An Amazon Charts bestseller.
For a Florida police diver, danger rises to the surface in an adventurous thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Naturalist.
Coming from scandalous Florida treasure hunters and drug smugglers, Sloan McPherson is forging her own path, for herself and for her daughter, out from under her family’s shadow. An auxiliary officer for Lauderdale … shadow. An auxiliary officer for Lauderdale Shores PD, she’s the go-to diver for evidence recovery. Then Sloan finds a fresh kill floating in a canal—a woman whose murky history collides with Sloan’s. Their troubling ties are making Sloan less a potential witness than a suspect. And her colleagues aren’t the only ones following every move she makes. So is the killer.
Stalked by an assassin, pitted against a ruthless cartel searching for a lost fortune, and under watch within her ranks, Sloan has only one ally: the legendary DEA agent who put Sloan’s uncle behind bars. He knows just how deep corruption runs—and the kind of danger Sloan is in. To stay alive, Sloan must stay one step ahead of her enemies—both known and unknown—and a growing conspiracy designed to pull her under.
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A unique take on the usual crime thriller with so much of the action taking place on or below the water. This was my first time reading Andrew Mayne and I enjoyed the story. I’m planning on reading the next one in this series.
I fist-punched the air and yelled, “Yes!” as I turned the last page of THE GIRL BENEATH THE SEA by Andrew Mayne. One page in, the book took me hostage and wouldn’t let me go. That’s what I call an adrenaline-jacking book!
4.5 Stars
“Sometimes you don’t get to choose your struggles–they choose you.”
After just 2 books (and yes, I read them out of order), the UIU series has become a fav! I absolutely luv Sloan McPherson’s character, and the trouble she always seems to get herself into. A fun, fast paced thriller I highly recommend!
I’m a long time scuba diver and enjoy reading about the sport. This book gave me alittle trouble in spots as to the actions of the main character, her dad, and the over all of fighting underwater. Some of the battles underwater were a little over the top and I couldn’t ever think I would be capable of doing what Sloan McPherson did untanked!! That being said, the book gave me a good suspenseful read for a couple of days. I liked all the characters, in spite of some non human feats, and was glad to see the ‘mystery’ wrapped up in the end with promise of the continuation of the UIU with her coworker George Solar. Looking forward to their adventures.
I was immediately drawn into this book from the first scene and stayed engaged until the end. Sloan McPherson is a scrappy Florida girl who works part time for Palm Beach PD as a diver. On a day off she turns out to be in the wrong place at the right time and finds herself being investigated for the murder of the body she discovers. But her pursuers don’t know who they’ve targeted, and Sloan is not one to roll over and beg for mercy. The story takes a turn toward drug cartels and dirty law enforcement and she doesn’t know who to trust. George Solar is a cop with a past, and though seeming to be Sloan’s worst enemy at first, turns out to be a saving grace. I kept picturing Woody Harrelson for this character. Something about the eyes, and the wry approach to life. Anyway, I really enjoyed the underdog takes on the machine theme and Sloan with the help of George, never lets up on her quest for solving the case that treads a little too close to home. I also loved how her father who has been written off by many as a loser and a dreamer turns out to be a huge help when it comes to finding and keeping important proof. The only thing that tripped me up was occasional micro-detailed descriptions that I found hard to see in my mind’s eye. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book. Sea Hunt Extreme! Lloyd Bridges would be proud. #Covid-19reading.
The Girl Beneath the Sea (Underwater Investigation Unit Book #1) by Andrew Mayne is the start of a new suspense/thriller series featuring a female law enforcement diver. This book has everything I look for in a thriller: a strong protagonist, realistic fast-paced action and continual escalating threats with surprise twists and turns. This book also has the added intensity of being set in the world of professional divers in south Florida.
Sloan McPherson comes from a long line of scandalous smugglers and treasure hunters, but she has chosen the path of law enforcement. She is an auxiliary officer who dives for evidence recovery to pay her way through school working towards her PhD. and to support herself and young daughter.
She surfaces from a dive, looking for archeological artifacts, to discover the recently murdered body of a childhood acquaintance. The former family ties set up Sloan to be considered a suspect.
As Sloan tries to find out what really happened, she finds herself entangled in a plot that involves dirty public officials, secret government agencies and a ruthless cartel with only one ally; the cop who put her uncle in prison.
This is a new-to-me author who blew me away. I was completely immersed in all the action and intrigue even though I have never scuba dived in my life. All the descriptions made me feel as though I was right there under water with Sloan while never slowing the pace and they never felt like a lecture or info dump.
Sloan is a protagonist that I hope to follow for quite a while. She is intelligent, determined and strong, has an intense need for justice no matter what and is a loving and protective mom. I am also hoping that Run will play a bigger part in her life. This is the first book in the Underwater Investigations Unit (UIU) series and I am looking forward to seeing what investigations Sloan and George Solar get involved in in future books.
I highly recommend this new book and thriller series and I cannot wait for more!
If you want a book that is riveting, full of intrigue, and well written, this is the book for you. I love reading anything that has to do with boats and water, so this one fits the bill.
