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The Gentleman Host: A Cruise Ship Nightmare

Dwight Norris
iUniverse (2008)
ISBN 9780595525904
Reviewed by Abby Major for RebeccasReads (5/09)

Over the past two years, 13 people have gone “missing” from cruise ships.  Most of these cases turn out to be suicides; however, with a staggering 20 million passengers during that time period, thirteen hardly seems like a large amount.  Without a crime scene, body, or witnesses, how could someone ever know whether it was a suicide or perhaps something more sinister?  Dwight Norris breaches this very topic in his novel, “The Gentleman Host: A Cruise Ship Nightmare.” 

A gentleman host is a true profession.  I had never heard of it before, but I looked it up after reading this novel to find that it really exists!  An overwhelming number of guests on these cruises are single, middle-aged women.  When it comes time for dinner and dancing, they are usually left without a partner.  Cruise lines began “hiring” single men, aged 40-70, who are good dancers to be available to these women for the purpose of dancing and dining. 

In Dwight Norris’s novel, one particular gentleman host is far from a true gentleman!  During his cruises, he treats the ladies kindly and does everything for them that he is asked, but on the last night, one of the unsuspecting women will find themselves overboard – left to fend for themselves in the deep, dark ocean.

His crimes go unnoticed for nearly 20 years, until retired detective Sam Murphy catches on to a strange pattern of middle-aged women going missing on the last day of their cruises.  He calls up his old partner, Dusty Flanagan, to help him discover whether these accidents are truly accidents or if there is some foul play involved.   With some good detective work, help from friends, and sheer luck, they find the host.  As the host’s final ship sets sail, he’s on board with some people who are on to his game – waiting for him to make his move.

This is a classic crime thriller with a serious twist.  Look into the mind and past of a serial killer, who doesn’t really think he’s doing anything wrong.  It is hard to believe how easy it would be to get away with this!  You will think twice before taking your next cruise!

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