All by Myself, Alone
Overview: Fleeing the disastrous and humiliating arrest of her hedge fund executive husband-to-be, Celia Kilbride, a gems and jewelry expert, hopes to escape from public attention and allegations she was a co-conspirator by lecturing on a brand-new cruise ship – The Queen Charlotte.
On board, she meets eighty-six-year-old Lady Emily Hayword, “Lady Em,” as she’s known throughout the world. Immensely wealthy, Lady Em plans to wear her priceless emerald Cleopatra necklace, which, according to legend, places a deadly curse on whoever brings it to sea.
The Queen Charlotte is three days out and Lady Em is found dead – and the necklace is missing, is it the work of her apparently devoted assistant or her lawyer-excecutor, both of whom she had invited to join her on the cruise? Is it the acclaimed Shakesperean scholar who is lecturing on board, or a guest of the ship who is planning to spread hi wife’s ashes at sea? Or is it the young lawyer who tries to persuade Lady Em to return the necklace to its rightful owner, Egypt? The list of suspects is large and growing.
Pages: 336 Pages
Writer:Mary Higgins Clark
Recommendations:
I stumbled upon this book because it was on the must-read summer list, and boy, was I disappointed. It follows a group of characters who all find themselves aboard a fancy cruise ship on its maiden voyage. The owner is sweating bullets, trying to make sure everything goes smoothly, especially since one of the passengers is showing off a rare artifact that attracts the attention of a notorious thief.
Honestly, the story was about as exciting as watching paint dry. I could have predicted the killer and thief from a mile away. I kept waiting for a twist that never came. The characters were the only saving grace, each playing their part in this lackluster mystery. It felt like a throwback to old-school whodunits, but without the charm.
Overall, the story fell flat. No surprises, just a predictable plot that left me yawning. If you want a mystery that actually keeps you guessing, look elsewhere. The characters were the highlight, but even they couldn’t save this snooze-fest of a book. Save yourself the trouble and find a mystery that actually delivers on the suspense.