Danger on the Atlantic

A Jane Wunderly Mystery #3

by Erica Ruth Neubauer

For young American widow Jane Wunderly, there are worse fates than adventuring aboard a transatlantic liner with the only man who could change her mind about romance. Unfortunately, her first-class itinerary has an unexpected--and deadly--addition waiting just below deck . . . Atlantic Ocean, 1926: Voyaging from Southampton to New York, self-reliant Jane is determined to prove herself a worthy investigator on the stately ship--even awkwardly going undercover as the fashionable wife of her magnetic partner, Mr. Redvers. Few details are known about the rumored German spy the duo have been tasked with identifying among fellow passengers, but new troubles unfold once wealthy newlywed Vanessa FitzSimmons announces the sudden disappearance of her husband at sea . . . Miles Van de Meter, the man Vanessa rushed to marry in Monte Carlo, has allegedly vanished into thin air along with his luggage. Redvers guesses the shifty heiress may be weaving tall tales for fun between flutes of champagne, yet Jane isn't convinced--not after the stunning murder of a trusted acquaintance sends them into uncharted waters. Facing two dangerous mysteries and a boat load of suspects, Jane must navigate a claustrophobic quest for answers before the culprits can slip from her grasp on land . . . or, worse, ensure she and Redvers never reach their destination

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 29, 2022

Reviews

[Natalia R · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent addition to the series.

[eyes.2c · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane somehow becomes employed by Redvers’ government agency to catch a German spy on the voyage back to America. There’s plenty of action, suspicious people, missing people and bodies. Jane and Redvers share a cabin and we can guess where that goes. Only guessing mind you. I must say their relationship is muted sort of. Good but not my favorite Wunderly mystery. I did laugh when Jane wanted them to be known as the Wunderlys and not by Redvers surname. I know understand how Jane came to be where I found her in #4. (That’s where I started!)

[Joan Happel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this intriguing 3rd Jane Wunderly mystery, Jane is once again teamed up with enigmatic Redvers Dibble, her partner from the first two mysteries. It is 1926 and this time the duo is posing as a married couple on a voyage aboard the Olympic sailing from Southampton to New York. Their task is to find a German spy but Jane’s attention is soon diverted when a wealthy newlywed, Vanessa FitzSimmons, claims her husband, Miles Van de Meter, has disappeared along with his luggage. Redvers and the crew dismiss Vanessa’s claim, purporting that Miles never existed except in the young woman’s imagination. Jane on the other hand saw the couple together at the start of the cruise and believes that Vanessa is a victim of gaslighting. When someone is murdered, Jane and Revers race to uncover the murderer, solve the mystery of the missing husband, and still find their German spy; all while their mutual attraction for each other heats up.

With a profusion of suspects, a whole ship to cover, and no one seeming to be who or what they claim; Spunky Jane and the irresistible Redvers are pulled in many directions to set up for the dramatic reveal at the end. Danger on the Atlantic is a wonderful combination of mystery, romance and jazz age atmosphere. This is a fun series with a unique setting for each book, and a terrific feel for the time period. I highly recommend this one to fans of historical mysteries as well as cozy mysteries in general.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

[Carlymor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redvers and Jane are posing as a married couple, searching for a spy while sailing from England to the United States when Jane becomes involved in another mystery. Socialite Vanessa Fitzsimmons is having a fit because her husband has disappeared from the ship and none of the crew or other passengers believe her, believing the husband doesn't even exist. Redvers thinks Vanessa is delusional yet Jane believes her and decides to help search for the missing husband. This was quite satisfying, with plenty of twists and turns as well as some advancement in Jane and Redvers relationship. I'm enjoying this series very much so far.

[Estíbaliz Montero Iniesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM 

Un tercer libro (el segundo traducido al castellano) muy a la altura del primero, Muerte en El Cairo (que se cuenta entre mis inicios de serie cozy mystery favoritos).

