What happens when a person goes missing and there is no
evidence of murder? It’s nothing more than an unexplained disappearance, or is
it?
That’s the premise for the debut novel from Catherine Ryan
Howard, author of the recently published crime thriller, DISTRESS SIGNALS (Corvus). Here, the potential scene of the crime is an
unusual location, a cruise liner where maritime laws have their own distinct idiosyncrasies
and the normal rules of investigative policing don’t apply.
When Adam Dunne’s girlfriend, Sarah, fails to return home from
a business trip, her disappearance brings up many unanswered questions. Adam
meets a series of obstacles, not least of which is the lack of belief from the
police, and others, that Sarah hasn’t simply decided to be somewhere else. His
unwillingness to accept this puts him on a collision course with a deadly
predator, who may have discovered the perfect hunting ground.
Written in clear, crisp prose, DISTRESS SIGNALS, is a formidable
debut, with short chapters, adding a page turning quality that will propel the
reader forward. Skilfully plotted, with well-paced suspense, each segment pulls
you further into unraveling this jigsaw of secrets. A warmth and empathy for
the principle protagonist and sundry characters is skilfully woven in this tale,
forged with vibrant dialogue that brings each of the main players
wonderfully to life. Enjoyable throughout. A perfect holiday read.
HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED
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