at times maybe 2.5, but overall I wasn't engrossed in it ( )

Alisha Barba's lang gekoesterde droom om rechercheur te worden valt in duigen wanneer ze ernstig rugletsel oploopt. Dan krijgt ze een briefje van Cate, een vroegere schoolvriendin, die zegt in de problemen te zitten. Op de avond van een reünie wordt de zwangere Cate aangereden. Als artsen proberen haar leven te redden, wordt duidelijk dat ze helemaal niet zwanger is. Vanwaar de leugens? Alisha gaat op onderzoek uit en volgt het spoor van Londen naar de Amsterdamse Wallen. Voor ze het in de gaten heeft, bevindt ze zich in de duistere onderwereld van mensenhandel en prostitutie en moet ze ook voor haar eigen leven vrezen.

4.5 stars.

The Night Ferry is a complex and intriguing mystery by Michael Robotham. More than just a "whodunit", this suspense laden thriller delves into the dark world of human trafficking. Fast-paced and riveting, it is a thought-provoking story touches on social relevant issues that will resonant with readers.

Alisha Barba is stunned to receive a plea for help from her estranged friend Cate Elliot. The two have not spoken in eight years but Alisha is quick to agree to a meeting and she is surprised to discover her old friend is now married and expecting a baby. Before Cate can explain what she needs from Alisha, she and her husband are run down and killed by a cabbie. With only a cryptic message to go on, Alisha begins an off the books investigation that takes her into the seedy underworld of human trafficking and what she uncovers is as shocking as it is heartbreaking.

Alisha is an experienced detective constable who is just about to return to work after recovery from a horrific injury that almost left her paralyzed. She is plagued with regrets over the events that led to the end of her friendship with Cate and she is devastated to lose her before they can reconcile their differences. Leading with her heart throughout the investigation, Alisha is determined to discover not only who killed Cate but why.

Alisha gets little help from the detectives assigned to the case and once the deaths are ruled accidental, she quietly begins digging around on her own. With little to go on but Cate's whispered assertion that someone wants to take her baby, Alisha quickly discovers that Cate's infertility issues led her friend to take drastic measures in her quest to become a mother. Her complicated past with Cate's family becomes a hindrance early in the investigation and the Elliot family will do just about anything to protect their daughter's reputation. Alisha doggedly pursues the clues she uncovers but they quickly lead to dead ends. The case takes her to Amsterdam where she finally gets an idea of what Cate was up to in the months before her death but Alisha's efforts to bring the people behind her death are thwarted at every turn.

With a personal stake in learning the truth about Cate's death, Alisha often makes impetus decisions that have dangerous consequences. She also has a social conscience and this leads to some very passionate outbursts in her pursuit for answers. While understandable given the circumstances, her inability to remain impartial hurts her investigation and endangers not only her case, but the people she is trying to help. Her zealous search for answers is admirable but it is also frustrating watching Alisha make mistakes that could jeopardize bringing the guilty parties to justice.

The Night Ferry is a spellbinding mystery that is full of unexpected twists and turns. Michael Robotham has once again written a tightly plotted and suspenseful novel that also provides an insightful view into the tragic exploitation of young, vulnerable women. It is another brilliant police procedural that stands out from others in the genre that old and new fans do not want to miss. ( )

The Night Ferry is an intricately plotted thriller that features London police detective Alisha Barba, a Sikh woman who is recovering from a serious back injury incurred in the line of duty. On her own time, she becomes involved in investigating a situation that her best friend became involved in that concerns a surrogate pregnancy and human trafficking. As Alisha digs deeper the case escalates into murder and kidnapping.

Although at times the story seems to bog down a bit, it did hold my interest as the investigation carries Alisha from England to Holland and back again. I also enjoyed the secondary plot about Alisha’s personal life.

This was my first book by Australian author, Michael Robotham and I will look for more by him as this thriller painted a very realistic portrait of the problems facing refugees seeking asylum and how easily they can be taken advantage of and exploited. The Night Ferry had such a strong and gripping narrative that I was more than willing to overlook it’s few flaws. ( )

When I started reading this book, I was wondering how it could ever get to be a good read. At first I was a bit lost between the characters, the things that were happening.
And then, at about a quarter, magic happened. I got drawn in and didn't want to stop reading. The book has no nice subjects. Human trafficking, prostitution, forced pregnanacies, buyinh children, poverty, violence... It was absolutely a book that struck a chord with me. How lucky I am to be where I am. I could have ended up elsewhere, with less means, less possibilities, no one that cared for me.
I found it very impressive, even though the main character is quite foolish in persisting the way she does. ( )