Lana and Kitty have been friends since childhood - both looking to escape home for different reasons, they set off on the trip of a lifetime. When they meet the crew of "The Blue" they slip into what seems on the surface to be an idyllic and easy going lifestyle sailing from place to place. But underlying tensions and secrets threaten the very fabric of their friendship - then tragedy strikes. Aaron has a ‘no-relationships’ rule aboard the boat. That makes sense because everyone aboard already has a very high maintenance relationship with the yacht herself & in such a confined space there’s no room for hanky-panky & the rivalries & hurt feelings that would ensue. Not, as we might expect, that the rule won’t be flouted & with the girls being two BFs & a Lesbian, the mixture is pretty volatile. Then Joseph, who was supposed to have left the crew in the Philippines, is discovered as a stowaway when they're two days @ sea. During a night watch Joseph mysteriously disappears. As Lana was passed out from too much partying at the time, she doesn’t know what happened to him. Did he go over the side by accident, or was it suicide, or foul play? And what should Lana, & the rest of the crew, do? The Blue was a beautifully addictive novel, the tale of a friendship put to the test and a tense psychological thriller with some really great characters.

The Blue by Lucy Clarke | Waterstones

Lana is the only crew member who thinks it’s wrong not to mention Joseph’s disappearance to the authorities. Describe what you might do in this situation, and if you can see reason in the rest of the crew’s ultimate decision. This is written from the perspective of Lana which limits the story and skews what you see as it based on what she sees. Wish I was on a Yacht…sailing off yonder tEinerseits hat es mir gefallen, dass die Geschichte auf zwei Zeitsträngen ("heute" und "damals") erzählt wird, weil so eben vieles lange unklar bleibt, obwohl man weiß, dass etwas passiert ist. Aber anderseits glaube ich, dass es der Spannung und dem Erzähltempo nicht gut getan und somit beide ein bisschen ausgebremst wurden. This book had so many twists that I couldn't put it down. Every time I was going to stop reading for the night something huge would happen and I would NEED to keep reading! The very last twist had my jaw hitting the floor. I couldn't believe what I had just read! I was absolutely stunned! Lucy Clarke dives deep into the darkest corners of human psyche. The story moves along at a moderate pace (which I quite enjoyed) allowing the reader to get emotionally invested into the characters and the outcome of the story. Much more than just another light, enjoyable read, this book made me think deeper about what decisions I would’ve made if faced with similar situations. I have already added Swimming at Night and A Single Night (also written by Lucy Clarke) to my reading collection. This is Clarke at her finest: thrilling plot, perfectly rendered scenery, and characters as real as your best friend—or your worst enemy. A spellbinding exploration of human nature, the bonds of family, and the beautiful mysteries of friendship and love, The Blue is a book worth staying up all night for.” The Blue” was not my first introduction to Lucy Clarke. In fact, I had the pleasure of being able to read “A Single Breath” not that long ago. Both “Blue” and “Breath” clearly illustrate the author’s obvious love for the water and all things oceanic.

The Blue’ for fourth UK original Paramount+ sails into ‘The Blue’ for fourth UK original

The story switches swiftly between Lana’s time on The Blue and the present, when she learns of the yacht’s accident. She thinks, “If [she] had known everything she does now, she wonders whether she’d ever have set foot on The Blue” (p. 39). What were your first guesses or inklings as to what had transpired within the crew after Lana’s departure? The author made the conscious decision to make every character on board The Blue be a young, fit person with the need for freedom. How much do you believe that youth inspires feelings of immortality and indestructability, and do you believe these feelings affect the crew and their attitude toward their journey? How do you think their attitudes change after The Blue’s accident, in the “NOW” chapters? When Lana leaves The Blue, she purposely misses her own opportunity to alert the authorities. Why do you think she does this? The Blue will be co-produced for Paramount+ by VIS – the international studio division of Paramount – as part of the streamer’s wider strategy to greenlight 50 new international scripted series in 2022.The characters weren't very likable and that includes Lana. It was hard to be vested in them. You only got brief interactions with the other crew members and generally not in a positive way. It made it hard to care about what happened to them. Two women set sail on a yacht with a group of strangers hoping for a carefree, exotic adventure, but their journey takes an unsettling turn.

Lucy Clarke Author Lucy Clarke Author

Have you ever felt the need to escape to an exotic new place? Go around the room and talk about your own vision of paradise, and how you might be able to attain that in some small way in your everyday life. BAFTA Scotland award winner Abigail Lawrie (Tin Star) and Rhianne Barreto (The Outlaws) are Lana and Kitty respectively. Jay Ryan (It Chapter Two) joins the cast as Captain of The Blue, Aaron Winbourne, whilst Sean Keenan (The Power of the Dog) is Aaron’s younger, charming brother Denny. Jake Macapagal (Metro Manila) is Captain Rhys from the local Filipino Police force, investigating the mysteries onboard The Blue. Dark secrets play a huge role in this book, as well as in your previous novels, A Single Breath and Swimming at Night. What is your attraction to characters with secrets?Secrets fascinate me. There is just something so irresistible about the words “Can you keep a secret?” In my novels I love exploring dark secrets—the ones that are tightly wrapped with lies, and presented as truth. Those are the dangerous ones—where everything is at stake if the truth surfaces. A spellbinding novel of the vastness of the ocean, a sailing expedition of a seven member crew on a 50 ft. yacht "The Blue" authored by Lucy Clarke. The lead writer for the series is Kris Mrksa (White House Farm) and Hans Herbots (The Serpent, Cobra) is the lead director. Executive Producers for New Pictures are Elaine Pyke and Willow Grylls with Kris Mrksa. As each of the crew members’ dark secrets slowly come to light aboard The Blue, the idyllic nature of this seeming paradise also seems to grow more sinister and claustrophobic. Talk about the ways the author attains this with descriptions of atmosphere, Lana’s mental state, her suspicions, and the confined boat.