The Woman in Cabin 10

The Woman in Cabin 10 is a 2016 mystery novel by Ruth Ware. The book opens with main character, Lo, experiencing a burglary in her basement flat in London. She is trapped inside her bedroom and has to fight her way out; after the event, she experiences severe insomnia and symptoms of post-traumatic stress that alter her view of her own safety and strength.

After the burglary, Lo lashes out at her boyfriend, Judah, who is frequently out of town and wasn't there to help her cope. Lo departs for a cruise on a luxury boat called the Aurora Borealis, which she is covering as part of her job as a travel journalist while her boss in on maternity leave. The boat is owned by Lord Richard Bullmer, a London business tycoon, and his wife, heiress Anne Bullmer.

At first Lo struggles to enjoy her trip due to her paranoia from the burglary. Then, her first night, she wakes to the sound of a woman's scream, and the sound of a splash. She is certain that she has just heard a body being dumped into the North Sea. When she investigates, she sees a smear of blood on the glass veranda door leading into the room next to her own.