The Woman in Cabin 10

The Woman in Cabin 10 is a book I've been looking forward to, from the cover to the premise, and I have to say I was not disappointed. It's a tense, taut thriller/ mystery about a travel journalist on a luxury cruise who witnesses what she thinks is a murder. However upon reporting the incident she finds that there is no one registered in the cabin next to hers- the cabin where she saw and heard a body being dumped into the sea. No one on board seems either willing or able to help- and when she keeps pushing she finds out her days may be numbered as well.

Lo is an interesting character, she's not necessarily an unreliable narrator but there are times when you wonder if she is going in that direction. She suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, and to make matters worse her home was broken into just a few days before the trip so she's already on edge when the boat sails.  I also liked that Lo has a dim view of her therapist from years ago, even though the techniques he taught her help her at various times. It's a neat touch and I think a nice look at the mixed feelings people can have about mental health issues and their own experiences with therapy.

This book has a lot of moodiness to it, a lot of atmosphere. The tension ratchets up steadily as Lo investigates and begins to doubt herself and I thought this was handled well. By the last third of the book I couldn't stop reading, I had to see what happened next. I did think the eventual reveal was a little unrealistic but it also lent an intensity and sense of desperation to Lo's actions, and the ending itself was thrilling. There's a little misdirection towards the end that seems fully plausible given the overlapping jurisdictions of UK and Norwegian police, as well as Scotland Yard. I loved how this one ended.

The Woman in Cabin 10 is one of the more enjoyable thrillers I've read this year. There are red herrings and lots of foreshadowing, and I enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery. I didn't see the twist coming and between the onboard intrigue and the Norwegian setting, this one was a definite winner for me. If you like an atmospheric thriller with a flawed, realistic protagonist you can't go wrong with this one.

SPOILER DISCUSSION

So Carrie is clearly alive at the end- I was just waiting for the shoe to drop, for something to happen, although I wasn't expecting the infusion of francs from a Swiss bank account! That was a nice touch, Carrie letting Lo know she survived. One thing I really liked about this one were the news reports/ social media stuff- even halfway through the story bodies are being found and we're left to wonder- is it Lo? Does she make it?