Description

‘A totally gripping, impeccably crafted thriller that never slackens the tension for a minute. . . Hugely enjoyable’ Jane Casey, author of The Killing Kind

Super yachts are secretive, like their owners. The bigger the richer. Like castles, they are created to inspire awe. Like castles too, they are defended. They are an entire world, separate from the rest of us.

Kai, a carefree once-successful musician is invited by his new Russian girlfriend Zina to join her family’s Caribbean holiday. Impulsively accepting he learns that Zina is the daughter of a Russian oligarch, Stepan Pirumov and that the trip is aboard his yacht, the Zinaida, moored in St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. The crew consists of Captain Marius Falk, the first mate Erin Wade and a hastily assembled staff, including a chief stewardess Marissa from Miami, a chief engineer from Lagos and a personal trainer from Los Angeles. All know how to behave around the very rich.
On arrival Kai discovers that the head of security has been arrested, armed guards are below deck, there’s an onboard panic room and a strong sense of all not being quite right beneath the gleaming surfaces of the Pirumov’s lives. An unnerving presence punctures the atmosphere: a murderous imposter is on board the Zinaida, but who is it?

Kai will find that the only person he can trust will be Erin and that the world of the super-rich will become a prison from which they must escape. Part locked-room suspense, part adventure story, Dead Rich is an unforgettable, edge of the seat thriller set in the blazing heat of the Caribbean

Publisher Review

Once again William Shaw has produced a fast-moving, intriguing mystery * Sunday Times (on THE TRAWLERMAN) * A terrifically atmospheric thriller * Daily Mail (on THE TRAWLERMAN) * [A]n excellent, totally absorbing crime novel which can only augment the reputations of William Shaw * Shotsmag (on THE TRAWLERMAN) * [A] sun-drenched, blood-soaked thriller set on a superyacht in the Caribbean. It's that most wonderful thing: a Thumping Good Read -- Mark Edwards I've been a fan of William Shaw for a long time now, but even by his high standards Dead Rich is an extraordinary book -- M. W. Craven A joyous escape of a book. A real adventure story set on the high seas, with engaging central characters and a pacy narrative. And because it's by William Shaw, it is, of course, beautifully written. -- Ann Cleeves Set on a luxury yacht, Dead Rich charts a twisty course between murder, lies, and the dark deeds of oligarchs. A fresh, high-octane take on the ever-popular adventure thriller genre. -- Vaseem Khan Like a sophisticated, turbo-charged reboot of Alistair MacLean, it's a completely gripping thriller adventure set on the Caribbean Sea that's plotted and paced with precision. Loved it. -- Paddy Magrane Dead Rich is a totally gripping, impeccably crafted thriller that never slackens the tension for a minute. The brilliantly realised setting lets you take a holiday in a billionaire's nightmare, and the plot has twists that genuinely made me gasp. Hugely enjoyable. -- Jane Casey Great storytelling with marvellously created tension and cunning twists, and engaging characters. -- Simon Mason, author of A Killing in November W G Shaw's gripping new thriller strips bare the ugliness of the filthy rich. Tossed on the spume of this terrific story, by the end I was confident I could sail a super yacht. -- Lesley Thomson [A] rip-roaring seaborne adventure thriller . . . absolutely terrific. Dead Rich provides thrills and spills in abundance. * Shots Magazine * An all-too-topical thriller with some wonderfully gripping maritime set-pieces * Daily Mail * Timely thriller . . . The two of them are well drawn and attractive, and there is plenty of action to keep thrill-seekers reading. * Literary Review * TIMELY thriller Dead Rich is GW Shaw's gripping new tale which explores what happens when oligarchs fall foul of Putin. * Sun * G W Shaw delivers a superbly crafted, adrenalin-charged thriller that engages the reader fully from start to finish. * Irish Independent * Dead Rich is a cleverly crafted and suspenseful locked room thriller set against the backdrop of the high seas and the world of the super wealthy. * CultureFly * This cleverly constructed adventure thriller, set on a Russian oligarch's mega yacht in the Caribbean, makes entertaining reading. * Choice Magazine * A superb thriller . . . I couldn't put it down -- Shari Lapena Nothing could be more timely than Dead Rich * Irish Times (Book of the Year) *