Member Reviews

Sarah is looking forward to a fresh new beginning when she is hired as security on a luxury super-yacht. Instead what she gets is stuck on a boat in the middle of nowhere with a killer.

When the walls of your locked room are water as far as you can see, where do you turn? An intriguing page turner of a read, that is difficult to put down until you are done.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, would recommend....

Was this review helpful?

Firstly, I would like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

The story of Sarah, an ex marine, who in order to get over a previous trauma, and to help a friend, agrees to act as security on a superyacht as it’s sailed across the Atlantic. However, it soon becomes apparent that all is not well amongst the crew. There are tensions and when crew members start to disappear Sarah suspects that someone on board is a killer. It takes all her previous experience in the Marines to try and save the remainder of the crew.

Well written and very enjoyable.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book, and couldn’t stop reading it. It joined up my two loves, thrillers and below deck. The writing was enjoyable and the story was gripping throughout.

Was this review helpful?

I haven't read anything by this author before, so I didn't know what to expect. I didn't expect to be entertained from beginning to end, and really enjoyed the read. Book was well written, will read more in future.

Was this review helpful?

This thriller has a great heroine, setting and plot. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review

Was this review helpful?

I was looking at this book on Amazon and then realised i had it on my shelf, im glad i bumped it up the list, however i did end up getting a bit bored and wanted it to finish. It was a good read just needed a bit more of a punch and less boating terms

Was this review helpful?

As a lover of thrillers and Below Deck, I knew this would be a gripping book for me and it did not disappoint! I really took to the main character, Sarah French, an ex Royal marine working security on a superyacht ocean crossing with a troubled past. I definitely had Bond film vibes from the story and was hooked immediately, finishing the book in 2 days! Brilliant read with enough twists and turns to a climatic finale!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy.

Ex Marine Sarah is suffering from her own personal grief when her long time friend offers her a job to work through her demons. Security detail on a multi million pound super yacht babysitting a skeleton crew on it's delivery journey across the ocean. What could be more easy. Twelve days at sea to work through her problems while (hopefully) sampling the sun and the hot tub. Except things start to go wrong. An unexpected guest, a crew member goes missing and then another. What exactly is happening on board the Escape, who's hiding what and can Sarah manage to save them before it's too late?

I loved this and couldn't put it down. I may have guessed the way a couple of the twists were going but this did not spoil the enjoyment. I fact it made me want to finish it more. Sarah makes a strong female lead which I haven't seen for a while. I'm sure the phrase kick ass wouldn't go amiss.

Fabulous 5 stars.

Was this review helpful?

What a corker!

I have been in a reading slump for a while but this brought me straight out of it!
Gripped me, I kept thinking.. I know who it is then it wouldn't be them! Kept me guessing.

Enjoyed from the start
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

I thought the book started well and was easy to get into, the reader is made aware from the start that Sarah, the heroine, has a problem stemming from her military service that has left her emotionally and mentally scarred. However, I feel the book is perhaps overly long and I began to lose interest about half way through. I did get tired of the constant references to her former partner, Kay. The story line is good and once the 'baddie' had been revealed I thought the story picked up again and the ending was good.

Was this review helpful?

I was looking for something immersive, tense and action-packed to keep me turning the pages. I definitely found it in 'A Stranger on Board', and was just sorry that I didn't pick this up before now.

The plot follows Sarah, an ex-Royal Marine suffering from PTSD and trying to carve out a career for herself as a security expert after leaving the Navy. She is persuaded to join the crew of 'The Escape', a luxury superyacht being moved from Spain to the Caribbean at the request of the mysterious owner. However, once they leave the relative safety and calm seas of the Mediterranean, Sarah soon learns that this voyage will not be the cushy job she thought. As the conditions on the open Atlantic worsen, the crew suffer a series of setbacks which suggest that this journey will have a tragic end for them all - one orchestrated by someone in their midst.

I have no idea about the authenticity of the details of the story and did have a few questions. Crewing a superyacht? Being a Marine? Security provisions for ocean voyages? If you're just prepared to go with it and not overthink these things, this is quite the ride! It's the ultimate in a closed circle mystery - and the list of possible suspects is pretty small which makes for some real tension. Lots of the characters have their flaws and motives, so unpicking the solution is quite tricky for any reader - even those well-versed in this type of mystery, like myself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and was totally caught up in the peril facing the crew as their situation seemed to worsen by the second. I wasn't totally convinced by the James Bond-style heroics exhibited by Sarah against the odds, but it was refreshing to see a tough female lead taking charge, In fact, most of the strong characters in the novel are women - something I am absolutely here for even if (to my eternal shame!) I can't totally relate to a young, ripped, fearless ex-Marine...

The setting is interesting and what initially drew me to this book - to have such sinister events happening on a yacht which is the last word in luxury is an intriguing choice. I liked the contrast of the extreme wealth on display - art collection, hot tubs and guest suites - with the functionality of the crew quarters. It made for an interesting look at the lives of the super-wealthy who - despite it all - don't have immunity from extreme weather conditions or a loose killer on board.

I'd recommend this to fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley. If you're after a never-a-dull-moment page-turner, this could be for you.

Was this review helpful?

In fact, despite some resistance, I was eager to find-out-what-happens .. the rather genial ex Marine taking on a security job aboard a private yacht after her own damaging past spent lots of time throughout assessing crew/characters in the v tightly knit group on board .. trying to deflect an intriguing man and assess why absolutely everything was going wrong on boat .. and not only resentments, but twisted intimacy issues alongside leaking water tanks, failing electrical systems and a captain racing through a devastating storm. We realise why so many things go wrong by the rather shocking end. For me a bit too much mulling over a past love relationship marred my engagement, and slightly inconsistent protagonist .. but I read it all!

Was this review helpful?

I was drawn to this simply because it was about a yacht. This was so much more than i expected. It was clever, it was dark and just brilliant. I didnt see half of it coming and i didnt expect it. I was expecting a simple who done it on a super yacht but we got so much more than that and it was worth every single minute of reading time.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me for this book.

I felt the writing was done well in this book but there was just something missing for me and I couldn't get into it and enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely loved this one! I had no idea what to expect, and the plot kept me guessing throughout. I loved the premise and the ship setting was utilised to create a lot of tension. I also loved the characterisation, and I found the main character really interesting. I'll definitely look out for more books by Cameron Ward!

Was this review helpful?

Such a lovely feel good book, I loved the authenticity project, have bought this book as a gift for my friend, can’t wait for her next

Was this review helpful?

I was unsure about this at the beginning but then it really started to pick up and became a real page turner! The characters worked well together, I did have some idea about who was behind it all but it didn’t ruin the reading of the book.

Was this review helpful?

The story follows the journey of Sarah, an ex-marine who is struggling following a traumatic event. She is hired as security on board a super yacht. Whilst trying to overcome her personal demons, Sarah befriends the different crew members and sets to work. As the voyage progresses, there are several accidents and then members of the crew start to disappear. woman. A Stranger on Board is a good read with an actioned packed ending. It would make a fantastic action film.

Was this review helpful?

If it was possible to hold my breath the entire time... I would have done! I was on EDGE! Great characters, a chilling and gripping plot, what a book.

Was this review helpful?