Chanel Cleeton

Release Day: April 11, 2023

Penguin/Berkley

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New York heiress Catherine Dohan seemingly has it all. There’s only one problem. It’s a lie. As soon as the Morro Castle leaves port, Catherine’s past returns with a vengeance and threatens her life. Joining forces with a charismatic jewel thief, Catherine must discover who wants her dead—and why.

Elena Palacio is a dead woman. Or so everyone thinks. After a devastating betrayal left her penniless and on the run, Elena’s journey on the Morro Castle is her last hope. Steeped in secrecy and a burning desire for revenge, her return to Havana is a chance to right the wrong that has been done to her—and her prey is on the ship.

As danger swirls aboard the Morro Castle and their fates intertwine, Elena and Catherine must risk everything to see justice served once and for all.

Catherine Dohan seems to have everything going for her: money and a rich fiance. But it is all fake. Her secrets are safe as long as she can keep up the ruse. But soon after the ship leaves port, someone attacks her and she must learn who wishes her harm before their plans can be made reality. She finds an ally in an unexpected place: a jewel thief she meets on board.

Elena Palacios is a ghost. Presumed dead, she isn’t listed on the ship's manifest but has business to attend to on the Morro Castle. As the ship travels to Havana and back on its scheduled itinerary, the stories of both women converge and the danger rises exponentially.

This story is full of mystery and questions as the trip continues. From the very first chapters I was questioning where the two women’s stories would converge and how the side characters were involved in the main suspense. There were so many times I didn’t know who to trust (main characters included) and loved the way everyone kept me guessing about their motives.

The history was well woven and became background rather than sitting front and center. The ship’s setting keeps the action contained and makes for a bit of a fish tank viewing opportunity for the characters to interact with each other and the strangers who also made up the passengers.

I was hooked early on, and though I had guessed at some of the twists before they happened, I had a hard time putting the book down for long. I had to know what would happen next for Catherine and Elena. I have read just about everything Chanel Cleeton has written and her historicals are ones I always look forward to.

Chanel Cleeton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick Next Year in Havana, When We Left Cuba, The Last Train to Key West, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, Our Last Days in Barcelona, and The Cuban Heiress.

Originally from Florida, Chanel grew up on stories of her family's exodus from Cuba following the events of the Cuban Revolution. Her passion for politics and history continued during her years spent studying in England where she earned a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master's degree in Global Politics from the London School of Economics & Political Science. Chanel also received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.