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When someone takes a pot shot at a politician on board the Aurelia, Patricia has no sense of the mayhem heading her way.

The bullet missed its target, hitting an innocent bystander instead, but jumping into the investigation with both feet, Patricia and friends soon question if things are what they seem to be.

The politician is none other than the beleaguered Prime Minister of European state, Molvano, a man who insists the attempted assassination came at the hands of his opposition leader. It is an election year and what better way to clear the route to power than removing the person in your way?

If that is true, more attempts can be expected. Of course, a politician in danger isn’t her only concern. There are bounty hunters on board searching for a convict on the run and a gang of thieves swiping debit cards.

It all adds up to a busy time for our favourite English sleuth, but when she uncovers the lies will she be the one in the assassin’s crosshairs?

262 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 31, 2025

684 people are currently reading
75 people want to read

About the author

Steve Higgs

625 books853 followers
Let's start this off with an invitation to get some FREE books. No, you didn't read that wrong, we are talking about multiple free books. I love giving away free books because once people delve into the fast-paced mystery thrills I write, they go on to buy lots more.

All I need from you is an email address to send them to. Here's the link you need - https://mailchi.mp/fd47a6eb4ae5/patri...

When I wrote my first novel, Paranormal Nonsense, I was a Captain in the British Army. I would love to pretend that I had one of those careers that has to be redacted and in general denied by the government and that I have had to change my name and continually move about because I am still on the watch list in several countries. In truth though, I started out as a mechanic. Not like Jason Statham, sneaking about as a contract killer, more like one of those greasy gits that charge you a fortune and keep your car for a week when all you went in for was a squeaky door hinge.

At school, I was mostly disinterested in every subject except creative writing, for which, at age ten, I won my first award. However, calling it my first award suggests that there have been more, which there have not. Accolades may come but, in the meantime, I am having a ball writing mystery stories and crime thrillers and will claim to have more than a hundred books forming an unruly queue in my head as they clamor to get out.

Now retired from the military, I live in the south-east corner of England with a pair of lazy sausage dogs. Surrounded by rolling hills, brooding castles, and vineyards, I doubt I will ever leave, the beer is just too good.

Links:
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Higgs/...
Website: https://stevehiggsbooks.wordpress.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stevehiggsau...

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5 stars
685 (72%)
4 stars
221 (23%)
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32 (3%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Deb F..
203 reviews4 followers
February 2, 2025
Sometimes a clue can get away from Patricia but not for long!.

Another excellent book by Steve Higgs!! Patricia really has her hands full on the ship between Australia and Hawaii. With more than usual on-board days between ports, and six weeks since there was a murder on the boat, Patricia knew better than to let her guard down. She was not informed there was a Prime Minister on the boat until it was almost to late. So on the run from one area of the ship to another, up or down escalators or elevators, only Patricia, poor klutzy Patricia will the unexpected happen to her. Without her faithful friends, beautiful fitness instructor Barbie and her BBF friend/butler, Jermaine to help keep her fit and alive, she would be in trouble. Although they can't be with Patricia 24/7 and those are the times Patricia manages to cause some overly hilarious scenes. The author's imagination has me laughing so hard that tears run down my face at the antics that Patricia gets herself
into. In Prime Shot she manages a number of those scenes. So if you like intrigue, mystery, comedy and just plain great reading you need to read Prime Shot. I suggest you read from book one to this book eleven because you can't get a better, clean , enjoyable comedy/ mystery than the Patricia Fisher series!
44 reviews
August 2, 2025
It was worth the wait. Love being back on the Purple Star with Patricia and her friends. Can’t wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Jane litherland.
4,327 reviews76 followers
February 1, 2025
Patricia ,complete with her itchy skull and friends are back onboard the Purple Star Cruise Lines Ship the Aurelia and of course her boyfriend Captain Alistair Huntley . We are recapping everything that has occurred since Patricia first came aboard the ship and how she forged great friendships with the crew and of course her boo ,with her two corgis Anna and Georgie they joined her midway thanks to a royal happenstance…Yes way! There’s a lot of staff and crew onboard , it’s a big ship with 20 decks. Quite a load. Like one great city at sea. Just what is occurring? Something sure is and it has everyone and everything stirring and all in a tizzy. So much going on Patricia is feeling a bit dizzy. Assassination attempts on a Prime Minister no less ,there’s Mrs Fisher she’s doing her best ,then there’s unkempt fellows and thefts unexplained to a woman who is fleeing a bad marriage that’s awfully strained. . There’s thieves and bounty hunters ,just what’s going on? Then there’s Felicity Phillips who calls on her friend . She’s fretting over the Royal Wedding ,just where will it end. There’s one thing that you can always depend , these awesome cruise ship mysteries and mystery adventures are diverse and awesomely written ,the best in this universe. For sleight of hand and misdirection ,hilarious humour that’s portrayed to perfection ,there’s anxious and unexpected moments and surprises in store . Stories about these characters galore that leave you veritably shouting for more , bravo, encore . Whether hoisting the anchor or setting sail . Steve Higgs your writing never fails ,to entertain us ,educate too in everything ship like and adventures too . Never a dull moment ,just immersive fun for everyone. Great writing and storytelling that’s ever so compelling . Never a dull moment and that’s a fact. That’s why with these stories I keep going back and they’re never off track.
Profile Image for Joan.
976 reviews
February 19, 2025
On the way to Hawaii from Sydney, Australia, Patricia tries to save an "abused wife" from her husband. The kindly ship's detective tells her she can stay on the ship to work after this cruise and start a new life. She even offers her to buy her nice clothes for a special luncheon given by the prime minister.

