I was thrilled when I saw that Roz Nay has set her new thriller in Australia 🇦🇺 You do see that very often from international writers. Set in far North Queensland, The Offing was wild and intense ride on the sea, where sharks and crocodiles are the least of their problems. 2 young American backpackers are escaping and decide to go work on a boat, with a good looking kitchen hand and a father and daughter who are hiding their own secrets.

This book is nuts, in the good way!! You won’t know what or who to believe as they travel up the coast and heading to Darwin. It is a tough book to put down so be warned. Each chapter ending will leave you wanting more. Such a fun but dark and scary read.

Thanks so much to Penguin Random House Canada for my early copy of this book to read. Publishes on May 28th.

I unfortunately found this slow, frustrating and forgettable. The Offing is billed as the story of two young women who stumble into a dangerous situation on a small yacht sailing in the waters around Australia. Roz Nay writes well, and I liked the depiction of the four central characters: the relationship between the female protagonists, Ivy and Regan, is well-drawn, and she also writes the father who employs them to work on the yacht and a third male crew member convincingly. But Nay fails to stoke tension despite a promising backstory and Ivy's increasing uncertainty about what they've got themselves into, and the twist at the end is both completely silly and unnecessary. There are many better thrillers set on boats: I'd recommend Cameron Ward's A Stranger on Board, Catherine Cooper's The Cruise or (most strongly) Ruth Ware's The Woman in Cabin 10. 2.5 stars.

This one gets 5 stars from me for the thrilling storyline, the twists and turns galore and for the amazing atmosphere. I love ocean themed stories. This one kept me guessing till the very end. What a twist
This starts off strong and stays solid throughout. The characters are unique and well done. This gave me actual chills many times

I’ve read 3 other Roz Nay novels and immediately requested an ARC of The Offing. Historically I’ve really enjoyed Nay’s books and writing style.

The Offing was an atmospheric read. Two American college girls travel Australia and take a job on a sailboat with a dad and his 11-year old daughter.

Everyone is running from something.

The main character was impossibly naive and incredibly infuriating. There’s a level of suspending belief required for all thrillers but this one was beyond my threshold. There was also a *twist* that I absolutely despise in a book and can’t get behind.

I’m disappointed to give this one a poor rating and will absolutely be picking up whatever Nay writes next.

2⭐️

A father and his young daughter are looking for help on their boat which is going to sail around the islands off Australia. They pick up two young women, best friends from the US, who are cautiously hesitant but ready to escape with an adventure aboard a boat. Once they have a chef to round out the “help”, they set sail…. The key being, are they running from someone creepy or running to something creepy.

I’m going to say very little about this one except to say that it was a binge book. One that is character development perfection on one of the MC that makes you want to shake the stupidity out of her head. 😂

Suspect them all. Because I’m gonna bet you have no idea where this boat is sailing, nor how many bodies it’ll pick up next.

I must admit I didn't particularly like the plot in terms of the who and why. It was a little more twisted or triggering than I like. But it was a fleeting part of the whole and I really enjoyed the whole and the telling of the what. It was one of those where all of the characters have secrets, so I was continuously changing my opinions yet still did not even suspect the actual perpetrator at all. I loved the setting too which obviously made for the perfect closed room (or boat) and compulsive thriller.

I admit that I have a weak spot for both a travel element and an Australian setting in my stories, so it's easy to understand why I ended up adding The Offing to my TBR. I was especially intrigued by the fact that at least part of the story takes place on a boat, and of course the hint that something sinister might be happening helped as well... And boy, what a twisted, engaging and gripping thriller it turned out to be! This is my first time reading Roz Nay, but I will definitely be back for more.

One of my favorite things about this story is without doubt the travel element. It's not only the two best friends traveling to Australia, but the story is taken to the next level when they decide to become crewmembers of a small yacht. I love stories set on a boat, as it adds that perfect claustrophobic and tense atmosphere with so many people cooped up in a small place... And even more when they all seem to be having something to hide or run away from. Oh yes, these characters have plenty secrets for you to uncover!

The plot is cleverly put together, enabling the author to hide certain facts for a long time and create an atmosphere of tension and suspicion. There are hints at danger and even murder, but you don't know who or why and it only adds to the suspense. This kind of plot structure can go both ways, as sometimes it can become annoying that certain information is being withheld for so long, but in the case of The Offing I didn't find it to be this way. I think this is mostly because enough breadcrumbs are being offered along the way, and combined with the fast pace there isn't really time to stand still by things for long.

As for the characters... I'm not sure up to what point I'm a fan of Ivy or the rest of the characters on the yacht for that matter. Somehow I was still very much invested in everything that was happening though, and I think the fact that the story focuses a lot on the plot helps. The characters are all flawed and between their secrets and sometimes suspicious behavior it is hard to get your finger on what is really happening. I also really liked the police interviews in between chapters, as it was a great way to build suspense, introduce new information and shift focus. And that big twist! I definitely didn't see it coming and while things can be said about its credibility, I personally didn't mind.

All in all, if you like the sound of a twisty and engaging travel slash crime thriller set on a yacht in Australian waters, The Offing would be an excellent choice. It's a true pageturner and I simply couldn't stop reading until I learned the full truth about the whole situation. This book went darker and grittier than I thought it would, and I most definitely enjoyed the ride.

