing, the descriptions were so poor and repetitive. How many times can character’s nostrils flare? They were also so one dimensional. The ending was also disappointing and felt unfinished. I appreciated a few twists, but all felt rushed and put together at the end as if the author was deliberately leaving it unfinished to try and get a sequel out of it. This book was actually such a fun book to read, it was a bit slow at some places, but I think it has the perfect amount of tension and cliffhangers between each hour of the night were delectable I was at the edge of my seat whenever I finished a part and had to sleep because I had to wake up early the next day.The ending I personally thought was absolutely ridiculous. I was actually quite annoyed that i’d read so much just get that ending. Not only that but it left a major unanswered question and made me dislike the main character even more than i thought possible. Thanks to Sarah Harwood for putting this book into my hands – I am grateful. As always, opinions are entirely my own. The story brought two key characters in Birch, the ship's officer and Temple, the policeman who happened to be on the boat; don't ever believe in coincidences. Birch really had my heartstrings with his rather tragic past and depressed nature. I liked him a lot and felt him to be the intergrity compass of the piece. Temple seemed shady from the start with a slice of maybe he's okay. While it seems like it should be a fun night out not everyone's motives are what they seem. There's the troubled joint owner of the hotel who has devised a mystery game that has links to events from the past, a couple who have been protesting the redevelopment of the local lighthouse, the builder and his wife looking to improve their social standing and a journalist looking for a big story to get him out of town. Add to this a small cast of actors and a few unexpected attendees and it's a recipe for an interesting and murderous evening. When an elderly gentleman is found dead at the foot of a staircase, ship's officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare it a tragic accident. But James Temple, a strong-minded Scotland Yard inspector, is certain there is more to this misfortune than meets the eye.

They are to take part in a murder mystery game with a 1920s twist, and everyone has their own part to play.Mounting an investigation, the pair uncover the theft of a priceless painting, and encounter a string of suspects with secrets to hide. I have rated it 3 stars for several reasons, the first being that the characters are all unlikable. Birch is so utterly annoying with his constant ribbon playing that I nearly put the book down. Temple is also deeply unlikable, he’s constantly aggravated and highly strung and there isn’t one good quality about him. The rest of characters are bland and that’s being polite. The whole story takes place over a four day period in November 1924 as the cruise liner Endeavour approaches New York from Southampton with two thousand passengers and crew on board. When an elderly man is found dead at the bottom of a staircase, the ship’s captain assumes – and hopes – that it’s an accident. However, James Temple, a Scotland Yard inspector, happens to be one of the passengers on the voyage and, after examining the body, he is convinced that the old man has been murdered. The captain gives Temple permission to investigate the crime, but only if he agrees to be accompanied by one of the ship’s officers, Timothy Birch. I initially rated this three stars but I decided that a book that made me let out a groan [ frustrated, not sexual] loud enough to shake awake my co-workers at our late shift at the psych ward deserves two stars max. Seeing readers give A Fatal Crossing such a warm reception has been nothing short of incredible," he said. "I wrote this book as a passion project at my kitchen table, hardly daring to think that I’d finish it, let alone that folks might one day want to read it – to be announcing today that it’s featuring as Waterstones Thriller of the Month is beyond anything I could have imagined. Looking to the future, I’m proud to be teaming up with the brilliant team at Century on two more novels. I’ve been working hard to cook up a pair of mysteries just as thrilling as A Fatal Crossing and I can’t wait to see what readers make of A Murder Game when it hits shelves in February."

November 1924. The Endeavour sets sail for New York, with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board. I was looking forward to reading The Murder game after reading the authors first novel The fatal crossing and enjoyed it. With twist after gut-punching twist, A Fatal Crossing really is an ingenious thriller. Highly recommended.' M. W. CravenWhilst there’s a great twist at the end that I hadn’t seen coming, the main murder mystery just didn’t hold my attention. The book felt over long in places, and the storyline about the missing daughter felt too much like a plot device to really inspire any sympathy for Birch.