The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

 

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware is a story that follows Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine. She has been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise ship, The Aurora. With only a handful of cabins that travels in the picturesque North Sea. At first, Lo’s stay was nothing but pleasant and perfect. The rooms were spacious, the service was sublime and the guests were enjoyable. But as the days go on, winds whip the deck, the sky grows cloudy and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a terrifying nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The only issue with that is, all passengers remain accounted for. The ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something has gone terribly wrong. This story has surprising twists, unbelievable turns, and a setting that proves to be cramped yet beautiful. 

The Woman in Cabin 10 is split into 8 parts. Though I thought 8 parts was unnecessary, I understood what the author was trying to do. At the end of each part there was either an email, chat board or article related to a missing person. This kind of detail creates suspense and uncertainty. It was a brilliant way to keep the reader guessing and intrigued. This story is a thriller that kept me guessing the entire time. The first few pages set the tone of the story. Lo Blacklock had been through enough prior to taking this once in a life time assignment. She represented a strong character, who not only put her job first, but cared for someone she barely knew. Since the cruise ship only had 10 cabins, each character was given a significant role. Being able to feel the struggles a character goes through and reading the judgement Lo receives is a beautiful detail an author can do. Each person was given enough back story to make them look suspicious even when they may not be. Slow moments were in the story, but the ending was a shocking surprise. Stories that catch you off guard with unsuspected endings are ones that have a special place in my heart. I love when I cannot predict how the story endings and I definitely could not predict this one. Ruth Ware did an excellent job writing this story and I may dive into more of her stories.

    Overall rating, I give The Woman in Cabin 10 a 4 out of 5 stars. The twist at the end was something I was not expecting. Being able to read about a woman doing everything she can to help another is empowering. If you want to dive in more, there could be deeper meaning as to why Lo feels so connected to this woman in cabin 10. Lo goes through a traumatizing experience in the beginning of the book and because of this, she may be seeking to find justice for this woman since she was not able to do so for herself. I enjoyed this read and the roller coaster it took me on. I recommend this as another addition to your TBR list.

Happy Reading!