Two young women are trapped in a deadly chase through the beautiful, dangerous waters around Australia in the new thriller from the bestselling author of Our Little Secret—perfect for fans of The Woman in Cabin 10 and The Drowning Woman.
Ivy is in trouble. A recent break-up has left her humiliated and raw, so when her best friend, Regan, offers her a month-long escape in the form of a trip to Australia, it feels like a lifeline, one that Ivy grabs with both hands.
Regan is everything Ivy’s not—confident, free-spirited, charismatic—and a natural at backpacker fun. But Ivy is drawn to a calmer type of holiday, so when she spots an ad for crewmembers on a small yacht being sailed by a doting father and his daughter, the girls decide to take the job. Together with a handsome third crewmember, they set off north into tropical heat, but it's not long before doubts start to creep in. Are the girls simply claustrophobic on the boat, or have they stumbled into something they don't understand?
Tensions rise as the past threatens to catch up with them, and dark secrets emerge that will change everything. A dangerous cat-and-mouse game on land and at sea, this fast-paced, twisty thriller keeps you guessing until the very last page.
“The Offing” follows two best friends who met at NYC university embark on a journey travelling the world while they’re young.
One friend is in it for the travel experience, the other is secretly fleeing her inappropriate relationship with her college professor, who is chasing after her with ill intentions after she found some evidence that sheds him in a VERY bad light.
The two manage to find work aboard a small boat with a father, daughter and chef and soon set sail across the ocean.
But as the plot thickens it seems that maybe she isn’t the only one running away or hiding things. Sketchy people make appearances and it’s hard to tell just exactly what is going on and who can be trusted.
I enjoyed the vacation escape aspect to the thriller, the vast unending ocean contrasting with the sense of being caged in, trapped and claustrophobic.
This read was dark, twisty, thrilling. My first Roz Nay novel and definitely not my last. The pacing was on point and I enjoyed the characters, the best friend dynamic and the dialogue.
Thank you to the Author, Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the EARC.
Whenever I hear about a new Roz Nay novel, I can’t wait to dive into it. She’s an exceptional thriller writer and no matter the storyline, I know I’m in for a first-rate reading experience. The Offing was no exception – this might even be her best work yet!!
The story centers around two college besties, Ivy and Regan, as they embark on a month-long escape to Australia. The two women couldn’t be more different but have had each other’s backs through thick and thin. Ivy is reeling from a recent breakup and sees the trip as a lifeline and Regan is just up for any adventure. While in Australia they seize an opportunity to crew on a small yacht owned by a father (Chris) and his 11-year-old daughter (Lily) and her cat (Pearl), and are later joined by a third crewmember named Dez. As they journey through the tropical waters and one strange event after another occurs the tensions rise, and the past catches up with them in the most unexpected ways, unveiling dark secrets that lead to a dangerous game of cat and mouse both on land and at sea. Will the women endure an unforgettable adventure that has turned into a harrowing nightmare?!
This novel checked all the boxes for a top-tier thriller: a fast-paced and gripping storyline that kept me hooked, intriguing and multi-dimensional characters who remained unpredictable, and a chilling, atmospheric setting that left me uneasy from start to finish! Oh, did I forget to mention the completely jaw-dropping twists that came at the end?! One major ‘reveal’ particularly made my head spin!
My advice for diving into this book would be to brace yourself for surprises – just when I thought I had it all figured out, the story took another twist and proved me wrong, over and over again! This is why Nay is one of the very best at what she does!
I couldn’t put THE OFFING down! This steady-paced thriller had me hooked from the very first page and kept me on the edge of my seat until the last. Ivy and Regan’s escape to Australia quickly turns into a nightmare as they find themselves trapped in a deadly chase, navigating both the beautiful and perilous waters surrounding the country.
The tension between the characters is palpable, especially as Ivy, the more reserved of the two, starts to question their seemingly innocent job on the yacht. The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, keeping me guessing at every corner. The combination of a claustrophobic, high-stakes setting and dark secrets unfolding at a breakneck pace made this a thrilling, unputdownable read.
ROZ NAY delivers the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and emotional tension—an unforgettable ride from start to finish!
The book's premise was compelling: Two young American women are pursued by an unknown villain(s) when working as yacht crew members in Australia.
WHY WAS "THE OFFING" OFF?
The storyline had waaay too many implausible plot holes:
1) Both cash-strapped young women lived in NYC and flew on impulse to Australia. (Huh???) Flying from NYC to Australia is a very, very long and pricey trip.
2) SPOILER ALERTS: One of the women had been branded by the other woman's boyfriend, yet she kept this secret. (Huh???)
3) One of the women lost her scholarship to NYU yet she never threatened to expose her professor for inappropriate behavior. (Huh???)
I listened to the audiobook read by Clare McConnell. Although Clare McConnell did a fine job with the narration, a full-cast narration would have been preferred.
Roz Nay is one of my go-to authors so perhaps my expectations were too high.
I was thrilled when I saw that Roz Nay has set her new thriller in Australia 🇦🇺 You do see that very often from international writers. Set in far North Queensland, The Offing was wild and intense ride on the sea, where sharks and crocodiles are the least of their problems. 2 young American backpackers are escaping and decide to go work on a boat, with a good looking kitchen hand and a father and daughter who are hiding their own secrets.
This book is nuts, in the good way!! You won’t know what or who to believe as they travel up the coast and heading to Darwin. It is a tough book to put down so be warned. Each chapter ending will leave you wanting more. Such a fun but dark and scary read.
Thanks so much to Penguin Random House Canada for my early copy of this book to read. Publishes on May 28th.
4.5* Well,was I surprised with this one! Yes! I honestly was hooked and couldn't put this down. Firstly look at that cover 😍 and the story itself was one where I was thinking one thing one minute and another the next. Roz Nay really keeps us on our toes with this one. Fantastic storyline with each page getting murkier and more twisted as we read on. The characters were moreish and each one was fascinating in their own way. World building and character progression are exactly what I was looking for here and I'm glad I found this. The whole thing had a mix of relaxed casual holiday feel and then it snuck right up and took a huge bite out of you with a cliffhanger chapter ending! Each chapter had me wondering what was going on and what could possibly be next! I will keep an eye out for this author in the future for sure.
Huge thanks to the Author for giving us this fantastic book, Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for a DRC. Publication Date 28/5/24
Roz Nay has done it again! The Offing is a great captivating thriller with a foreboding sense of unease threaded throughout. Taking place largely at sea off the coast of Australia, I was drawn into this novel from the outset as the tension kept ratcheting up. The author’s writing is crisp, the chapters are short and the pacing is very good. There are some intense, suspenseful scenes and an unexpected twist near the end. It was so good!
I highly recommend this thriller and wish it so much success!!
Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and Viking for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
“The Offing” by Roz Nay has been the talked about book of the summer, for good reason. A psychological mystery that offers a tropical escape as two young college students travel through Australia as deckhands on a boat with nothing but sun, surf and complete strangers for company. Roz Nay shows her impeccable talent through the page-turning plot twists and high-octane suspense, and I couldn’t put “The Offing” down.
After a devastating breakup and with her academic future in jeopardy, Ivy is desperate to escape. So, when the oppourtunity to work as a deckhand on a boat comes her way, she jumps at the chance, convincing her best friend, Regan, to join her. Although Ivy and Regan know nothing about the boat’s skipper, Chris, and the boat’s young cook, Desh, is also a stranger, the girls see this job as a traveling experience of a lifetime. But Ivy finds out that you can’t outrun your past and now the girls, and the entire crew, are trapped on a boat in the middle of the ocean with no means of communication- or escape.
“The Offing” is narrated by Ivy, teased throughout with investigative notes from police officers who are looking into an as-of-yet unknown event that has taken place after the boat has set sail. Nay is brilliant at providing hints without any major revelations as to the conclusion so when the ending hits, the reader is completely taken by surprise. To say this unexpected, twisty ending had me cheering is an understatement. It was unpredictable, but also deeply dark and disturbing (which is always my favourite!)
There are enough characters in the novel to provide an adequate supply of potential suspects, but not too many that would leave the reader confused, or scrambling to keep track of it all. From one short chapter to another, the story flows effortlessly. Who knew I could learn so much about sailing and boating from a fiction novel? Nay provides young and naïve, but likable characters, and sends the reader alongside them on an epic journey throughout sunny, exotic Australia.
