Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

"The Crew" by J.M. Hewitt is a riveting thriller that delves into the deceptive tranquility of life aboard a luxury superyacht. The novel opens with Ella, a seasoned crew member of the Ananke, who cherishes the nomadic lifestyle the yacht offers. It's a life that allows her to escape her past and bond with a close-knit community that understands the allure of the sea.

The narrative takes a dark turn with the death of Ashley, a beloved deckhand whose demise the previous summer casts a long shadow over the crew. As the Ananke sets sail once more, the crew must grapple with the reality that Ashley's life was a tapestry of lies. The central question that propels the narrative forward is chilling: If no one knows who you truly are, can a murderer walk free?

Hewitt masterfully weaves a tale of suspense and mystery, where the idyllic setting of the Greek seas contrasts sharply with the undercurrents of deceit and betrayal. The story ebbs and flows between past and present, revealing the intricate web of relationships among the crew and the secrets they harbor.

The characters are well-crafted, each with their own complexities that add depth to the unfolding drama. The setting itself becomes a character, with the Ananke's opulent decks and the vast, unforgiving sea providing a perfect backdrop for the psychological thriller.

The pacing of the book is impeccable, with each revelation adding to the mounting tension. The climax is as unexpected as it is satisfying, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of truth and the facades we maintain.

"The Crew" is a tale of secrets lost at sea, of lives intertwined in a dance of pretense, and of a truth so elusive it might just slip through the fingers like the ocean's tide.

The Crew was just alright. It's been awhile since I've read this title, and truthfully, it wasn't memorable, which I think says a lot.

I was excited for this book as I am a fan of the show below deck. I think the storyline was good at the beginning but dragged on a bit. I did love the two parallel stories and how it showed the different experiences on the water. I think it was an entertaining read.

A thriller set on the waves, it was fresh and engaging, I found it kept my interest and the writing style was good, I really felt the tension! I’d recommend this one!

This was a fast paced and interesting book, I loved some of the twists and turns. But the ending was a bit abrupt and I’m not sure it was in keeping with the characters.

I liked the synopsis but unfortunately I found it hard to connect to the characters. I did find it to be a bit repetitive in parts and I lost interest.

Unbelievably tense and atmospheric. The thrills and chills spill over board and keep you guessing until it's revealed.

This unputdownable thriller set aboard luxury yachts follows the fates of two yacht crew girl chums over an especially eventful summer that turns into a nightmare. The clever twisty plot had me hooked from page one, In her novels, author J. M. Hewitt’s combination of the complexity of human behaviour with often enchanting settings makes for agreeably escapist reading.

What a wonderful twisty tale this is.

Based on the prologue, I was wondering if this might be similar to other thrillers set on yachts / boats I've read recently, but once it got going I could tell this was definitely different.

And refreshingly so, for the tragedy happened a year ago, but was it really an accident and how affected were the crew from Ashley's death, as they reconvene on the same ship with the first same set of guests.

And just how well did they really know Ashley.

Split into multiple parts, we get not just what is happening this season with Ella and the crew, and how suspicion is being pointed in all directions, but also the previous summer in real time too, as we get to know far more about the victim.

Loved discovering just where this book was taking me, and was gripped throughout.

Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this and it kept me very attached to my kindle to find out what was going to happen next. The story unwinds and more is revealed about the behaviour of the two girls and what has happened before and during their time fleeing England to sunnier shores. I enjoyed the unravelling story and not working out who was trustworthy...

I really enjoyed this. I found the beginning a little slow but I really enjoyed the rest of the pace. I found my self identifying with Ella and Ashley on an emotional level and never saw the ending coming. This makes me want to read more from this author

Thanks to NetGalley me the publisher for my copy of this book.

Ella works as part of the crew of a super yacht. Last season one crew member, Ashley, died in a tragic accident. How the whole gang are back together minus one. But Ella can’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t an accident and she begins to investigate, suspecting everyone on board.

I enjoyed this. It was a really good read. It was told in 5 parts. These included before and after the accident, but also Ashley’s backstory and how she came to be joining the crew. What really happened to Ashley is built up slowly. All the different characters have believable personalities and are likeable as individuals as well as a team. The ending is completely unexpected and just before that, the twist of revenge is completely out the blue. Definitely recommend.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book. Perhaps because it is so out of my reality I am facinated by the idea of what happens on a super yacht. I did find this a hard book to get into, and found myself skipping some pages/chapters because I just couldn't get into the book. Others seem to have a different persepctive so I would say be open to giving it a read.

The Crew has a great premise and location on a super yacht and overall, this book was pretty good. I felt some of the characters were unlikeable, but that’s okay because that seems to be life working on a yacht if any of us have seen Below Deck. I loved the progression of the book and how it focused on different timelines which was fun and I liked how it kept me entertained. Overall, a good read.

I couldn't get into this one at all. The story seemed very flat and quite tedious which disappointed me as I was looking forward to reading this. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Set on a super yacht in a post covid world, this book had an intriguing feel to it. When one the yachties is involved in an apparent tragic accident, the boat is taken into police custody as they work to uncover what actually happened. The book picks up one year later as Ella and her fellow team return to yacht for the first time, ready to get it set-up for the next charter. As Ella starts to unravel the events of that night, she starts to pull the pieces together.

The book is split across two timelines, following Ella initially before focusing on Annie and Robyn.
The plot is intricate, as both Ella, Annie and Robyn’s lives collide with catastrophic consequences.

A decent read, that is fast paced and gripping.

3.5 star, rounded up to 4.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in return for my honest opinion.
This book follows two time lines I felt that the characters were not well-defined, yet the storyline was interesting
A murder mystery on a yacht, keeps Ella searching for answers. Not all is as it seems

Ella loves working on luxury yacht Ananke. She has worked her way to the top of the housekeeping tree & enjoys coming back to her yachtie family at the start of the season. However this season is a bit different. The last one ended abruptly with the death of one of the stewardesses in an awful accident. Ashley had been a friend to all the crew & will be much missed. Ella wonders if her death was an accident as Ashley had confessed that she felt like she was being stalked

Annie & Robyn were brought up in care & planned to run away to the sun. Although they didn't have passports they managed to get to Athens & in the wake of the Covid pandemic managed to find a place in the tied up ferries. Annie wants to get a proper job whereas Robyn prefers to live off stealing from others.

I really enjoyed this book. Tales of life aboard the yacht was fascinating with a good cast of characters the kept me guessing. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I liked the premise of this novel, a murder mystery set on a super yacht. However, despite the elements of Below Deck, the reality series my attention was not gripped. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Unfortunately this fell flat for me. I didn’t like how the book was split almost into 2 stories. There was lots of mystery but I found it kind of surface level. Nothing I was dying to read.

The below deck reference really made me want to read it. But i didn’t find it as intriguing as originally thought. Not my favourite read unfortunately. The ending was alright but i did see it coming.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advanced in exchange for my honest opinion.