Virtual Book Review Tour: Titanic 2012 by Bill Walker

(Full length, contemporary suspense published by Cemetery Dance Publications)

This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Partners in Crime Tours.


Best-selling mystery novelist Trevor Hughes has no idea that attending his twentieth reunion at Harvard will forever change his life.

Persuaded to go by his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Dr. Julia Magnusson, he meets up with three old friends: Solly Rubens, a self-made Wall Street millionaire; Ken Faust, a successful software entrepreneur; and Harlan Astor, New York real estate tycoon and the glue that holds their circle together.

That afternoon, over drinks at the Harvard Club, Harlan drops his bombshell: He is doing what James Cameron did not -- he is rebuilding the Titanic, and sailing the ship on the hundredth anniversary to honor those who died, including his great-grandfather, John Jacob Astor IV. Only Trevor is intrigued by Harlan's audacity. Touched by his friend's interest and concern, Harlan invites him on the maiden voyage to serve as the official chronicler.

On April 10, 2012, Trevor journeys to Southampton and, along with the hundreds of handpicked passengers, boards the Titanic. He is awed by the immensity of the ship and the feelings that well up in him. His friend has made his grand dream a reality.

During the journey, armed with his iPod Touch and a miniature wireless camera hidden in his glasses, Trevor interviews both passengers and crew, eager to learn the reasons why they chose to sail on the reborn ship.

Nearly every one of them claims to have been profoundly affected by Cameron's film, wanting to recapture the magic for themselves. And some of them are dying -- their last wish to be on the maiden voyage of the new Titanic.

Trevor is touched that his friend has allowed these people to come aboard, and is unprepared when he meets Madeleine Regehr, a beautiful, free-spirited woman who resists his entreaties to be interviewed, intriguing Trevor all the more. Slowly, and inexorably, Maddy draws him out of his shell, allowing him to love deeply and completely, for the very first time in his life.

But Trevor soon discovers a darker purpose for the voyage, a purpose that threatens to destroy him and the woman he loves. In a race against time that pits friend against friend, Trevor must stop the unstoppable or risk a horrific replay of history...



When I started reading this story, I was fascinated with the concept. Imagine, rebuilding the Titanic and having the chance to be on board.

Then I started reading and I was horrified to find out that something dreadful had happened on the ship. The person telling the story had been on the new Titanic and was supposed to be writing about his experience. However, it had been months since he had been on the ship, and he was still unable to write a word.

Finally, he got together with three of his friends, who had also been friends with the man who had re-built the Titanic, Harlan Astor. His great-grandfather had been one of the people who had gone down on the first Titanic. He explained that Harlan had led him to believe that he was building the ship in honor of those who had died, and he had wanted to make it an exact replica of the original.

Much of the story is told through interviews with the passengers and through their reasons for being on the ship. Their stories are interesting but sad in a way. When I finally realized why they were there, I didn’t want to read any more, but there was just enough going on to keep me guessing that I had to continue.

This author made the story so real that I felt he was telling it as it happened. It didn’t feel like a story, it felt like a conversation with me. Although it didn’t have what many would consider a HEA ending, it did, in fact have a good ending and one that was perfect for the story.

I enjoyed reading it, and couldn’t put it down, although a couple of times I tried. When I finally began to discover who was behind everything, and who was causing the problems, it still wasn’t over. When I finished the last page of the mystery, I gave a sigh of relief.

This is not a romance, although there is romance in the story, and it isn’t really a mystery, but it has mysterious things behind the scenes. It's just a well-written book that will appeal to adult readers of all genres.

4/5 Flowers

A graduate of Emerson College's prestigious film school, Bill wrote and directed his first feature film, Pawn, while still a student. After graduation, he co-founded Newbury Filmworks, Inc., an award-winning production company renowned for making high-quality corporate films and commercials.

In 1990, Bill relocated to Los Angeles, and began a freelance story analysis career for various studios and independent production companies, while devoting his spare time to the writing of novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is also a highly-respected graphic designer, specializing in book and dust jacket design. He has worked on books by such luminaries as: Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. In addition, Bill is a member of the Authors Guild.

He has won awards for his screenwriting, his two short story collections for Mid-Graders, Five-Minute Frights and Five-Minute Chillers, are perennial Halloween favorites, and his first novel, Titanic 2012 was enthusiastically received by readers. His second novel, Camp Stalag was released in 2001. Bill lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Debbie, and their sons, Jeffrey and Brian.

website: http://www.billwalkernovels.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000852734908

FTC DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book from Partners in Crime Tours and the author in exchange for my honest opinion.