Cover Image: The Cruise Ship Lost My Daughter

The Cruise Ship Lost My Daughter

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Am late to this one as I realize I never reviewed it. Was a fun, light read that I really enjoyed! I would love to read a sequel to it as the McShanes are an entertaining couple.

Was this review helpful?

This is such a fun book to read. I was a huge fan of the premise and loved the older characters. It was such a nice east read which I loved.

Was this review helpful?

First of all a big thank you to netgalley, the author and the publishers for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

This is more than likely on me and not reading the blurb correctly. However going into this I, for some reason, thought that this was going to be a middle grade. So I was obviously not expecting a cozy mystery surrounding two octogenarians and their missing daughter, So as you can imagine I did find myself a little confused for at least half the book, completely my fault. I did however enjoy it and found it to be a quick and easy read, I also loved the ending to this book, which I won't go into detail about because no one likes a spoiler. But I really loved how everything got wrapped up at the end.

Was this review helpful?

Engaging…
Engaging cosy mystery combined with a nicely done travelogue. What happens when an octogenarian couple decide on a tad of amateur sleuthing at sea. Both determined to succeed. Enjoyable, fun and laced with gentle humour.

Was this review helpful?

Want, amateur detectives, octogenarian sleuthing, humour, delightful characters, and a fun and intriguing mystery?

This book, will check all of your boxes, a charming and easy read with delightful insights to the places visited by the ship, woven into the story.

Designed to brighten your day.

Was this review helpful?

A fun cozy mystery about an elderly couple on a cruise to find their daughter will never fail! Sheila and Shane McShane's adventure to find their daughter was absolutely perfect for me.

Was this review helpful?

I love cruising and I love reading and I love reading about cruising so when I saw that I had the opportunity to read and review this book I was thrilled.
I finish this book pretty quickly and laughed out loud several times.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed some parts of this book better than others. The premise of the mystery is that parents of a woman who never returned from her cruise have booked the same cruise to find out what happened to her. Sheila and Shane McShane board the Celestial of the Seas for a two week European cruise. Both are elderly and Sheila is diabetic. I would search the world over at any age to find my missing child no matter my age but this story is a bit unrealistic. Regardless, I just went with it. I recognized right away that the author was familiar with aging and was able to capture the realities we older folks face. In that vein, I found some scenes quite humorous. I appreciated some of the port descriptions and day to day sailing on a cruise vacation. The beginning was a bit mundane but the mystery picked up about the middle of the book and I began to connect with the parents.
As we are engulfed in the current pandemic and there is no cruising in sight I am ready to read anything cruise related. In this respect the book did not disappoint. The author injected cruise life throughout the beginning and had me yearning for the buffet.

Was this review helpful?

Very interesting book and I read it during quarantine when the idea of being on a cruise ship sounded ridiculous. The two main characters are so funny and compatible with one another. If there was not any humor in this story, it would have been quite stifling to read and not as enjoyable.
You can tell how amusing the book will be right at the beginning: "“But ma’am, you’re not allowed any liquids over three ounces.”
“Oh dear, does that include my bladder?”
LMAO Sheila’s got jokes! Plus when Shane tells everyone their DNA is safe and Sheila being like at their age they need as much DNA as they can get. They're so funny and sarcastic, it's awesome.

I definitely liked this book, it was very enjoyable to read and experience. The book was really long and it took me forever to read, mostly because of quarantine and because reading about a cruise in 2020 was not a favorable option. It was repetitive in the beginning, and throughout the story, like a very slow narrative with intense emotion and commotion and lots of varied characters, and then a very fast-paced climax with action and violence and a happy ending that ties everything up nicely at the end of the book. It did feel like it dragged on and on and I had to force myself to get through it just to know how it ended. But it was a simple story with complex angles that built up the story and it had very satisfying solutions and ends. Had even one element been missing, I would not have liked it as much, but I'm glad it was written the way it was.

