I have been reading more thrillers and mysteries the past few years and I have to say that the title and cover drew me to Dead Below Deck. The blub intrigued me and I am glad to say that the story didn’t let me down. The one thing I really enjoyed was the mixture of story and diary entries feeding us the tale. I will say that most of the character’s weren’t exactly likeable but I believe that was the point, particularly when you look at the themes of privilege throughout.

The mystery itself was well paced and enjoyable to follow. I did find the end a tad lacklustre for me. I appreciate it left things open ended but I felt like I would have liked just a bit more about what did happen next. tt felt like the characters, particularly Maggie, go through a lot only for us to sort of make up what happens.

I still enjoy the novel overall and would say it’s a solid 4 star and I’m sure many fans of thrillers will enjoy this one.

As always thank you to Harper360YA and Netgalley the copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

High school student Maggie Mitchell wakes up one morning with a pounding hangover. That’s almost to be expected on a decadent Spring Break vacation. What Maggie doesn’t expect, however, is to find herself accused of a close friend’s murder.

Giselle Haverford is the gorgeous, wealthy daughter of Senator Robert Haverford. It was her idea to spend Spring Break sailing down to the Cayman Islands on her luxury yacht with her three best friends from prep school: Maggie, Vivian Page and Emi Karousos. The trip, unfortunately, has been a lot weirder than Maggie expected. Instead of the usual teenage hijinks, the four girls have found themselves locked in a weird, almost passive-aggressive standoff, as the weight of their secrets threaten to spill into the open and ruin their friendships for good.

On the face of it, Maggie has the most to lose. A transfer student to Andover Prep, she came trailing an aura of mystery that quickly helped ingratiate her with the most popular girls in school. Vivian is a budding influencer, while Emi takes her role as Giselle’s best friend very seriously. All four girls seem like perfectly normal teenagers. Maggie, however, knows better, considering everything she’s given up in order to get here:

QUOTE
[P]eople don’t really change overnight, do they? It happens in degrees, so small you barely realize what’s going on. Until before you know it, that foam sword is shoved away in the closet, dented and chipped, lost beneath the broken Barbie dolls and clothes that don’t fit anymore. And the one person you swore you’d never be without is somewhere, alone, on the other side of a wide ocean.

Or what if we don’t really change at all? What if growing up is little more than a peeling away of our protective layers, bit by bit, to get at our true selves?

What if this is who I really am?

A liar.

A thief.

A killer.
END QUOTE

For Maggie came to Prep on a mission. Falling in with Giselle and her crew was all part of the plan. She’s pretty certain, though, that killing Giselle was not what she wanted. If only she could remember what happened the night Giselle disappeared…

This meticulously constructed murder mystery unfolds backwards, as Maggie has to search through her own memories to figure out and expose who really wanted to do away with Giselle, before she herself takes the fall for a murder she’s (almost) completely certain she didn’t commit. Interspersed with her viewpoint chapters are excerpts from Giselle’s journal, as well as illuminating articles and transcripts that add nuance and plot twists to Maggie’s ordeal. Here, for example, is an excerpt from an interview between the Grand Cayman Police department and Vivian, where the cracks in the girls’ bonds take on a potentially sinister new aspect:

QUOTE
GCPD: So how would you describe Miss Mitchell and Miss Haverford’s friendship?

VP: Well, see that’s the thing–I don’t know if I would really describe it as a friendship.

GCPD: No? How would you describe it, then?

VP: More like [sound of fingernails clicking on the table] an obsession?

GCPD: Interesting. So you’re saying that Miss Mitchell was obsessed with Miss Haverford?

VP: Uh, no. Yes.

GCPD: Which is it?

VP: Well, maybe in the beginning Maggie was sort of obsessed with Giselle. We all noticed it. Like, she even started wearing her hair like Giselle’s and talking like her and stuff. But then…

GCPD: Then?

VP: Then, well, at times it almost seemed like it was the other way around.
END QUOTE

Clever, diverse and truly surprising, Dead Below Deck ends with one of the most deservedly vicious Young Adult denouements I’ve read in a long time. Jan Gangsei writes her four teenage characters with both verve and believability, making them each an object of envy as well as a flawed personality who is not at all difficult to sympathize with. The suspense ramps up till the novel’s very last, venomous word. While this terrific book may not need a sequel, I definitely need to read more of this author’s assured and entertaining novels!

It was supposed to be a dream-fulfilling trip: Prep Academy scholarship student Maggie spending senior year Spring Break on a yacht heading to Grand Cayman with queen bee Giselle Haverford and her BFFs Emi and Viv. But on the last night of the cruise, Giselle disappears. She’s presumed to have fallen overboard, until a review of the onboard security cameras shows Maggie pushing Giselle over the rail. Maggie doesn’t remember doing it… but Maggie also doesn’t remember anything else about that night. Told in alternating narrative threads – Maggie’s recap of the trip, in reverse; entries from Giselle’s journal; and excerpts from police interviews with Emi and Viv – Dead Below Deck invites readers to look behind the masks worn by all four girls, and sort through the secrets and lies to determine what actually happened to Giselle that night.

4.2 ⭐️
I quite enjoyed reading this YA suspense, and watching it unfold in a reverse chronological timeline.

🪝It held me captive from the beginning, offering in depth perspectives of the two main characters, often toying with my take on whether they were friends or frenemies. I was intrigued by their complicated relationship (it’s giving YA rich bich with deep seeded issues movie vibes), and loved taking a peek inside their brains (is she really mean? Or is it a front?), but I do felt the side characters were a little too hidden in the story and would love to have had a little more from them.

🧩As for a solvability, I was able to figure out the concept of what was going on pretty early, but fortunately there weren’t enough clues to hone in on the “why” until 80% in, and at that point you are so fully invested that it’s almost impossible to not stay tuned for the “how” and ending.

This book is great for a YA fanbase, and I look forward to seeing how the author continues to develop their writing in the YA space.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Jan Gangsei for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc of this. I really enjoyed this mystery and it had really good suspense to it. The plot twists and how the mystery uncovered as the book went along was so well done.

The flashbacks and the other methods of story telling in this were so engaging and interesting and fun to read. Def recommend this to any mystery/thriller book lovers.

This was fun. And even though I guessed the twist, I had no idea how it was done, and that made it so much better. AND since I listened to the audio, I got to hear the hella cool police interviews too! It was a definitely a good one.

Ok so the mystery in this was crazy. I had no idea what to think was happening. I knew what the twist was by a guess, but I couldn’t tell you how we got there. So being able to read it and knowing where this was going? That was pretty wild. I kept wondering how the hell it was going to happen. But I think that’s the coolest part. Seeing how they’re getting there vs just KNOWING that they’re getting there. It didn’t go at all like I thought it would lol

The characters were all terrible. I’ve read so many books this year where I hated all the characters. Idk if it ‘s me or them, but I was like wtf. They all needed therapy. And don’t get me started on the ADULTS?! Like why were they all this way? The only ones I liked were the police and even I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence lol

The writing style was entertaining. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by this author before, but the way it went, I was hella into it. And I think the way it had the sounds of them being in the police office and in interviews was cool too. The WAY it was told tho was a little bit confusing. I usually do well with books that are on an irregular timeline, but this one got to me. I had to rewind it a few times and be like what? And that was weird because it was just told backwards. It shouldn’t have been as hard as it was to get. Maybe it was because I was also listening it at 2xs? Idk, it was weird. But I finally got it together and it wasn’t so bad.

This was a lot more fun that I thought it was going to be. The synopsis and the cover don’t actually tell you what is going on, so this was a welcome surprise. I really hope that someone out there gives this one a shot. I think it’ll be a good one to challenge you and see if you can guess it too!

This was good and quite gripping. However, I felt that there was something not quite perfect about it. I was unsatisfied when I put it down.

I love this book! It was my second time reading a mystery book. I thought it was interesting and unique that it told the mystery in reverse. I loved that it was told from different point of views. The story really sucked me in, I couldn't put it down. I definitely didn't see the ending coming. If you love mysteries/thrillers you should read this book! You won't regret it.

Ahoy there mateys! Death on the high seas!  Amnesia!  Super Yacht!  That would be enough to get me to pick up the story.  But then add in that the story is told in reverse chronological order using multiple perspectives.  Seems like it could confuse but instead it was a quick read.  I think young teens would really enjoy it.  Adult me had fun even though the story was extremely over the top.  Basically a mega-heiress named Giselle is pushed overboard.  Her friend Maggie gets the blame.  But as the story moves backwards, the intricacies and secrets of the four teens are revealed.  Maggie initially had more of my sympathy but turns out that all of the teens are not the greatest of people.  The book reminded me a lot of Sweet Valley High novels of my youth with more murder.  Lots of bullying, backstabbing, and focus on popularity.  Mean girls.  The solution to the murder was ridiculous and silly.  Younger me would have enjoyed the drama a lot.  If it sounds interesting, give it a shot.  Arrrrr!

