Delaware author AJ Wooding will sign copies of his debut novel, "If They Knew," at 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24, at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach.

When Theo Parrish’s father dies, he inherits more than grief. He inherits Parrish Cruise Lines, the start-up company his father spent years building. Determined to prove himself, Theo boards the company’s first vessel for what should have been a simple training voyage.

Without warning, a merciless storm hits. The ship’s communications fail, power falters and the vessel is left dead in the water.

"'If They Knew' is a  dark psychological survival thriller that I describe as 'Lord of the Flies' meets 'Yellowjackets,' aboard a luxury cruise ship," said Wooding. What begins as a training voyage becomes a fight for survival when the ship disappears for nine months. 

As days bleed into weeks, supplies dwindle and desperation sets in. The question is no longer when rescue will come, but who will still be alive when it does.