I enjoyed the characters and their journey, especially the interactions they had with others but also with each other. An elderly couple who still love, respect, and admire each other as the McShanes do is wonderful to see and it was a delight to be introduced to such extra-human characters :]

Because of the details and the amazing places that the cruise touches on, I would personally love to see this story come alive in a movie or a mini-series.

I would definitely recommend this book to those who want to read the amazing and determined journey of a couple who will find their daughter no matter who or what tries to stop them!

<i>*Thank you to the publishers; Indigo Dot Press, the author; Morgan Mayer, and Netgalley for my free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.</i>

Was this review helpful?

I'm afraid this book could not hold my esteem and attention. A fun story, the writing style was nonetheless too tedious for me, and the plot devices used were a little too well-worn for my liking.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed reading that book, it was a good light hearted story that literally had me laughing out loud in places! The storyline was good... even if it was a little unbelievable in places but hey, that's what fiction is for! I loved the description of the ship and areas upon it, it was nice seen as we have not been able to travel this summer. And I also loved that they did an excursion to the city that I live by, again the detail of that were very accurate. A really good little read.

Was this review helpful?

Princess Fuzzypants here: I started this book with expectation of it being a tongue in cheek mystery. The title seemed to indicate it. So I was a bit disappointed at first when it did not seem to be going in that direction. I did say at first.

When we meet Sheila and Shane, octogenarians, going through the screening process at the airport, she seems to be a bit comic but mostly confused. Yet behind her little old lady schtick, there is a very smart lady abetted by an equally smart mate. She is not someone to dismiss lightly and should you do so, it is at your own peril, as the bad guys will learn.

Their daughter never returned from the cruise they are about to take. Both the authorities and the cruise line dismiss any foul play as they have video of her disembarking. But our seniors know their daughter, who is an art restorer, and they know something happened to her. Now all they have to do is figure out what the professionals could not and convince them they were wrong. No small task but one for which they are well prepared to meet. In fact, even the villains begin to wonder if they have super powers or something. They are simply very smart, very perceptive and very persistent. I like these two. I like these two a lot.

My parents have cruised a lot so I enjoyed the descriptions of the ship and the various activities. There are some great bits about various places on their itinerary.but it seems that everywhere they go, the bad guys Are one step ahead of them. What starts as a simple menace from a distance turns into physical threats and then spirals into lethal danger when they finally figure things out. Never fear. With these two intrepid sleuths, the evil doers do not stand a chance. You will enjoy every minute of the thrilling and entertaining journey.

Five purrs and two paws up.

Was this review helpful?

This is such a cute little cozy mystery book. Sheila and Shane are the cutest old couple embarking on a cruise of the British Isles in order to find their daughter who disappeared from the same cruise 8 weeks ago. We follow them through both mundane, everyday things and the steps they take to find their daughter. The storyline itself builds very slowly, but I enjoyed the other parts of the book, such as the interaction with the cruise staff, the touring of the different cities and the dialogue, so I didn't mind. Overall a fun, quick read.

Was this review helpful?

A comfortable read, perfect for lovers of non-violent crime stories. Enough of a mystery to keep you guessing and not quite so far fetched that the ending leaves you annoyed.

Was this review helpful?

Parents in their 80's are awesome subject matters for cozy mystery stories. The funny and entertaining story was a much needed diversion.

Was this review helpful?

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

The Cruise Ship Lost My Daughter is the first cozy mystery written by author Morgan Mayer – who has several published thrillers under a different name (now if I only knew that name). My first impression is that I am glad I kept persevering as the story did become engaging, though I was not certain of this story during the first quarter of the book. It began slow and painfully boring but as the tale progressed, my interest was piqued and so I continued on until the end. As a relatively prolific reader of cozy mysteries, I was not at all surprised by whodunit. What I was surprised at was that the story was able to recover from its meager beginning and manage to keep me engaged.

The premise of the story is that Sheila and Shane McShane’s daughter has gone missing while she was on a cruise in the British Isles. And according to this octogenarian couple, it is totally unlike their daughter, who happens to be an art restorer in Boston, to go so completely off the grid. Therefore, in their eyes, Shanna must be in trouble.

Sheila McShane – what can I say about this mother? She is a typical mother – caring, worried about her daughter and fierce when it comes to her daughter. Sheila has a determination about her that any mother can relate to. She also has gifts – she is very good at reading people’s aura (though Shane insisted it is body language and facial expressions that she is reading). Sheila is feisty and quick thinking, and a pleasure to watch her work through what actually happened to her daughter.

In sharp contrast, Shane McShane is a nerdy octogenarian. He is the note taker. He is also a doting father who is the parent with the closest relationship to Shanna. I found that the two McShane’s complimented each other with their particular roles.

The cast of characters (some of whom are of course the bad guy(s) were colourful (literally – with many different aura’s – as seen by Sheila). I even enjoyed getting to know the bad guys. There were many different personalities and I was reminded that one cannot judge a book by its cover. I was surprised at a couple characters and how they fit into the mysterious disappearance of Shanna.

Descriptions of the actual cruise were at times light on details – and I felt that could have brought a bit more life into the story.

All in all, a pleasant cozy mystery read and a decent first book in this genre. Like I said, it would be interesting to read this author’s other genre books, but alas, I was not able to ascertain the other name.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Was this review helpful?

Sheila and Shane McShane from Sherry New Hampshire are on a British Isles cruise looking for their missing daughter Shanna. They are both in their 80's, but determined to find out what happened to their daughter. Sheila can see peoples auras and is quick to give nicknames to people she meets, like Officer Floppy Ears or Mr. Smelly. Shane loves gadgets and has a plethora of information about anything.
The book gets off to a good start. I was eager to dive in to the story. But at some point it gets a little repetitive. I would have loved to read more about the places where they got off board the cruise ship. The end was very thrilling. I literally was on the edge of my seat. I was anxious for the elderly couple since they were in a lot of trouble. This was a nice and funny cozy mystery.
Thank you NetGalley and Indigo Dot Press for a copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

It was a well written and fun read that I truly liked.
It's well written, the characters are likeable and the solid plot kept me hooked.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Was this review helpful?

This was a great book. I absolutely loved Sheila and Shane, they are adorable. I love their relationship and the way they support each other. I love the fact that the heroes of this mystery story are considerably older than 30. I really liked their sheer determination to find their daughter in spite of all the difficulties, though I did occasionally find their slowness to catch on a little frustrating!

The plot went a little darker in one or two places than I prefer, but there was also plenty of humour to lighten things. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

This is a totally fun book, featuring two octogenarians who are convinced their daughter's disappearance hasn't been thoroughly investigated, so they take on the job. It involves them following in her footsteps as she took a cruise to view some art treasures around Europe. They are almost exact opposites, the wife, Sheila, can see people's aura's and has intuition that others might call paranormal perception. The husband Shane, is an engineer who is all about calculations and precision. The result is they complement it other as they each have strenths the other lacks.

As Shane and Sheila McShane pursue their investigation, they meet several employees on the cruise ship, some of whom are helpful and others who pose more roadblocks. All of them are creatively described by Sheila, using the color of their auras and other physical features to give them descriptive nicknames. As they work through the investigation, they also encounter a few other issues, such as the obnoxious cruise passengers four doors down and the desire for one of the cruise employees to get romantically closer to another. In all instances, it's a combination of Sheila's intuition and Shane's problem solving that allow them to provide assistance.

There is a fair amount of unlikely activity as both Sheila and Shane are older and Sheila suffers from some significant arthritis as well as a low blood sugar. It doesn't negatively affect the enjoyment of the book as long as the reader doesn't spend too much time trying to make it "logical" or "realistic". To enjoy the book, the reader needs to suspend disbelief and simply enjoy Shane and Sheila's excellent adventure.

My thanks to Indigo Dot Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital read copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was an opportunity to check out of reality for a while, and just enjoy an adventure being had by two charming individuals and a well-rounded cast of characters.

Was this review helpful?