A singer becomes embroiled in a series of suspicious deaths in this enjoyable Jazz Age mystery set aboard an ocean liner.

After her boss dies in front of her while she’s singing in a seedy Soho nightclub, Lena Aldridge accepts a golden opportunity to travel to New York to star in a Broadway show. But once aboard the Queen Mary, the deaths continue, and Lena realizes she is being set up by someone with an unknown connection to her.

The mystery is in the “golden age” style, with the ship providing a confining milieu. There were times I felt Lena wasn’t asking the right questions, but overall her reactions were realistic under the circumstances.

Lena is an appealing character. She is mixed race and was raised by her Black father but now passes for white. In the course of the story, she reflects and reconsiders her situation, in part because of a relationship with a Black pianist on the ship. I liked the way the romance was handled. Likewise, the resolution to the mystery was unusual but ultimately fitting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.