The Woman in Cabin 10 Summary and Netflix Adaptation Hype

If you’re curious about The Woman in Cabin 10 ahead of the Netflix release, this post has you covered. You’ll find a full summary, an ending breakdown (spoilers ahead), my first reaction to the trailer, and why this book made me a lifelong Ruth Ware fan.

I still remember picking up The Woman in Cabin 10 the month it released back in July 2016. It was a total impulse read, driven by the Agatha Christie comparisons which, if you know me, are a surefire way to get my attention. While this book may not be the most Christie-esque of her works, it was enough to get me hooked. Since then, Ruth Ware has completely solidified her place as one of my go-to thriller authors. Her books feel like mysteries used to: tense, atmospheric, and not trying too hard to shock you for the sake of it. She earns her “modern Agatha Christie” label with how she builds unease… slowly, deliberately, and always in settings that beg for secrets.

So when I heard that The Woman in Cabin 10 was getting the Netflix treatment? Immediate excitement mode. I have watched the trailer many times while we wait.

Some stories are just begging for the screen, and The Woman in Cabin 10 is one of those book adaptations that makes perfect sense to bring to life on film.

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The Woman in Cabin 10 Summary

Travel writer Lo Blacklock is trying to get her footing again after a terrifying home invasion. When she’s offered a chance to cover the maiden voyage of a luxury cruise ship, the Aurora Borealis, it feels like the perfect professional reset. The ship is small and exclusive, with just a handful of guests and a sleek, high-end design. But things don’t stay serene for long.

Lo hears a scream and sees what she believes is a woman being thrown overboard from the cabin next to hers, Cabin 10. But when she raises the alarm, she’s told no one was ever booked in that cabin. All passengers are accounted for. The staff think she’s sleep-deprived or unstable. Still, Lo can’t let it go. She’s convinced there was a woman in Cabin 10, and that something terrible has happened.

As she digs deeper, Lo encounters cryptic notes, uncooperative guests, and a creeping sense of isolation. With limited communication and nowhere to run, the cruise becomes a pressure cooker. Lo’s sanity, and her safety, hang in the balance.

In the final act, Lo discovers that the woman in Cabin 10 did exist and was part of a plot involving identity theft and cover-up. Lo herself is eventually imprisoned and drugged to keep her quiet, but she escapes and exposes the truth. Her persistence cracks open a case that would’ve stayed buried beneath polished decks and sea spray.

The Woman in Cabin 10 Ending (Spoilers Ahead)

This story rides the line of unreliable narration the whole way through. Lo is traumatized, isolated, and dismissed at every turn, making you constantly question what’s real. But in the end, her instincts are validated. In the final act, Lo discovers that the woman in Cabin 10 did exist, and was part of a plot involving identity theft and cover-up. Lo herself is eventually imprisoned and drugged to keep her quiet, but she escapes and exposes the truth. Her persistence cracks open a case that would’ve stayed buried beneath polished decks and the sea.

Why this book makes sense as a movie

This book has always read like a movie in my head. Sleek interiors, ominous weather, eerie silences in hallways. Ruth Ware was able to bring all that to life with her writing. So it’s no surprise Netflix picked it up for adaptation. The film hits the platform on October 10, 2025, with Keira Knightley playing Lo Blacklock. Simon Stone directs, with a screenplay from Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse.

Between the confined cruise setting, the psychological unraveling, and the “is she imagining this?” tension, The Woman in Cabin 10 fits squarely into Netflix’s thriller lane. It’s got the same appeal as The Girl on the Train or The Weekend Away, but with that specific Ruth Ware moodiness.

What I’m hoping the adaptation gets right

Honestly? The claustrophobia. The cruise ship setting giving the ultimate locked room mystery vibe and suspense in this book. Not knowing who to trust, not being able to leave, and that haunting question: what if no one believes you? I’d love to see how the film plays with Lo’s paranoia and isolation.

I’m also hoping they don’t dial up the drama too much. The beauty of the book is in how normal it feels. No wild twists, just a creeping dread that something isn’t right. If they stay true to that tone, I think fans of the book (and thriller newbies) will love it.

The Woman in Cabin 10 Trailer Reaction: First Impressions

After watching the trailer, I can confidently say: the claustrophobia and paranoia are getting the vibe just right. That tight, uneasy tension is exactly what I remember from reading the book, and it feels like they’ve nailed that onscreen so far.

That said, the trailer didn’t quite get my pulse pounding like I expected. But that actually fits. Ruth Ware’s stories (especially this one) aren’t built on explosive twists, they build slowly, wrapping you in dread. The trailer reflects that same style. Very Agatha Christie, not twisty for shock’s sake, but unsettling in a quieter, more insidious way.

Visually, all the suspects looked perfectly guilty and openly hostile, which really helps heighten the paranoia. Everyone seems like they’re hiding something, which is exactly how it should feel.

The casting is superb across the board, but I’m especially loving Keira Knightley as Lo. She looks totally transformed, vulnerable but sharp, frayed around the edges, and very far from the polished period roles she’s known for. I think she’ll be a standout here.

The whole tone reminded me of The Lady Vanishes, that blend of isolation, suspicion, and slow-building tension with no safe place to land.

Book Facts & Release Info

• Title: The Woman in Cabin 10
• Author: Ruth Ware
• Genre: Psychological thriller / Mystery
• First published: July 19, 2016
• Netflix movie release: October 10, 2025

Read my original review of The Woman in Cabin 10 here.

Want more vibes like this?

If you love the maritime setting or thrillers set at sea, I’ve got a full list of maritime thrillers that tap into that same eerie isolation.

And if you want even more watch list recommendations, be sure to check out all the book adaptations here.

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