Chef and writer Paul Delamare has been invited on the honeymoon cruise of his good friend Xera. He is tasked to write her biography but has barely got started when Xera is found dead. Only Paul suspects murder but as the yacht is beset by a huge storm and strange navigation, Paul realises that something is afoot. Despite themes including murder, drug and human trafficking, this is a very 'cosy' crime book. There is the requisite cast of diverse characters, human and canine, and the hidden motives. Having said that it's very entertaining and lightweight read.

Orlando Murrin’s Murder Below Deck serves up a classic Agatha Christie-style whodunit, albeit with a slightly lighter touch and a dash less finesse. Think Death on the Nile, but with more canapés and fewer truly sinister characters. While it doesn’t reinvent the genre, it’s an entertaining, amusing, and well-seasoned mystery that kept me guessing (and occasionally chuckling) until the end. Chef-turned-sleuth Paul Delamare is back, reluctantly swapping his apron for a detective’s hat when a luxury cruise takes a turn for the murderous. A priceless necklace vanishes, a dead body appears, and Paul finds himself in the middle of a mystery as rich and layered as a well-constructed mille-feuille. With an eccentric mix of high-society guests, shifty crew members, and more red herrings than a seafood buffet, the stakes rise faster than an over-proofed soufflé. Murrin’s writing is playful and engaging, peppered with humour and plenty of culinary charm. The yacht setting adds a delightful sense of claustrophobic chaos—there’s no escaping the mystery when you’re miles from shore. But while the book is a fun read, it never quite pushes beyond its cosy crime comfort zone. Enjoyable? Absolutely. Unforgettable? Not quite. If you’re in the mood for an escapist murder mystery with a gourmet twist, Murder Below Deck is a perfectly palatable pick. It won’t leave a lasting aftertaste, but it’s an enjoyable dish while it lasts. 3/5. Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Bantam for the ARC. Murder Below Deck is set to be published on March 6, 2025.