Dangerous Crossing - Softcover

Rhys Rachel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 178416299X ISBN 13: 9781784162993

Publisher: BLACK SWAN, 2017

Synopsis

Servants and socialites sip cocktails side by side on their way to new lives in this “thrilling, seductive, and utterly absorbing” (Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author) historical suspense novel in the tradition of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile and Ken Follett’s Night Over Water.

The ship has been like a world within itself, a vast floating city outside of normal rules. But the longer the journey continues, the more confined it is starting to feel, deck upon deck, passenger upon passenger, all of them churning around each other without anywhere to go...

1939: Europe is on the brink of war when young Lily Shepherd boards an ocean liner in Essex, bound for Australia. She is ready to start anew, leaving behind the shadows in her past. The passage proves magical, complete with live music, cocktails, and fancy dress balls. With stops at exotic locations along the way—Naples, Cairo, Ceylon—the voyage shows Lily places she’d only ever dreamed of and enables her to make friends with those above her social station, people who would ordinarily never give her the time of day. She even allows herself to hope that a man she couldn’t possibly have a future with outside the cocoon of the ship might return her feelings.

But Lily soon realizes that she’s not the only one hiding secrets. Her newfound friends—the toxic wealthy couple Eliza and Max; Cambridge graduate Edward; Jewish refugee Maria; fascist George—are also running away from their pasts. As the glamour of the voyage fades, the stage is set for something sinister to occur. By the time the ship docks, two passengers are dead, war has been declared, and Lily’s life will be changed irrevocably.

About this title

About the Author:

Rachel Rhys is the pen name of a successful psychological suspense author. A Dangerous Crossing is her historical fiction debut. She lives in North London with her family.

Review:

"Thrilling, seductive, and utterly absorbing." (Paula Hawkins, #1 bestselling author of The Girl on the Train)

"A gorgeously atmospheric read. Prepare to be transported." (Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin 10)

“A sumptuous and thrilling read. It captivates you in its spell right until the end. I loved it.” (Kate Hamer, author of The Girl in the Red Coat)

"An exquisite story of love, murder, adventure and dark secrets, Rachel Rhys brings this dangerous crossing brilliantly and beautifully alive." (Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of I Found You)

"An utter treat...a glorious mix of proper old-school glamour and a labyrinthine plot full of class war, politics and sexual tension." (Veronica Henry, author of How to Find Love in a Bookshop)

"Quite extraordinary...Beautiful, captivating, and I desperately did not want the journey to end." (Emma Kavanagh, author of The Missing Hours)

"Think Highsmith on the high seas." (Sarra Manning, author of London Belongs to Us)

"From its intriguing opening, Dangerous Crossing - part drama, part crime novel - had me hooked. You'll want to read this in one sitting."  (Stylist (UK))

“A sumptuous, thrilling and captivating adventure on the high seas where some of the characters find love and the romances of others are thwarted by dark secrets...a simply stunning novel.” (Daily Express (UK), 5 stars)

"This a proper old fashioned tale of thwarted romance, impossible glamour, murder and mayhem on the high seas. The most enjoyable bout of cabin fever I’ve ever had . . . The pages turn themselves." (Liz Nugent author of Unraveling Oliver)

A Richard and Judy Book Club Pick 2017

"A book to lose yourself in. I loved it!"  (Liz Fenwick, author of Under a Cornish Sky)

"Well plotted, absorbing read with a whiff of Agatha Christie."  (Woman and Home (UK))

"Rachel Rhys has created a sumptuous world, rich in character and description. Possessing a rare talent for observation and detail, she has perfectly drawn this pre-war passage to Australia. For a few days it was as if I was a passenger on that ship myself. I loved it."  (Amanda Jennings, author of In Her Wake)

"What a world of glamour, uncertainty and intrigue! I was immersed from the very first page. And the sense of time and place is so convincing, the voice so perfect, I felt as if I had made the crossing myself. It is a gem of a book." (Colette McBeth, author of The Life I Left Behind)

"Completely compelling and atmostpheric. I absolutely loved it."  (Jane Fallon, author of My Sweet Revenge)

"Utterly gripping . . . I loved Lily and the sumptuous detail of her onboard world with its constant undercurrent of tension and mystery. It's a brilliant evocation of the time"  (Elizabeth Enfield, author of Ivy & Abe)

“The most compelling mystery here lurks between the lines.” (Kirkus)

About this edition

• Publisher: BLACK SWAN
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 178416299X
• ISBN 13: 9781784162993
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 464