When the dive team is called in to recover a body from a submerged car, they aren’t prepared to find an encrypted laptop–or an unsettling connection between investigator Adam Campbell and the dead accountant. Adam turns to his friend Dr. Sabrina Fleming–a professor at the local university with unparalleled computer security and forensics skills–to recover the files from the laptop. But the … But the deeper they dig, the deadlier the investigation becomes. When evidence uncovers a human trafficking ring and implicates members of Adam’s own family, he and Sabrina will have to risk everything to solve the case.
The truth could set hundreds free–but someone is willing to do whatever it takes to silence anyone who threatens to reveal their secrets. Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn invites readers back to Carrington, North Carolina, where everything is not as it seems and sinister elements lurk behind the idyllic façade.
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I was extremely excited to hear that I had been chosen to be part of Lynn Blackburn’s Street Team in September! I had stumbled upon the first book in this series by sheer accident, as I thought that it was Christian fiction that sounded interesting to me – so I downloaded it unto my Kindle! I ended up sharing the story and characters with my sister and daughters, too. And together, we anxiously awaited the release of In Too Deep .
The entire gang returns to play a role in the next installment of the Dive Team Investigation. Along with the stars of the first book, Ryan and Leigh, Anissa and Gabe also return. Their banter had me laughing out laugh at times. When I am reading, I enjoy series of books where the author allows us to get to know characters more deeply over time. As each of the characters interact, their dialogue enables me -as the reader to get to know them like a friend, I’m spending more and more time with. I loved this about Lynn’s book! Her dialogue revealed personalities and at times, it seemed like I even heard voices of each of the characters as I was reading…
The book opens with Adam being paged during his Sunday meal with the Campbell family. The Carrington County Sheriff’s office find a body from a car that had been submerged and the Dive Team is called. Along with the body, a laptop is also found. Even more disturbing, there is a mysterious link to Adam, himself and he does not know why. Because of the encrypted laptop, the team brings in Dr. Sabrina Fleming, a local professor of cybersecurity and forensic computer science.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the way Lynn masterfully brought us along. She was able to develop Sabrina and Adam’s characters and relationship very naturally while weaving a plot twist that I did not see coming. As a Christian, I always appreciate the way authors can demonstrate the complexity of characters and the fact that their faith is integral to one’s identity, no matter what their occupation. In Lynn’s book, the characters, realize that they must pray for safety, direction, and wisdom. I was reading, they did just that, both individually and together and it was a natural outflow of people that have put their faith and trust in a Sovereign God.
Lynn did a marvelous job with In Too Deep and now here at the Kfam household, we’re anxiously awaiting the third book in the series… We cannot get enough!
In Too Deep gripped me! There is so much that goes on in this story. Not just suspense wise. Not just romance wise. But let’s solve a crime that’s more complex than anything you can think of. I LOVED it!!
I can’t wait for book 3!
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. My review was not required not influenced.
I remember being wowed by the first book in the series Beneath the Surface. This second book In Too Deep gets a double wow. Lynn H Blackburn spins an incredible and fast-paced romantic suspense complete with non-stop action, an intricately and tightly woven plot with gasp-worthy twists, a thought-provoking look at modern-day slavery, and wonderfully memorable characters. If you enjoy contemporary inspirational romantic suspense, this book is a must read!
In this book, we get better acquainted with Sabrina, the brainy, dedicated, and somewhat socially awkward professor of tech and cyber security and Adam, our diver team homicide investigator who comes from money and privilege. If you read the first book, you would already know that there is definite attraction brewing between these two but their story can definitely be read as a stand-alone. Adam is incredibly sweet but so insecure and hesitant because he’s never been wanted for who he is, only for his family’s name and money. Sabrina and Adam are thrown together again as Sabrina’s life becomes threatened and a homicide investigation spins out of control. Such nail-biting suspense!!
I can’t wait for Gabe’s story next. Hopefully it will be Gabe and Anissa….?
I was given a copy of this book from the author and Baker Publishing Group and was under no obligation to to post a review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
I just have to say Wow. This was a great story of suspense. As the mystery deepens you never know what is going to happen next and to who. The story pulls you right in. The love story between Sabrina and Adam is a long time coming and proves that love is patient. Human trafficking is interwoven into the story and it really brings to light things you may not even be aware of. Wonderful story with engaging characters and storyline. I received a complimentary copy and I am voluntarily reviewing.
