The Woman in Cabin 10

Title: The Woman in Cabin 10
Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Mystery
Publication Date: July 10, 2016
Recommended If You Like: In a Dark Dark Wood, (possibly) unreliable narrators, female narrators, twists and turns, isolated and claustrophobic locations, the classic killer is one of us trope

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In In a Dark Dark Wood, Ruth Ware took her readers to an isolated cabin full of tension and secrets. In The Woman in Cabin 10, the setting is a luxury cruise ship, and the protagonist a female reporter who has just suffered a traumatic event.

Lo Blacklock is hoping that a trip on the Aurora will not only allow her to move up the ladder at her paper, but also provide a much needed respite from real life. But then she witnesses what she swears is a body being thrown overboard. All the passengers are accounted for, and the others on the boat seem to discount Lo's story, leaving Lo to question even herself.

Ruth Ware has found a niche in the recent upswing of psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, and she is running with it beautifully.

This niche is isolated, claustrophobic settings, described so vividly that you feel as if you are trapped there with her characters. While this is not always the most pleasant of feelings, I think that's the point. What the characters are feeling and experiencing is not pleasant either, and Ware is an expert at making readers feel like every action and reaction is immediate and immensely important.

This does not mean reading Ware's books is an unpleasant experience, by any means. Ware has quickly become one of my favorite psychological thriller writers for the exact reason that she is so good at building up unbearable suspense. If you have any other plans, wait to pick up any of Ware's books. You won't be doing anything but reading once you start.