Dead Below Deck by Jan Gangsei tells the story of what started as a fun spring break 5 day long yacht travel for 4 friends (Giselle, Maggie, Emi, and Viv) , ends in disaster. The trip ends with the disappearance of Giselle, who was last seen on video being pushed by Maggie and Maggie all she knows is that she woke up with a huge headache and no recollection of most of the night prior.

I loved the reverse timeline, that we started at end 5 with Giselle's disappearance and we went backwards on the events leading up to it and then after we reach day 1, where they are boarding the boat we go back to day 5 to get a clear picture of what happened. Between the timeline and Giselle's diary entries the story was very well shaped and intriguing for me. The going back and forth made it seemed like a dual POV book, between the timeline being told by Maggie POV and then Giselle's journal entry, being her own POV of past events.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and was such an easy read for me. It was my first time reading a reverse timeline and I loved it, it made me feel like a detective piecing the crime. However, I do feel like we were left missing some answers from some subplots and this could have been made aware during the final reveal.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for the earc!

To no one’s surprise, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a YA crime, with a kinda unreliable narrator, and with the story chronologically backward. It was everything I love.

I love stories where we’re going back in time, it adds so much mystery to the plot. I kept thinking about what could have happened, but as usual I was always wrong. I need more books like this, this narrative fits a crime/mystery book so well! I loved the plot twists (yes, multiply!) and while I guessed one pretty early, the majority of the last chapter surprised me.

I have to say, I did not like the characters at all. But I think that was the point? It was very well written, I loved the style.

The only thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was the ending itself. It was too open for my taste, I would have loved one more chapter. I do understand the choice behind it, but it does not mean that I agree with it.

Overall, highly recommend it if you love YA crime books!

I loved how it changed from a peaceful journey into one full of danger, definitely kept me hooked. I enjoyed the way the book unfolded, it felt fresh!

The story’s structure adds to the intrigue. It unfolds in reverse, starting with Day 5 and moving back to Day 1, capturing the girls' final night and then rewinding to how it all began. Jan Gangsei alternates between perspectives, showing us Maggie’s version of events, police interviews with the two remaining friends, Emi and Vivian, and even glimpses of Giselle's private diary entries. This layered narrative keeps the reader guessing as each piece of the puzzle slowly comes together.

The format works well, but the character voices and portrayals fall a bit short. While Maggie’s narration and the police transcripts add tension, Giselle’s diary entries lack the emotional depth needed to fully flesh out her character. They feel flat and could have offered a more compelling glimpse into her life.

The ending, unfortunately, doesn’t quite deliver. The buildup of suspense and intrigue is strong, but the resolution feels abrupt and a bit contrived, leaving Giselle and Maggie’s stories on an unsatisfying note.

3.5/5, rounding off to 4

Short and Sweet Review

Maggie is about to go on a girls trip with her friends, Giselle, Emi, and Viv, on a luxury yacht. Trips are supposed to be fun but when the girls wake up and can’t find Giselle they start to panic, when they watch the security videos they see that Maggie pushed Giselle overboard. Maggie doesn’t remember anything that happened that night but she does know that everyone had a motive for not wanting Giselle around.

If you know me you know I have a problem with mysteries that take place on boats, mainly because all the suspects are on the boat so it’s a small pool of people to work with. Dead Below Deck is interesting because it takes place over five days, day 5 is when everyone realizes Giselle is missing and from there we work our way backwards all the way to departure day. As we work backwards we learn all about the characters and why they may have had a motive to get rid of Giselle. Our main character is Maggie, and she was new at school and lied about who she really is to fit in. Giselle is rich and she’s used to getting what she wants and her friends Emi and Viv have been around for a while so they’re weary of new comers. Maggie and Giselle are on two different spectrums, Giselle is well off and Maggie and her family are barely making it. When we see the day of everyone realizing Giselle missing Maggie finds her journal and through that we see that theres more to Giselle than we thought but she’s also very calculating. The girls in this book reminded me of Mean Girls and I found them to be more calculating and I was surprised they were even friends but like they say “who needs enemies with friends like these?” The concept of backwards chronological order was different but at some points I found it hard to remember everything that was going on. The ending was okay but I just didn’t like any of the characters enough to really care. All of the characters fell flat, there was no dimension to them.

