The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig & Karen White -a Review

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Description:
A captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.

May 2013
Her finances are in dire straits and bestselling author Sarah Blake is struggling to find a big idea for her next book. Desperate, she breaks the one promise she made to her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother and opens an old chest that belonged to her great-grandfather, who died when the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915. What she discovers there could change history. Sarah embarks on an ambitious journey to England to enlist the help of John Langford, a recently disgraced Member of Parliament whose family archives might contain the only key to the long-ago catastrophe. . . .

April 1915
Southern belle Caroline Telfair Hochstetter’s marriage is in crisis. Her formerly attentive industrialist husband, Gilbert, has become remote, pre-occupied with business . . . and something else that she can’t quite put a finger on. She’s hoping a trip to London in Lusitania’s lavish first-class accommodations will help them reconnect—but she can’t ignore the spark she feels for her old friend, Robert Langford, who turns out to be on the same voyage. Feeling restless and longing for a different existence, Caroline is determined to stop being a bystander, and take charge of her own life. . . .

Tessa Fairweather is traveling second-class on the Lusitania, returning home to Devon. Or at least, that’s her story. Tessa has never left the United States and her English accent is a hasty fake. She’s really Tennessee Schaff, the daughter of a roving con man, and she can steal and forge just about anything. But she’s had enough. Her partner has promised that if they can pull off this one last heist aboard the Lusitania, they’ll finally leave the game behind. Tess desperately wants to believe that, but Tess has the uneasy feeling there’s something about this job that isn’t as it seems. . . .

As the Lusitania steams toward its fate, three women work against time to unravel a plot that will change the course of their own lives . . . and history itself. 

Review:

The Glass Ocean is written by three bestselling authors (Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White), and it was done so well and seamlessly.  The Glass Ocean is centered on the Lusitania ship, with three POV’s; three woman, two from the 1915 period and one in modern day (2013). 

In the modern day time period, we meet Sarah Blake, a bestselling author, who is in the midst of a writer’s block, when she opens an old chest that belonged to her great grandfather.  What she finds will take her to England to investigate the connection between her great-grandfather and another man (Robert Langford), who were both on the Lusitania. Sarah will only be able to get so far, until she meets John Langford, a descendant of Robert.  At first John, wants nothing to do with Sarah and her quest, but finally decides to work with her to uncover some mysteries and a possible betrayal.

In May, 1915 we meet two women who are on board the Lusitania.  Caroline Hochstetter, the beautiful and elegant wife of Gilbert, a successful businessman, who has been very secretive and distant with her while on the ship.  Caroline loves her husband, but she is dismayed that he has been busy and away during their trip.  It is Robert Langford, who always had a crush on Caroline, and who will spend more time with her during her husband’s absence. 

We also meet Tess Fairweather, who is on the Lusitania to steal and forge an important document that her sister has set up.  Tess begins to suspect that something is wrong, and cannot get the truth from her sister.  She ends up befriending Robert Langsford, and in time he will discover that she is not who she says she is.

What follows is a compelling and interesting story that will eventually tie all three pieces together, with Carolyn, Tess eventually meeting during the catastrophic bombing of the Lusitania, as well as Robert.  It will be Sarah and John who find missing documents to flesh out the truth of what happened in 1915, and who survived. 

The Glass Ocean not only was a captivating mystery, with espionage, betrayals, love affairs, and the history of the Lusitania in background.  I enjoyed the additions of nice romances building up between some of the main characters, as well as the majestic glamour descriptions of the ship.  The Glass Ocean was written so very well, and I strongly suggest you read this book. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher