This is an odd review to write.

As thrillers go, this is a really well-written one. The premise is clear: someone is murdering people on a cruise ship. We have a mostly-likable heroine and hero, the book isn't too long, it moves along at an exciting pace, there are clear good guys and bad guys, and a few well-placed surprises. I know I didn't have to finish it, but I wanted closure and resolution.

What turned me off was the absolutely gratuitous, graphic, gory violence against children. Murder, dismemberment, sadism. Had this book been written with adult victims, it would be just as compelling. As an avid reader of thrillers and mysteries, I love a good murder. But children as victims of such sadistic acts brings nothing to the story. It just turns my stomach.

I can't say I'd never read anything else by these authors, but I don't think I'd seek it out. Unfortunately 2/5 stars.

I don't know if I've ever read a book so quickly! I could not put it down. Fast-paced, short chapters in a claustrophobic setting? Yes please. I loved everything about it. Highly recommend.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

Ok-I thought I had the book figured out about half way through, but glad to find out that I was completely wrong!! Maria is a professor at Columbia Univ who is on a jury for a children's serial killer. Once the trial is over, she meets Steve, the love of her life. Things seem to be going well for them until they take a family vacation on a cruise where things start happening.. This story has a lot of twists and turns, and the whole time through, I kept picturing the actors in my head for the move this should be ,made into!! If you love suspense and/or thrillers, then this one is definitely for you!
#ARC #GOODREADS

“It is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one.”—Voltaire

Or is it…

Reasonable doubt. After hearing endless testimony and seeing horrifying pictures of the victims of alleged serial killer Wyatt Butler, it came down to just enough reasonable doubt for 1 of the 12 jurors to vote “Not Guilty” and set him free.

Two years later, Maria Fontana just wants that part of her life to be over. Being endlessly hounded by the press, social media and the families of the victims, Maria is encouraged by her fiancé to take an extended vacation. Thinking a transatlantic cruise is just what the doctor ordered, Maria is ready to relax and enjoy time spent with family. But when a severed head is found in one of the cabins with a startling MO similar to that of the case against Wyatt Butler, Maria begins to fear that there could be a copy cat onboard…or perhaps Wyatt Butler wasn’t an innocent man…but in fact the killer…

Readers, I devoured this gruesome tale of being trapped on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with a crazed killer on the loose! At first, I thought for sure I’d figured it all out…and then the author did a slight of hand with that ending!! Impossible to put down and guaranteed to give you chills! Loved and highly recommend!



**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

This was a fun, exciting read that kept me on the edge of my seat! This is definitely a book to recommend to your friends. It has an Agatha Christie vibe which was fun and exhilarating.

I needed to read a light cozy mystery after finishing the intense and extremely graphic serial murder mystery, The Stowaway.

I really liked the highly original premise of the book. The reader-friendly writing kept me happily turning the pages until... the gruesome murder and dismemberment of a child was described in gory, horrific detail. As a mother, that scene brought me to a full stop and I closed the book.

I've read police procedurals by Lisa Gardener and Karin Slaughter about psychopathic killers that nearly straightened my naturally curly hair, so I decided to open my Kindle again a couple of days later to continue reading The Stowaway. The gruesome murders continued, but I was able to skim those scenes to find out what happened next to protagonist Maria and her family. I really liked Maria, and her plight kept me ploughing ahead. Again, the book's originality and good writing encouraged me to move forward, though I struggled to keep horrific images out of my head. Some of the plot points involving descriptions of the murderer stretched my suspension of disbelief to the breaking point, but just about anything is possible in fiction, so I continued to read. This book, I'm pleased to say, was brought to a satisfactory conclusion and appears to be first in a new series.

My rating reflects the things I liked about The Stowaway. This would have been a five star book for me if the child murders had been less graphic or committed off the page and referred to during evidence gathering by police.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC to read and review. A copy of this review will be posted to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com on release day. *NetGalley Top Reviewer.*

The Stowaway, by James Murray and Darren Wearmouth, is a suspenseful mystery about a hideous serial killer hiding out on a cruise ship, committing atrocious crimes. Maria Fontana was a juror on a trial for murderer, Wyatt Butler. A hung jury results in a mistrial and Butler is set free. After the stress of the trial and subsequent publicity, Maria takes her family on a cruise. That’s when evil, horrifying events start occurring. Maria is a valuable resource in helping stop this villain. This fast pace, intense story will keep you turning the pages. Thank you Net Galley and ARC for and advance copy in exchange for a review.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Serving on a jury can be dangerous! In this book, the protagonista is just finishing her service on a hung jury that let the defendant go free. He’d been accused of a string of very violent murders. The public was outraged and the identities of the jurors became known and they were hounded and threatened. Maria calls press conference and announces that she is the one who “hung” the jury. A year later she, her new boyfriend, and her two young children decide to take a cross Atlantic cruise, feeling that would be the safest place. It’s soon becomes evident that a serial murderer is on the ship as well. There are a lot of red herrings, although I saw through them without much thought. I would almost call it a beach read thriller.