Como sucedía en el primer libro, esta tercer entrega también brilla por su ambientación: un barco que, si bien no recibe ese nombre, los lectores se imaginarán de inmediato como el Titanic. Curiosamente, un par de semanas antes de leerme este libro tuve el placer de visitar la exposición del Titanic en Barcelona, que reproducía algunas zonas del barco. Por este motivo, no solo me ha sido más fácil sumergirme en el escenario que se nos pinta en el libro, sino que puedo admirar el mimo y la atención al detalle puestos en las descripciones del barco, las cubiertas, la ropa de los pasajeros... Se nota muchísimo el esfuerzo de la autora porque todo fuese lo más realista posible.

De nuevo, la trama de misterio me ha resultado muy amena. Es cierto que algunos detalles del crimen me han resultado un tanto predecibles, y creo que nuestros protagonistas deberían haber visto venir ciertas cosas a la legua, pero no importa demasiado, porque los diversos hilos de los que van tirando los llevan a explorar todo el barco y a interaccionar con personajes de lo más curiosos, lo cual es muy entretenido.

Para mí, uno de los puntos fuertes de esta historia son los personajes. El dúo de detectives que forman Jane y Redvers es una delicia. Me parece que tiene una química increíble, y adoro sus diálogos, sus miradas y ciertas cosas que suceden... Me encanta que sea una relación tan sana, lo cual no quiere decir que no tengan sus discusiones u opiniones que difieran de la del otro, pero se respetan mutuamente por encima de todo y hablan las cosas antes de que se enquisten. Puede parecer una tontería, pero para mí no lo es, doy mucha importancia a la forma de representar las relaciones románticas en literatura, y es un aspecto en el que, por desgracia, cojean varias de mis series cozy mystery favoritas, ¡pero no esta!

En definitiva: una historia de misterio ligera, una lectura muy grata con una pizca de romance y cierta dosis de humor sutil que me han dejado con muchísimas ganas de más. (En principio, la publicación del siguiente, Intriga en Estambul, está anunciada ya para 2026).

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Wunderly is making her way back to America, but she isn’t crossing the Atlantic alone. She’s crossing with Redvers, and she’s been asked by his employers to help him track down a German spy on board. Then, Jane meets Vanessa, a socialite who claims that her new husband has vanished from the ship. Can she solve the two cases? Or will one distract from the other?

There is plenty going on here, which is why it surprises me to find the pacing is slightly off. It was a bit slow at the beginning and it felt rushed at the end. Overall, there was still a good mystery here with plenty of twists. I didn’t have everything worked out by the end. I loved the setting, and felt like I was traveling in style with Jane. Well, style for 1926. Jane and Redvers are the only returning characters, but I didn’t mind since I loved watching them interacting. The new characters are strong and helped pull me into the book. If you are looking for a charming historical mystery, this series is for you.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Jeannine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Jane and Redvers. I especially like that they act like the mature adults and aren’t as overly dramatic as some of the main characters in cozies.

When the premise for this book was set up at the end of book 2, I was really excited. Murder on a boat? Fake marriage? Sign me up!

So Redvers gets his handlers to allow Jane to pose as his wife on a transatlantic voyage. They even give her a wardrobe to make her fit in with first class passengers. They use her last name (though one person on the ship uses Redvers’ last name and we never find out how/why) and do all the things first class passengers do while trying to find a German spy. They have three suspects and do a lot of sleuthing separately to figure out which one is “the one.”

(Pause to say a personal hang up of mine is sleuthing couples who split up for the bulk of the investigation and only come together for information dumps.)

There’s a secondary mystery that Jane is pursuing because she identifies with a woman whose claims about a disappearance aren’t being taken seriously.

There are times when it doesn’t seem like Jane and Redvers are getting anywhere, but then everything is resolved in about 20 pages of whirlwind action.

What holds me back from the four star rating is the lack of affection between Jane and Redvers, whose relationship makes HUGE leaps during this trip. Aside from a few brief moments (“Do women liked to be seduced?”), I feel like I was told they were falling in love instead of shown. I’m fine with closed door or fade to black, but I would have loved some sweetness or flirtation between them beyond Redvers remembering how Jane takes her coffee.

[Gina P · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re wondering if you should read this book, let me tell you straight away—don’t. Go watch the movie DANGEROUS CROSSING (1953) instead. It’s much better, and this book steals the plot almost identically.

Now, I read a lot of mysteries. I am not bothered by “inspired by” or “based on” or “adapted from” or “reminiscent of” but this author took just about entire plot straight out of the movie and doesn’t give credit where credit is due. Even the title seems ripped off.

I haven’t read the first two, and I only read this one because I am doing some research of my own about ocean liners. (That’s why I watched the movie in the first place.) Other than the complete lack of originality, the writing was mediocre. Too much telling (how she feels, what she’s thinking, how she’s reasoning through things) and not nearly enough showing.

Then there are the gender stereotypes. The protagonist female relies only on her intuition and feelings to do her sleuthing. But she is constantly doubting or ignoring her feelings and intuition, so she seeks affirmation from her male counterpart over and over again. Then she stands up for another woman who is being gaslighted before changing her mind and starting to gaslight her herself.

All the while, the duo are terrible detectives. The reader is 50 steps ahead of them for the entire novel because they keep taking coffee breaks and forgetting all the clues they have already collected. The protagonist does not solve one part of the mystery in the end.

I still gave it two stars for the setting and the main romance plot, but overall I don’t recommend.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another exciting adventure for Jane.

Jane and Redvers are crossing the Atlantic and this time Jane is officially helping with the case. You'll love the cruise ship setting and the mystery will keep you guessing until the last minute.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danger on the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer is the third book in the Jane Wunderly historical cozy series. This was an entertaining mystery filled with Jane and Redvers investigating passengers and crew members for German spies and a missing husband of one of the passengers.

The plot moved smoothly but did slow down in the middle before picking back up the pace for the dramatic reveal. Jane and Redvers are developing organically throughout this book as they grow closer due to sharing a cabin as a "married couple" for the investigation. It was interesting about Redvers past as that did explain some of his attitude and personality changes during the investigation. Although the main mystery was supposed to be revealing the German spy, the hunt for the missing husband took over most of the book and connected directly to the dramatic reveal which I found to be odd. All in all a lovely afternoon of reading that kept me turning the pages.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Maribel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Segundo caso de ésta peculiar pareja y me ha gustado muchísimo,me lo he pasado genial leyéndolo.Con ganas de más

[Mystery, She Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 🌟

Mood/ Seasonal Reading: summer because of the boat setting

The best of the series so far! I loved the setting of this mystery. I did get a tad confused and found myself getting lost sometimes. It’s not the most gripping book but it’s a nice read.

I will absolutely continue the series.

[Los libros de Baker Street · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Me ha gustado mucho la ambientación y el misterio. El desarrollo y avance de los personajes principales ha sido notable.

[Mis Lecturas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Anabel Samani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entretenido, pero el misterio del marido desaparecido y esposa a la que no se cree es una historia que se me ha hecho poco original.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is apparently the third in a series featuring American widow Jane Wunderly. I haven't read the previous two books and this could be read as a standalone, although the romantic elements probably suffered from not knowing the back story.

Jane is undercover on a cruise across the Atlantic with Redvers Dibble to catch a German spy, trying to obtain secret plans to pass to the German government. Jane and Redvers are posing as a married couple and they have the assistance of one of the stewards, Frances Dobbins. Apparently Redvers works for 'Her Majesty' which I assume is either a typo or a misunderstanding about who exactly was on the British throne in 1926.

Whilst ostensibly Redvers and Jane are investigating the three individuals who have been identified as possible spies: a german passenger; the german bandleader; and an American who runs the photography office; Jane actually spends more time embroiled in the affairs of a fellow passenger, Mrs Vanessa FitzSimmons whose newlywed husband (is that the right way to say it?) Miles Van de Meter has disappeared. Jane happened to see Mrs FitzSimmons and her husband indulging in a PDA as the ship left its berth which is just as well because none of the ship's crew believe a word Mrs FitzSimmons says, even going so far as to call her Miss FitzSimmons, as if she was fantasising about being married.

Whilst there were allusions to prohibition and dancing the Charleston, there was also a reference to dancing the Jitterbug which https://www.bellaballroom.com/dance-l... tells me didn't become universally popular until the 1930s - some four years after this book is set. Generally, there weren't really enough markers to really point the reader at the right decade in which the novel is set.

Overall, I would say there was a lot of talk about coffee, walking on the deck, changing for dinner and very little detective work, most of which happens off-scene and then Redvers updates Jane back in their cabin, over a cup of coffee. I read historical 'cosy' (lord do I hate that word) mysteries for a glimpse into a bygone era and a satisfying mystery, sadly this delivered neither.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Bumped for release.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas's Thoughts

Crossing the Atlantic from Southampton to New York Jane and Mr. Redvers are working together on an assignment to identify a pair of German spies traveling with them to America. To do so, they are traveling as husband and wife, "The Wunderlys", and sharing a stateroom. Jane wants to prove she is a worthy asset as an investigator while trying not to fall hard for Redvers' charms.

Shortly after the voyage begins, a wealthy socialite Vanessa FitzSimmons asks for help finding her new husband. She married Miles Van de Meter in Monte Carlo but she hasn't seen him since they boarded and now his luggage is missing too. Redvers and the captain feel she is just looking for attention and that there is no husband, but Jane saw her and a man board together. Can she help Vanessa find her husband and flush out two German spies? She has until the ship pulls into New York to find out.

___

Jane Wudderly is a strong intelligent woman who doesn't back down. She and Redvers make a great team. They are the only characters that return from previous books and I must say I liked that. We get to know more details about Redvers past and that enabled their personal relationship to move forward as did sharing a stateroom. Their interactions didn't always feel right though and I didn't like that they investigated many times on their own only coming together to share information and make plans for their next steps. I also didn't like that Jane doubted herself so much, she has great instincts and needed to follow them.

Several new characters were introduced, other passengers, crew, and the captain. Each was uniquely created and their actions reflected the time period very well. One woman was really over the top and I was happy to see that Revers and Jane could escape from the woman and her party a few times.

I enjoyed the setting of the ship. The author sets the scenes excellently from Jane sitting on the chilly deck under the blankets, to the formal dining room and ballroom, to Jane and Redvers stateroom, and more. It was very easy to envision everything.

The mysteries were very interesting. Jane and Redvers had a great plan to uncover the spies and messages received from Redver's contacts helped firm up their theories. The missing husband was a little more complicated and put more people at risk including a crewmate working with "The Wunderlys". The captain was also doing something shady which added to the intrigue. All were well-plotted and written. I was surprised that I was right about one of the mysteries early on. My amateur sleuth skills ferreted out a clue that could have easily been discounted but I hung on to it tightly. Another had my jaw dropping when the final scenes played out.

Danger on the Atlantic is a very enjoyable addition to this series. The characters are well-crafted and the mysteries are captivating. Ms. Neubauer adds humor with a precise hand and captures the time period nicely. I am looking forward to reading Intrigue in Istanbul soon. It sounds like Jane is going to have her hands full. 

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane and Redvers are traveling incognito as husband and wife on board a luxury liner bound for the United States. Their job is to ferret out a German spy and discover his contact person. Yet before they make any headway, Jane meets a young bride, Vanessa FitzSimmons, of the New York FitzSimmons, who is searching for her missing husband, Miles Van der Meter. Literally no one believes Vanessa that she is even married, let alone that Miles exists and is missing. Vanessa refuses to give up. Even though she's only known Miles a few weeks, she knows he's real and he's missing. Even her maid claims never to have met Mr. Van der Meter and never saw his trunks in Vanessa's room. But Jane knows Miles exists because she she saw Vanessa and Miles on deck just after they boarded. He was hiding his face but she knows what she saw. If only she had taken a picture of the newlyweds! As Jane seeks to help Vanessa, her investigation causes a rift with Redvers. He, too, doesn't quite believe Vanessa. Jane persists and is capable of investigating for Vanessa AND helping Redvers track down the German spy. Can she find the missing husband or is Vanessa gaslighting Jane? Will they find the German spy? That seems easy enough but what about his contact? Jane also believes the Captain is up to something and may be connected to the missing husband case. In between spying, the Wunderlys (they're using her name), must dodge a busybody American and her family and confront their feelings for one another.

This story is very good and I got into it right away. It's not a traditional murder mystery but it has a mystery to be solved or perhaps two or even three! Then there is a murder but it comes very, very late in the story. There are, however, a couple of possible attempts at murder. I mostly put the clues together by the end but I wasn't totally sure at first what was going on. Was Vanessa gaslighting Jane or were the Captain and the doctor gaslighting Vanessa? Typical men. The period details are sparse. Mainly depictions of the luxury liner and mentions of Prohibition, some dancing. Then there's the sexism: Mere females you know... hysteria ... must be sedated for their own good.

Jane is trying hard to be an independent woman. She's still scarred from her first marriage and not eager to repeat the experience. She can't let go and trust Redvers with her scars completely, at least not right away. Jane is a loyal friend but then the story became unbelievable towards the end as Jane began to doubt herself. She was on the right track, she had knowledge no one else did so it just didn't make sense for her to think Vanessa was gaslighting her. Jane simply isn't experienced enough to be a top notch sleuth. She's enjoying working with Redvers but she misses a lot of obvious clues.

He's too focused on his own investigation at first and dismisses Vanessa as just another attention-seeking liar. I think he's still too mysterious for a romantic partner and they don't know each other that well to be posing as husband and wife. It seems kind of obvious they're not actually married. They don't really do much sleuthing together and she gets mad that she's doing all the work while he's at the pool, the Turkish bath or gymnasium. I'd be mad too! Redvers smirks too often. I gather he's supposed to know what Jane is thinking and how she's attracted to him but it got annoying hearing him smirk all the time. Just talk for a change instead of smirking! He seems jealous when she dances with another man yet he's the one who told her to as part of their investigation.

In the middle of the story, there's a big relationship development that comes a little too soon to make sense for these characters. They haven't known each other long and don't know each other well. I'm OK if she wants to let him in her bed because she's a widow and he's attractive and eligible but maybe not right now? She needs to come to terms with her first marriage and realize how Redvers is not like her abusive first husband. This realization and subsequent bedroom scene come too quickly in the story. Then they have a fight, of course, because they don't talk to each other! When they do talk, at least they act like mature adults and share their concerns and work to correct the misinterpretations. I liked that at least but the relationship development at the end comes WAY too soon. I think that needed to be drawn out another book or two.

Vanessa is either a pathological liar or an innocent dupe. At first it isn't clear which but then it starts to become more obvious she's being gaslighted. There are possibly several men involved: the ship's captain, the doctor and maybe the husband? Vanessa is young and wealthy. As a married woman, if she's declared insane, her husband could get her money. If she's dead, her husband will get her money. Is that what this is about? Or is someone else after her and Miles is in hiding or dead? I like Vanessa even though sometimes she's callous and cold. Sometimes she seems unfeeling but she explains her reasoning and it makes sense but also shows how naive she is. I think her husband is either in danger or dangerous and she probably shouldn't be calling attention to herself. She and Jane should team up to find the missing husband! Forget the men.

The captain is up to no good. Jane sees something potentially shady right away and then he refuses to search for the missing husband. The captain is rude and dismisses Vanessa as a hysterical female. He calls the doctor who I think may be in on it, whatever it is. The doctor is quick to dismiss Vanessa's concerns and thinks she's hysterical. The doctor treats her as if she's hysterical and mentally fragile. He even warns Jane that SHE will be treated for hysteria next if she's not careful. Jane's too smart to let that happen and I don't think Redvers would allow it either but Jane is aware enough to know a warning when she hears it and what happens to lone women who dare demand something. A good example of a demanding woman is shipmate, Miss Eloise Baumann. She's a busybody, know-it-all traveling with her sister, Margaret Gould and Margaret's son, Douglas. Eloise is rude, demanding, bossy and doesn't find anything good enough for her, disparages anyone not upperclass or White. She's busy imposing on her sister's generosity. Poor Margaret is as quiet and Eloise is chatty! No one wants to sit next to Eloise at dinner. She's ghastly!

Vanessa's maid is young and poor. That's a bad combination. I fear she's being preyed upon and someone is paying her to lie to Vanessa. She does seek out Jane but she lies and doesn't tell the whole story. She needs the money to help her family so I can see why she would go along with the plan. Dobbins, the steward for Jane and Redvers, is assisting with spying. He's a good man and seems honest. Heinz Naumann may be a suspected German spy but he seems so nice! He dances with Jane, has intelligent conversations with her and even opens up a bit about his personal life. He's drawn to Vanessa and seems to be falling in love with her. Uh-oh! The bandleader, Keith Braubach and the man who runs the photography studio, Edwin Banks, are both suspects. Edwin Banks seems to know photography and is helpful when he thinks Jane wants to rent a camera but he also hints that he's willing to develop naughty photos or things people shouldn't be photographing and having a stranger develop. I wonder if he has the key to the case of the missing husband? Any photos? It would be a risky profession for a German spy. It seems kind of obvious that a spy would be using a camera.

The end sets up the next adventure and I will try to listen to that next week!

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series so much.

This outing has all that is needed in a book; adventure, an Atlantic crossing, spies, socialites, smuggling, a twist even I didn't see coming [though I had some of the mystery guessed, this was enough to knock me out of the water] and of course murder. Jane and Redvers have their hands full in trying to find the German spy they've been sent to foil and finding all of the above dumped into their laps. While doing all they do, they continue to work through Jane's troubled past and make real progress there [I LOVE how Jane doesn't need Redvers but has come to realize she loves working WITH him and how good they are together] and their sweet romance blossoms even more, give the close quarters they are "forced" to share. All-in-all, it is really a delightful story that just leaves me wanting the next one ASAP. ;-)

Thank you to NetGalley, Erica Ruth Neubauer, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane and Redvers are en route to America on the ship Olympic, sister ship to the Titanic. Jane has been given permission to work with Redvers in identifying a German spy and his contact on board. They are posing as man and wife, which leads to inevitable sexual tension. Jane has misgivings at times, feeling that Redvers does not take her seriously. A secondary mystery crops up involving a New York socialite, who is clearly being gaslighted by the crew. Jane tries to sort this out but waivers in her belief in the woman in question. Overall this was quite an enjoyable mystery. My feeling is that a ship’s crew would have been far less combative and rude to first class passengers as they were in this story. Also, there were some editing errors and linguistic anachronisms (an Englishman in the 1920’s would not use the phrase “not hardly”) which were somewhat irritating.

[Alli B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shockingly enough, this might have been my favorite Jane Wunderly book yet! I was captivated from the get-go and it all took place on a cruise ship. Which I've never been on before and now really want to!

What a fun adventure this one was. I absolutely LOVE how Jane finally comes around to Mr. Redvers and he opens up about his family and past. They're such great partners. I can't wait til the next one becomes available at the library!

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another stellar installment in this series!
The mystery was quite engaging in this book as well.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series so much. Another great installment!

[Claudia]

Me ha gustado más que el primero; supongo que porque ya estoy más familiarizada con los personajes. Es una pena que, creo, se han saltado alguno de la serie, pero eso no me ha impedido disfrutar de las aventuras de Jane, que es una heroína fantástica. Inteligente, valiente, a veces insegura, cabezota; en fin, tiene de todo un poco, es muy humana y me encanta su relación con Redvers, además de que su pasado y su forma de ver el mundo siempre influyan en su comportamiento, lo que le hace aún más real. Ojalá y sigan con la serie.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Danger on the Atlantic, the third installment in Erica Ruth Neubauer's Jane Wunderly series, there are rumblings of unrest in Europe. Jane and Redvers pose as a married couple traveling on an ocean liner to discover who among three suspects is a German spy. But a missing newlywed husband and a gaslit bride distract Jane from her primary mission, putting her in peril from multiple sides.

For the character development and the backstories of Jane and Redvers alone, this is a great read. While the story does have some uneven pacing, the plot generally ticks along and there are enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing for a long while.

There are a few more will they/won't they moments between Jane and Redvers, but they also serve to deepen their connection. He is a bit dismissive of her thoughts on occasion, but in general, he treats her as a partner, which allows her to trust again after her disastrous abusive marriage.

If you haven't read the others, the only thing you're missing out on is Jane's overbearing aunt, so reading the first two is not crucial to enjoying this one. If you enjoy Christie-type puzzles, you'll like this book.

4/5 stars

I received an advance copy from Kensington and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Challenges: JAWS/Shark Week Readathon/Dark Roots Creations - Ocean/Takes place on or in water; Reading Goal Posts/Stacking the Series - Priority One/Tier One/Get Serious about Series: Stay current with this series. This story sailed a bit too close to the plot and character use as seen in the 1953 movie Dangerous Crossing which was based on a play by John Dickson Carr titled Cabin B-13. That story ran alongside the intrigue in which Jane Wunderly was involved. The author noted at the end that the voyage was lengthened using creative license when it really caused the story to suffer as the solution could have been arrived at with several less meetings of Jane and others in the deck chair and repeated searches of rooms. I loved the first Jane Wunderly that took place in Egypt and the second book that took place in an English manor house was a good read but this one drug a bit and seemed too reminiscent of another's story.

[Andree · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one didn't quite work for me as well as the earlier two in the series. I still enjoyed it - Jane and Redvers are great together, and are generally sensible.

But, on the relationship side, I thought that some of the awkwardness/tension between them at the start felt manufactured, and didn't quite ring true. I did think it improved midway through. On the mystery side, I also felt there was one too many thing going on for it to be enjoyable. Essentially, there are too many plotlines, or potential crimes going on, and some elements of the crime-solving were resolved too quickly and more or less off-page. I didn't think the plot points flowed as well as they could have, from a mystery perspective. It's not bad, but the issues were noticeable.

Perhaps my expectations were too high, because I like the series and I like a mystery on a ship. I also liked where they end up, and I do want to read the next one.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trying to locate a German spy, Jane and Redvers embark on a trans-Atlantic voyage posing as a married couple. A third agent poses as a cabin steward. The observant Jane notices a couple as they set out. When the woman's cries that her husband disappeared occur later and the ship's captain and crew largely ignore her complaint, Jane sets out to help the woman. The agency identified three persons as the potential spy. When Jane rents a camera and takes photos during a stop in Cherbourg, they decide the captain and some crew members' likely smuggle alcoholic beverages into prohibition-era America. This could be the reason they were reluctant to assist the woman. A death aboard promises to make the challenge even greater for Jane and Redvers, but as usual, they discover all they need to learn by the time they arrive in America. This historical cozy espionage tale makes a fun read. Some solutions, such as what happened to the missing husband, seem rather obvious, but the search for the spy took an interesting turn at the end. While not as strong as previous installments, mainly because of similarities to other published mysteries, it still entertains. (3.5 stars)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redvers has managed to convince his shadowy superiors that he needs Jane to help him find the German contact on the transatlantic voyage, so there they are, on the Titanic's sister ship, no less, trying to eliminate two of their three suspects. Things get more complicated when Jane befriends a brash American socialite who swears her new husband is on board, though no one can find him. The captain dismisses the claim, but both Vanessa and her maid seem to be in danger of some kind. Jane has her own demons, caused by an unhappy first marriage, to exorcise, and also finds herself taking a liking to the leading suspect, a flirtatious German whose deck chair is right next to hers. Now I have to find Neubauer's two earlier books in this series!

[marita lazarus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun historical mystery set on a luxury cruise ship crossing the Atlantic - from London to New York.

This is the 3rd book, and it's such a great who dunnit. I was guessing right to the end, although I am happy to say that I did figure out the mystery.

If you have never read any of the books in the series, do not worry, you can read this book as a stand-alone. The previous books serve to give you a better understanding of the relationship between Redvers and Jane, but are not necessary for the mysteries in this book. Jane and Redvers are not only looking for a german spy but also delve into a missing husband who is ghosting his wife.

This series is truly delightful and well written and I look forward to more from this author.