I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I Did Warn Her: A Novel by Sian Gilbert Published by William Morrow Paperbacks, HarperCollins on June 17, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: Edelweiss
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Goodreads
A luxurious yacht, a gorgeous crew with secrets and rivalries...and murder! I Did Warn Her is a cunning locked room mystery set on a billionaire’s yacht, by the author of last year’s sensation She Started It.
The Ophelia is your typical billionaire yacht: ridiculously luxurious, owned by a ruthless money man, and staffed by a crew whose only job is to indulge the guests’ every wish.
Model-gorgeous Sasha is a last-minute hire for a weeklong Atlantic crossing. She joins fellow stewardesses Jade, Imogen, Euphemia, and Lola. The Ophelia’s stewardesses are almost identical—blonde and model-gorgeous—and all were lured to the Ophelia by high wages and a chance to leave their problems behind when they set sail. But despite its sleek opulence, the Ophelia isn’t as heavenly as it seems. A stewardess on the previous charter died under mysterious circumstances, the guests’ expensive jewelry keeps disappearing, and the crew grows steadily more and more suspicious of one another.
Then the yacht’s owner brings aboard his best friend and two more women, also beautiful. Also hiding something.
When a crew member turns up dead after a night of partying, everyone on the yacht is a suspect. Who is the jewel thief? Who is the murderer? What will happen when the lights go out, and the crew and the guests are finally on equal footing?
Endlessly twisty and delightfully voyeuristic, I Did Warn Her is a whodunnit on the high seas, where the dark secrets of the ultra-wealthy have nowhere to hide.
Review
Sian Gilbert’s I Did Warn Her answers a question we’ve all pondered: what if a murder happened on a billionaire’s superyacht? Turns out, it’s a wild ride.
Imagine being stuck on a floating palace between Gibraltar and New York. The champagne is endless, the jewelry disappears at an alarming rate, and oh yeah, there’s a killer lurking. Gilbert takes this Below Deck meets Agatha Christie concept and sprints with it, transforming the yacht Ophelia into a luxurious, inescapable prison.
The story ticks all the boxes: a puzzling death from the past, a crew of attractive people concealing dark secrets, and enough suspense to break under the pressure. Gilbert clearly knows the world she’s writing about, as the details of yacht life feel authentic, adding an unsettling layer of believability.
The novel truly shines in its exploration of class dynamics. Confining billionaires and their staff on the open sea inevitably leads to intriguing conflicts. Everyone becomes a suspect, and everyone has something to protect.
The conclusion is a genuine knockout. Just when you believe you’ve solved the mystery, Gilbert throws in a twist that forces you to reconsider everything. While the initial introduction of numerous characters might be slightly overwhelming, it’s worth persevering – the resolution is well worth the effort.
In short, if you enjoy thrillers served with caviar and a side of murder, I Did Warn Her is a must-read. But maybe save it for when you’re not on a cruise.
4/5 stars
