The Black Orchid

by Loreth Anne White

A propulsive true crime-inspired thriller of masks, murder, and long-awaited justice by Washington Post bestselling author Loreth Anne White.

By invitation only, nine elite guests board the luxurious Black Orchid for its maiden voyage through the mythic Aegean Sea. Not all of them will survive.

Poppy Buchanan, personal assistant to legendary war photographer Lillith McGregor, sees the cruise as her chance at a better life—if she can edge her way into Lillith’s will. But their exclusive company includes Lillith’s disinherited stepson and his ruthlessly ambitious fiancée, a silent Israeli businessman with a dangerous past, a charming Dutch antiquities dealer with an agenda of his own, and a retired FBI profiler hunting a serial killer he believes is aboard. Each passenger is a piece in a deadly puzzle decades in the making.

Within three days, their paths will collide during a catastrophic storm. Long-buried secrets surface. Masks fall away. And the ensuing revelations trigger a chain of events that leads to one of the most devastating maritime disasters in recent history. But the sinking of the Black Orchid is no accident—it’s a reckoning.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Ebooks, Audiobook

395 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2026

About the author

Loreth Anne White is an Amazon Charts, Washington Post and Bild bestselling author of thrillers, mysteries, and suspense.

With over 4 million books sold around the world in more than 20 languages, she is a Canadian Crime Writer winner, ITW Thriller Awards nominee, a three-time RITA finalist, an overall Daphne du Maurier Award winner, Arthur Ellis finalist, and winner of multiple other industry awards.

A recovering journalist who has worked in both South Africa and Canada, she now resides in the Pacific Northwest, dividing time between Vancouver Island, a ski resort in the Coast Mountains, and a rustic lakeside cabin in the Cariboo.

When she’s not writing or dreaming up plots, you will find her on the lakes, in the ocean, or on the trails where she tries—unsuccessfully—to avoid bears.

For more information on her books please visit her website at lorethannewhite.com

Or connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LorethBeswet...

Or via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorethannew...

Reviews

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Black Orchid is a mystery thriller with psychological suspense and plenty of secrets, set against the luxurious backdrop of a private yacht sailing through the Aegean Sea.

We’re introduced to Poppy Buchanan, who works as a personal assistant to the famous war photographer Lillith McGregor. Poppy sees the voyage as an opportunity for a better future, but she soon finds herself surrounded by a fascinating group of wealthy and influential guests, all with their own secrets and hidden motives.

The beginning sets the scene beautifully, introducing us to the characters and the glamorous world they inhabit. There’s an underlying sense that something isn’t quite right, and with a retired FBI profiler on board who suspects a serial killer could be among them, there’s certainly plenty of potential for things to take a dark turn.

I really appreciated Loreth Anne White’s writing. Her descriptions are atmospheric, the setting is beautifully created, and you can see the thought and detail that has gone into bringing this story and its characters to life. I also liked the premise of bringing a group of people together in such an isolated setting, where everyone seems to have something to hide.

Unfortunately, though, this one just wasn’t quite the book for me. I really wanted to become more invested in the story, but it never fully grabbed my attention or kept me as engaged as I had hoped. With so many characters, secrets and different threads to follow, I sometimes found myself struggling to connect with the story.

That said, this is absolutely a case of the story not being the right fit for me rather than the writing itself. Loreth Anne White is clearly a talented writer, and I can appreciate the work that has gone into creating such an intricate and atmospheric mystery. I’m sure there will be plenty of readers who love the twists, layered characters and slow-building suspense.

For me personally, though, The Black Orchid never quite gave me that feeling of needing to keep turning the pages, and sadly I didn’t connect with the story in the way I had hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing/Montlake and Loreth Anne White for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Publishing date: September 1st 2026

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White
Narrated by Kristin Atherton

Black Orchid is sort of a closed cruise mystery thriller although not entirely since the characters can disembark for tours of port stops and even leave the cruise entirely if they decide to go stomping off in a snit for one reason or another. There are nine elite guests aboard the luxurious Black Orchid for its maiden voyage through the mythic Aegean Sea. The elite guests can bring along companions and assistants and then there are the cruise employees. This ship has some luxurious accommodations and the best suites can be the size of a roomy condo. I'm pretty sure I'd be in a closet by the engine room, I do not fit into this crowd but then I never plan to take a cruise.

Poppy Buchanan, personal assistant to legendary war photographer Lillith McGregor, is one of the most prominent characters, along with her boss, Lillith. But each of the elites and their side kicks get page time in this story and their antics could fill an entire season of a soap opera. Hidden pasts, false identities, and criminal intentions are part of this story and this cruise is not going to end well as we find out in the first pages of this story.

Much is happening, including a generous amount of alcohol being splashed around and swallowed so senses aren't always at their finest for some of the characters. Also, imagine being stuck on a cruise while fearing that unsavory pasts might be discovered and being pretty sure spies and killers could be aboard, possibly stalking your every move. This is a game of cat and mouse and there are many cats and even more mice.

What helped me to enjoy this story was eight year old Carter, who is with his grandfather and mother. His grandfather is a retired FBI profiler from the Behavioral Science Unit and Carter wants to be just like his grandfather when he grows up. Grandfather is giving talks on his work and the book he's written and we get to hear about a lot of real life crimes. Will this cruise have events that add to that list of crimes?

Being an unimportant kid, nobody notices Carter so he's able to overhear lots of things he's not supposed to hear and get into places he's not supposed to be. When he talks to other passengers, Carter is so nonthreatening that people will even tell him things they wouldn't tell other people. He's keeping a notebook of all these interesting tidbits and he'd be in big trouble if anyone knew how much Carter knows about their lives.

All these people, all these stories and antics, and it could have been hard to keep track of everything going on but the author does a really good job of making the characters distinctive so I had no trouble. The narrator, Kristin Atherton does a great job with all the characters and various accents and I would forget that there was just on narrator. I'm very happy to keep my feet on firm ground and I certainly would not have wanted to have been on this cruise. This was an interesting buddy read with DeAnn, Jayme, and Mary Beth, with lots to discuss.

Published September 1, 2026

A KU audiobook

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

I really wanted to love this story and I was very excited to finally read a Loreth Anne White book. She's a very popular author. I wasn't "wowed" and I can't quite put my finger on it as to exactly why. So many 4 and 5 star reviews so please check them all out.

This started off with a cruise ship disaster and bodies floating in the sea. I was all set. Then we go back to 9 people boarding a luxury cruise ship for the inaugural sail around the Greek isles (loved the setting!) All of these people are hiding something and want something. There are segments of a documentary show in-between the story of the characters on the ship. I didn't really care for this style and I found it a little hard to follow. Perhaps this would have been better on audio for me.

I can't fault the writing. I think it was the style of the storytelling that didn't quite grab me although it did pick up but that was at the 50% mark. There was some Greek mythology thrown in but I wish it would have connected in some way to the story. There's also a young boy who's 8 years old that I found very unbelievable. It's also written in 3rd person and perhaps that's not always a favourite of mine. I'm rounding up to 3 stars because it did pick up and ended quite nicely. I will for sure try another LAW novel again as perhaps this one was just not her at her best.

I read this with my Amazon First Reads bookclub on instagram and many of them enjoyed it a lot. So I'm in the minority.

Publishes on September 1, 2026

*🇨🇦 Author
*🇬🇷 Setting: Aegean Sea

[BiblioPeeks (Katt) · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE STAR STUNNER!

"...even villains are heroes in their own eyes. Everyone is either a hero or a victim in their own story." *

Wow! A wholly immersive locked-room thriller, with mysterious layers reminiscent of an Agatha Christie tale, and a true crime vibe—this elegantly crafted story of closure, redemption, and revenge held me captive! Nine people set sail aboard the Black Orchid ship by invitation only—but not all will survive.

A wonderfully diverse cast, all nine characters are fascinating with unique motivations, though Carter, an eight-year-old boy, stole my heart completely. He wants to be an FBI profiler like his grandpa (also on the ship) and records "suspicious happenings" in his notebook—of which there are many. The rotation of his perspective along with three others and mixed-media components, keeps tension high; I flew through the pages!

I refuse to say too much lest I spoil things; going in as blind as possible is best. Just know that in addition to a taut mystery, all too relatable characters, and a stunning atmosphere, there's depth and heart with a family focus. Wanting to be loved, to belong, and to achieve self-acceptance are key themes written by LORETH ANNE WHITE with such realism and empathy that I was moved to tears. After all, isn't that what we all want? This was my first book by her and now I must dive in to her backlist ASAP. Where has she been all my life? Readers who love cold cases and a clever plot with several threads woven together in a deeply satisfying and touching way must board THE BLACK ORCHID!
____

*Quote is subject to change upon final publication



Thank you to Amazon Publishing for my gifted copy. All opinons are my own and given voluntarily.

[Casey Reads 🌸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story follows multiple points of view aboard a new cruise ship. Each are connected in some way and tragedy does strike where not everyone involved in the story will make it out alive.

This was wonderfully written. So much going on and it really draws you in from the very first page. I enjoyed each character and their backstory and involvement and how everybody’s stories start to intertwine.

I could really see this being a mini series or a movie as it was perfectly written to become one. I am so glad I picked this one from Amazon First Reads!

Thank you to Amazon First Reads for the free advance copy.

[suspenseisthrillingme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot damn! A twisty tale of revenge, justice, belonging, and fate, The Black Orchid was quite the page-turning read. You see, not only was this well-layered plot packed with high-stakes action and juicy family drama, but the real-life inspiration behind the story gave off definite true-crime vibes as documentary transcripts took center stage. Don’t get me wrong, the multiple POVs did the heavy lifting in this immersive locked-room mystery. From rich people behaving badly to some side-eye-worthy inheritance squabbles, the storyline was stuffed to the gills with everything that I love. Even better, the onion-like plot came together flawlessly as the jaw-dropping *mic drop* twists were thrown down one by one. Add in the creeping sense of dread and the million and one secrets, and this book was yet another utter home run. I mean, she’s one of my all-time favorite authors for a reason.

I do have to say, though, that out of all of the parts of this one-sitting read, the tangled web of dark secrets and well-plotted schemes was my absolute favorite. With all nine members of this diverse cast hiding something big, the slow unraveling of this clever Agatha Christie-like plot was pure solid gold. That’s not to say that the And Then There Were None-esque feel overrode the moral ambiguity, palpable tension, or long-buried secrets that this author is known for. Blending the whodunnit vibe with a psychological thriller sense of foreboding and dread, the deadly reckoning just waiting to happen also had all of the emotional depth that I always crave. So if you love intricately plotted, atmospheric novels with a hint of Greek mythology, grab this one now. After all, you’re definitely not going to want to miss out on this relentlessly ticking clock of a countdown to tragedy. Rating of 5 stars.

Read if you love:
- A mixed media format
- Hidden identities
- Locked-room mysteries
- Mind-blowing twists
- Short chapters
- Atmospheric settings
- Deadly schemes
- A real-world-inspired plot
- Satisfying endings
- Dysfunctional families

SYNOPSIS:

By invitation only, nine elite guests board the luxurious Black Orchid for its maiden voyage through the mythic Aegean Sea. Not all of them will survive.

Poppy Buchanan, personal assistant to legendary war photographer Lillith McGregor, sees the cruise as her chance at a better life―if she can edge her way into Lillith’s will. But their exclusive company includes Lillith’s disinherited stepson and his ruthlessly ambitious fiancée, a silent Israeli businessman with a dangerous past, a charming Dutch antiquities dealer with an agenda of his own, and a retired FBI profiler hunting a serial killer he believes is aboard. Each passenger is a piece in a deadly puzzle decades in the making.

Within three days, their paths will collide during a catastrophic storm. Long-buried secrets surface. Masks fall away. And the ensuing revelations trigger a chain of events that leads to one of the most devastating maritime disasters in recent history. But the sinking of the Black Orchid is no accident―it’s a reckoning.

Thank you Loreth Anne White and Montlake Publishing for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: September 1, 2026

Content warning: terminal illness, violence, blood, accident injuries, mention of: blackmail, domestic abuse, dementia, gambling addiction

[Lisa Kusel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindled.

This was an extremely fast-paced popcorn thriller that takes place aboard a luxury cruise ship.

There are many characters, some of whom are fleshed-out nicely; a few who are merely placeholders (see for example: Carter's mother).

I found the setup, using the docudrama to be a bit clunky, but I admire Ms. White's ingenuity. She needed to wrap things up somehow, and this device worked.

The two factual inspirations for the plot--the criminals, and another cruise ship that went down in a different sea--fascinated me. I do so enjoy when authors paint fictional worlds using real events. Still, there was a lot of 'splaining going on. Lots of dry dialogue for the sake of exposition, esp between the retired FBI agent/gramps and ANYONE/EVERYONE else he was speaking with/to.

I did not love the red herring re: the child, nope.

A few too many veered-off plot-lines left hanging off the abyss.

The magician act? Hated every moment of it. And who was that guy? Too much left unsaid.

3.5 rounded up because it is the polite thing to do.

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit different from what I’ve used to when it comes to her books, but I liked it. Interesting characters and I loved the cruise ship angle. Also liked that it was based on true events (very loosely).

[Bo.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m always up for a cruise ship thriller, so the premise of The Black Orchid immediately appealed to me. The story opens in the aftermath of the Black Orchid disaster, presented through the opening episode of a true-crime documentary. With bodies and debris floating in the waters off Santorini and the ship sinking nearby, we already know something has gone horribly wrong, and from there it becomes a matter of finding out exactly what went down aboard the Black Orchid.

The story then takes us back to the days leading up to the disaster, where we meet the passengers aboard the ship. There’s a pretty big cast, and I definitely had to grab the Notes app for this one. With so many people introduced, I wasn’t always sure who the main players would be or who might end up being less important, so there was a slightly homeworky feeling to it at first. The multiple POVs helped though, and the characters gradually became more distinct as the story went on.

With such a large cast, there weren’t really any characters I became particularly attached to, although some storylines held my interest more than others. I did quite like Carter, our little eight-year-old Poirot of the group. He was incredibly sharp and observant, although at times his voice and manner came across as a little older than his eight years.

I liked the structure overall, particularly the documentary and true-crime podcast elements included throughout the story. While the chapters follow the different perspectives in the lead-up to the disaster, these sections help fill in some of the blanks surrounding what happened. Between the multiple POVs, secrets and mixed-media elements, there’s quite a lot going on, and although I enjoyed seeing how it all came together, it did feel a little busy at times.

Knowing from the beginning that the Black Orchid disaster was coming gave the whole story this feeling of impending doom, with that thought always sitting in the back of my mind as more secrets started coming out and everyone’s motivations became less clear. Being isolated at sea added to the tension too, with people starting to behave differently as the story progressed and it becoming harder to know who could be trusted.

I didn’t really have any strong suspicions about who was responsible for what, and was more interested in figuring out why everyone was aboard the ship and how all the different pieces would eventually connect. I can’t say the reveals shocked me, even when I didn’t see some of them coming, but they did fit with everything that had been building throughout the story. There were definitely some surprises, just nothing that really blew me away.

The Black Orchid wasn’t my favourite from Loreth Anne White, but I didn’t dislike it either, and there was still plenty here that I enjoyed. I loved the cruise ship disaster angle and thought the premise was great, but the busy structure and slower sections kept me from being completely pulled in. A decent read in the end, just not one that will particularly stay with me.

3.5⭐️

[Celeste | bookrecs_by_celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Montlake Books and to the author for my advanced readers copy of The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White. All opinions are my own.

Loreth Anne White is an auto read author for me. I absolutely love her writing and books! The Black Orchid was unlike any of her other books in my opinion. I am used to her dark and twisty thrillers where The Black Orchid was more of a slow burning mystery that gave me an old school feel to it. I enjoyed it! It gave me major Agatha Christie vibes and I found it to be interesting and a new theme of writing for this author. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

I loved the setting on the boat and had me feeling like I was on the Titanic just waiting for doom to hit. There were many characters that each had their own flare to them but Carter was my favorite. I absolutely loved his relationship with his grandpa. It definitely evoked an emotion out of me.

The Black Orchid releases 9/1 so mark your tbr!!

[RedRedtheycallmeRed · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to give two stars to a LAW book, she's one of my favorite authors. This is the third or fourth book of hers that relies on a podcast/documentary to tell part of the story, mostly info-dumping. She's not the only author that does it, but I hate it! To me it's lazy storytelling, and in this case very boring.

There were some parts of the story that were interesting (mostly Poppy/Lillith), some that were mostly forgettable (the woman who worked on the ship), some annoying (Carter). There is no way that Carter was believable as a eight-year-old boy. I was rolling my eyes in every chapter from his POV.

The ending was just several chapters from the documentary, so more info-dumping. What a let down. I hope the author goes back to more original stories and less "reimagining" of real-life crimes.

[Lexi]

DNF: 10%

Great premise. However. 9 different characters. One audiobook narrator to do all 9 different voices. And a podcast/documentary format that practically spoils the entire book.

Nope!!! 🙂‍↔️🙂‍↔️🙂‍↔️!!!
~~~~~~~
***Pre-Read:*** I love it when I get random emails from Amazon about new Kindle Unlimited reads. Fingers crossed on this one. The cover has me spooked. 🫣🫣🫣.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loreth Anne White is one of the absolute best at crafting her very twisty mystery plots from ripped from the headlines events. Here we have a What if? based on the actual cruise ship accident that took place in Italy in 2012. We have a cast of characters worthy of a Knives Out production with a touch of Agatha Christie as flavoring. Watch out for the shifts in time and we have different narrators too. We also have our old friends, Pod Casters Trinity Scott and Gio Rossi from previous White books. They provide the modern time accounts. All the way through the book you just don't know what's up with any of the characters and they are all keeping secrets. I. Just. Love. It!

On the maidan voyage of the luxury liner Black Orchid there is a group of invitation only guests who are staying on the elite deck 13. They are surrounded by Greek mythology and tour some fascinating sites which have an impact they can't foresee. Their lives are entangled and their secrets are such that someone is going to die.

Poppy Buchanan: companion to elderly Lillith McGregor who sees this as a chance to ingratiate herself and end up in Lillith's will.
Lillith Ravenscroft McGergor: widow and sole heir of billionaire media mogul Angus McGregor.
Patrick McGregor: disinherited son of Angus McGregor.
Arrabella Fairfax: Patrick's fiancée who wants Patrick to be in Lillith's will.
Hendrick Lodewijk: Dutch antiquaires dealer and friend of Lillith's.
Avi Galev: Israeli businessman whose business is secrets and maybe murder.
Dr. Gideon Marsh: retired FBI profiler, author and guest speaker on the cruise. He's also researching for a new book.
Sarah Frost: Dr. Marsh's daughter
Carter Frost: eight-year-old grandson son of Dr. Marsh and way to observant and precocious.
Roshaan DaSousa: steward for Deck 13 and is involved in a spy scheme of her boyfriend's.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow!! Now that was some storytelling right there, Bravo 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 to that! Okay, this story took me. It was very well layered and tons of moving pieces, and somehow all came together in the end. I’m not going to lie I got a little choked up and emotional at the end. The characters were amazing and definitely played their parts. The little guy, he was my favorite.

This story was so well written, I felt like I was on this nightmare curse as a bystander watching it all go down. What I also loved was how nothing was ever as it seemed. Chapters would end leaving you thinking you knew the fate of a characters outcome. Then bam, they resurface with a whole new revelation!

If you are looking for an intricately woven murder mystery with a true crime twist. I challenge you to check this one out. I enjoy the ride and found myself in the belly of the beast and for that I say…..Outstanding, and thank you very much!!!

[Marcie McPherson · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝗦𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲… 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗔𝗡, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻. 😂

This was atmospheric, fast-paced and really well written, with secrets, hidden agendas and revelations constantly keeping me interested. I was intrigued by everyone and wanted to know how everything connected, but I never actually became invested in the characters.

I eventually realised this was basically the book equivalent of those documentary mystery series that give you little snippets of information to keep you watching. And while that works incredibly well for keeping the intrigue going, it doesn't give me the character investment or big final payoff I want from a thriller.

Very well executed. Just not quite my kind of mystery.

Thank you to Loreth Anne White, Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC. All opinions are my own.

[Kimmy Goldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book by White that I disliked. That being said…she is an incredibly talented author and writer. I wanted to DNF around 25%, but kept going. Parts were very entertaining. But also parts felt boring and unnecessary.

I found the ending extremely interesting but also not believable. Red Herring was just crazy.

I just want to reiterate that I absolutely LOVE this author, but this book was just not for me. I’m so glad so many of my friends loved it and gave it 4+ stars. Well deserved!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Aegean Sea, a luxury cruise liner sets sail with nine elite passengers on board. Each has their own secrets, hidden agendas and reasons for being there, but after three days at sea, tragedy strikes. Who will survive?

Loreth Ann White immediately draws the reader into this gripping and atmospheric thriller. Her writing is captivating, the tension builds brilliantly, and she's created the perfect cast of unpredictable characters.

I loved this thriller and completely devoured it in just a few hours. The characters were so well developed that I genuinely felt invested in their stories! One character who particularly stood out to me was Carter, the determined young boy who dreams of following in his grandfather’s footsteps and joining the FBI. His decision to conduct his own investigation adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already compelling story.

An exceptional, atmospheric thriller packed with secrets, suspense and plenty of twists. A thoroughly addictive read that I would highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Loreth Ann White and Montlake for giving me the opportunity to read and review this!

[Maggie (EvermoreBooklore) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up.

This book is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, locked room style mysteries and rich people drama… which, unfortunately, I am not. However, I am a huge fan of the Titanic, podcast/documentary style storytelling and Loreth Anne White, so I went into this one mostly blind and with high hopes.

I was never let down by the writing style or the character development (or in some cases, the lack thereof) but sadly, I just couldn’t get my footing with all nine characters and their past and present secrets, lies and motives. There was a lot going on and my brain was working overtime trying to keep up while also waiting for the ship to crash and bodies to float……

The character who completely stole the show for me though, was 8 year old Carter. He and his mother are accompanying his grandfather on the cruise, who is to a retired FBI agent and crime writer. Of course Carter is absolutely obsessed with his grandpa and his stories and honestly I couldn’t help but become obsessed with both of them too.

Authors aren’t always going to write every book for every reader and this particular Agatha Christie style mystery just wasn’t my vibe and that’s totally okay! I’ve loved other books by Loreth Anne White and she will absolutely continue to be an instant read and auto buy author for me.

[Amanda Lightfield Bernardino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of this in exchange for my honest review. I have been a Loreth fan for a while now, so i knew going in this book would be amazing. And it was!

From the very beginning you’re captivated by the storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, different POV and the podcast element. The story was so atmospheric, I felt like I was on the Black Orchid with the others.

All the stars for this incredible book!

[Justinstaysreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

OHHH MYYYYY GOOOD LORD. This book was super impressive and well written. I loved all of the incredible details and I felt like i was on the 🛳️ the entire time. I live for a story that is treacherous, poignant, and a thrill ride.

Loreth is a master in her craft intentionally using a cruise to bring people together that have their own agendas. The SECRETS and TWISTS had my heart pumping. There is a reason why she is an auto read for me. I love how authentic and real it felt, it honestly felt like the titanic.

Thank You NetGalley always ❤️🥰

[Esme Merrily · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an intricate, well-written and well-executed mystery, yet somehow it lost me along the way. I'm sure many readers will be enchanted and totally satisfied, but personally I wasn't as invested as I hoped to be.

[Kim McFall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author & I’ve already downloaded another!! I absolutely loved the writing style in this one!!

I went in mostly blind and do recommend going in as blind as you can.

I loved how the podcast element was woven into the many layers of this brilliant mystery.

There are a lot of characters, but it really wasn’t difficult to keep track of who was who. I love & appreciate that so much!! Each character added an extra layer of mystery & suspense.

This intriguing story gives you mystery, suspense, multiple POV, a podcast element, lots of suspicions, and questionable characters.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and Valentine PR for this advanced reader copy! I’ve now found another author to love!!

[Vanessa Tekać · Rating 1 out of 5]

Knjiga radnjom odnosno mjestom dogadjaja radnje podsjeca na Titanik, prava prica se odvija izmedju likova na brodu, jedan od njih je izraelac , clan Mosada i time ova ocjena. Nakon sto sam to procitala, nisam imala stvarnog interesa da saznam sta se desava u knjizi

[Lu thrillskillsandchills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a straight 5 stars for me. I absolutely loved it!

I’m fascinated by con artists, grifters and fraudsters, and I’m equally fascinated by shipwrecks. Given Loreth Anne White has absolutely no idea who I am, thank you for somehow writing a book that felt like it was tailor-made for me. She combined two things I love within a fabulously executed locked-room thriller featuring wealthy, messy characters, family secrets, deception and so much more aboard The Black Orchid.

Everyone aboard the ship seemed to be running their own con or harbouring secrets they hoped would never come to light, and I loved trying to untangle who was manipulating who. The true crime podcast element woven throughout was such a fantastic addition, and I also loved the modern take on a Titanic-like disaster, this time setting sail through Greece.

Carter was undeniably my favourite character. Probably the most intellectually intelligent eight-year-old I’ve ever come across, fictional or otherwise. His grandfather is a retired FBI profiler from the Behavioural Science Unit, and Carter absolutely idolises him. It quickly becomes obvious that his grandfather’s instincts have rubbed off on him, and I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter from Carter’s perspective. His observations, curiosity and way of piecing things together made him such a standout character.

Loreth Anne White has delivered another incredibly layered, twisty thriller, and it’s comfortably become one of my favourite reads of the year.

[Hafezah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loreth Anne White is an absolute staple on my reading rotation, so when she generously sent me an early copy of The Black Orchid, I was beyond thrilled! I will always, ALWAYS read whatever she writes.

I’m going to start off by saying that the premise itself is so striking: a classic, atmospheric Agatha Christie-style locked-room mystery trapped aboard a Titanic-esque doomed vessel. You know right out of the gate that the ship is going to sink, and walking into a story already bracing for the inevitable is such a fantastic concept!

But if I’m being completely honest, this specific story just didn't capture me the way her previous books always do, which sucks for me 😭 Reading it, the whole experience felt much more like a fast-paced mystery screenplay waiting for a camera crew than a fully immersive novel. It is incredibly visual, but the emotional anchor I usually love in her writing just wasn't there this time.

In addition to that, the biggest hurdle for me was the cast. They all have their own minor quirks on the surface, but underneath, they're largely a group of deeply unlikable people who felt totally disjointed from one another. Their internal voices eventually blended into a very similar, somewhat flat tone. Because there wasn't really a single character I felt compelled to root for, I wasn't holding out hope for anyone's survival, which unfortunately drained the tension out of the locked-room setup.

I did love the inclusion of the Greek mythology - it is such a gorgeous aesthetic choice. I just found myself wishing it had actually tied into the mechanics of the plot better. As it stands, you could remove those mythological threads entirely and the core story wouldn't change at all, so it felt like a missed opportunity to add real narrative weight. At least that’s how I felt anyway.

While this ended up being just a decent read for me, my admiration for Loreth hasn't wavered one bit. Taking a big swing with a cinematic, doomed-ship mystery is incredibly ambitious. I am so deeply grateful she trusted me with this ARC, and I am already saving a spot on my shelf for whatever world she dreams up next.

[Jennifer Bendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book was amazing!!! I loved the fascinating serial killers’ backstorys and the psychological break down of them during Dr. Marsh’s midnight talk. The characters were all interesting and I liked how they all intertwined. I had a ton of theories through out the book and I was wrong. This was an excellent read

[Lylia Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow The Black Orchid

This book had me hooked all the way through. What a read. So full of action and reminded me of The Love Boat but had a twist

[Linda Burton]

Didn't like format of going back and forth with what reads like a play script and a novel.

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old fisherman takes his boat into the caldera at first light and finds the water full of masks. Silver, gold and bronze, floating face up, catching the sunrise. He leaves the bodies where they are. He takes the small yellow backpack. Six years later a dive team drops through the hull of the wreck to work out what put it there. The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White opens on the aftermath, confirms within thirty pages that a new liner went down in the Santorini caldera with fifty-seven dead and five never recovered, and then counts toward it.

The Countdown Loreth Anne White Starts on Page One

That decision is the whole book.

Chapters carry headers instead of numbers. THREE DAYS, FOUR HOURS TO IMPACT. TWO DAYS, TWELVE HOURS. SEVEN HOURS. Then ZERO HOUR. Nothing else about the sinking is explained until it arrives, and the effect is hard to shake. You stop reading for suspense and start reading arithmetic. A woman orders a second martini and you think, she has fifty-one hours. A child sneaks out of a cabin at night and you count.

It also solves the oldest problem in closed-circle fiction, which is that the first two hundred pages tend to be people being unpleasant over dinner while the reader waits. Here the dinners have a clock above them. The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White is unhurried in a way that would sink a weaker structure, and the countdown is why it gets away with it.

Four Voices, One Clock

The narration rotates through four close third-person perspectives, all present tense, in chapters that rarely run past six pages.

Poppy Buchanan is a fifty-something assistant to a dying media widow: plain, badly dressed, socially graceless, carrying a canvas bag of paperbacks everywhere because fictional characters are the only relationships that have ever stayed put. She is the best thing in The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White by a distance, and White gives her a liar's habit of embroidering her own past mid-conversation, then makes you understand exactly why.

Carter J. Frost is eight, keeps a List of Suspicious Happenings, and travels with his mother and his grandfather, a retired FBI profiler with a lecture slot on the entertainment bill. Roshaan DaSousa is the concierge for the elite deck, in love with a man who wants a favour. Arrabella Fairfax is engaged to the widow's stepson and has hired somebody to dig. Three of the four are hiding something serious, and that is the engine.

The Documentary Inside the Novel

Cut into the countdown are sections formatted as a screenplay for a true crime series called It's Criminal, made in 2025 by a crew filming the salvage dive.

These are the most technically interesting pages in The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White. Underwater sequences pan across a bar turned on its side and an eel guarding a shelf of bottles. Evidence logs reproduce recovered voicemails. Survivors sit in tidy living rooms six years on and describe a room tilting. The best is an interview with the officer of the watch, walking through what a bridge crew actually does when the man-overboard alarm sounds and there is weather, and it holds you the way procedure sometimes does. Anyone who remembers the Costa Concordia will recognise the shape of that night.

What Loreth Anne White Gets Right

Beyond the architecture, the strengths are small and specific.

Poppy's interiority. A middle-aged woman who has been the butt of every room she enters, written without condescension and without asking to be pitied.
The boy. Carter could easily have been unbearable. He is not. He is eight the way eight-year-olds are eight, which includes being terrified in a dark cave and telling nobody.
The evacuation. A lifeboat jammed against a listing hull, four passengers with oars shoving it clear a metre at a time while a hundred and fifty people chant.
A costume party with teeth. Guests pick Greek personas from a tray of masks and a stage mentalist strips them one by one. Every choice made at that table pays off later.
The Mythology Loreth Anne White Builds Into the Ship

The liner is decorated with murals from the Greek canon and named accordingly, and none of it is window dressing.

A painting of Aeolus handing over the bag of winds hangs in the theatre foyer, and the narration says plainly what it is doing there: a crew opens a bag out of mistrust, and what comes out cannot be put back. That is the plot. Elsewhere Nemesis watches Narcissus starve at his own reflection, and the three Fates measure a thread. The ship moors against an islet called Scylla with a void on the other side. It is a lot, and once or twice The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White explains an image you had already taken. The masks are the cleverest part: each character picks the face they want the world to see, and the final act proves every one of them wrong.

Where The Black Orchid Gives Ground

Three things keep this off the top shelf.

It stops twice to explain itself. A midnight lecture on the psychology of women who partner with killers runs close to ten pages of near-verbatim interview. The material is fascinating and it is also an information delivery system in a bow tie.
The eight-year-old is very well placed. Carter overhears the conversation that matters, photographs the file that matters, and stands in the right shadow at the right minute. Each instance is written plausibly. The accumulation is not.
The documentary voice sometimes narrates what you just watched. Delivering history or procedure, the interludes are excellent. Summarising a scene you finished four pages ago, they deflate it.

None of that is fatal, and The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White recovers each time, but a leaner draft was available.

Do You Need to Read Loreth Anne White First?

No. This is a standalone with no link to her earlier work. Readers who came through The Swimmer will find the same interest in a closed community and the same taste for a narrator lying to herself, though this is a bigger machine with more moving parts.

Content Notes for The Black Orchid

The list is long. The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White contains a mass-casualty maritime disaster with drownings and crush injuries in detail, including a child's death offstage. There is sustained domestic violence recounted by a survivor, a fatal poisoning, coercive control, blackmail, extortion, strangulation, murder, terminal illness, a dementia diagnosis, planned death, child abandonment, historic serial murder discussed at length, gambling addiction, and a child held over a ship's railing.

Read it if / Skip it if

Read it if you want a thriller that gives away its ending and grows tenser for it; if a sinking rendered with real procedural care sounds like an evening; if you would like to meet the most fully imagined unglamorous woman in this year's crime fiction.

Skip it if you need a lean four hundred pages; if long expository interviews inside a novel irritate you; if a resourceful child forever within earshot will break the spell.

The Verdict

Late on, a character asks what becomes of someone who knows the water is heating and stays in it. The answer she gets is that there is a line, and once you knowingly let others suffer you have crossed from victim to villain, so choose your hard. The novel hands that question to four people and lets each answer differently, which is braver than solving a murder.

The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White is not a tidy book. It is overstuffed, it lectures, and it leans on a small boy more than it should. It is also the rare thriller where the disaster works as a measuring stick rather than a climax, and where the last stretch keeps asking who you would have been in that stairwell. Read it for Poppy. Stay for the arithmetic.

[Batoul A · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️2.75

I found it hard to keep track of the plot at times, it was confusing. 🫤 it seemed the author used the same tones for the characters and limited character growth. The documentary idea and evidence was clever but not executed the greatest. Maybe if this will be an audiobook it would be better?