Murder on the SS Rosa

Murder at Sea

Appropriate for teens – adult adults
No sex
No strong language
No violence
No glaring spelling or grammar errors
A plethora of Roaring ’20s clothing descriptions.

The author, Lee Strauss, has conceived an unusual plot: a corpse cleverly hidden aboard ship rather than dumped overboard. Passenger Ginger Gold, our main character, becomes involved in the investigation. Yet another amateur detective, we wonder? No, as the book progresses, hints are revealed about her previous war-time duties which make her investigation of a crime reasonable .
I gave the book 4 instead of 5 stars because of some rough edges to the writing – sentence structure issues. I’d predict that as Ms Strauss continues her writing career these will smooth out. So, although I thought differently in the first 2 chapters, I will no doubt read the next in the series.
Along the same lines, I appreciated that after the book’s conclusion the author invites us to inform her of any spelling and grammar errors.

Light reading, but not so light that I guessed whodunit.
Recommended

This book is an exciting read. I’m happy to recommend this book to to those who enjoy a good mystery. The story begins with an ocean cruise from New York to England. The two main characters quickly become mixed up in an on-board murder. These two ladies are certainly interested in helping the detective to solve the crime. I had a hard time putting the book down in order to get some sleep. Grab a copy and find out who committed this atrocious murder.

I loved this book! It was more polished than any other cozy mystery I’ve ever read. It is like something a young Agatha Christie might write.

Too simplistic

Murder On The High Seas
(Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of the book and decided to provide my honest review, which I have.) Murder On The SS Rosa by Lee Straus is a fast moving page turner cozy mystery. The setting is a luxury liner, post World War I, traveling from Boston to Liverpool. The author picked a wonderful time and setting for the time overall storyline environment given the high drama and pre-expectations of roles and settings. There are two main roles, although one of the two takes precedence and is the inexperienced but ardent sleuth. The plot is thick with twist and turns which keeps the reader on their toes as they engage with the protagonist attempting to solve the murder. There are several mini-plots thrown in along the way to keep mainly everyone, including the reader, on their toes, but in no way do they clog up the plot. Overall, the author injected the perfected amount of humor, sauciness, intrigue, and mystery. I also want to give kudos on character development. The three primary characters were multilayered adding appropriate dimension with the primary character having a surprisingly amount of depth and breadth. My RECOMMENDATION: If you are ready to packs your bags for a cozy mystery on the high seas then “Murder On The SS Rosa” is the book for you. Post reading I bought the book in case I decided to yet again take a cruise. Bon Voyage –Tex.

Characters were a bit shallow. It’s a good, quick read if you like mysteries. I prefer volumes with a bit more relevant historical information and more depth to the characters. Probably would not read another book by the same author.

Strong Female Characters Well Drawn in This 1920’s Mystery Aboard a Trans-Atlantic Passenger Ship

This enjoyable novella is reminiscent of the Miss Fisher series on PBS. I love the 1920’s, and Lee Strauss takes me there. The wealthy female protagonist, Mrs. Ginger Gold, lost her husband in the Great War. She was a clandestine operative undercover as a receptionist in France during the war. As many women who did “men’s” jobs during wartime, Ginger appears to be retired from some secret service. She is a bit bored with no meaningful work and misses her husband. What she did during the war must remain “in the war”, but we know it was essential, exciting, and required her language and math skills.
Mrs. Gold, born in England but reared in the U.S., also acquired a title by marriage to her late husband. Not even her best friend knows that she is Lady Gold, until revealed in their stateroom. Mrs. Gold is traveling to England to settle her late father’s estate.
Ginger is very concerned with dressing properly for the occasion and with being the most noticed and exciting woman in the room. The clothes, the parties, and character interactions all recreate a 1920’s atmosphere.
I love the 1920’s feminism in this story. Ginger’s best friend is an accomplished middle class American studying to become an MD. She already demonstrated in this mystery an ability to perform an autopsy and find forensic clues.
The mystery is, of course, a murder that occurs aboard the SS Rosa. There are several clues to the identity of the Captain’s murderer (or murderers). Some clues Ginger shares with the Scotland Yard Inspector in charge of the case, some she keeps to herself, and some are red herrings. The sleuthing was interesting, the solved mystery made sense, and there may be a crime solving future for Ginger and the Inspector.
I enjoyed the several subplots showing Ginger’s moral character, while explaining how she reconciles her opulent lifestyle with her politics and genuine caring for the poor.

A fast and amusing read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing If Ginger and Basil have a future together. How Boss gets on in the UK. And what is n store for the new doctors .
Lots to look forward to.

This book is an old fashion “who done it” that didn’t require much thought to follow.