I would like to put in a good word for The Glass Ocean, the new novel written by Team W – Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White. Sure, these three authors don’t need any words from me – their own combine splendidly to create an outstanding story about the doomed passenger liner RMS Lusitania, sunk by a German U-boat in 1915. Still, I can’t stop myself from recommending this novel, much as I couldn’t stop reading this fascinating, exciting narrative. In a word, this novel is excellent. Fusing history, mystery and romance, these authors create a suspenseful and poignant tale. In other words, it’s a good read – and I can give you my word: it’s worthy of your time, even if it means giving up some sleep to keep reading.

The Glass Ocean is the second collaborative work published by Williams, Willig and White. Their first such novel, The Forgotten Room, appeared in 2016, not that long after these three authors and friends decided to try writing a novel together, starting in March 2014. Like The Glass Ocean, this initial collaboration offers a richly woven storyline with elements of intrigue, romance, and time. Clearly, as demonstrated by the excellence of these two novels, these authors work well as a writing team. They also work well as friends, a point made clear when they talk about their work.

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed reading many of the novels written individually by each member of Team W. Over the weekend, it really pleased me to read The Glass Ocean, the latest result of their collaborative efforts and abilities. In particular, I appreciate how they have created specific, interesting characters who are caught up in an intense, historic event. Sometimes, I like to contemplate history through the lens of fiction, and every time Team W writes a book, I’ll look into it. Reading this one, I found extra delight in pondering which author wrote which part, in a story centered on three female characters. While the authors themselves have declined to reveal this information, I have my own ideas on the subject, based on what I know from their other solo works. It would be fun to talk about it with another reader, so if you end up with your own theories, I would indeed be pleased if we could have a word.