This much anticipated new novel from the acclaimed author of ‘The English Patient’, takes us aboard a cruise liner, making the long journey from Sri Lanka to London.

Our protagonist is Michael, an eleven-year-old boy who has found himself travelling alone, presumably to be reunited with his absent mother at the dock in London.

Michael is soon joined by two other young boys as well as a delightfully disparate group of adults, all sharing the least prominent table in the dining room, the Cat’s table.

What follows is a charming recollection of the events that have brought Michael into adulthood, all connected to his experiences on the Oronsay, with all the glamour and intrigue the goes along with travel on the high seas.

What happens when the boys discover that there is a murderous prisoner aboard, under careful guard but allowed the curious freedom of a midnight walk along the decks? Suddenly a thousand tiny pieces fit together but how many of their friends are involved?

The clash between the sumptuous suites of first class and the windowless cabins in the lower classes, the shady characters, the secret treasures and overheard mysteries make this book unforgettable and hard-to- put-down.