The Blue

June 15, 2015
At the start of this intriguing tale of nautical misadventure from Clarke (Swimming at Night), Lana Lowe, an Englishwoman who has resided in New Zealand for eight months, anxiously awaits word of The Blue, a 50-ft. yacht that has sunk far off the north New Zealand coast. In particular, she worries that Kitty Berry, her dear friend from England, might have been aboard. In flashbacks, we learn how the two women came to join the crew in the Philippines. At first, the voyage is almost idyllic, but on The Blue “everyone’s emotions and opinions collided... building enough energy and motion to create an explosion.” Relationships form and falter, and tensions flare with fatal results. Lana eventually leaves the boat and Kitty. As Lana learns the fate of the crew members, she also learns startling facts about them. Clarke handles the joys, challenges, and chores of sailing with easy confidence and does just as fine a job with her misfit crew and their easily upset equilibrium. Agent: Judith Murray, Greene & Heaton Literary Agency.

June 1, 2015
Two women set sail on a yacht with a group of strangers hoping for a carefree, exotic adventure, but their journey takes an unsettling turn. Lana and Kitty have been inseparable friends since childhood, sharing many common experiences, including living on the same street in motherless households. After Lana severs her relationship with her father following a painful discovery, the friends, now in their 20s, leave their native England and head for the Philippines, a country chosen by the spin of a globe and the jab of a finger. They've been there a few weeks when they befriend a group of seemingly carefree young adults who invite them to join them aboard The Blue, a yacht that travels to exotic locales in the Pacific. The five crew members share duties, chip in equal amounts of money to defray costs, and cast votes to decide matters of importance-including whom to invite to join them. But the eldest, Aaron, captains the yacht, and he expects all crew members to abide by four steadfast rules. Lana and Kitty eagerly agree to his conditions and are enthralled as they indulge in their idyllic new lifestyle. However, Lana has a nagging feeling that although things may be smooth on the surface, something murky is happening just beneath the calm waters. A crew member disappears, and Lana becomes increasingly disturbed as she struggles with her conscience and believes she's been betrayed by the two people she loves the most. She leaves the yacht and settles in New Zealand. Now, eight months later, she anxiously awaits news of the crew's fate as rescue helicopters try to save them from disaster. Clarke (A Single Breath, 2014, etc.) skillfully balances romance and thriller, shifting between past and present as Lana's initial contentment changes to despair. She paints brilliant images of physical surroundings and takes readers on an emotional journey as she explores the fragile bonds that connect each crew member to the others. Although the author goes overboard at times trying to create dramatic tension, the narrative is punctuated with interesting, unpredictable plot twists that keep coming until the final page. Overall, it's quite a voyage.

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June 15, 2015

Seeking an escape, Lana and her best friend Kitty depart impulsively with a group of wandering strangers on a seemingly idyllic voyage from the Philippines to New Zealand. As they set sail, Lana has no idea the trip will turn deadly and haunt her for months after she disembarks. As the journey progresses, the group explores tropical islands and there are forbidden romances among the crew, but a tragic and mysterious twist of events abruptly darkens the mood. The 50-foot yacht starts to feel increasingly claustrophobic as Lana seeks the truth about the fateful night. Feeling alienated, she wonders if she can trust anyone on board, including Kitty. The story comes together through alternating perspectives of "now" and "then," and Lana ultimately discovers what happened in a satisfying conclusion. VERDICT Vivid imagery, increasing tension, and smooth prose immerse the reader in the rhythm of the ocean and the isolation of life at sea. Fans of psychological suspense will be taken in by Clarke's (Swimming at Night; A Single Breath) fast-paced and engrossing read.--Emily Byers, Salem P.L., OR

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