⭐⭐⭐⭐+
Warning ~ the descriptions of the children's murders was very disturbing! 😥

Story starts with Wyatt Butler’s trial. He is accused of brutally murdering many children.
Maria Fontana is a Psychologist on staff at Columbia University; she is holding the deciding vote on whether Butler is acquitted or guilty. She has created a stir as it seems everyone believes he is guilty.

Jeremy Finch is an author who wrote a bestselling novel about the trial and also some negative things about Maria. He is speaking at the local B & N. Maria and her boyfriend, Steve Brannagan attends the presentation. She not only accosts Finch but shouts profanities and when Steve drags her out, she has the ‘last word’ and gives the Finch the ‘bird’.
Hmm this does not over well with her supervisor at Columbia. Although supportive of Maria, he believes she needs a break a year to cool down the negative things going on.
In the meantime, Steve proposes and they decided to go on family cruise with her young twins ~ Christopher and Chloe.
Six days into the trip, nasty things are happening. A murder victim in found in an empty cabin and has been murdered in the chilling way of the accused Wyatt Butler.

Security has checked the ships manifest and it appears there is a stowaway.
Is the murderer following Maria?
If so, why since she was the one whose vote resulted in the acquittal?

I am a big psychological thriller fan…I know to
 Expect twists and turns and to
 Suspect everyone!
Yes! Twists and turns but missed the mark with my suspicions.

A page turner that kept me up last night!!!


Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for my honest professional opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 21, 2021

Who knew Murr from Impractical Jokers could write something so dark?

I really. Really. Really. Wanted to love this. I love Murr and I love Mystery Novels but this was too much for me. I DNF due to the crude descriptions of children’s murders.

Don't let this title lull you into the possibility of an endearing story about an adventurous trip…..not hardly. This is a dark, scary and sometimes too descriptive thriller about a serial killer on a ship in the middle of the ocean.
   Maria Fontana is a professor of psychology that was part of a jury that acquitted a mentally ill man whose victims were children. The man was found not guilty by one vote but it wasn’t from Maria even though she announced that it was. She copped to the not guilty verdict to quiet the media and stop the harassments to all twelve jurors. Maria thought she could just harness that negativity and give all the jurors peace.
   Fast forward two years: she and her fiancé and her twins are off on a 10 day cruise. They aren’t alone on this trip……..evil has followed them and the killer is back in business .  Maria recognizes his calling card and when finally believed by the security on the ship as to who it is, plots a method to trap him. Knowledge of his psychosis and his reactions to discord proved correct and he was apprehended …but not without brutal violence and bloodshed.
   The fast pace of the story kept the reader engrossed. My only hesitancy with the main character was her physicality in the final pages of the book. Her superhero skills/agility were never exposed prior in the story so it was a bit of a stretch………but no matter, it was a page turner for me and I do expect to see her in the future

Not sure what I expected for this thriller, knowing that the author is a relatively well-known comedian.
The story itself is well-written and makes sense - the tension is okay and the characters are fine. This is a matter of personal preference, I guess, but I did not enjoy the graphic and gratuitous violence against children - maybe being a mom has made me a bit biased in this area.
Overall, it was just okay. I would try another book by this author, but I'm not clamouring to do it soon.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review. All opinions are my own.

The Stowaway grabbed me from the very beginning and never let go. Can the way you vote on a jury change your life? From deliberations in the trial of a serial killer to a high seas mystery, The Stowaway addresses that very question. The characters are relatable and well developed. A fast paced writing style full of twists and turns not only keeps the readers interest but makes this book impossible to put down. I highly recommend The Stowaway to all mystery lovers.

An action packed read that went from plausible, to gruesome at times, and then moved to unbelievable. It was a fast read through the story of a serial killer that is found not guilty - and the consequences of those action as they play out in the future. We hear about this story from the viewpoint of one of the jurors in the trial. And, the story continues to share that recovery from being part of such a trial. It was a good read, but as a warning there are some graphic portions. Thanks to NetGalley for the early read.

The Stowaway is a deeply graphic thriller. Marie Fontana, a professor of Psychology is a juror on a serial murder case, She thinks she can really figure this killer out and votes accordingly. Afterward, for two years she can not get the trial or the man off her mind. She is worried for her young twin children. Her boyfriend suggests they take a cruise, the four of them, and relax and have. Once on the cruise ship things take a turn for the worst and the horror begins. Parts are very hard as they are graphicly told and are children. Thank you for the opportunity to read #TheStowaway#NetGalley#StMartinsPress

I am a huge fan of the Impractical Jokers so I was beyond thrilled to receive this advanced copy of James Murray newest book.

I am a huge fan of thrillers and this crime thriller was no different. It took a little bit for me to get into the book but once I did, I was sucked in. It can get gruesome in parts, so beware if you have and aversion to books like it.

