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A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle
Oct. 30th, 2023 11:41 pmThe Blurb On The Back:
November 1924
The Endeavour sets sail with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board …
When a man’s body is found on deck, ship’s officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare the death a tragic accident. But Scotland Yard inspector James Temple is certain there’s more to this misfortune than meets the eye.
Mounting an investigation, the pair uncover the theft of a priceless painting and encounter a string of suspects with secrets to hide.
With just days remaining until the Endeavour reaches New York, their search for the culprit is fraught with danger.
And all the while, the passengers roam the ship with a killer in their midst …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Tom Hindle’s debut historical crime novel is packed with red herrings, an emotional backstory for Birch and has a sucker punch twist at the end that genuinely left me surprised. Although this is very much a First Class passenger affair, I enjoyed the Agatha Christie vibe and the allusions to Birch’s war service but Temple is notably under-developed in comparison, which is a shame as fuller characterisation would have taken this to the next level.
The Endeavour sets sail with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board …
When a man’s body is found on deck, ship’s officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare the death a tragic accident. But Scotland Yard inspector James Temple is certain there’s more to this misfortune than meets the eye.
Mounting an investigation, the pair uncover the theft of a priceless painting and encounter a string of suspects with secrets to hide.
With just days remaining until the Endeavour reaches New York, their search for the culprit is fraught with danger.
And all the while, the passengers roam the ship with a killer in their midst …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Tom Hindle’s debut historical crime novel is packed with red herrings, an emotional backstory for Birch and has a sucker punch twist at the end that genuinely left me surprised. Although this is very much a First Class passenger affair, I enjoyed the Agatha Christie vibe and the allusions to Birch’s war service but Temple is notably under-developed in comparison, which is a shame as fuller characterisation would have taken this to the next level.
