The Woman in Suite 11 is the second novel of Ware’s to feature protagonist Lo Blacklock. Lo and six other characters in this novel first appeared in The Woman in Cabin 10, published in 2016. Since the new novel is technically a sequel to that one, knowing some background is useful.

The Woman in Cabin 10 begins with Lo’s flat being broken into while she’s home, but her boyfriend, Judah, is out of town for work. This trauma frames her experiences aboard the luxury cruise ship Aurora, which is mirrored in how her trauma aboard the ship frames her experiences at the Grand Hotel du Lac in The Woman in Suite 11. In both novels, Lo is on a writing assignment from Rowan; she’s a travel journalist.

On the Aurora, Lo borrows mascara from the woman in the cabin next to hers, Cabin 10. This woman turns out to be Carrie. Ware references the mascara in The Woman in Suite 11; it’s part of Carrie’s message inviting Lo to reconnect at the Grand Hotel du Lac. Lo also meets Cole, a photographer, on the ship. He flirts with Lo, but she turns him down because she’s loyal to Judah.