It was well written.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced copy

A grisly crime thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat, The Stowaway, aims to keep you guessing without shying away from shock value. Gruesome murders are discovered aboard a cruise ship on a two-week transatlantic journey. Aboard is Maria Fontana, The head of Columbia’s Psychology Department, and juror on the a high profile case of acquitted child murderer, Wyatt Butler. With evidence mounting that the murders may be the work of the serial killer, the ships security, Jake Reese, and Maria work together to prevent the killer from claiming anymore more lives.

A great read. The ending is a shocker!

This story is gripping, a page turning thriller with mystery and madness. The characters are interesting and compelling, the story is engaging. A little gruesome, but you still want to stick to it until the end.

This was ok but took too long to ramp up and I found myself skim reading to see if this improved. It was predictable too and more of a young adult read. Cannot recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley, James S Murray and St Martin"s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/21/21

Such a great read!
I started The Stowaway and only meant to read the few first pages, but ended up finishing it in one sitting. It is that good!
A real page-turner, I literally (and yes I mean literally :) ) couldn't put my reader down until I knew what happened to whom and why. If you like mystery and thrillers, you will not be disappointed in this book.
I can't say much except read it, because I feel any detail could be a spoiler. I highly recommend it!

*** I received an e-ARC of this book from the authors and the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, James S. Murray, Darren Wearmouth, & St Martin's Press. ***

WOW!!!!!!!!!

What did I just read?

This was my first novel by James S. Murray alongside Darren Wearmouth, but I promise you, It will not be my last!!!! The Stowaway, was absolutely incredible. Cue the bookhanger, I will not be getting over this one any time soon.

Maria Fontana was one of the jurors that ended up setting a serial killer free. After the trial the jurors are being harassed. It starts out harmless with some notes but then its full blow physical attacks. Maria has lost her bearings and begins suffering from PTSD. In order to take a bit of a break and relax, Maria and her family book a cruise trip.

This trip is all BUT relaxing. A brutal murderer is on board the cruise and people are turning up savagely attacked . The boat is put on lockdown and Maria is in a race against the clock to help stop a killer .

I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it to friends and family! Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review the Stowaway prior to its September 21, 2021 release date!

I am not sure what I was hoping for when requesting “The Stowaway.” However, I found the material may be better suited to a YA reader. The story, for whatever reason just didn’t captivate me (perhaps I just didn’t give it the chance it should have received. I still am grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to check out this book.

Did not like this book. Story was a complete giveaway. Took too long to get the story started. Since it seems to be the beginning of a series, I won’t be picking up any other books.

My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this excellent read to what I hope is the beginning of a series.

Maria Fontana is the head of the Psychology Department at Columbia. She was on a trial of a child serial killer and she voted not guilty. Her, her children, and fiancee go on a cruise and find the killer is on board and out to get Maria and her family. All is not what it seems.

I loved this book! Quick easy read that made you keep turning the pages. The end of it seemed like this will be a series which I will definitely read.

Convict, if they had enough to bring him to trial then convict.

Jurors that have not completely understood the magnitude of the crimes and base their vote to release need a tougher boundary of their opinion.

Life will never return to normal.

Talk about a suspenseful and thrilling novel! This book was quite graphic in certain parts especially of what the serial killer did to the children but couldn’t put the book down.
Marie Fontana is on the jury to convict the serial child killer and she doesn’t feel like the evidence is enough to convict so the killer is set free. Then the jurors and Marie start getting threatening letters and basically harassed. Marie decided to hold a conference and say she is the juror that let the killer go free.
Things really started happening then so Marie and her fiancé Steve decide to take a trip with Marie’s twins Chris and Chloe. Oh my gosh I thought it could get any scarier until this cruise and all the evil comes out. I was shocked because I really thought I had figured the killer out but I was so wrong! Great book and the title is perfect!

I received this book from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily! Thank you so much Netgalley for this awesome book!

Whoa......this story is a very intense thriller, for sure! It has it's twists, turns and gruesome moments. It was a bit intense for me and I'm sure that's because it was very descriptive and excellent writing. When a book has you squirming and eeeking out loud, you know it's well written. Talk about giving me nightmares, this one did that.

It really makes you wonder and guessing throughout the book, who could be doing this? Was a guilty serial killer set free due to circumstantial evidence? It's not for the faint of heart, that's for sure. If you like thrillers and suspense, this is probably for you.

I have not read such a fast paced novel like this one in a LONG time. I have NEVER said this before about a book, but I wish that it had been a little bit longer. I wanted more details.
This was such a great book. I loved the cruise ship setting, the main character, the security officers....the killer. Kept me guessing till the end.
I won't give away the spoilers but this was a hard book to put down. It was so fast paced and I needed to read just one more page.