I have read many Roz Nay novels, and she continues to impress me more and more with each one. “The Offing” is a novel that is not to be missed, and I eagerly look forward to Nay’s next writing effort!
The Offing is an eerily gripping tale that sweeps you away to Australia and into the lives of Ivy and Regan, two troubled American friends who, after taking jobs as crew members on a ship owned by a middle-aged man and his young daughter, suddenly discover that they are not the only ones trying to escape the recent past, everyone on the boat has something to hide, and danger is much closer than they think.
The prose is sharp and crisp. The characters are secretive, determined, and multilayered. And the plot unfolds and unravels quickly into a foreboding tale of lies, secrets, abuse, deception, drama, manipulation, friendship, desperation, revenge, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Offing is another dark, taut, unnerving thriller by Nay that did a wonderful job of keeping me mystified, surprised, and guessing from start to finish while at the same time reminding me that everything is not always what it seems.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
4.25 Two friends join a father and daughter on a yacht as assistant crew members. All are trying to escape from something with no success. Fast paced with no drag. Mixed feelings about the ending but it is possible. There are too many instances today in the news of this type of murderer. It took my a while to read this as I had to read another book in between.
Roz... a word? Some people need to sleep. And The Offing made me (MADE ME) stay up until 0300 more than once while reading it! All four of her books are on my favourites shelf. But The Offing has taken the new top spot for my favourite of hers. This is her second travel thriller, the story of university friends Ivy and Regan. They are making their way through Australia's hostel scene when the opportunity to be crew members aboard the 'Alone At Last' comes available. From interview to setting sail, it's mere hours until they join Christopher, his daughter Lila, and chef Desh for travel across the ocean. Ivy is leaving behind a dangerous relationship, but is what she's leaving worse than what they're sailing toward? There are some darker scenes in The Offing than her previous books, and I couldn't get enough! Twists that I must not start on about because I can't be trusted to keep my yapper shut. Be aware, I audibly gasped at one point. Just get it. Released today!
Roz Nay is back to take us on a wild and twisty ride. Best friends Ivy and Regan are vacationing in Australia and are now on the run from Ivy's past. When the chance to crew on a yacht for Christopher and daughter Lila arises it seems like the perfect opportunity to get off the grid and get away. But not everything is as it seems. Have they actually run right into the lions den?
This is a great atmospheric thriller full of shady characters that keeps your suspicions up and you guessing. I loved that I had no idea where I was going and managed to still be surprised, which is rare anymore for me with thrillers. It was a total bingeable read perfect for summer thriller lovers. Especially if you prefer your beach reads with a side of death and mystery.
Don't let this one miss your TBR list!
Huge thanks to the author and net galley for my advanced copy in return for an honest review.
5⭐️ Hooked from the start and the end😱 did not see that one happening!!!
Two best friends, Regan & Ivy, backpack across Australia and decide to take a random job as crew members on a strangers sail boat. Christopher and his 14 year old daughter Lila are the owners of the sailboat and were looking for a couple crew members to help them with "night watch" during their daddy daughter bonding vacation. Ivy has also recently broken up with her professor, whom she was having a relationship with, and he is now trying to track her down in Australia, as she has something he wants back🫣 So many moving parts but thrilling the whole time.
Several reviews and the synopsis set it up as a fast paced thriller, unfortunately I don't think it ever quite got there.
It started out quite well, the premise was promising and the general setting was intriguing. However, it very quickly turned frustrating and repetitive watching the characters interact.
I don't think it's spoiler to say, everyone is running from something but with that in mind, every choice the main character makes is incomprehensible.
For some reason the first person POV and writing style stood out and felt very disjointed, Ivy CONSTANTLY went back and forth on how she viewed the other characters. Not subtle growth over time but gigantic bipolar swings on whether or not she trusted them. Her decision making process also took me out of the story, if you're being chased and don't feel safe in your current environment - burning crucial evidence is not the right decision.
Some potential in this one but didn't come together for me.
