Charlotte Brogan's debut novel, The Lifeboat, is a story of man vs. wild, man vs. man, and man vs. himself. By man, I mean human. As chivalry in 1912 dictated, the majority of the passengers who secured seats in the lifeboats of the sinking ocean liner were women, including the main character, Grace Winter. She recounts the events that occurred while stranded at sea from a jail cell; she is on trial for her role in those events.
The novel centers on one lifeboat's passengers' quest for survival. As conditions deteriorate and the days pass without rescue, the passengers become more desperate. With no land, food, or fresh water in sight, leadership and loyalties are questioned, and a new conflict arises-- man vs. woman.