This book is a revelation. The dive team backdrop is fantastic, the action and suspense leave you wanting more, but woven in is the haunting truth behind labor trafficking. You won’t want to miss this thought-provoking book.
This story is fantastic! It is filled with drama, suspense, romance, surprises, and more! It is well written, moves along naturally, keeps your attention, and has some great chemistry between the two leads in the book. I had not read a book by Lynn Blackburn before, but I currently have book one in this series waiting for me. Looking forward to reading it!
I received a complementary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
A thrilling fast paced novel that keeps the readers on the edge of their seats! Lynn H. Blackburn kept the readers in suspense throughout the entire novel. She weaved together many clues throughout the novel, but I was still shocked at how everything was resolved. This was a wonderful romantic suspense novel that kept me up way past my bedtime! I can’t wait to read the third book in the series!
A forensic dive team in North Carolina is the focus of Lynn H Blackburn’s series, Dive Team Investigations. In book one, we met the team members and focused on Ryan and Leigh’s story. Book two, In Too Deep, tells the chilling tale of Adam and Sabrina. While I believe the book could stand on its own, I started out feeling that the team members were already my friends, not people I had just met.
What’s to love about this book? Blackburn strikes a good balance between great romantic suspense and relationship-driven narrative. What I loved most is that Sabrina is intelligent beyond belief, yet that character trait is countered by an unusual lack of common social skills. In other words, a great, but lovable, flawed protagonist.
Heavy topics are handled within these pages. My antennae went up. We’re talking about sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Where is the author taking me? Guilt, awareness, action? For me, I choose awareness.
I loved that prayers are a part of everyday needs in the novel, and some are spoken aloud. They’re not preachy, but natural, clear, and honest.
Points to Blackburn for exhibiting a sense of humor at a few critical points. Some thoughts just made me laugh. Try “baby cops.” Another was a paragraph listing Sabrina’s many injuries, followed by the statement she had never looked more beautiful. That just tickled my funny bone.
Thought-provoking quotes:
“You love the victims and the victimizers. We don’t understand that, Lord.” (How true!)
and
“…it’s not about how big our faith is. What matters is how big our God is.” ~Sabrina
I highly recommend this series, and can’t wait for Gabe and Anissa’s story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are solely my own, and no positive review was required.
Though this one took me a little bit of time to read, I really enjoyed it. I normally would have finished this in a few days, I’m sure, but December is kind of crazy, and there were some extra situations this time.
What a great story. Adam and Sabrina’s story is tense, serious, yet so sweet and tender. Sabrina’s naivity is endearing. Her story is hard yet I related to several aspects of it. Adam is oh so tender toward Sabrina. His romantic gestures are swoony! The mystery in this one kept me turning the pages… and definitely kept me guessing! I did NOT see that coming. And that there is trafficking in the story just tugs my heart that much more, as that is a passion of mine.
A GREAT read! I highly recommend! I can’t wait for Gabe and Anissa’s story!
When the dive team is called in to recover a body from a submerged car, they aren’t prepared to find an encrypted laptop–or an unsettling connection between investigator Adam Campbell and the dead accountant.
Adam turns to his friend Dr. Sabrina Fleming–a professor at the local university with unparalleled computer security and forensics skills–to recover the files from the laptop. But the deeper they dig, the deadlier the investigation becomes. When evidence uncovers a human trafficking ring and implicates members of Adam’s own family, he and Sabrina will have to risk everything to solve the case.
This is another winner for Ms. Blackburn. It was well worth the wait. The mystery was great as well as the romance. I did find it hard to believe that Sabrina and Adam could work after almost getting blown up. But like a movie, anything is possible. This is a great book and I had trouble putting it down. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in anyway.
In Too Deep is the second story in the Dive Team Investigations series and this story focuses on Sabrina Fleming and Adam Campbell. Sabrina’s knowledge of computer science and her skills in forensics are well known to the Dive Team and she is asked by dive team member Adam to help recover the files from a computer that was found submerged with the body of an accountant in Lake Porter. What follows is a case that may change Carrington, North Carolina forever and even affect some of Adam’s own family.
I was intrigued from the very beginning with Sabrina’s extensive computer skills and I enjoyed seeing her relationship with Adam develop. As they both work to uncover the secrets hidden in the encrypted computer it is apparent that Adam is head over heels in love with Sabrina but she is at first oblivious to his feelings. In fact, all of the other dive team investigators know how he feels before she does and there are several light-hearted moments when they tease Adam. I liked Sabrina and Adam and the team dynamics and I felt like I was actively involved with this group of friends. I also enjoyed that I could catch up with some of the characters from Beneath the Surface.
