In the Cold Blue Depths

A stormy sailing trip brings hidden conflicts to the surface

Fulfilling a long-cherished dream, Caroline and her husband Andrea plan a sailing trip to the wild, romantic Swedish archipelago. Andreas’ young law colleague and his girlfriend join them on board, along with the inscrutable, intriguing skipper Eric. The holiday begins with breezy, sunny weather and fine dining. But the sea soon turns choppy and unspoken conflicts make the mood below deck increa-singly oppressive. Until one momentous night, a terrifying storm breaks out. Full of exciting twists and evocative descriptions of nature, Kristina Hauff describes what’s raging under the surface of seemingly perfect lives. And a night when a deadly threat brings fateful truths to light.


“I’m still out of breath. And thrilled. What an electrifying sailing trip! It reminds me of dramas like The God of Carnage because of its explosive relationships.”
Simone Finkenwirth, Thalia Erlangen

“I love how the protagonists are sketched. The story picks up speed, like the wind, and I was gripped. Sure to sell well.”
Hannelore Wolter, Thalia Erlangen

“Once again, Kristina Hauff proves herself a master of the psychological Kammerspiel. The way she spins a web of hidden conflicts and truths kept me holding my breath until the brilliant finale.”
Petra Schulte, emotion

“Kristina Hauff tells her story through the alternating perspective of four passengers, each of whom offers interesting insights: At times, we view an event our conversation from one person’s perspective, then from another’s. Bickering, sensitivities, and inadequacies surface, and it becomes clear: A beautiful appearance can be deceptive. An unbelievable read!”
Die Presse am Sonntag

"My tip after reading this highly exciting, fast-paced, and frightening novel: Keep your eyes open when choosing your holiday companion. After all, vacation should be the best week of the year for you, too."
Nicole Bräuning, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Regionalbuch Fürstenfeldbruck

"Kristina Hauff explors how relationships fail dramatically in the claustrophobic confines of a sailboat, which, like the couples themselves, gets caught in stormy seas. It is fascinating how her characters unmask themselves and at the same time nature unleashes its forces."
Dominique Salcher, Münchner Merkur

"From the very beginning, you are intensely aware of all the characters – you truly know them. You get the feeling you’re the sixth passenger on the sailboat."
Marietta Bernasconi, WDR 2 Reading

"Kristina Hauff, herself a passionate sailor, distills psychological terror into a gripping Kammerspiel, in which all certainties begin to waver - and liquefy. A book you can't put down!"
Rupert Sommer, In München

"A psychological Kammerspiel below deck – tension is riveting and released in such small ways: in anger, in sex…And then the storm comes and you feel that anything could happen!"
Daniel Kaiser & Katharina Mahrenholtz, NDR Kultur

"You read the book breathless the whole time, both because it is so incredibly exciting and because you have no idea what Eric is hiding. You eat it up because you desperately want to know: How does it end, what does it mean? Simply the best entertainment"
The Book Podcast