Ruth Ware’s 2016 psychological thriller centers on a travel journalist assigned to cover a luxury cruise. The protagonist believes she witnesses a body thrown overboard from the cabin next to hers, but all passengers are accounted for. This unsettling discrepancy fuels a narrative exploring themes of paranoia, gaslighting, and the fragility of perception.
The novel’s popularity stems from its suspenseful atmosphere, compelling plot twists, and exploration of psychological themes relevant to contemporary anxieties. It contributes to the resurgence of “locked-room” mysteries and offers a modern take on the genre’s classic tropes. The work’s commercial success reflects a broader interest in psychological suspense and complex female protagonists within the thriller genre.