As the investigation continued and the proof of money laundering and the suggestion of human trafficking emerged, I found myself realizing that there are many different forms of human trafficking and I understood Sabrina and Adam’s race to solve this case. The fact that they both were believers only made their efforts more realistic and their faith is often shown in their moments of reflection and of talking with God.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series but this book can certainly be read by itself. I thoroughly enjoyed In Too Deep and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense and Christian fiction.
I received a complimentary copy from the author and I was not required to offer a positive review. These are my honest opinions.
What an exciting second book in the series! I really liked the first one, Beneath the Surface, but liked this one even more!
As a self-proclaimed wimp when it comes to all things scary and yucky, I have to again say how much I appreciate that author Lynn Blackburn has such balance in her stories, making them fully suspenseful and yet not dwelling on the gory and the depressing.
I loved the character of Sabrina, or Bri, as Adam called her. She was the brilliant, nerdy professor who assisted in the computer-related situations. So when a laptop was recovered from the submerged car of a woman who was suspected to be a murder victim, she was the one called in. Bri could have been made too perfect, she was, as I mentioned, super intelligent and she was beautiful. Yet again, the author had the right balance and gave her a social awkwardness that made her perfectly imperfect.
Adam was captivated with Bri and had been since he met her several years earlier. Yet he didn’t feel like he was free to act on that attraction. I loved the way that once he realized he could, how awkward he was at first. And then he was just simply sweet in the way he wooed and cared for her. His jealousy when the “baby cops” were falling all over themselves around Bri and the fact that he considered these young officers as such was too cute! I also thought it was so sweet that though he was from such an important family in the community, was wealthy and poised in so many ways, he was insecure about letting Bri know he liked her.
The attraction between Adam and Bri practically sizzled off the page, and yet neither of them thought the other was interested in them that way. I was very impressed with the way the author wrote this so I could actually feel this as I read.
I have read other books that deal with the subject of human trafficking and found them very depressing and having unnecessary details. Again, I marveled at how the author gave due diligence to the subject without dragging the story into the mire of depression and depravity. And coming from the perspective of the people trying to make a difference rather than that of the victims was wonderful. I loved hearing their passion for righting the wrongs that had been done.
If you enjoy suspense and romance, don’t pass on this one!
Read with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book for free. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
I unintentionally finished this book is 24 hours. I just couldn’t put it down!
Solid plot, endearing characters, and the most adorable romance <3
Surely Lynn H Blackburn us an author to keep an eye out for!
Adam and Bri are just so much fun hanging out with - Adam with his gentleman ways and Sabrina with her authenticity. It's impossible to not cheer for them and want to punch whoever is trying to put them in danger.
And danger they are as supposed names attached to legacies are threatened, but all this journey teaches where true treasure and worth is to be found.
Impatiently waiting for the next book 🙂
This is the second book in this series and absolutely love it! It’s suspenseful, romantic and inspirational! Can’t wait for her next book in the series! Lynn H Blackburn is one of my favorite new author! I’m also listening to this book on audio and love it too!
This story has it all — page turning suspense, heart racing romance, and a subtle but deep inspirational thread. I loved the twists and turns of the investigation while seeing Adam and Sabrina fall in love. I highly recommend this romantic suspense. Full review is at my website.
I received this book complimentary from the author. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
Oh my, another author to add to my “must read” list! I suspected that after reading Lynn Blackburn’s first novel in this series Beneath the Surface but In Too Deep definitely confirmed it for me. The author combines compelling mystery and suspense with engaging characters, a touch of romance, and a splendid sense of humor to provide readers with an exceptional experience.
Like many recent novels, In Too Deep focuses on human trafficking but approaches it from a different angle than most that I have read. When murder is involved, the Dive Team is brought in to investigate and what they find takes them on a dangerous mission. I loved this story that features Adam from the Dive Team and Dr. Sabrina Fleming, a forensic computer analyst. The camaraderie and teasing among the team members added a natural element and helped to relieve the tension. The fast-paced plot was full of twists and surprises that kept me on edge until the very end.
I enjoyed In Too Deep very much and can’t wait to dive into the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
I love books where the ending is a total surprise, so I love this one! The dive team is called in when a car is found submerged in Lake Porter with a female occupant. She is deceased and they ponder, suicide, failed brakes, was she run off the road, murder? As the investigation goes deeper and deeper they find more twists and turns. The female main character, Sabrina, is attacked at her home and almost dies, then she along with two others are almost killed when a bomb explodes within a few feet of them. When the investigation team realizes her life is in danger, she has at least one or more bodyguards 24/7.
There are a few romantic sparks as well when she and Adam, from the dive team, begin being honest with each other. Even though some of the same characters appear from book one, this can still be read as a standalone. The edge of your seat suspense, the occasional humor and the romance made this an enjoyable read for me. I loved all the characters and felt like I really knew them. And the ending….totally out of left field! I never could have guessed in a hundred years. That’s my kind of suspense!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher but was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise.
AMAZING! This book was amazing. I read a LOT of Christian suspense/mystery books and “In Too Deep” was superb. I adored Sabrina and I really want to be a part of the gang’s group of friends. I loved the humor element in the book, I laughed out loud multiple times, which was a great addition to the mystery and danger of the book. This had a great mystery and the character I suspected as one of the main bad guys was completely wrong, and with the amount of cozies and suspense books I read as well as the cop shows I watch that is HARD to do. I loved the first book in this series and now with this one, this series is safely my favorite suspense series ever. I need Gabe and Anissa’s story NOW!
Favorite lines(some of them!):
“It’s not that I’m not a morning person,” Anissa said. “But no one is a four-hours of sleep person. I can’t even pretend to be perky on anything less than five.”
“We never ratted him out for being in love with Sabrina, did we?’ Gabe laughed so hard he choked on his cookie. Anissa speared Ryan with her most disapproving look. Sabrina looked up from her laptop and shrugged. “You’ve already told me it was love at first sight, so this really isn’t new information.”
I received this book from the publisher and author in exchange for my honest review, which I have posted above. All thoughts are my own.
What a fantastic book! Pulls you in from the very beginning. You feel like you are friends with all the main characters because they come to life. I felt like I was on the team helping to solve the case! This one will keep you guessing until the very end. Also interwoven through the whole book is the powerful promises from Scripture. Great reminders of who God is and how much He loves us, walks beside us, and cares about every part of our daily life. Lynn is a wonderful storyteller and makes the little details of the book so vivid you really feel like a part of the book. Highly recommend for everyone to go buy this and read it!!
My favorite genre’ to read is Christian suspense, and that means I have read a lot of it. I can honestly say this author is one of the best I have read. I was wowed with the first book, and the wowing continued in book 2.
I enjoy a series of books where the same main characters are in the whole series, but each book centers on a different person in each book. This series revolves around 4 members of a dive team of investigators, who do most of their work on land, but obviously diving is part of their work.
Book 1 centered on Ryan, and book 2 on Adam. It is normal to have a favorite character in a series, and I was hoping book 2 would center on Gabe….the one who has the funniest lines in the book, and was disappointed when that didn’t happen…..but how wrong I was to be disappointed. Though it didn’t seem to me that Adam was much of an interesting character in book 1, that was proven wrong in this book. I came to like him and Sabrina very well throughout the book, though the author has created some great and likable characters besides them.
This may be a slight spoiler, but isn’t anything that will ruin the book: the main plot of the book revolves around human trafficking. Though the book and accounts of it are fictional, the reality that it exists in our country is not fiction. Though it is sad to read even of fictional accounts of it, it does one good to be reminded there is such evil in the world, and even in our own country.
In Too Deep was full of suspense, drama, romance, and humor. I may have mentioned it in the review for the first book, but Blackburn is a master at the banter between her characters, and I was laughing out loud a lot throughout the book. The romance part…. I may be a bachelor for life, but I am a romantic, so I usually enjoy that part of romantic suspense, and this one was done very well. It is refreshing to read a book where there is no whirlwind romance that ends with a marriage at the end of the book. In this case, the couple had known each other for 2 years, and just had never acted on their mutual attractions.
I like to figure things out in a suspense novel, yet I also enjoy surprises…. and the book had plenty of those. A lot happened that I didn’t see happen, and the motives for things were a surprise also.
I enjoy police procedure and crime investigation, and though I am no expert, Blackburn’s description of those were not only interesting, but seemed like what would actually happen.
This was truly an great read from start to finish, and had a very awesome ending. It may be better than the book it follows. It definitely left me wanting to read more in this series, and more from this author.
My copy of In Too Deep was given to me in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.