Big thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for the opportunity to review early in exchange for an honest review
This twisty locked-room thriller kept me turning the pages late into the night! The idyllic setting—a sailboat off the coast of Australia—quickly turns deadly. SO good. Thanks Roz Nay for a fabulous summer read!
I enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book, it was giving slow burn, can't trust anyone, diabolical. But the ending gave me whiplash, I won't spoil anything but I felt like there wasn't enough character development or breadcrumbs laid along the way to warrant such a character shift to make the ending come together. The epilogue also felt like an attempt to make the reader simply like all the characters again? Idk, enjoyed most of the read but won't be recommending.
4.5 STARS - Roz Nay is back with a new tension-filled, dark and twisty thriller!
Offing [aw-fing, of-ing] - the more distant part of the sea in view.
Set in the beauty and natural danger of the north Australian Queensland coast, the story centres around Ivy, a young woman who needs to escape from a relationship gone horribly wrong. With her free-spirited best friend Regan, Ivy travels to Australia for a month and the duo decide to work as crewmembers for a boat owned by a father and his 11-year-old daughter. Will Ivy's past come back to haunt her? Why is there an eerie vibe on the boat and why does everyone seem to have secrets?
Readers will enjoy this fast-paced and tense thriller that has a locked room feel. Nay slowly and temptingly reveals the secrets and lies of her characters and as suspicion and tension grow, readers will be unsure of who to trust in this delightfully dark and twisty cat-and-mouse game set at sea. Reader beware: This well-paced story has many red herrings that will entice you to read 'just one more chapter' and keep you up reading well past your bedtime.
Don't miss this wildly entertaining read when it hits stores on May 28th from Penguin Random House (or preorder your copy today).
Disclaimer: Thanks to Viking Books for the complimentary digital advanced copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.
Characters on board 🚤 Lila- shy child Christopher- Lila’s dad, very Protective Regan- model, friend, backpacking in Oz over the holidays, Luck always finds her Ivy- Regan’s friend, along for the trip and a break from school, she doesnt always have the best of luck when it comes to men and relationships Desh- chef Pearl- cat who knows things
Thoughts ✅ Twists and turns will leave you rolling in their wake ✅ Claustrophobic cabins and drama onboard this vessel leave you gasping ✅ Definitely not a “yacht music” sailing trip, this book gives readers more of a Jaws meets Dead Calm vibe ✅ Readers will be caught up in the current of this story, I could not put this book down- I binged it in a few hours
What I learned ⚓️🚤 You cant sail away from your problems
Thanks to @netgalley @penguinrandomca and @roznay for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.
Publishes May 2024
I am looking forward to meeting Roz in person at the @montrealmysteryfestival in May
This was an exhilarating journey full of unexpected twists! The scenery was so vivid, and the eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere added an extra layer of intensity that I loved!
Nay did a fantastic job of maintaining suspense throughout this locked-room mystery. I loved the constant uncertainty of who to trust and the looming sense of impending doom.
Having spent a year backpacking through Australia myself, this story felt both realistic and deeply haunting!
I am a sucker for a thriller set in a tropical paradise (coastal Australia). The twists were delightfully unexpected, with a palpable building tension. And, truly- we love the power of female friendship to tie it all together. Would recommend for a beach /airport read!
Before going into this, know that it’s a suspense book more than a thriller. Context matters
A father and his young daughter are looking for help on their boat which is going to sail around the islands off Australia. They pick up two young women, best friends from the US, who are cautiously hesitant but ready to escape with an adventure aboard a boat. Once they have a chef to round out the “help”, they set sail…. The key being, are they running from someone creepy or running to something creepy.
I’m going to say very little about this one except to say that it was a binge book. One that has character development perfection on one of the MC that makes you want to shake the stupidity out of her head. 😂
Suspect them all. Because I’m gonna bet you have no idea where this boat is sailing, nor how many bodies it’ll pick up next.
This was an okay read - I didn't love or hate it. I found it much longer than it needed to be. Our MC, Ivy, was bloody annoying-she leapt to conclusions, with very little to go on, and then leapt back again. And she did this over and over! Aaaand your bf is dating someone who assaulted you, and you don't say a word?! WTF dude? In all fairness, Nay is a fine writer, and I loved the setting, but I think a better editor was needed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.