Also on board is the Prime Minister of an obscure country, who is about to stand for re-election. Oddly enough, he has a team of reporters following him on the ship, and they are always there when a supposed attempt is made on his life. Is he really the target or is the actual target the abused wife?

To keep the cruise interesting, Patricia's dogs find a necklace placed in a bag of bloody beef hidden in a life boat. An elegant, elderly gentleman is nearby to discuss Patricia's find with her. She finds him charming and also invites him to the PM's luncheon. This mystery is not solved but will carry into the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
240 reviews4 followers
March 20, 2026
Not great

Patricia is a hopeless detective! She has extremely bad judgement of people! She has become very annoying and believes her own hype despite Barbie actually solving the case! And it is Skechers not SkeTChers! There are too many holes in this story SUCH as when Patricia asks,Darius of Blue Moon to find out about domestic violence of a certain person in Australia ,he doesn't say who reported it just says that there was! That is NOT natural! You would say The Wife or the husband reported it! Also the background check should have been done immediately as it would have shown who the person was. A little more effort into being a bit realistic would make these books more enjoyable! Instead it is,far too easy to guess early on who is the culprit!
131 reviews
March 4, 2025
Good Read

Another entertaining story for Patricia and her team. When an attempt is made on the life of a foreign President on board the Aurelia, injuring an innocent passenger, things start to go from bad to worse for Patricia. Also on board is a spouse hell bent on punishing their abused partner for leaving them. Whilst searching for the abusive spouse, the team come across obvious bounty hunters who refuse to say who they are looking for. When further assassination attempts are made on the President and the same faces keep popping up, Patricia starts to question everything and she certainly has her hands full this time.
Profile Image for Claudete Takahashi.
2,760 reviews38 followers
January 28, 2025
I loved this story, Patricia is at her best working on multiple cases aboard the Aurelia. She is trying to help a woman fleeing from a bad marriage, there's the case of the stolen jewelry found in a plastic bag with a piece of meat, and the conspiracy to kill a Prime Minister. And if those cases were not enough she was summoned by Felicity to help with the Royal Wedding! But not everything is as it seems and there will be a big turn around in the stories. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series, please hurry Mr. Higgs! Highly recommended!
I thank the author for this ARC.
Profile Image for Frieda Thompson.
402 reviews6 followers
August 11, 2025
Prime Shot

I feel that I am so monotonous with these reviews! But how many ways can one say the same things? Another win for Steve Higgs! Patricia & her team face more criminals! Will this be the time she is outmatched? Who's got it in for Patricia THIS time? It doesn't matter! The questions may be the same, but the answers are not! Suspenseful & funny, I love Mr. Higgs' cozies! Plus, they are clean! Miss Patricia is the one who introduced me to his stories! For that, I'll be forever grateful!
Profile Image for Becky .
617 reviews17 followers
January 31, 2025
Another action filled adventure in the Patricia Fisher Ship's Detective series.
If it were possible, I would book a trip on the Aurelia because there's always something exciting going on, and Patricia is usually in the middle of it. This book was filled with humor and a few red herrings to throw us off the trail of the culprit/culprits. It's always a joy to read a Higgs book, especially this series.
Profile Image for Gina.
113 reviews1 follower
February 7, 2025
Not as entertaining as past books

I have been waiting for another Patricia Fisher book for months so I was excited when this came out. It seems more like a short story than a book and so was lacking in the detail and especially in the personal relationships between Patricia and her team that is usually in the books. I was pretty disappointed and I'm not sure I'll read any more of these books.
184 reviews6 followers
February 6, 2025
As usual I really enjoyed the book. However, the stop-start nature of the writing and the familial distractions Steve Higgs has been experiencing seem to result in a plot less cleverly constructed than usual. Without giving away any spoilers, I knew what was happening and who the villains were long before the end.

