Distress Signals
A debut thriller that channels Gone Girl, from the newest writer to watch, Catherine Ryan Howard
The day Adam Dunne's girlfriend, Sarah, fails to return from a Barcelona business trip, his perfect life begins to fall apart. Days later, the arrival of her passport and a note that reads "I'm sorry--S" sets off real alarm bells. He vows to do whatever it takes to find her.
Adam is puzzled when he connects Sarah to a cruise ship called the Celebrate--and to a woman, Estelle, who disappeared from the same ship in eerily similar circumstances almost exactly a year before.
To get answers, Adam must confront some difficult truths about his relationship with Sarah. He must do things of which he never thought himself capable. And he must try to outwit a predator who seems to have found the perfect hunting ground.
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Catherine Ryan Howard is an internationally bestselling crime writer from Cork, Ireland. Her novel 56 Days was named a best thriller of 2021 by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Irish Times; was her second Irish number one bestseller; and won Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. Her previous work has been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for Best Novel and the CWA's John Creasey New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Daggers, and she's been shortlisted for the Irish Crime Novel of the Year multiple times. Her work has been published in seventeen languages, and a number of her novels have been optioned for screen. She lives in Dublin.
"A highly confident and accomplished debut novel, impeccably sustained, with not a false note."
-- "Irish Times (Dublin)""This exceptionally well-crafted and compelling read is very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library general fiction collections."
-- "Midwest Book Review""An excellent debut thriller which may give cruising executives some sleepless nights."
-- "Irish Independent (Dublin)""[Howard] writes with complete command of language, plot, and the thriller genre."
-- "Shelf Awareness"[A] fast-paced debut thriller...Hold on, you're in for a wild ride...The setting--on a Mediterranean cruise ship--will leave some vacationing listeners delightfully ill-at-ease."
-- "BookPage""[A] solid first novel...Life and death aboard a cruise ship prove very mysterious indeed."
-- "Publishers Weekly""Brimming with suspense and plot twists you'll never see coming."
-- "Pop Culture Nerd""Clever and compulsive."
-- "Irish Examiner (Ireland)""Alan Smyth narrated Adam's confusion, desperation, and determination brilliantly. Bronson Pinchot and Suzanne Toren narrate the dual story line that keeps you just as invested as the major story going on to the heartbreaking end. A superb listen."
-- "Under the Boardwalk (audio review)""This novel has become one of my favorite psychological thrillers to date...Catherine Ryan Howard went outside the box and really brought a unique and interesting setting to Distress Signals...I absolutely loved, loved, LOVED this book, I cannot recommend it highly enough!"
-- "Rose Reviews""An exhilarating debut thriller from a hugely talented author. Distress Signals is fast-paced, twisty, and an absolute joy to read."
-- "Mark Edwards, bestselling author of The Magpies""A gripping, smart, and fast-moving read...[that will] immerse you in the fascinating world of cruise ships and the mysterious, perfect crimes committed at sea. The compelling mystery at the heart of this debut novel is engrossing, and Catherine Howard's clever plotting makes this a terrific debut."
-- "Christine Carbo, author of Mortal Fall""Howard weaves an intricate web of suspense chapter by chapter...and before you know it, you're trapped inside."
-- "Brian Freeman, bestselling author of Goodbye to the Dead""Pacey, suspenseful, and intriguing...[A] top-class, page-turning read. Catherine Ryan Howard is an astonishing new voice in thriller writing."
-- "Liz Nugent, author of Unraveling Oliver""I loved the voice...[An] engaging, unusual, and believable thriller."
-- "Sinéad Crowley, bestselling author of Can Anybody Help Me? ""I loved this book, it hooked from the beginning and didn't let go. It was so easy to read, I finished it within a day of starting it. The pace was really good as it kept the story constantly moving along. The characters felt real and so did the situation. It kept me guessing and had me coming up with different theories as to what was going on. It's not a dark thriller, unless of course you are a regular cruise goer with a vivid imagination. I thoroughly recommend it to thriller/mystery lovers and will definitely be looking out for the author's next book."
-- "The Secret Library""Distress Signals is a well-written, page-turning read, with a number of red herrings and some surprise plot twists...An engaging thriller written with authenticity and aplomb from a writer who knows her craft, and who clearly has a bright future."
-- "Books Ireland""Atmospheric, character driven, and cleverly plotted, Distress Signals had me hooked from the very start and captivated me until the final reveal. I loved the setting, which added a claustrophobic feel to the story, and threw Adam an extra curveball when his back was already up against the wall and his world as he knew it had gone up in flames. Adam's despair was tangible on every page, adding that emotional connection that kept me reading much too late into the night."
-- "But Books Are Better""Distress Signals is a debut novel that packs a wallop of a punch...[a] complex plot...perfectly executed...page turning and twisty."
-- "It's Book Talk""This one is a standout and one I can highly recommend for fans of the genre."
-- "Novel Gossip""Highly recommended to thriller fans."
-- "The Suspense Is Thrilling Me"
