Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!
Have you picked up a novel recently and have become so engrossed in its story that the world vanishes? This is how I felt when I read the Death of Mrs. Westaway last month. Ruth Ware's addicting writing style, and her amazing characters made for a thrilling who-done-it. And after I was done with that book, I went out and bought the remaining three of Ware's novels and got to work.
The Woman in Cabin 10 is Ruth Ware's second novel. It is published by Scout Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. In this twisty tale of suspense we are introduced to travel journalist, Laura "Lo" Blacklock. She is set to attend the maiden voyage of a small luxury liner, the Aurora Borealis, in her boss' stead. The trip could not come at a better time, since Lo has recently been burglarized and injured. She does not feel safe in her apartment. Even staying at her boyfriend Judah's home does not work out so well. What she needs is time away. And a cruise is the perfect escape.
Once on board, Lo is feeling better as she takes in the small ship's opulent decor. The crew is friendly and very helpful, adding to her ease. Claustrophobic, Lo dreads her cabin, but is pleasantly surprised by the room's size and the view from the cabin's veranda. Exhausted and in need of a good shower, Lo prepares for the evening's dinner. As she is finishing up her make up some time later, she is discouraged to find that her mascara is missing. Walking next door to Cabin Ten she knocks on the door. A rather brusque and distracted woman answers. Asking to borrow mascara, Lo realizes that the woman does not wish to be bothered. The woman hands her a tube of makeup and closes the door. As the evening turns into night, Lo is mingling with wealthy passengers, old colleagues, a former lover, and the ship's owner.
The night is filled with awkward encounters, lots of alcohol, and a growing exhaustion for Lo. Finally asleep in her cabin, she is startled awake by what she believes to be a scream. She settles her nerves and begins to read, hearing what appears to be a loud splash. Hyper-vigilante after her home invasion, Lo is on edge and checks the veranda. She stares into the ocean and sees what looks to be a hand drifting under the waters. Turning to Cabin Ten's veranda she sees something on the partition, a smear of blood.
Lo reports the apparent murder to the ship's security officer. Later she discovers that the partition is clean... and the cabin is empty, as if it has never been occupied. But this is impossible. The cabin was occupied. Could the woman in Cabin Ten have been the splash she heard? If so, then there is a murderer on board the Aurora. As Lo begins to investigate the ship's crew and passengers, she realizes that someone does not want her nosing about. Slowly all evidence that the woman she saw existed disappears. And her credibility begins to vanish, as well, as her anxiety disorder is brought into the light. She is deemed paranoid and fewer people believe the veracity of her story. Soon she is alone in her search for the truth and trusts no one. If she is not careful, she may be the next body to splash into the choppy seas.
The Woman in Cabin 10 cleverly presented us with a troubled protagonist whose alcoholism and dependence of anti-depressants sparked doubt in me. There were times that Lo's inner demons and emotional troubles shifted me away from believing her story. I loved Ware's willingness to present a deeply flawed and often self-conscious lead character. Lo's story was layer upon layer of interesting tidbits that played with the narrative, pushing us deeper into the claustrophobic atmosphere of the mystery. But nothing was more intriguing than the format of this novel. Separated into eight parts, Ware presented glimpses of the future at the end of each part. Using news articles, social media posts, and emails, we were shown the world outside of the cruise. These posts served up many clues, and kept me excited about the story unfolding at sea.
I read this novel in part with the narration of actress, Imogen Church. Her presentation was fantastic. There were times that I felt that more than one person was reading this book. Her various voices and accents added a depth to Ware's words. I thoroughly enjoyed her work.
I gave the Woman in Cabin 10 four out of five stars. It was a fun and exiting read that hooked me and reeled me in. In the end, the reveal and Lo's fight for survival had me on the edge of my chair. I am happy that I discovered Ruth Ware's writing, and I cannot wait to add her other novels to my Summer Reading.
Have fun reading this week. Let me know in the comments below what you are reading.
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