Tom Hindle: A Fatal Crossing, 9781529135695, Century / Penguin Random House UK, Pub date: 20. January 2022, hardback

I read a lot of mysteries, so when I say that “A Fatal Crossing” by Tom Hindle is the type of historical mystery that kept me constantly guessing and engaged this is definitely praise. The many twists and turns coming from a cast of well grafted, opaque characters made for a terrific plot which literally kept me in suspense until nearly the very last page creating a great, entertaining read with   memories of Agatha Christie mysteries coming to mind...

When the “Endeavour” sails from Southampton to New York in 1924, no one expects the week long crossing to be very eventful. But it is for an elderly gentleman who is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, everything pointing to an unfortunate slip by accident on a rainy deck at night.  James Temple, a moody, mysterious and short tempered Scotland Yard detective who happens to be on board, insists on a more thorough investigation, with the captain and ship officer Timothy Birth much less enthusiastic to have someone stir up what they consider a fateful accident.  And so begins the unraveling of a mystery to the identity of the dead man, an art dealer as it turns out, with many colorful protagonists, first class passengers in particular as possible suspects for a less than accidental death and Temple and Birth dueling each other on the search for the truth.  Enjoyed “The Fatal Crossing” immensely and congratulations to the publisher for a very atmospheric cover .