Danger on the Atlantic
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Average rating4
15
Ratings1
Average rating4
For young American widow Jane Wunderly, there are worse fates than adventuring aboard a transatlantic liner with the only man who could change her mind about romance. Unfortunately, her first-class itinerary has an unexpected—and deadly—addition waiting just below deck . . . Atlantic Ocean, 1926: Voyaging from Southampton to New York, self-reliant Jane is determined to prove herself a worthy investigator on the stately ship—even awkwardly going undercover as the fashionable wife of her magnetic partner, Mr. Redvers. Few details are known about the rumored German spy the duo have been tasked with identifying among fellow passengers, but new troubles unfold once wealthy newlywed Vanessa FitzSimmons announces the sudden disappearance of her husband at sea . . . Miles Van de Meter, the man Vanessa rushed to marry in Monte Carlo, has allegedly vanished into thin air along with his luggage. Redvers guesses the shifty heiress may be weaving tall tales for fun between flutes of champagne, yet Jane isn’t convinced—not after the stunning murder of a trusted acquaintance sends them into uncharted waters. Facing two dangerous mysteries and a boat load of suspects, Jane must navigate a claustrophobic quest for answers before the culprits can slip from her grasp on land . . . or, worse, ensure she and Redvers never reach their destination.
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If you're wondering if you should read this book, let me tell you straight away—don't. Go watch the movie DANGEROUS CROSSING (1953) instead. It's much better, and this book steals the plot almost identically.
Now, I read a lot of mysteries. I am not bothered by “inspired by” or “based on” or “adapted from” or “reminiscent of” but this author took just about entire plot straight out of the movie and doesn't give credit where credit is due. Even the title seems ripped off.
I haven't read the first two, and I only read this one because I am doing some research of my own about ocean liners. (That's why I watched the movie in the first place.) Other than the complete lack of originality, the writing was mediocre. Too much telling (how she feels, what she's thinking, how she's reasoning through things) and not nearly enough showing.
Then there are the gender stereotypes. The protagonist female relies only on her intuition and feelings to do her sleuthing. But she is constantly doubting or ignoring her feelings and intuition, so she seeks affirmation from her male counterpart over and over again. Then she stands up for another woman who is being gaslighted before changing her mind and starting to gaslight her herself.
All the while, the duo are terrible detectives. The reader is 50 steps ahead of them for the entire novel because they keep taking coffee breaks and forgetting all the clues they have already collected. The protagonist does not solve one part of the mystery in the end.
I still gave it two stars for the setting and the main romance plot, but overall I don't recommend.
Featured Series
5 primary books6 released booksA Jane Wunderly Mystery is a 6-book series with 5 primary works first released in 2020 with contributions by Erica Ruth Neubauer. The next book is scheduled for release on 3/25/2025.