I received an arc copy of the book.
29 reviews
February 8, 2025
Another ripping yarn

I am obsessed with reading about Patricia Fisher.The stories are so well crafted, full of suspense, humour, wonderful relatable characters and seemingly endless twists and turns. Patricia’s amazing ability to combine brilliant detection with almost Keystone Cops ineptitude makes her such a delight.
13 reviews
February 10, 2025
Another book with twists and turns

I like being able to suspect almost everyone who is presented in the books.

This one has such seemingly innocent people, and most are, but it is important to be suspicious in order to get into who "could have" actually been guilty and of which crime.
103 reviews
March 19, 2025
Many twists, many turns

I loved the way this book had different paths that would cross and even though I guessed who the real bad guys were, because I have learned by reading Mr. Higgs books, that nothing is as it seems, I was still surprised by so much. I'm looking forward to more and love each of the series.
Profile Image for Carlin.
1,796 reviews19 followers
August 17, 2025
Patricia Fisher as usual is a hoot. A ship's dtective she draws trouble to her on every trip of the Aurelia. Three seemingly disparate cases seem to foil her famous itchy skull and the solutions don't really appear till it's almost time for passengers. crew, and possible criminals to disembark. These adventures are always fun.
78 reviews
September 27, 2025
Great book

Once again, the plot tricked me. I didn't see that ending coming. The 1st part of the plot was easy to figure out ,but the 2nd not so much. I can compare myself to Patrice Fisher, sometimes it takes me a while to figure out where things are going. But I love, love, love this author & his books. Happy reading
Linda Orrs, Ogden, Utah, USA
1 review
April 27, 2026
A good read

A basic whodunit with lots of silliness mixed in. A feel good book full of (almost) believable, but often larger than life characters.

Full of larger than life (almost) believable characters, this book transports you into whodunit territory. Life on a cruise ship is never dull it seems. Think Good ship murder with a touch of Inspector Cluseau





1,322 reviews16 followers
January 20, 2025
Patricia is in for a shock during this journey aboard the Aurelia. From assassination attempts of a foreign leader to domestic violence, Patricia's life is full but not in a good way. Didn't see this one coming and neither did she. Highly Recommended.
Profile Image for Angel Ballard.
778 reviews5 followers
February 1, 2025
Ii's smooth sailing oompf...?!?
Everything's moving along nice and smooth as the ship launches...then things get real, really fast! The next thing you know you're chasing after so many suspects all at once, right to the end! Brilliant work!
Profile Image for Ann.
514 reviews5 followers
February 3, 2025
Another exciting mystery for Patricia to solve on board the Aurelia and as usual full of excitement, red herrings and suspects. I always have to read these books in one sitting as I can never put them down, well done Steve, another great book.
172 reviews2 followers
February 4, 2025
Fun, Funny,Mysteries
Loved it!!!! Seriously, this series is fabulous!!!
And Prime Shot is amazing, lots of mysteries to solve and superb characters!!!
Cuddle up, be ready to laugh, gasp at twists and Enjoy!!!
Profile Image for Mary Baker.
634 reviews2 followers
February 8, 2025
Keeps you on your toes and wanting more

All of this series is great! Finally, an author who can portray an older woman almost as well as Agatha Christie. I don't want to put them down once I start one.
911 reviews15 followers
February 9, 2025
action packed fun, fun, fun!

I adore this series! It has a great cast of characters along with action packed fun and humor thrown in. This s a well written series and I cannot wait for the next book.
84 reviews
February 24, 2025
WTG,Patricia

I'm constantly amazed at Steve's ability to wind multiple storey lines in a compact cozy. How he sees things from a woman's perspective is wonderful. And, brings some humor to it all.
14 reviews
May 2, 2025
Very enjoyable!!!

I was liking this book and wondered with Patricia who was the target and what was really going on . I wanted to cheat and look forward but it was too good for that! This is a good book from beginning to end!!!
Profile Image for Yvonne.
313 reviews
May 5, 2025
disappointing

First book I’ve been less than satisfied. Patricia is coming across as too cocky and sure of herself. She missed obvious clues and naively trusted less than trustworthy people putting all in danger. Sorry not a good tale.
Profile Image for Jane Cunningham.
18 reviews
July 1, 2025
Not as good as his other books

I don't feel the characters were as well developed as in his other books,it also don't have much humor. We barely even read anything about the dogs. I just didnt enjoy it as much as I liked his other books.
362 reviews
August 17, 2025
Great story

It's amazing how the different plot lines come together so cohesively. The story is suspenseful and entertaining. The characters are relatable. Looking forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Lisa Stewart.
68 reviews4 followers
February 3, 2025
great series

A quick and enjoyable read that left me waiting for the next book to finish the mystery of Justin and his crew.
Profile Image for Roberta Calabrese.
22 reviews2 followers
February 6, 2025
favorite series

As with all Steve Higgs book’s humorous entertaining and a surprise ending Looking forward to the next installment. Every one if his series I highly recommend
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews