Distress Signals - Hardcover

Catherine Ryan Howard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1504757521 ISBN 13: 9781504757522

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing, Inc., 2017

Synopsis

*Winner of the 2017 Independent Press Award for Best Mystery*

A debut thriller that channels Gone Girl, from the newest writer to watch, Catherine R. Howard.

The day Adam Dunne's girlfriend, Sarah, fails to return from a Barcelona business trip, his perfect life begins to fall apart. Days later, the arrival of her passport and a note that reads ''I'm sorry -- S'' sets off real alarm bells. He vows to do whatever it takes to find her.

Adam is puzzled when he connects Sarah to a cruise ship called the Celebrate -- and to a woman, Estelle, who disappeared from the same ship in eerily similar circumstances almost exactly a year before.

To get answers, Adam must confront some difficult truths about his relationship with Sarah. He must do things of which he never thought himself capable. And he must try to outwit a predator who seems to have found the perfect hunting ground ...

About this title

About the Author

Catherine Ryan Howard was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1982. Prior to writing full time, Catherine worked as a campsite courier in France and a front desk agent in a hotel in Walt Disney World, Florida, and most recently as a social media marketer for a major publisher. She is currently studying for a BA in English at Trinity College in Dublin.

Review

''Distress Signals is a highly confident and accomplished debut novel, impeccably sustained, with not a false note. The exploration of the often murky backstage workings of the luxury liner world is fascinating, and there is a psychologically acute portrait of a killer that is genuinely moving. We will hear a great deal more of this author.'' --Irish Times

''A debut novel with a cracking plot and satisfyingly eerie writing throughout.'' --Woman's Way magazine

''This is Catherine Ryan Howard's debut thriller, and what a tense, tight, original page turner she's delivered...Writing a thriller which doesn't leave readers with a sense of deja vu isn't easy these days, but Catherine Ryan Howard has managed it triumphantly. Definitely a new, exciting and original author to watch.'' --Sunday Independent

''Catherine Ryan Howard is an astonishing new voice in thriller writing. Make sure the children are fed, the cat is out and the box set is finished before you pick up Distress Signals because it will have to be wrenched from your hands before you will notice the world again. Pacey, suspenseful and intriguing, I highly recommend it for a top class page turning read.'' -- Liz Nugent, author of 2014 IBA Crime Novel of the Year for Unravelling Oliver

''I loved the voice and the Cork setting - an engaging, unusual and believable thriller.'' --Sinead Crowley, bestselling author of Are You Watching Me?

''An exhilarating debut thriller from a hugely talented author. Distress Signals is fast-paced, twisty and an absolute joy to read.'' --Mark Edwards, #1 bestselling author of The Magpies and Follow You Home

''Twisty and gripping.'' --Claire McGowan, author of The Silent Dead

''Distress Signals is a gripping, smart, and fast-moving read. Catherine Howard expertly weaves together two main story lines as she skillfully builds the voices of three main characters. Her insights and thoughtful writing immerse you in the fascinating world of cruise ships and the mysterious, perfect crimes committed at sea. The compelling mystery at the heart of this debut novel is engrossing, and Catherine Howard's clever plotting makes this a terrific debut.'' --Christine Carbo, bestselling author of Mortal Fall

''If you like stories brimming with suspense and plot twists you'll never see coming, you'll want to grab a copy of Distress Signals immediately.'' --Pop Culture Nerd

''[Howard] writes with complete command of language, plot, and the thriller genre...The chapters alternate among the points of view of three characters...Romain's narrative is the most moving and resonant his soul may be distressed but his humanity comes through loud and clear.'' --Shelf Awareness

''[A] fast-paced debut thriller...This isn't just another Gone Girl wannabe...Hold on, you're in for a wild ride.'' --BookPage

Edition details

• Publisher: Blackstone Publishing, Inc.
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1504757521
• ISBN 13: 9781504757522
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 344