Titanic 2012 by Bill Walker

When James Cameron's vision of a movie, "Titanic," made it to the screen, who would've known just how popular it would become? Now there's a new mystery thriller that puts the luxury liner of doom in the near future with suspenseful results. It's the year 2012, and bestselling mystery novelist Trevor Hughes has just about completed his next big book when old friend Harlan Astor announces that he's spent hundreds of millions of dollars to stage one of the biggest publicity shows in history: he's built a new Titanic, an exact replica of the 1912 version. This tweaks Trevor's writerly instincts, and in short order, he breaks up with his girlfriend and heads out for Poland to board the maiden voyage of this colossal remake. Even Kate Winslet is on hand to christen the ship, and the media are eating it up. But why did Astor do this, and why did he handpick the people who are boarding this remarkable ship? First-time novelist Bill Walker rings all the bells and blows all the whistles as he sets sail with his maiden voyage déjà vu, TITANIC 2012.

Trevor and Julia, a therapist, are on the verge of splitting because Trev can't quite commit to her. When he tells her about his buddy Astor's plan to launch a new Titanic, this breaks them apart completely. She thinks Astor has a tremendous, foolish ego to spend millions on such a goofy idea, but Trev is excited by the idea of writing the story of the new luxury liner full of specially chosen passengers. Trev boards the much-hyped remake of the liner, and begins to interview the various members of its crewandpassenger list. There is something truly mysterious about the folk on board, but when he meets Madeleine Regehr in a Winslet-like pose at the front of the ship, he forgets any doubts he has: Trevor is smitten. He and Maddy try to keep from falling in love, but the romance of the Titanic is impossible to resist. Still, the mystery as to why Harlan Astor, the descendant of the Astor who went down with the original Titanic, has brought in these particular people to fill his ship begins to take its toll on Trev, and he must know why Maddy and the others are there.
Walker has written a delightful story full of romantic possibilities with a key mystery surrounding the new Titanic. This is not a whodunit sort of mystery, but a mystery of romantic adventure and the transcendance of love over death and the Titanic lore is fun to revisit along with the gentle homage to James Cameron's movie with Leonardo diCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Goodreads Summary

Trevor Hughes is not your typical character.  He is unhappy, depressed, and a tad on the crazy side at times.  The book definitely follows James Cameron's movie, but with added twists and mysteries.  The reader will love the mysteries in this novel, there are a few main ones and a few subplot mysteries.  How did Trevor survive the "second sailing" of the Titanic?  What do the others have to say about his sudden appearance?  What really happened in Titanic's last few hours?

There is a little bit of romance.  Ironically, the reader will likely be so taken with the mystery and tension that he/she will not even focus too much on the romance.  The reader will connect easily to Trevor, he is a flawed character, but very interesting.  The other love interest is not as easy to connect to, but a pretty good character too.  The author takes time to develop Trevor and his connection to this ship and past.  The pages will fly as the novel picks up towards the bitter end.  The way the author ties up the loose ends and finishes the book will likely surprise and satisfy the reader.  After reading this book, a reader will want to take the time to watch the movie.  This book is recommended to adult readers.

4 Stars

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