Dead Rich

Part locked-room suspense, part adventure story, Dead Rich is unforgettable.

‘Totally gripping‘ Jane Casey

‘A fresh, high-octane . . . thriller’ Vaseem Khan

Super yachts are secretive, like their owners. Like castles, they are created to inspire awe. Like castles too, they are defended. They are an entire world, separate from the rest of us.

Kai, a carefree once-successful musician is invited by his new Russian girlfriend Zina to join her family’s Caribbean holiday. Impulsively accepting he learns that Zina is the daughter of a Russian oligarch, Stepan Pirumov and that the trip is aboard his yacht, the Zinaida, moored in St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.

On arrival Kai discovers that the head of security has been arrested, armed guards are below deck, there’s an onboard panic room and a strong sense of all not being quite right beneath the gleaming surfaces of the Pirumov’s lives. An unnerving presence punctures the atmosphere: a murderous imposter is on board the Zinaida, but who is it?

Kai will find that the only person he can trust will be Erin and that the world of the super-rich will become a prison from which they must escape.

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What people say about Dead Rich

“Now this is timely – a thriller about what happens when oligarchs fall foul of Putin… It’s a gripping, well-crafted tale and Shaw easily makes the transition to blockbusters.” Simon Cooper, The Sun

“A real page turner.” Woman Magazine

“This is fabulous!” Janey Godley

“Unsurprisingly skilful is Dead Rich by G.W. Shaw (riverrun). Why unsurprisingly? Admirers of the talented William Shaw should know that he is also G.W. Shaw, and they will be happy to tackle his alter go, in the latter guise, he supplies writing that is quite as adroit as that written under his usual moniker.” Barry Forshaw, Crime Time

“A sun-drenched, blood-soaked thriller set on a superyacht in the Caribbean. It’s that most wonderful thing: a Thumping Good Read.” Mark Edwards

“GW Shaw delivers a superbly crafted, adrenaline-charged thriller that engages the reader from start to finish.” Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent

“I’ve been a fan of William Shaw for a long time now, but even by his high standards Dead Rich is an extraordinary book.” M. W. Craven

“A joyous escape of a book. A real adventure story set on the high seas, with engaging central characters and a pacy narrative. And because it’s by William Shaw, it is, of course, beautifully written.” Ann Cleeves

“G W Shaw… has set this timely thriller on an oligarch’s yacht in the Caribbean… and there is plenty of action to keep thrill-seekers reading.” Natasha Cooper, Literary Review

“Dead Rich is a cleverly crafted and suspenseful locked room thriller set against the backdrop of the high seas and the world of the super wealthy.” culturefly.co.uk

“Set on a luxury yacht, Dead Rich charts a twisty course between murder, lies, and the dark deeds of oligarchs. A fresh, high-octane take on the ever-popular adventure thriller genre.” Vaseem Khan

“A rip-roaring seaborne adventure thriller. Dead Rich provides thrills and spills in abundance, along with enough sailing lore to satisfy even the most jaded armchair admiral.” Mike Ripley, Shots magazine

“Like a sophisticated, turbo-charged reboot of Alistair MacLean, it’s a completely gripping thriller adventure set on the Caribbean Sea that’s plotted and paced with precision. Loved it.” Paddy Magrane

“Dead Rich is a totally gripping, impeccably crafted thriller that never slackens the tension for a minute. The brilliantly realised setting lets you take a holiday in a billionaire’s nightmare, and the plot has twists that genuinely made me gasp. Hugely enjoyable.” Jane Casey

“Devotees of the wonderful DI Cupidi books, set on Kent’s southern coast, need not worry, though: following last year’s brilliant The Trawlerman, it’s still recognisably the same considered, meticulous and careful hand at the tiller. We are at sea again in this uncannily prescient story of mysterious misadventures of the ultra-high-net-worth bracket, most of which takes place on board a Russian oligarch’s yacht. Dead Rich proves what repeat customers for Shaw’s books have known for several years now: this is an author who can evidently do pretty much anything he puts his mind to. In an afterword to last year’s book he mentioned how the first chapter had been written during a writers’ workshop: here he delivers another masterclass.” Angus Batey, The Quietus