Review: The Stowaway by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.
(Publication date: September 21, 2021)

Considering all of the horror stories about wives killing husbands, husbands killing wives, diseases spreading like wildfire, and killers on board, there is no surprise that I have not really ever wanted to take a cruising vacation. As a fan of true crime, I read a lot of books and listen to too many podcasts based on horrifyingly bad behavior and situations on cruises. The Stowaway is a fiction novel not true crime, but it fits perfectly into this category. I really enjoyed it.

From the beginning of the novel, I knew who the bad guy was. Try as I might, there was not a twist here. I wanted to make other characters (one in particular) the bad guy. The writers did not perpetuate this myth. I just couldn’t help myself. The killer is the killer. This is not a who-done-it book. The Stowaway is about WHY the killer is acting out his rampage on the cruise passengers...especially the main character, Maria Fontana. There are a couple of interesting twists in The Stowaway. I am happy to report that I did not see them coming and was tickled when they did occur.

The Stowaway is not a full-blown psychological thriller. Once I finally bought into the killer being the actual killer, I had a pretty good idea about his motivation. One of the twists of the book occurs at the end and makes for a good “slap in the face” for the killer. It worked for me.

Caution: although this is a book of fiction, if you have low or no tolerance for violence against children and/or gory murders, be aware that both of these things appear in The Stowaway.

Murray and Wearmouth have collaborated on four other novels. I enjoyed The Stowaway enough to want to check out these other offerings.

My star rating: 4 stars

To be honest, I chose this book because of James Murray on Impractical Jokers was an author. I was curious. I loved it! It was suspenseful. It was creepy. It had me guessing and questioning that guess. I admit , I did figure out who the killer was, but I did not see the twist coming! Thank you NetGalley! Thank you, James and Darren! Do I see a series coming?

The Stowaway is an intense thriller of a book that will keep you turning page after page until the end. Loved the plot that kept twisting and turning and kept me guessing. Great start to a new series!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Maria was on the jury that failed to convict suspected serial killer Wyatt Butler. Now she is on a cruise ship half way to Europe, with a killer onboard. A killer who is very similar to Butler, and is now targeting Maria and her family.

Murray and Wearmouth just keep getting better and better as authors. This is my favorite book yet. It was tightly plotted and full of action. I read it over the course of one day. I needed to find out who the killer was and how they would catch him. This is a 5 star book for me.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Stowaway is fast-paced and thrilling; I was swept up in the chaos and madness right at the beginning and held on, white-knuckled, all the way to the end of this fast read. I enjoyed the main character, Maria, and I loved that the bulk of the story takes place on a cruise ship.

But, reader beware: despite the cruise ship setting and the gorgeous cover, this is NOT a cozy mystery. This is a story about a serial killer who has targeted a family, and now they are trapped on a cruise ship with him. I will admit, I was taken aback by the gruesome details, and the fact that the serial killer's previous victims were all children. Know what you're getting into before you pick up this book, but also know that it is a really, really good read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Maria, the Chair of the Psychology Department at Columbia, was a juror on the case of a serial killer and, following the publication of a book about the case, publicly admitted to being the one hold out that led to a mistrial and the release of the perpetrator. It is now two years later and she, her fiancé and her young twins are on a cruise from New York to London. The cruise is not what one would expect. First a head is found on the bed in an unused cabin. Then a young boy is tossed overboard…and that’s only the start. I won’t go any further into the plot because of spoilers, but would highly recommend it to anyone who likes solving difficult puzzles! The ending lead me to hope there will be more. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC for an honest review.

Fast-paced story, with a several twists. I enjoyed the different take on the juror-defendant retaliation scenario.

Hard to go into much detail without giving away a lot of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Kept me reading past my usual bedtime. Excellent job with the denouement. I would recommend this book.

I really enjoyed the ride that this book took me on. From courtroom, to everyday life, to a cruise ship. It was quick paced, kept me reading, and guessing. If you enjoy a thriller this is the book for you.

Solid thriller! Not for the squeamish, since there's some pretty gruesome deaths that are described more than I cared for, but there's an intensity to the plot that kept me super engaged and needing to know what would happen next. I wouldn't say there were any huge surprises, but that didn't hurt my experience at all. Murder on a boat, you're trapped with a killer, but who is it?? What's not to like.

as usual, the book would not download so I am unable to review it. since i have to leave a certain number of words in order for this to post, i will continue to mention that the book would not download - after following all the instructions, as usual, and, as usual, the book would not download. so i won't be able to review it. i wish the author good luck but since i can't download it, i can't review it.

This is the story of Maria who is on a hung jury and then targeted by the real killer. She is convinced that the killer is on the cruise ship she is sailing on.

This book is a page turning thrill. It will grab you from the beginning an not let you go until the end. You will be trying to figure out who is the real killer and can he/she be stopped. It was a thrilling read. I would recommend picking up a copy of this book. You will enjoy it.

Thank you to #netgalley, @JamesSMurray, @DarrenWearmouth, and @StMartinsPress for a copy of this book to review.

This is a nail-biting thriller that pits Maria Fontana, single mother of twins and head of the Psychology Department at Colombia University, versus a depraved serial child murderer. Having been a member of the jury that acquitted this monster, Maria knows him better than anyone. Although not prepared to meet him while on a two-week transatlantic cruise, Maria realizes she is the only one who can take him down and save her children. This is a “can’t put it down thriller”. A definite 5-star read…perfect for the beach or pool! I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions expressed are my own. #TheStowaway #NetGalley

I really loved this! a great thriller and mystery, kept me on my toes from the beginning to the end. Loved how the author used tone and imagery. Would recommend.

This book kept me awake half the night. First by trying desperately to finish it, then because I HAD finished it. 12 jurors voted on a highly publicized serial killer case. In an anonymous ballot, 11 voted guilty and one vote set the defendant free. Two terrible years later, and trapped in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, very similar murders happen again making our 12th juror wonder if she made a mistake admitting that she voted him free. The murders described were gruesome and thankfully short or I would probably never sleep again. The tension on the high seas is BRUTAL!!! Where do you run when there is nowhere to run?!?! And I knew within the first 8 pages who the murderer was… But I was wrong. And maybe our juror isn’t entirely who she appears to be either…

Either way, I devoured this in one sitting and will definitely rest up before reading anything else by this author because I anticipate another sleepless night.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, but my opinions are all mine.

This book made me think of some of the famous trials that we have had in the US - times when someone was found not guilty, or there was a hung jury, but to the rest of us it seemed so clear cut.

This was one of those trials. There was one hold out member of the jury and the sheer hate that she received from the public was over the top. However, I have seen what people can do - especially the last few years and it really seemed possible and realistic.

Then the member of the jury and her family go on a cruise and bad things start happening. Nobody believes her about them being connected to the trial.

This was a fast, easy, read. I had a disconnect with the main character, and then toward the end, I realized why. I wish I could reveal, but it would spoil.

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

I want to give this 3.5 stars. But since I can't color half a star, I will round up to 4 - after all, this book gave me something a little different.

Wow, what a wild ride this was! This crime adventure novel was well written with a premise cleverly constructed in a way that feels fresh and thrilling!

I must admit this book is a bit gory and graphic in details and not for some of the delicate flowers out there. If you are like me and enjoyed Steve Cavanagh's TH1RT3EN, then you will most certainly enjoy this one.

I hope to read more titles by this two-author team in the near future. Absolutely unputdownable!

I'd like to thank the authors, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Stowaway for an honest review.

This was very readable and the pages flew by. The cruise ship made for a memorable setting and if you like your "beach reads" with a bit of gore, this would be a good one.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the blurb sounded interesting, but I struggled with this book. The characters weren't as developed as I expected, and it was hard to like or care about any of them. The suspense wasn't as engaging as I'd anticipated for this genre. I also wasn't a fan of the writing style. Many parts of the story felt rushed and disjointed.

Maria is a jurist on the trial that ended in a mistrial when one member of the jury was unable to convict and the killer was allowed to go free. A year later, Maria, her two kids and fiancee set sail on a trans-Atlantic cruise to England, and a killer is loose on the ship, targeting child victims.

The pro's: Fast-paced thriller, threatening intrigue aboard a cruise vacation setting that should be fun.

The con's: Graphic, gory descriptions of cruelty, torture and murder of children and other adult victims who get in the killer's way. Underdeveloped characters.

Would I recommend? Good distraction for a few hours but I can't say I would seek out the authors' for other books in their catalog. Thanks to NetGalley for offering the book for my review.