If you only read one Suspense book this summer, make it Roz Nay’s THE OFFING. New Yorkers Ivy and Regan sign up as crew on a sailboat in Far North Queensland, Australia, joining a handsome backpacker cook and the boat’s Tasmanian owner and his young daughter. It’s soon clear that everyone on board the Alone at Last has scary secrets. The travelers are trying to outrun bad choices and trauma, while the captain is either decent but desperate—or psycho. As in her past books, Roz Nay’s writing’s as smooth as a windless sea, while the setting adds heaps to this tense story, the surroundings beautiful, menacing, and claustrophobic. There’s nothing like being stuck on a small boat with people to truly get to know them. I could not turn the pages fast enough to learn whose secrets prove deadly. The solution hit like a shark attack—I didn’t see it coming.

The Offing is a fast paced read with twists and turns that build up the suspense with each chapter.

Best friends Ivy and Regan decide to join the crew of a small yacht Alone at Last.

On board are a father and his daughter and the other new crew member Desh.

The girls do not know anything about sailing but they are hired and since they are desperate to leave Australia in a hurry , they don's ask questions.

The girls begin to question what is really going on with Christopher and his daughter.

All of them have secrets, some more deadly than the others.

Suspicion grows and the tension mounts.

Pages turn quickly, you will gasp out loud and find it hard to put The Offing Down.

Expect the unexpected with Roz Nay.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Viking for a nail biting read.

Book Review
The Offing by Roz Nay

Characters on board 🚤
Lila- shy child
Christopher- Lila’s dad, very
Protective
Regan- model, friend, backpacking in Oz over the holidays, Luck always finds her
Ivy- Regan’s friend, along for the trip and a break from school, she doesnt always have the best of luck when it comes to men and relationships
Desh- chef
Pearl- cat who knows things

Thoughts
✅ Twists and turns will leave you rolling in their wake
✅ Claustrophobic cabins and drama onboard this vessel leave you gasping
✅ Definitely not a “yacht music” sailing trip, this book gives readers more of a Jaws meets Dead Calm vibe
✅ Readers will be caught up in the current of this story, I could not put this book down- I binged it in a few hours

What I learned ⚓️🚤
You cant sail away from your problems

Thanks to @netgalley @penguinrandomca and @roznay for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Publishes May 2024

I am looking forward to meeting Roz in person at the @montrealmysteryfestival In May!!

Crazy twist ending I do not want to spoil- this book is DARK dark. None of these characters are particularly likable, and the reader is stuck with them at sea, but the story still hold your interest until the crazy kicks off. Worth the wait.

This is one of those books best entered into reading without too much information beforehand. A pair of friends are on holiday in Australia, but one of them is keeping a very important secret from the other.

As the consequences of that threaten to catch up with them, they decide to take jobs on a boat heading to Darwin, with a father and his young daughter. With one other crew member onboard, the two young women soon discover that they aren't the only ones hiding something...

This is a gripping read, with a genuinely original premise. I really enjoyed it, and would strongly recommend it to those who enjoy a good psychological thriller.

4.5*
Well,was I surprised with this one! Yes! I honestly was hooked and couldn't put this down.
Firstly look at that cover 😍 and the story itself was one where I was thinking one thing one minute and another the next.
Roz Nay really keeps us on our toes with this one.
Fantastic storyline with each page getting murkier and more twisted as we read on. The characters were moreish and each one was fascinating in their own way. World building and character progression are exactly what I was looking for here and I'm glad I found this.
The whole thing had a mix of relaxed casual holiday feel and then it snuck right up and took a huge bite out of you with a cliffhanger chapter ending! Each chapter had me wondering what was going on and what could possibly be next!
I will keep an eye out for this author in the future for sure.

Huge thanks to the Author for giving us this fantastic book, Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for a DRC.
Publication Date 28/5/24

Couldn’t put it down! Fantastic travel thriller full of dark secrets and twists. Fast paced great read.

“The Offing” follows two best friends who met at NYC university embark on a journey travelling the world while they’re young.

One friend is in it for the travel experience, the other is secretly fleeing her inappropriate relationship with her college professor, who is chasing after her with ill intentions after she found some evidence that sheds him in a VERY bad light.

The two manage to find work aboard a small boat with a father, daughter and chef and soon set sail across the ocean.

But as the plot thickens it seems that maybe she isn’t the only one running away or hiding things. Sketchy people make appearances and it’s hard to tell just exactly what is going on and who can be trusted.

I enjoyed the vacation escape aspect to the thriller, the vast unending ocean contrasting with the sense of being caged in, trapped and claustrophobic.

This read was dark, twisty, thrilling. My first Roz Nay novel and definitely not my last. The pacing was on point and I enjoyed the characters, the best friend dynamic and the dialogue.

Thank you to the Author, Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the EARC.

Publish date: May 28th

Highly recommended for lovers of escape thrillers. I was holding my breath throughout. A dark, twisty amd seriously claustrophobic. A brilliant book xx

In this incredible thriller A father is looking for crewmembers on his small yacht; Alone At Last, as he embarks on a journey with his daughter in Australian waters. In comes Ivy and Regan who see the ad looking for crewmembers, which might just be the perfect opportunity to get away from a troubling breakup. So along with newly hired Desh, the cook, all 6 and pearl the cat set out on an unforgettable journey of a lifetime, even if they would rather forget it. Everything seems to be going fine, until little by little you sense that Ivy and Regan may not be the only ones running from their past.

In this remarkable jaw dropping of a twist thriller that hooks you in, won’t let you go and completely guts you like a fish once the twists start flying. Roz is one for a dark sinister tale and she has definitely achieved that once more with her slow burn narrative as we learn backgrounds to the characters and as the trip evolves you’ll find yourself gasping for air more then once. The only question is will you make it to the surface alive!