Why We Chose All Killers Aboard for July’s PREM1ER Book
For July 2026, we were looking for a novel that delivers pure entertainment without sacrificing cleverness or craft; something immersive, unpredictable, and impossible to put down. All Killers Aboard by David Fennell is exactly that: a darkly comic, high-concept thriller that keeps you utterly hooked from the first page to the last.
Set aboard a luxury cruise sailing from Southampton to New York, the novel introduces a deliciously wicked premise. What appears to be an ordinary voyage is, in fact, host to the annual gathering of the Midnight Chorus Society, a clandestine convention attended by serial killers, aspiring murderers, and their admirers.
At the centre of the story are Jacqui Dulac, a glamorous television detective, and Martha Hammond, her latest ghostwriter. When Martha witnesses a shocking murder on deck, marked only by the eerie presence of a single red button, the pair are thrust into a real-life investigation. Forced to navigate a ship full of highly dangerous suspects without knowing, their uneasy and comic partnership becomes the heart of the novel.
What makes All Killers Aboard such a standout selection is its masterful balance of tone. It is dark without ever feeling heavy, playful without losing its edge, and constantly surprising in its twists and turns. The pacing is razor-sharp, the characters vividly drawn, and the central mystery unfolds with a satisfying blend of tension and theatrical flair.
This is a novel that embraces the joy of storytelling: bold, clever, and irresistibly fun. It captures everything we look for in a summer PREM1ER pick; an engrossing page-turner that feels both escapist and memorable, with a distinctive voice that lingers long after the final twist.
"I absolutely loved this book. It’s brilliantly twisty and twisted, and laugh-out-loud funny in places. From the moment the ship leaves the port, the story pulls you in completely. The characters are sharp and iconic, and the entire story feels like a perfectly orchestrated game of cat and mouse.What really stayed with me is how effortlessly David balances humour and suspense. I confess that I do not read a huge amount of crime fiction, but I found myself racing through All Killers Aboard, constantly surprised, and thoroughly entertained the whole way through. For me, this is the perfect summer read: bold, clever, and endlessly entertaining." - Rebecca
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