The Stowaway is a thriller, a bit gruesome in parts, but with so many interesting twists and turns I kept reading to see who the killer was. The main character, Maria, was on the jury who failed to convict a serial killer. She, her twins, and her fiancé are on a cruise and as is the killer. It was a fast read because you want to see who the killer is. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for my ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

A family cruise vacation is turned on its head when an acquitted serial killer creates havoc on the high seas. Gruesome yet gripping, “The Stowaway” had me riding the waves of this fast-paced, suspenseful thriller. Despite the lack of character depth and some storyline flaws, the engaging plot drew me in right from the start and held me captive right up until the very end. After all, what could be more terrifying than being trapped aboard a vessel in the middle of the ocean with a sadistic killer on the loose? It’s truly a chilling premise that will stay with you long after the last page has been read.

This book kept my interest from the start. It was suspenseful and kept me guessing right to the end. A worthwhile read.

Crazy good story!!! I loved everything about this book! The courtroom, the ship, the twists and turns that I never saw coming!! This is my first read involving a serial killer and I must say I couldn't put it down! Just when I thought I had something figured out...BAM!! Another plot twist! The writing is exceptional, the characters are richly developed and the mind of the serial killer is dark and twisted!! I couldn't put this book down! Read it in one sitting, up until 3:00 am!!

The Stowaway is a riveting pulse-pounding ride. Maria Fontana the head of Psychology at Columbia University was on a jury of a depraved killer who because one juror wasn’t convinced of his guilt voted not guilty and he was set free.
Since no one knows what went on in the jury room all of the jurors are being harassed for the mistrial of a person the public sees as an anathema.
Maria calls for a press conference and announces that she was the lone holdout.
She is put on a year’s sabbatical and at the end of it she and her family (including her fiancé) decide to take a cruise before she goes back to work.
But people are dying on board ship and it is in a manner familiar to Maria the MO of the serial killer that was set free.
Maria must convince ship security that there is a dangerous person on board and help find him.
It is a well-written book one that will make you lose sleep at night reading it.

A murder suspect is found not guilty by his peers. He later boards a cruise ship to get even with one of the members of the jury. Stowaway had good character development but the move from the jury trial to the cruise ship seemed a bit disjointed for me. The murders of those on the ship seemed unbelievable. The ending of the book was a surprise but the book seemed a bit too long overall.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview The Stowaway by James Murray and Darren Wearmouth.
Maria Fontana was on a trial that tested every fiber in her body - she was a juror for a man suspected of being a serial killer and in particular a child killer. The verdict comes in and the suspect is set free. Maria has outed herself as the lone juror that set him free. Since the trial Maria has faced public backlash, but time moves on and she tries to create a normal liife for her and her children.
A family vacation is planned for Maria, her new boyfriend, and her kids - an ocean liner cruise - what could be better. But things start to get complicated when guests start to disappear and mayhem rocks the ship. Is the serial killer back or is Maria being paranoid?
This is fast paced and looks like it may become a series book.
3 stars.

Wow! The book started out a bit slow but soon picked up speed. What a roller coaster ride. The suspense builds and the final part of the book keeps you glued to it. I can't say Maria was my favorite character but I quickly became invested in the story. I really did enjoy it.

This was a fast paced thriller that kept me guessing (although, I did guess right, except for one little twist). It's a bit gory, but the story didn't dwell on the gore. It's probably less than you would see in most movies these days. More like an episode of Criminal Minds.

This book hooked me from the first page. Such a great fast paced thriller. I highly recommend this to everyone.

3.5 stars. I really liked the premise but was unprepared for the level of graphic descriptions of the various crimes committed throughout.

I wasn’t a fan of the time jumps. I think the background info that was established during them could have been accomplished another way. It also contributed to the beginning feeling really rushed.

Maria was a tough character for me. I found her slightly sympathetic but I felt like she lacked depth, particularly as it pertains to her professional life. A lot of her reactions felt like they would not have come from an accomplished academic.

I’m never one to figure out the twist in advance and this was no exception, though it did end up being one of the theories I had along the way, which is rare.

Overall, it was a quick read and despite my critiques, I still needed to know how it ended.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read the book early in exchange for an honest review.

Not my cup of tea at all. The writing is good however I struggled to finish this book. The gory, dark subject matter made this a difficult read. The premise is intriguing but the plot struggled at times. I appreciate the opportunity to review this book Netgalley.