Quite the Rough Sea: "The Yacht" - A Chilling Yacht Party Tale
"A Bloody Display Aboard The Luxurious Vessel: The Yacht"
By Thomas Badtke
New Year's Eve on a luxury yacht, what could be more glamorous, right? Pop the bubbly, pass the caviar, and forget about your worries in a crowd of friends. But when good times go south and friendships turn sour, it's every man for himself - a terrifying reminder of the struggle for survival.
When it comes to indulging in extravagance, the English know how to bring the party to a boil: alcohol, opulence, and risqué behavior run rampant, as videos from Mallorca and recordings from London parties make clear. It's high time to dig into the subject with literary flair, and Sarah Goodwin does just that in "The Yacht."
Hannah's got one last wild fling on her mind: she trades her clunker for 12 grueling hours on the road to meet her dearest friend, Libby, and her husband, Olly, aboard their brand new, gleaming yacht in Ventimiglia. To the beat of the high life, they ring in the New Year! Hannah longs to reconnect with her oldest and dearest chum. Also aboard, dressed in gleaming white and gold with a helicopter landing pad to boot, are Hannah's other pals, Maggie and Leon, along with a face from her past, Harry. Hannah once shared a fleeting romantic spark with Harry before cold feet won out over a lifelong commitment.
In contrast to her high-rolling companions, Hannah doesn't hail from the upper echelon: Olly sports aristocratic roots, while Libby is comfortably well-to-do, Leon boasts a successful podcast empire, and Maggie designs luxury fashion. Hannah once strived to join their exclusive circle, but her dreams never took flight. Hannah ekes out a living, day by day and week by week, always clinging to the edge.
An Unexpected Twist
But Hannah's dreams don't count for much on the yacht. Her friends are already intoxicated and high on coke when she arrives. The booming music overwhelms the ship - and Hannah's excitement begins to wane. Does she really belong in this crowd? When she overhears a conversation between Libby and Olly, she gets her answer. For Libby, Hannah is a social project, a Eliza Doolittle from "My Fair Lady" type. Libby's plan? Hannah will leave the yacht and the high-dollar lifestyle behind, never to return.
Friends Betray Friends
However, Hannah's escape is complicated by a simple fact: the yacht disappears after New Year's, adrift in the Mediterranean. Hannah awakens on New Year's Day with a raging hangover, and the events that follow are even bleaker. Lie upon lie unravels, one awful truth is replaced with another: Olly isn't the yacht's owner, the fuel tanks are empty, the radio equipment is busted, and the helicopter is a phony. Olly is bankrupt. His marriage to Libby is a sham. Leon is a thug, Maggiehas more than just a eating disorder. Only Harry seems to have his head on straight: he's a tech-savvy artist with a calm demeanor that calms Hannah's nerves.
But then, a storm strikes. Libby vanishes. A splash of blood in her cabin suggests a grisly event. Is there a murderer aboard the yacht? The questions pile high. Who will be next?
Survival of the Fittest
Reader or listener of Sarah Goodwin's "The Yacht," be warned: the stakes are high, and the twists will make you queasy. Hannah soon finds herself caught in the crosshairs of a deadly game of survival. Despite the lurid settings and morally questionable characters, Goodwin manages to make Hannah a sympathetic character, someone you can't help but root for. The disgust for Leon and Olly builds with every page. Their misogyny pulsates through the story, a dangerous rhythm that can't be healthy in the long run. But who knows? Maybe they'll get their comeuppance.
The storm grows, the yacht declines, and the tension mounts. The storm has more than just the sea in its sights, and you'll be hooked. Goodwin keeps the suspense taut to the end, delivering a nine-hour audiobook that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Demet Fey narrates the story with skill, depicting both the loud action scenes and the quiet moments with care. "The Yacht" is a high-quality listening experience, a rollercoaster of a story that won't let you go.
Source: ntv.de
- Thriller
- Mediterranean Sea
- Murder and Mayhem
Enrichment Data:Based on the available information, "The Yacht" by Sarah Goodwin is a suspenseful thriller set on a luxurious yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. The story revolves around Hannah, a sympathetic character, and her friends, who become embroiled in a deadly nightmare during a New Year's Eve party. The yacht sets sail without Hannah's knowledge, leaving the partygoers stranded at sea. A deadly storm and treacherous secrets eventually lead to murder. Goodwin's narrative builds suspense, with Hannah's struggle for survival driving the plot. The audiobook was narrated by Demet Fey, creating an immersive listening experience. Themes in the book may include survival, mystery, and conflicts among characters.
Books like "The Yacht" by Sarah Goodwin offer entertaining tales of mystery and mayhem set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. This thriller follows a group of friends who become stranded at sea after a New Year's Eve party leads to a series of shocking events, including a storm, treacherous secrets, and a murder aboard the luxurious yacht. Enjoy the suspense as the audio version, narrated by Demet Fey, keeps you on the edge of your seat for nine hours.
