THE CRUISE
(Second edition)
June 1st 1925, the magnificent passage liner, The Empress Medina was found deserted in the Mediterranean Sea. All the lifeboats had been launched, and no evidence of food or drink was on board. Many explanations were offered, such as piracy, but with the lavish furnishings and priceless artwork still intact, this theory was dismissed. The weather had been fine, so what happened to the three hundred and eighty passengers and one hundred and fifty crew members? No wreckage of the lifeboats of evidence of bodies was ever found. Modern day and Ben Duncan and his wife, Natasha, along with four other couples receive a letter informing them that they have won a Mediterranean cruise, even though none of the recipients can recall entering the competition. James Davenport, the owner of the cruise ship meets the couples in Naples and they embark on what turns out to be a horrifying and enigmatic voyage in which the passengers under extreme circumstances are forced into the act of cannibalism.
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REVIEWS
*****
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely Worth a Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 October 2020
This book gets off to a flying start. Absolutely adored the mystery and intrigue following the five couples that have won a luxury cruise, but don’t remember entering anything to win it. The characters are great and well dawn. The description is fabulous, I’ve sailed from Naples and have wonderful memories of watching the magnificent harbour disappear. I’m giving this book a solid 8 out of 10. If the writing was just a notch tighter, it would have been a 9 and if the last third was as captivating as the first two thirds it would have made the elusive 10—I’ve never given a book that yet. The playmates stomping around in the author’s head are a twisted and dark crowd. It’s a great read. You have to suspend reality towards the end where some of the happenings couldn’t happen the way described, but by that point the story carries you along so well that incidentals don’t matter. By that, I mean real happenings, not the story happenings. Difficult without giving a spoiler. His writing is very visual so that you can see the scenes unfolding. The book is imaginative and had me totally buying into it. Gripping, tense, fantastic tale and for me the highlight is the description of life on the cruise ship. I was so invested in the story that I almost didn’t want it to turn when it does. It all ties up well and the ending is brilliant. Would benefit from one more edit.
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****
4.0 out of 5 stars Tender and juicy...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 November 2023
A haunting ghost story that kept me intrigued until the end.
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*****
Super Good! 27 May 2014 By A Cox
I love Anthony's story, The Cruise. It kept me intrigued right from the first chapter. Good storu that builds with anticipation
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*****
Enjoyable, haunting and a compulsive read! 12 Jun 2014 By Aldo Ray Fan (United States)
A selection of odd, yet creepy characters are passengers on this haunting cruise. This was excellent and kept me intrigued until the final pages. Written at a pace of my liking and with an ingenious plot. Be warned. This is not one for the squeamish!
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*****
thriller by Tom elder on June 9, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
Anthony Hulse. Thriller The Cruise. This book is totally different than the other blood and gore books I have read by this author. Having said that this book is so well written and your transported back and forth between 1925 and 2001 with ease. A brilliantly told story that you will enjoy from start to finish. 5* 09 June 2015.
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*****John O'Neill
5.0 out of 5 stars Not your normal cruise holiday!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 13, 2019
A couple believe their luck as changed when winning a cruise holiday, along with other winners they join the cruise ship in Naples and begin a journey of mystery, misery and terror.
Not for the squeamish!
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****christine townes
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023
I was surprised by how much I actually liked this book. It makes you question if that really could have happened and what you would have done in that situation.
EPUB E-Book: http://bit.ly/1IqeccM
Amazon .com Kindle: https://amzn.to/3l4Z4xP
Amazon.com Paperback: https://amzn.to/3yneXTm
Kindle UK: https://amzn.to/3Yv4HD5
Amazon Paperback UK: https://amzn.to/3YwWtdG
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THE ORPHANS OF DACHAU
Flight Sergeant Danny Wilkinson, a young bomb aimer panics when his aircraft encounters heavy flak over Germany. He prematurely orders the release of the bombs, hoping that his skipper will order the aircraft to return to England. When the Lancaster bomber is hit, he bails out and discovers that the bombs that were intended for a munitions factory had in fact struck a concentration camp for women and children.As he descends, he views the horrific sight of the victims, some mutilated, others being burnt alive. The self-confessed coward at first refuses to help the women and children that he encountered, but later reconsiders, his conscience troubling him.
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REVIEWS
***** Superbly entertaining, 2 Jun 2014 By jkaccinni
A terrifying tale ofa group of Jewish children and escapees. They attempt to flee to Switzerland, led by Danny Wilkinson, the British bomb aimer, who unknown to them is responsible for their plight. Great dialogue and written with a certain panache. This flowed wonderfully. A disturbing and mind-provoking read from this talented author.
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*****
Five Stars
By Marcia Berrian on June 8, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
One of the best books I've read recently!
5.0 out of 5 stars snapshot of wartime Germany
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2023
This is an excellent thriller about orphans who happen to be freed when a bomb hits the concentration camp. A wide range of attitudes about the Holocaust are shown by the characters, many of whom don't realize how terrible it really was, but the truly sadistic bad guy loves the war because he can torture people and get whatever he wants. It's a very realistic portrayal of the war and Germany, and at the same time a thriller you can't put down.
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Larika (AKA Elizabeth Keimach)
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 5, 2020
The Orphans of Dachau is a fine book. Anthony Hulse very skillfully describes what happenend when Dachau is accidently bombed by the British. Several children, led by a young woman, escape the camp and make their way to the forest where they encounter the airman who bombed Dachau. The author portrays each character in the book with clarity and realism. He shows that the Nazi machinery of mass murder was extremely sadistic and cruel. Anthony Hulse shows very clearly not only the sadism of certain Nazis but portrays other Nazis who deplored what was happening in the camps to the innocent Jews, Gypsies and others. The Orphans of Dachau is a very clever, well crafted and extensively researched book.
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SE.
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 19, 2023
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys WW11 fiction. Beautifully written by Anthony House, the book touched me deeply as it took me on an emotional journey. An English airman and an SS officer strike up an unlikely friendship as they unselfishly attempt to help a group of Jewish children to reach Switzerland. An emotional but superb read. Highly recommended!
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EPUB E-book: http://bit.ly/1Tu3HbJ
Kindle.com: https://amzn.to/3YBpPrs
Amazon.com Paperback: https://amzn.to/3mpLeX9
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Last updated: 09-21-2013
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