Review: Danger on the Atlantic

Danger on the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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.



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