by Cindy Shanks

Created on: January 10, 2010

A relaxing boat holiday – that becomes a battle for survival.

Workaholic Dr. Katherine Dunne knows she has made mistakes in the past and takes two months off from Lexington Hospital to spend more time with her three children. She wants the trip to give them a chance to work together through their problems.

This is the same boat that Dr. Katherine Dunne’s first husband, Stuart, sailed on before he tragically died in an accident.  For sentimental reasons she was unable to part with it and hopes it will reunite the family.

Each child has his or her own set of complex problems. Carrie is bulimic and depressed. Mark looks for his highs from drugs and Ernie is the sensible one too old and serious for his age.  Their Uncle Jake (Stuart’s brother) captains them as they set off on the waters.  

Her new husband Peter Carlyle whom Katherine worships doesn’t go on the trip with her. He is a busy successful lawyer with a case and they both agree that the timing isn’t right for him to join them.

 When an unexpected storm breaks out the rest of the world can’t understand how the family has just vanished. Peter Carlyle is in court when his housekeeper arrives with an urgent message that the Dunne family is in danger.  The media hound him like vultures waiting for the news. The police know they have to work hard to succeed because the crew is a prominent family and they can’t afford to fail. The EPIRB that should direct the coastguard to them is wrong.

A scorched life jacket is found and the police discover there has also been an explosion on the boat. Few expect there to be any survivors until a message in a bottle is found by a fisherman. Time is running out and Agent Ellen Pierce makes it her mission to try and find the family before anyone else does.

True to form, co writers James Patterson and Howard Roughan do not disappoint in this stand alone novel.  Once you start reading it is impossible to stop. With fast paced drama and short chapters the authors keep you  guessing as you read on to find out what really happens on the boat and whether or not the Dunne family will survive. An exciting read for anyone who loves thrillers.

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