Based loosely on the real life sinking of the Lusitania. The only real person is the captain
A passenger is found shot in a cabin that’s locked from the inside! Is anyone what they really seem? There are so many twists and turns and red herrings. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up but well worth it. If would make a fantastic film. Absolutely riveting reading.

A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

The final voyage of the RMS Lusitania and there's murder, espionage and crime on board. Patrick Gallagher finds himself caught up in figuring out who is betraying their country, who the murderer might be and everyone seems to be telling lies but what is the truth.

This does have some very Agatha Christie vibes throughout the story. The ship of course was real but much of the rest is false yet i found myself hoping she wouldn't have the ending we all knew was coming. The plot itself is interesting but at times it did drag a little. There are many characters and we don't learn enough about them to truly understand their motives. The ending was expected but I did enjoy how Gallagher finally figured it out. The ending of course is bittersweet and the author appeared to have done some good research on the actual history. An interesting read but the characters didnt pull me in as much as i would have liked.

Thank you for providing an ARC in exchange for honest review.

I truly want to love this book. But it was really hard for me to finish this one. The characters were not really memorable, I tend to forgot some of them. The writing was ... I don't even know how to describe it. I push forward until the end and I found out that this book is not for me.

I was initially drawn to this book by its captivating cover and the promise of an Agatha Christie-inspired mystery.

Set aboard the doomed voyage of the Lusitania from the US to Liverpool, the story delivers on its premise with gripping tension that builds as the ship's inevitable fate looms closer.

One of the highlights for me was the mounting suspense towards the end, as the sinking becomes imminent and the reader is acutely aware of the impending disaster. This sense of foreboding adds an extra layer of intensity to the narrative, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

New York, 1915, The Lusitania unwittingly sets off on its final voyage.

I knew a little about the final sailing of the Lusitania before reading this book and was surprised at the links to the truth of the actual sinking of the ship. While the main characters and storyline are clearly fictional, the book does use some historical figures with accuracy.

What I couldn’t get to grips with easily was the actual plot. Too many names and intertwined stories to keep track of, unlikeable characters for the most part and some of it just too implausible.
I found it clever however how the author explained the fate of the Lusitania within the story.

3 stars for a book that I really wanted to dive into and enjoy but unfortunately just sank a bit too soon.

I was attracted to this book by the cover (magnificent) and the description of it as an Agatha Christie inspired mystery.

The story is set on the Lusitania as it makes its last voyage from the US to Liverpool. A voyage we all know was doomed.

What I liked about this book: The tension really racks up towards the end as the sinking draws nearer and you know what's going to happen.

What was less positive about the book: I found the story quite difficult to follow and not all that interesting. None of the characters were particularly likeable and so i didn't really care what happened to them. I think the problem was that I was expecting something much lighter and instead I got a rather dense read about espionage and treachery.

Overall I wasn't particularly taken by this book. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

It is 1915 and the Lusitania is steaming towards Ireland carrying passengers from many countries and cargo believed by those on board to be foodstuffs to help the beleaguered UK. Many of those who might have taken the trip did not board the vessel after threats from the Germans. Those that are left are very aware they are powering into a war zone and risk being torpedoed by German u-boats.
Pat Gallagher is travelling on board, with a man he is bringing back to the UK, suspected of spying for the enemy. When another man is killed on board he is asked by the captain to investigate the death and find the killer before he can strike again.
I loved the idea of this book - the setting on board and the historical details are well done, even if I felt a little sick after yet another description of all the food the first class passengers were offered at meal times. But at times the plot seemed to drag and the large cast of characters was difficult to follow, especially as they were all working for different sides and with different motivations and this needed to be remembered to follow the action.
The details and the research that have gone into this book make it an interesting read and I was disappointed I didn't enjoy it more. It had a lot of potential that it didn't quite live up to, for me, although I'm sure some readers will find it just what they enjoy.
With thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an early copy in return for an honest review.

2024 52 Book Challenge - 8) Features The Ocean

This is such a dry book. I requested it because I love the Lusitania, and it really wasn't worth it. The plot was a slog, the writing was dry, the characters were not in the slightest bit memorable, the "era appropriate" stereotypes were dreadful and the author trying to inject tension by way of the audience knowing the historical events concerning the Lusitania while the characters were unaware was weirdly jarring.

As a lover of books set upon the ocean or boats, historical fiction, and murder mysteries done well…it’s no surprise I loved Death On The Lusitania’ !

This book was fantastic! From the first page, I was completely transported back in time to 1915, aboard the RMS Lusitania. The descriptions in this book really elevate it so much more; the gorgeous language has brought the ship and all the details upon it to life, and it’s clear a lot of research has been used for this book. The language the characters use, their clothing, the culture and behaviours of everyone as well as the worry of war looming over everyone’s heads - it all worked wonderfully to transport me back in time.

The book was slow-paced - at times a bit too slow perhaps, but this did give time for characters to be fleshed out and for development across the story, but there were consistent levels of tension that kept me on edge and intrigued enough to keep me reading, and the excitingly adventurous ending made up for the slow pacing for sure!

Also huge shoutout to the fact that although this is set in 1915, there’s LGBT representation in here; proof that a book being a historical fiction isn’t a barrier to not have that representation in the work!

I found this a really enjoyable read, especially as even though I like mysteries and historical fiction, I don’t tend to pick them up too much, so this was a pleasant surprise as to how much I enjoyed it! It does feel like this has been open to maybe more books following on, and I’d definitely be open to giving them a read if that does end up happening!

As the Lusitania sails from the U.S. to Liverpool, it must enter the dangerous war zone, risking the ship being torpedoed by German u-boats, leading to certain death of its passengers. Of those on board, some are knowledgeable and involved with the war from their different perspectives. When a passenger is killed, Gallagher, a civil servant is tasked by the captain to find their killer. As well as solving the case, Gallagher is also determined to try and prevent the sinking of the ship.

I loved the concept of this book. It seemed very Agatha Christie at sea. It was clever and I enjoyed the book but I personally struggled with the large cast of characters. I feel like there was so much going on that I found it difficult to keep up and had to keep turning back to remind myself of who was who and how they all related. I liked what the author was doing but it felt complicated and over-stuffed with details. I think I am disappointed because I wanted to enjoy it more than I did.

We are introduced to a British civil servant who is to travel on the RMS Lusitania to escort a disgraced British diplomat back to England, potentially to be charged with treason. We are introduced to the key characters by means of having them all seated at the Captain's table - but without the Captain present.

The characters were well drawn and the period details were excellent and the plot had many layers that, could, at times get confusing. But, with characters who were spies / suspected spies perhaps to be expected. The tension of the crossing is well depicted as everyone becomes affected by that and the deaths.

Overall a very engaging mystery and I enjoyed the read. It starts as a locked room mystery, but soon there are other deaths and it seems as if every suspect has secrets to hide, all against a backdrop of countries at war and fear of attack.

An enjoyable book. I would have probably enjoyed it more if the end hadn't been revealed at the beginning. Also, there were nearly 2000 people on the ship but all the protagonists sat at the same table for dinner. Despite these points, I enjoyed the book. I liked Pat Gallagher and hope he appears in future books.

This was a fascinating read with plenty of early deaths on the Lusitania to create mystery before the final known outcome - which is counted down sombrely in days and then hours with each chapter. Gallagher was the character in charge of unravelling the mystery, solving the death(s), and to be honest I don't envy him that as the plot was quite multi-layered. Each character seemed to have indeterminate links with other characters and I lost track of those many times throughout the novel. It didn't stop me enjoying the solving of the mystery, but it did feel to borrow another reviewer's term, like a spider web at times.

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

The idea of a murder mystery on board The Lusitania is such an interesting premise, with the added tension of knowing what the outcome of the ship’s voyage will be. The setting was completely immersive and I loved all of the historical details - both of the ship itself and the wider outside world.

Patrick Gallagher was an interesting character with some romantic baggage and he’s clearly a very intelligent and astute man. He didn’t completely engage me the way the main sleuth needs to in this type of novel however. There were a few too many characters for me and I found myself struggling to differentiate between them and remember their backstory. The plot, while clever, was perhaps a little too convoluted. It seemed like everyone was involved with everyone else and became much too like a spider’s web with me desperately trying to untangle the various strands.

If it was streamlined a little with fewer characters I feel like this could have held my interest much more. As it was it dragged too much and became bogged down in the middle section. The writing was good in general although the dialogue was a bit unbelievable at times.

I really enjoyed all of the information surrounding the voyage and the ultimate sinking of the Lusitania and how the author weaved in fact and fiction. It was clearly a well researched novel. There will inevitably be comparisons between this book and certain golden age mysteries and while it never quite lives up to those, it is still an enjoyable read.

1915 sees civil servant, Patrick Gallagher, onboard the RMS Lusitania sailing from New York to Liverpool via Queenstown, Ireland. WWI is raging & passengers were warned of the possibility that a German u-boat could sink them which makes the mood of the journey somewhat subdued. Gallagher is returning to the UK with Chalfont, a British diplomat working in America who has been detained on suspicion of spying for the Germans. When a previous acquaintance, Jimmy Dowrich, says he needs to talk to Gallagher as he has information on some of their fellow passengers, Gallagher is intrigued but before they can speak, Dowrich is found shot to death in his cabin. As Gallagher starts to investigate the killing, he realises that several of the passengers had a motive for wanting Dowrich dead & that they may not be finished yet. All the while, the ship gets closer & closer to the war zone & outside danger.

I'd heard of the Lusitania but never really looked into what happened. Even though there was a great loss of life on both, it seems to be overshadowed by the sinking of the Titanic which took place just under 3 years earlier. I thought that the setting was good - an investigation with a confirmed expiry date is usually tense - & I found the historical information about politics of that time (i.e. the Germans trying to use the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) to foment a war between Mexico & the United States to keep the States out of WWI, etc) really interesting. Unfortunately the investigation itself was a little lacklustre & the pace was rather slow, but it held my attention enough that I was happy to continue to the conclusion & reveal. 3.5 stars (rounded down)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pan Macmillan, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

This book was definitely a page turner, I read it in one sitting and became totally immersed in the twists and turns of the story. I love period crime novels and this one, set with the glamorous backdrop of the first class staterooms on the Lusitania did not disappoint.
Set during the final sea voyage across the Atlantic in May 1915 of the Cunard liner Lusitania, this book was a mixture of fact and fiction. The author used the backdrop of a real voyage to weave a tale of murder and espionage and what could have happened during those fateful few days. The story surrounds Pat Gallagher, a Secret Service Agent who has been tasked with bringing back a suspect to face charges in the UK. The cast of first class passengers whose lives all seem to be intertwined is intriguing to say the least. Not long after leaving New York a murder takes place and Pat is charged with finding who committed the crime.
The pace of the book is fast and it is full of interesting information which could be a bit confusing at times. I learnt a lot about political situations within the early part of World War One including the impact of the Mexican Revolution. Altogether an interesting read and one that I would recommend to fans of Agatha Christie and other writers of this genre.

Quite a slog to read this one. A few times I nearly gave up but plodded on. Not as good as I'd hoped I found it very wordy and it took along time to move the story along. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

It was really interesting read and kept me turning the pages. The historical detail fascinated me as I wasn't aware of it and the author explained at the end how certain questions have never been answered and his creativity in providing possible answers seemed entirely plausible. Very entertaining and enjoyable although a bid sad too as it was a real event. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Luisitania has some really interesting history so as a bit of a history nerd I was really intrigued to see how an Agatha Style mystery would work on this specific vessel- I was also really quite excited as the author pair are both historians so felt it was going to be really well researched which isn't an essential for me when reading historical fiction but it is always a bonus.

This was a real mix for me there was lots of murder but there was also that element of political drama which added to the tension, all of this is set against a backdrop of the world in utter turmoil with the first world war which isn't normally a period that I gravitate to.

The book as I've said takes you back to 1915 and we meet Patrick Gallagher a civil servant who has been tasked with accompanying a British diplomat back to England but when a passenger is found dead in a locked cabin Patrick is asked by the captain to investigate-is there a killer on board?

While I enjoyed the characters and I enjoyed the setting and there are obvious parallels between this book and some of the Agatha Christie books especially the locked room mystery aspect, I just found myself a little overwhelmed by all the twists and turns and misdirection it felt to me that the story was trying too hard and if it had been stripped back a little it would have had more impact.

This book is definitely worth a read especially if you are a fan of a classic and very well researched historical crime perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers it just for me lacked subtlety.

I rated this 3.5 stars