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John Otter #1
Killer Aboard
A killer strikes on a sail training ship half way across the Atlantic Ocean. Communications with shore have been severed. The killer can be anyone on board. Can Captain John Otter weather the storm, keep his students safe, and find the killer in time?
370 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2021
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2301 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 2, 2021
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from Cape Town, South Africa
Aboard the Schooner Beagle
The mate was a mighty sailing woman
The skipper, John Otter, brave and sure
Sixteen passengers set sail that day
For a trans Atlantic voyage, a trans Atlantic voyage
The weather started getting rough
The tiny Schooner was tossed
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The Beagle would be lost, the Beagle would be lost
This didn't work. A sloppy plot with dull characters. Clueless twenty something treasure hunters, a degenerate gambler on the run and a scorned lover looking for revenge.
Skip this and go read book 2 The Tahitian Pearl a solid four star review
Thanks to Goodreads Giveaway.
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from Cape Town, South Africa
Aboard the Schooner Beagle
The mate was a mighty sailing woman
The skipper, John Otter, brave and sure
Sixteen passengers set sail that day
For a trans Atlantic voyage, a trans Atlantic voyage
The weather started getting rough
The tiny Schooner was tossed
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The Beagle would be lost, the Beagle would be lost
This didn't work. A sloppy plot with dull characters. Clueless twenty something treasure hunters, a degenerate gambler on the run and a scorned lover looking for revenge.
Skip this and go read book 2 The Tahitian Pearl a solid four star review
Thanks to Goodreads Giveaway.
August 12, 2021
John Otter is a sea captain, helming a student ship from South Africa to Brazil, with a stop at St Helen's. Some of the students are on an unauthorized treasure hunt, and a crew member is running from a loan shark, but things go okay...right up until someone on board is murdered.
The sailing stuff, and the time on St. Helen's is interesting, but the mystery isn't at all fair play. A good debut.
The sailing stuff, and the time on St. Helen's is interesting, but the mystery isn't at all fair play. A good debut.
February 6, 2022
KILLER ABOARD has a lot going for it: a twisty plot, some terrific settings, and a compelling sense of grim realism to the isolated shipboard atmosphere. All the elements of a first-rate commercial thriller.
But what's here reads more like a work in progress than a finished product, with its cast of one-dimensional characters, tonally flat action scenes ("Greg and Jack were engaged in a struggle") and bland, talking-to-the-camera dialogue (not to mention some shoddy editing). Together, they leach much of the suspense from what should be a grand slam of a thriller logline: a James Patterson story married to an Agatha Christie setup.
The author has great storytelling talent, and I'd be on board for more John Otter adventures if he developed his writing craft more fully, putting more effort into building his characters into fully dimension beings the reader can care about, and writing in a suspenseful tone that complements the action. He's exactly the sort of author who would benefit from working with a skilled editor.
But what's here reads more like a work in progress than a finished product, with its cast of one-dimensional characters, tonally flat action scenes ("Greg and Jack were engaged in a struggle") and bland, talking-to-the-camera dialogue (not to mention some shoddy editing). Together, they leach much of the suspense from what should be a grand slam of a thriller logline: a James Patterson story married to an Agatha Christie setup.
The author has great storytelling talent, and I'd be on board for more John Otter adventures if he developed his writing craft more fully, putting more effort into building his characters into fully dimension beings the reader can care about, and writing in a suspenseful tone that complements the action. He's exactly the sort of author who would benefit from working with a skilled editor.
August 20, 2021
In this John Otter book, his captain's job is trekking a crew of students on a sailboat across the ocean on a training voyage. What could go wrong? Murder happens, and it is right up the Agatha Christi genre where everyone is a possible suspect. Lots of drama, action, and thrills kept me entranced till the end. I had an inkling that the killer was who I thought it was, and I was right, but you won't really know till the very last few pages. I am looking forward to reading more about John Otter's travels across the open seas.
September 25, 2021
Great mystery and setting
This is a fast and enjoyable mystery. It feels real to life. The details of sailing were interesting and woven into the story well. It made the captain feel like an expert instead of a chess piece useful for the narrative. Chapters are short and often move ahead, asking the reader to occasionally catch up to the action. I found this different and enjoyable.
This is a fast and enjoyable mystery. It feels real to life. The details of sailing were interesting and woven into the story well. It made the captain feel like an expert instead of a chess piece useful for the narrative. Chapters are short and often move ahead, asking the reader to occasionally catch up to the action. I found this different and enjoyable.
March 2, 2021
A whodunnit that kept me guessing! Captain John Otter sails a schooner across the Atlantic to train a group of college students from very different backgrounds how to sail. They swim with a shark, endure a storm and have a great adventure. I want to take that class! Four of the students took the class because they have a treasure map and need a reason to visit St. Helena. Sean Blaise knows how to weave an exciting adventure with believable characters.
June 13, 2021
Total Nonsense
This author does not know how to write. The dialogue between characters is ridiculous and disjointed. I am truly surprised that anyone would ever publish this kind of rubbish.
This author does not know how to write. The dialogue between characters is ridiculous and disjointed. I am truly surprised that anyone would ever publish this kind of rubbish.
January 21, 2023
My new favorite author!!!
Non-stop action, great characters, strong plot, twists and turns galore, a solid who-done-it where you're 90% sure you know who the bad actor is but then ish goes extremely left outta nowhere.
Sean Blaise is a 🕵🏻♂👨🏻💻🕴📚👨🏻🎤💪🏼👏🏼👍🏼
Non-stop action, great characters, strong plot, twists and turns galore, a solid who-done-it where you're 90% sure you know who the bad actor is but then ish goes extremely left outta nowhere.
Sean Blaise is a 🕵🏻♂👨🏻💻🕴📚👨🏻🎤💪🏼👏🏼👍🏼
October 4, 2022
oh my…
Kids! What can be done with them! Life is unfair and unjust in so many ways…just like this book points out. But the lesson here is good triumphs evil every time! Very fast paced and suspenseful!
Kids! What can be done with them! Life is unfair and unjust in so many ways…just like this book points out. But the lesson here is good triumphs evil every time! Very fast paced and suspenseful!
June 10, 2021
Killer Aboard: A John Otter Novel: A review
(John Otter #1)
by Sean Blaise
I stuck with the book, although often I nearly abandoned it. I had already bought book #2, and a commenter rated it better than book #1. I hope so.
The plot is acceptable, but I thought the execution was weak. The book needs a continuity checker and a whole lot of editing — grammatical slips and stray commas are everywhere.
(John Otter #1)
by Sean Blaise
I stuck with the book, although often I nearly abandoned it. I had already bought book #2, and a commenter rated it better than book #1. I hope so.
The plot is acceptable, but I thought the execution was weak. The book needs a continuity checker and a whole lot of editing — grammatical slips and stray commas are everywhere.
May 30, 2021
not interested in the series
May 13, 2022
CHIRP AUDIOBOOK
A murder mystery, a treasure hunt, a hurricane and a sailing voyage across the Atlantic… There’s a lot going on in this one and most of it takes place at sea. Clearly, the author is very familiar with sailing and puts a lot of work into describing the details of the voyage. Not personally having any nautical experience, some of it was hard to comprehend. However, the murder mystery is a good one and I kept guessing the wrong suspect…
Overall, I enjoyed the audiobook and recommend it for all who have an interest in the sea and sailing.
A murder mystery, a treasure hunt, a hurricane and a sailing voyage across the Atlantic… There’s a lot going on in this one and most of it takes place at sea. Clearly, the author is very familiar with sailing and puts a lot of work into describing the details of the voyage. Not personally having any nautical experience, some of it was hard to comprehend. However, the murder mystery is a good one and I kept guessing the wrong suspect…
Overall, I enjoyed the audiobook and recommend it for all who have an interest in the sea and sailing.
September 30, 2021
I received this book in a goodreads giveaway. This is a well written murder mystery set on a sail training ship. Captain Otter is in the middle of the Atlantic and fighting a hurricane when one of the students is murdered and all the communication equipment is sabotaged. This is a fast paced action packed story. It has many twists and turns with a surprise ending. I enjoyed reading this and recommend it.
June 6, 2021
Mystery at Sea
This book is about a group of college kids on board a sailboat, a treasure map, a storm, and a guy trying to out fox a loan shark.
This book was an interesting read. It was a little slow to get going, but when it did, everything seem to happen, one after another.
If you want a quick read, then enjoy.
Good Reading
This book is about a group of college kids on board a sailboat, a treasure map, a storm, and a guy trying to out fox a loan shark.
This book was an interesting read. It was a little slow to get going, but when it did, everything seem to happen, one after another.
If you want a quick read, then enjoy.
Good Reading
September 30, 2021
Murder mystery in a nautical setting
I received this for free in a goodreads giveaway. This is a well written story set on a sailing training vessel. Lots of action and surprises as captain Otter fights to save the ship crew and students in the middle of the Atlantic in a hurricane. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
I received this for free in a goodreads giveaway. This is a well written story set on a sailing training vessel. Lots of action and surprises as captain Otter fights to save the ship crew and students in the middle of the Atlantic in a hurricane. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
March 8, 2022
Finding lost souls
A school sends its children on a ship to sail across part of the world. One person is escaping their past, one trying to recapture the past. Four are trying to secure their future and one person is just trying to get through one more day. Will help arrive before all is lost?
#GoodreadsGiveaway
A school sends its children on a ship to sail across part of the world. One person is escaping their past, one trying to recapture the past. Four are trying to secure their future and one person is just trying to get through one more day. Will help arrive before all is lost?
#GoodreadsGiveaway
March 13, 2022
I loved how the author used his passion for sailing in this book. The overall plot and storyline were great! I don’t feel like I got to know the characters - there were facts of their backgrounds, but it helps me to connect with the characters when there is more depth. I will be looking for Book 2!
Read
December 2, 2021God novel, but the ending was abrupt.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews