Kait Mae

Maybe it was Mandy Patinkin or Violett Beane – or the fact it’s a mystery show – but I was instantly intrigued when Death and Other Details was announced. And then I watched it and was excited for a second season following that cliffhanger – only for it to be canceled like every show I love nowadays. So, to heal that disappointing news, I decided to compile a list of mysteries set on cruise ships – because what’s scarier than physically being stuck in a confined space with an unknown killer?

‘Death on the Nile’ by Agatha Christie

There wouldn’t be a complete list of mysteries on boats if Death on the Nile wasn’t on it. So, let’s get it out of the way first. Agatha Christie is a favorite author of mine – and Death on the Nile is one of my top reads from her.

Hercule Poirot is meant to relax on this cruise, but everything goes haywire when Linnet Ridgeway is shot. Nobody is who they seem, nothing is what it looks, and the scorching sun isn’t helping. And say what you will about the film – I loved it.

‘The Corpse with the Diamond Hand’ by Cathy Ace

They say don’t just a book by its cover, but I did – and I’m happy I did. Though I jumped in six books in, I thoroughly enjoyed this at-sea mystery. And while you don’t need to read them in order, I do suggest it – don’t do what I did because I spoiled a couple of plot points.

That said…The Corpse with the Diamond Hand sees Cait Morgan and her new husband trying to celebrate their honeymoon on a Hawaiian cruise. But a crew member dies, and the couple offers their help investigating the murder.

‘Death in a Deck Chair’ by K.K. Beck

Are you looking to start a new series? The Iris Cooper trilogy begins with this book. Sadly, there are only three books, but you’ll love Iris’s journey through her investigations. It helps that the books are set in the infectious Roaring Twenties.

Set in 1920s Hollywood, Iris Cooper finds her way onto a luxury cruise liner. She never planned on solving a murder mystery, but the captain manages to talk her into it. And she’s not horrible at sleuthing, if I’m being honest.

‘My Body Lies Over the Ocean’ by J.S. Borthwick

Ninth in a series following Sarah Dean, an English teacher, My Body Lies Over the Ocean sees two passengers murdered before they even leave the dock. Stuck on the ship, Sarah is on the case to find the killer before someone else dies.

Sarah is a fantastic, extremely relatable character—she can’t help getting into stuff even when she’s supposed to be relaxing. Though the motives are a bit meh, the story is just as amusing and twisty as Death and Other Details.

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‘Decked’ by Carol Higgins Clark

Welcome to the first installment in Carol Higgins Clark’s Regan Reilly Mysteries. Carol is a popular author who creates characters and plots that never fail to keep readers’ attention.

This series starts with Regan Reilly, an amateur investigator, on a holiday cruise after finding a former classmate’s body in bushes at her class reunion. When a diamond necklace goes missing, she’s on the case immediately.

‘Every Body on Deck’ by G.A. McKevett

You don’t necessarily have to read the books in order in this series, so you might as well jump in with the 22nd installment (there are 26 books). Even better, the protagonist isn’t your typical detective—she’s a plus-sized woman with a penchant for investigation.

After several mysteries, Savannah Reid is ready to take a cruise with a famous mystery writer. But when the writer dies after fleeing the ship, Savannah and the crew are on the hunt for the truth of what caused the fatal crash.

‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware took over my BookTok feed a couple of years ago, so it’s no surprise I was interested in her work. And the top of my TBR from her is The Woman in Cabin 10. I’ve heard only good things about the novel, specifically that I won’t see the ending coming.

The novel follows Lo Blacklock, a journalist, on a luxury cruise who witnesses a woman being thrown overboard. She is immediately thrust into an investigation where she can’t trust anybody and could always be the next one overboard.

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‘Inspector’s Holiday’ by Richard Lockridge

Though this is the 20th novel in the Captain Heimrich series, you don’t have to read them in order. (You can, though.) This is a 23-book series that started in 1948 and was completed in 1977, so you won’t have to wait a year for the next book like many series nowadays.

In this installment of the series, the inspector takes a vacation on the seas with his wife. But it’s not easy sailing when a British diplomat goes missing and Heimrich is called to investigate.

‘Miss Aldridge Regrets’ by Louise Hare

If you’re hoping to start a new series following a 1930s nightclub singer who solves mysteries, this is just for you. The series following Lena Aldridge starts with her escaping to America on the RMS Queen Mary, where she crosses paths with a well-known family with secrets worth killing for.

Sound familiar? This novel reminded me of Death and Other Details. The main differences are the time period and protagonist, but the vibes and aesthetic are similar.

‘The Stowaway’ by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

If you want something a little more thriller than mystery, you need to check out The Stowaway. Yet again set on a cruise ship, Maria is stuck on a boat with a killer – and she needs to solve the case before she’s caught in the killer’s crosshairs.

After acquitting an alleged serial killer two years prior, Maria and her family are stuck on a cruise ship where people keep getting killed. Which is already scary, but they’re being killed the same way the killer in the trial she was a jury at. Only a few people know about the details – who is killing the passengers?

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‘Those We Drown’ by Amy Goldsmith

I decided to shake up this list a bit by adding a fantasy horror for those who want a little something more than just a mystery. Though I haven’t read this yet, I plan on grabbing a copy soon because this sounds right up my alley.

Those We Drown combine secrets, lies, and hidden motives atop a cruise ship where Liv is studying for the semester. But after meeting the other students, she finds that The Eos is hiding something big. Is Liv willing to go far enough to find out?

‘Lying in the Deep’ by Diana Urban

Rounding out this list, we one of my favorite mysteries, Lying in the Deep,by one of my new favorite authors, Diana Urban. This author knows how to write twists you will never see coming and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Set during a semester at sea, the teens onboard must figure out who keeps killing people before they’re next. Jade just wants to escape her ex-boyfriend and best friend—but they’re on the same ship.

So, if you’re as disappointed in the cancellation of Death and Other Details as I was, hopefully, these novels will help you like they did me.