Overall, this was an okay book, it wasn’t great and it wasn’t horrible either. It’s different than other mystery books because of the chronological order but I think it would have been better if there were flashbacks instead. This wasn’t my favorite book but I do think other people might enjoy it more than I did.

What begins as a carefree yacht cruise quickly becomes something much more sinister for Giselle Haverford and her friends from Andover Preparatory school. Giselle is looking forward to having one final voyage on her beloved family yacht, but secrets abound among her and her classmates. Everyone seems to have a reason to lie, and when Giselle is pushed overboard one night, each girl is a potential suspect. From fake passports and stolen identities to questionable friendships and hidden secrets, there is no clear answer as to who is truly responsible for Giselle’s disappearance or how high the stakes might be.

This twisting narrative is told from the perspectives of several characters and police interviews, and the chronology of the storytelling is not linear. Each chapter reveals a new piece of information for readers, and because the narrators are unreliable, it is difficult to determine exactly what has happened. As the voices change, so too do the fonts and appearance of each chapter, so it is clear who is speaking in each instance. And readers must pay close attention to every interaction in order to better understand the motives and backgrounds of the individual characters.

It is rare for a novel to progress in as unpredictable a manner as this one does, and readers who are looking for something out of the ordinary will appreciate the unique approach of this story. Flawed characters add to the intrigue, even as money and means appear to envelop everyone in the narrative. While opulence and privilege are ever present, the characters themselves have deeper motives to their behavior and interactions. And as everyone has secrets they are keeping, the true outcome of the novel is difficult even for the savviest of readers to foresee. Complex and intriguing, this book will appeal to readers who appreciate unpredictable storytelling with unreliable narrators.

Dead Below Deck is a wildly entertaining thriller that dives into the secrets of a group of high school girls. Told backwards, it's a suspenseful journey to figure out what happened to Giselle, and what Maggie had to do with it.

This was such a fun book! The timeline was great, it was told in reverse chronological order and that isn’t something I do often so I had a lot of fun with it. It was a little hard to follow, but not so much so that I didn’t enjoy it, it just required a little more concentration which was alright. I am a huge fan of YA thrillers, probably even more so than adult thrillers at this point. I don’t know why, but I usually love them when I read them and that was the case with this book. I think that this book was fantastic in that it was told from different points of view, and there were bonus excerpts from the victims journal and transcripts from the police interviews. The mixed media help break things up and truly made for an engaging and entertaining read. The writing was wonderful and written in a way that sucked me right into the story. I felt like I was in the yacht with these young girls (even though I didn’t really want to be!). I love how the story wrapped up, it was so much fun and I really did not see everything coming! I love when that happens because it is such a fun feeling to be surprised and that is exactly what happened.

This was a great YA murder mystery thriller. It was unique in that it told the story in reverse chronological order, but it made for a different, entertaining read.

This book about four girls who go on a yacht cruise to celebrate graduation and one ends up dead was super fun to read. Told in multiple perspectives, it’s hard to know who is the real killer. Everyone is hiding something, and the main suspect doesn’t remember a thing. But as details are revealed you think you know what’s going on, but you don’t. I didn’t guess that ending at all.

I definitely enjoyed this book, reading it in just under a day. Easy and fun to read, I definitely recommend for murder mystery fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollin’s Children’s Books for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dead Below Deck is a great addition to the young adult murder mystery genre. Told in reverse chronological order, Gangsei hooks the reader from the very beginning and keeps the twists and turns coming as the events unfold. To be honest, I had a hard time with the reverse order of the novel, but I understood why the author used this style. I thought I had everything pieced together at the end, but Gangsei delivered a well thought out ending. Readers who like Holly Jackson and Karen McManus will enjoy this new addition to the murder mystery genre.

This was my first time reading something that was written in reverse chronological order and it was really cool (though a little confusing at the beginning). The format lets the readers pick up on clues as everything slowly comes together. The flashbacks in the form of Giselle’s diary entries were also a nice touch. This is obviously more for a high school audience, so there’s the occasional drama between typical rich teens on a spring break cruise here. The incorporation of the interviews transcripts and text messages also built into the suspense. The switches between Maggie and Giselle’s POVs were interesting because as the story went on, I found myself trying to determine whose narration was more reliable.

I was also not expecting those reveals by the end. I still wanted more from this because it felt like there were other subplots that remained unresolved and could have contributed even more to the shock-factor behind the huge twist. I also wanted more closure from the other characters because the ending felt very abrupt. Overall, a pretty fun read and a quick YA mystery/thriller debut by this author! (3.5/5)