When an elderly gentleman is found dead at the bottom of a staircase, Tim believes it to be a terrible accident, but James Temple, a surly Scotland Yard detective, is suspicious right from the start, and he’s determined to investigate. The ship’s Captain isn’t happy about this, it wouldn’t do to have the passengers believing there’s a killer on board, but he allows Temple to proceed as long as Tim shadows him as he carries out his interviews. With Tim’s personal problems though, he’s possibly not strong enough mentally, to deal with the proceedings. The plot is intriguing, and this is probably the best part of the book. Hindle restricts the story to a manageable number of people with an ingenious device of a stolen picture – which can only be a motive to a tiny number of people because the painting’s very existence is largely unknown – and indeed, is on the Endeavour en route to an art fair in new York where its production will astonish the world. This starts well with an intriguing hook. Did the old man fall down the steps by accident or was he pushed? Why was he travelling under a false identity and what is the enigmatic detective Temple, hiding? The pace was good to start with as new characters and potential clues were introduced. However by around the halfway point I felt it was becoming too complex. Trying to recall who had prior knowledge of whom and in what circumstances and where on the ship various protagonists had been at different times was getting difficult. I made notes as a memory aide but even that didn't help very much and the novel was becoming too much hard work especially as the action slowed in the second half. When the body of an elderly passenger is found at the bottom of a flight of stairs on board the Endeavour - a liner sailing from Southampton to New York - ship’s officer Birch is tasked with assisting an onboard police officer with his investigation. So begins the unravelling of a story which involves stolen paintings, long-standing grudges, and keeping up appearances. 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.

Well you do like more noirish reads than me, so maybe you would find it more appealing. I’ve read one Conrad Allen book but I can’t remember the title. I am still looking for a copy of the QPQ title you mention. Recipes for Murder: 66 Dishes that Celebrate the Mysteries of Agatha Christie (2023) by Karen Pierce This has more than a feel of an Agatha Christie novel to it. It's also a closed room type of mystery set aboard a cruise ship crossing from the UK to the US. The initial announcement of an accident being the cause of death when the body of an elderly man is discovered, is soon put to the test when an on-board passenger who happens to be a Scotland Yard detective is adamant that it is murder and insists events be investigated. Mr Birch, the narrator in this, is tasked to accompany Temple in his investigation. A very clever plot and a final twist which will delight Agatha Christie fans. You will love it!!!' Ragnar JónassonI 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 very first thing I noticed about this book was the author’s writing style. Calling it juvenile might go a bit too far but it was definitely too tame for my taste. Bland and boring, it was immediately forgettable and repetitive. It’s always “the ship stretches the best part of…” or “the best part of fifty thousand tons” or “the restaurant’s capacity to seat the best part of five hundred diners” or “the best part of an hour/minute”…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.

At the station, one of the migrants revealed that the group had been walking for more than 11 hours. Did the children succumb first, and the parents waited at their sides? Did the family simply give up and lie down in the windy darkness? He also said that he had spent a large sum of money to enter Canada with a student visa he had obtained under false pretenses — he had no intention of studying in Canada. After crossing into the United States, he had expected to be met and transported to Chicago. I was first drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover, it’s very in keeping with the story.Thanks for the review, and I confess I’m trying to discern if this might be my cup of tea. The premise and the GA tropes suggest it would be, but the novel as a whole sounds more hard-boiled and modern in tone than I’d prefer. 🤔 Also, the following comment makes me wonder if the resolution veers away from the prior commitment to the mystery as puzzle: “ unfortunately when we do reach the concluding chapters of the novel, the plot sharply goes in another direction.” Would that be a fair inference? 🧐

A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle is a mystery set on the Endeavour, a cruise liner travelling to New York in the winter of 1924. This piece of historical fiction grips us from the very start when Timothy Birch, the ship's officer, is led to deal with the death of an elderly gentleman. When detective James Temple demands an investigation, the ship’s captain insists Birch accompany Temple throughout.And if I’m wrong? […] If there is a crime to be pursued, what sort of investigation do you suppose you’ll conduct then?” […] With twist after gut-punching twist, A Fatal Crossing really is an ingenious thriller. Highly recommend' M. W. Craven With just days remaining until they reach New York, and even Temple's purpose on board the Endeavour proving increasingly suspicious, Birch's search for the culprit is fraught with danger. A Fatal Crossing is a mystery set over a few days in 1924. The action takes place on the Endeavour - a ship travelling from Southampton to New York. 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.