Midnight
The Antarctic's legendary midnight sun promises a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. For Olivia Campbell, it was meant to be a dream, sailing to the icy continent on a luxury cruise liner where her high-powered art dealer boyfriend would host a career-defining auction. But the dream shatters when he vanishes, leaving Olivia to manage the massive event and confront her paralyzing fear of the open ocean alone.
Then, the 'accidents' begin. Far too many for even the notoriously treacherous Drake Passage to explain. Hundreds of miles from help, trapped aboard a ship where the sun never sets, Olivia realizes a killer is hunting in plain sight. With tensions rising and temperatures plummeting, she must fight for survival on a beautiful, deadly voyage, wondering if she's booked an adventure or a one-way ticket to oblivion.
- Olivia - Aaron’s girlfriend
- Aaron - Olivia’s boyfriend
- Graham - Olivia’s father, deceased
- Kostas Yennin - Aaron’s star artist, deceased
- Stefan Grenville - Auctioneer at Art Abroad
- Tricia - Olivia’s best friend, Lisa’s PA
- Cutler Hughes - CEO of Pioneer Adventures
- Ingrid - Cutler’s wife
- Pierre Lavaud - Owner of LUJO
- Lisa - Senior partner at Pendle
- Elisabet - Cruise director
- Christa and Jay - Honeymooners
- Enzo - Captain of MS Vigil
- Liam - Excursion leader
- Patty - Travel agent for Pioneer Adventures, Olivia’s cabin mate
- Annalise - Patty’s employee, Olivia’s cabin mate, Cutler’s daughter
- Janine - Olivia’s cabin mate, Kostas Yennin’s girlfriend
- Maxwell Sadler - Investment banker
- Lucinda - Maxwell’s girlfriend
- Ranjeed - Doctor on the MS Vigil
- Tove - Doctor on the MS Vigil
- Dr. Vance - Glaciologist
- Sergei - Works for Pierre
- Olivia hates the water because when she was sixteen she was on a yacht called the Clarissa with her parents. She was supposed to be keeping watch but fell asleep, and they collided with another boat. Her dad went overboard and died.
- Olivia thinks she’s being followed by a man with a shaved head.
- Olivia finds an engagement ring in Aaron’s jacket and assumes he’s going to propose to her on the cruise.
- Olivia and Aaron board the MS Vigil in Ushuaia for its cruise across the Drake Passage to Antarctica.
- Aaron has organized an art auction aboard the MS Vigil featuring the work of Kostas Yennin.
- Cutler plans to sell Pioneer Adventures after this final voyage.
- Before the MS Vigil sets sail, Aaron leaves the ship because of an emergency and does not return.
- Olivia switches cabins with the honeymooners.
- Olivia is now sharing a cabin with Patty, Annalise and Janine.
- Stefan tells Olivia that Aaron had been receiving threats accusing him of being involved in Yennin’s death.
- The night of an auction for Yennin’s artwork, Olivia was supposed to pick him up and take him to the auction but forgot. He was killed in a car accident, and MDMA was found in his system.
- Someone poisoned the champagne in cabin sixteen with liquid MDMA, killing Christa and Jay.
- Sergei, the bald man following Olivia, tells her that Pierre sent him to protect her because she is in danger, but she doesn’t believe him.
- When they reach Antarctica, Olivia sees a small yacht called the Clarissa II and discovers it is owned by Pierre.
- Ingrid tells Olivia that if the sale of Pioneer Adventures goes through, it will become an online-only business and all the travel agencies that book its cruises will be shut down.
- Stefan is found hanged in his office.
- Liam admits to Olivia that a woman in Ushuaia paid him $10,000 to bring the bottle of champagne onto the ship and place it in cabin sixteen.
- Maxwell tells Olivia that the engagement ring is his. Aaron was supposed to deliver it to him so he could propose to Lucinda while they were in Antarctica.
- When a small group camps in Antarctica overnight, someone damages their boats and an incoming storm prevents the MS Vigil from sending replacements.
- Olivia finds Liam dead.
- Patty attacks Cutler with a wrench when she finds out he is closing the travel agency and then runs off.
- Pierre rescues everyone except the missing Patty and takes them aboard the Clarissa II.
- Janine corners Olivia and reveals she was Yennin’s girlfriend and is seeking revenge against Olivia, Aaron and Stefan.
- Yennin’s car accident happened because Olivia stepped into the road in front of his car, causing him to swerve into a lamppost.
- Aaron gave Yennin the MDMA that was found in his system after the crash.
- Stefan profited from Yennin’s death by mass producing and selling his artwork.
- Janine killed Aaron after he left the ship, spiked the champagne intending for Olivia to drink it, and hanged Stefan.
- Janine also killed Liam so he wouldn’t tell anyone about being paid to put the champagne in cabin sixteen.
- Janine attacks Olivia and they fall into the water.
- Olivia surfaces but Janine never does.
- Pierre tells Olivia he was friends with Graham and that the accident on the Clarissa wasn’t her fault. The collision avoidance system was faulty, and the boat that hit them had no lights on.
- Patty is not found.
- Everyone remaining returns to Ushuaia safely.
Taking a classic cruise thriller and dropping it into the freezing, desolate waters of Antarctica instantly elevates the tension of a trapped-room mystery. I loved how the story uses this unforgiving destination to its full advantage, creating a suffocating atmosphere where the danger feels inescapable. The isolation amplifies the suspense right from the start, and the plot is packed with sharp turns and surprising reveals that kept my attention locked in.
The entire narrative unfolds through Olivia’s perspective, and she serves as a compelling anchor. She is clearly battling some deep-rooted demons, yet she manages to maintain her composure and professionalism even when pushed far outside her comfort zone. Her struggle is compounded by the sudden disappearance of her boyfriend, Aaron, which leaves everything dumped squarely on her plate in his absence. Despite the mounting pressure, her genuine kindness makes her easy to root for.
The pacing stays relentless thanks to the short chapters, creating a rapid rhythm that perfectly matches the escalating stakes. The ending delivers a solid, satisfying wrap-up that answers the lingering questions without dragging out the final act. If you like remote frozen destinations and locked-room suspense, then you will love this book.
- Kostas Yennin - Dead - Killed in a car accident after Aaron gave him MDMA and Olivia stepped into the road in front of his car
- Christa - Dead - Poisoned with MDMA by Janine
- Jay - Dead - Poisoned with MDMA by Janine
- Stefan - Dead - Hanged by Janine
- Liam - Dead - Killed by Janine
- Aaron - Dead - Injected with liquid MDMA by Janine
- Janine - Dead - Drowned
- Patty - Presumed dead after running from the group in Antarctica
- Olivia - Alive - Returned home safely
- Car accident
- Suicide
- Murder
ISBN: 9780593315521
Publication Date: January 2, 2024
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
