This prompt gives you a lot of scope to choose anything you want. I went for a book that a few of my friends have spoken about – there’s a lot of love for clever murder mysteries and thrillers, so A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle seemed a great choice.

What it’s about?

November 1924. The Endeavour sets sail from Southampton carrying 2,000 passengers and crew on a week-long voyage to New York.

When an elderly gentleman is found dead at the foot of a staircase, ship’s officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare it a tragic accident. But James Temple, a strong-minded Scotland Yard inspector, is certain there is more to this misfortune than meets the eye.

Birch agrees to investigate, and the trail quickly leads to the theft of a priceless painting. Its very existence is known only to its owner . . . and the dead man.

With just days remaining until they reach New York, and even Temple’s purpose on board the Endeavour proving increasingly suspicious, Birch’s search for the culprit is fraught with danger.

And all the while, the passengers continue to roam the ship with a killer in their midst . . .

What I think:

A colleague introduced me to Tom Hindle and I am so glad she did.

This definitely gave me classic golden age of crime vibes – range of suspects, red herrings and clues and a few twists to keep you guessing along the way.

When a passenger dies in possibly suspicious circumstances, Captain McCrory isn’t keen on an investigation. He just wants to get to New York as quickly and easily as possibly.

Detective James Temple is on board, and with the supervision of ship’s officer Timothy Birch he is allowed to carry out a discreet investigation. And then there are thefts, suspicious passengers and more to the voyage than meets the eye.

Birch is an interesting character. Still traumatised by the war and coming to terms with the disappearance of his daughter, he has his own demons.

This book is renowned for its plot twist, and while there are no spoilers from, I did not see it coming and appreciated its cleverness.

Definitely reading more Tom Hindle in the future!