I hate giving a bad review. Usually I can find something fun to touch on, even in stuff I don’t really love. This book is rough. The main character is just painful. The intrigue is bad, and you can tell they did not consult people in the LEO or DOD community for this. I enjoy the odd over the top crime story, but the level of suspension of disbelief you need for this is pretty impressive, and I am a little over halfway in. I’ve read great crime procedurals and excellent spy novels, this is like the B- rated movie combination of both.
It was a free read this month on Amazon, and passes the time. I wouldn’t pay to read it or the sequel, though.
I love that this author does his research on the knowledge base of his different characters with different expertise
This book has plenty of twist and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end.
Became a little tedious in the middle with very tech explanations
A Good Light Summer Read
The heroine, Sloan McPherson, a PhD candidate and a local police recovery diver, is diving in a Southern Florida canal looking for archeological finds for her advisor. When she surfaces, she discovers a body floating in the canal that wasn’t there when she started her dive. She calls 911, and police show up. She is asked for her driver’s license. Since she still is in her wet suit, she goes to her car to get her purse. She discovers that her driver’s license is missing. Sloan says to herself, “The killer knows who I am. The killer knows where I live.” I was attention was captured right here.
The main storyline proceeds with high tension scenes with adequate twists, turns, and misdirections that kept my interest. The author stacked the deck for tension not only with the antagonists but also within the protagonists. Sloan is very independent and will do what she thinks best at the time even if it goes against her training and surely test her physical limits. Her father who taught her how to scuba dive took her out on many treasure-hunting expeditions, some of which he may not have reported to the state of Florida. He also helped a friend built custom boats with hidden compartment. There is Run, a nickname, for the father of Sloan’s young daughter. He helps significantly in parenting responsibilities, but Sloan will not marry him. Lastly, there is George Solar who was the lead investigator of Sloan’s uncle Karl for drug smuggling who now lives rent free at the pleasure of the State of Florida. Eternal hatred would be too light of a description of Sloan’s feelings towards George. At times, the internal conflict seems greater than the external conflict. Most of the above is provided by extensive B-storyline threads significantly in the beginning of the novel but still throughout the novel.
There are not any intimate scenes in the novel, but Sloan has the mouth of a sailor. As I am retired from the U.S. Navy, I definitely am qualified to make that statement. Also, Jackie, her young daughter, has a mouth on her also. There is some violence but even though much of it is described as it happens, it was not near to being over the top. So, if you are offended by excessive language, reader be forewarned.
The only aspect of this novel that left a little questioning was several of the underwater scenes. I am not a scuba or free diver, but they seem stretching the envelope of creditability, but this is a work of fiction. They kept the tension high and the storyline flowing.
Overall, my assessment of this book is an action thriller. As such it would be a good summer read for you as it was for me. I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to reading the next novel in this series. As it did not engage the intellectual side of my attention, I could not give this novel five stars. I rate it with four stars.
a quick, entertaining read
I am a diver and enjoy most all books in this genre
I really enjoyed this book. The details about diving and police procedures were believable and added depth to the story. I am looking forward to the sequel.
Action-Packed, engaging, and suspenseful!
In this first installment of the Underwater Investigation Unit series, The Girl Beneath the Sea, Mayne has written an adrenaline-pumping tale featuring the intelligent, impulsive, police diver Sloan Harper who inadvertently becomes a suspect and a target when an old childhood acquaintance winds up dead and her family’s disreputable reputation and history as treasure hunters quickly becomes both an asset and a liability.
The writing is sharp and crisp. The characters are secretive, persistent and ruthless. And the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat with its short, intense chapters that submerge you into a menacing tale full of twists, turns, deception, corruption, mayhem, danger, revelations, power, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Girl Beneath the Sea is a tortuous, intricate, pacey mystery that’s a wonderful start to this new series by Mayne with its well-drawn characterization, nice sense of urgency, and thrilling conclusion.
The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne is a fast-paced thrill ride from start to finish. I loved all the underwater scenes.
Will Sloan figure out what is going on before she ends up as fish food?
Sloan McPherson
Sloan is our investigator, a professional diver, sheriff’s deputy, and a former treasure hunter. She has a daughter, Jackie, and a complicated relationship with Jackie’s father. Sloan finds a body while diving for herself and ends up being under suspicion for multiple things. All of which she has no idea. Sloan follows the investigation, and it changes her life.
I like Sloan; she is edgy, smart, and part fish. Ok, that last part isn’t true but…you’ll have to read the book and see if you agree. However, she also has a chip on her shoulder and low self-respect. Sloan is a good mom, though, and her family loves her.
The Mystery
Sloan is dragged into a case of government conspiracies, where she doesn’t know who can be trusted. She finds a strange ally in George Solar, the man who put her Uncle Karl behind bars for smuggling. Together with the help of her family and his contacts, they set out to find what the DIA agents are looking for. They make a good team, but the assassins just keep coming. For every item, they learn there is a consequence. Sloan and Solar keep following the clues, but Sloan keeps moving for Jackie’s safety.
Five Stars
I was totally drawn into the story and on the edge of my seat. Sloan is a great character, and Solar is a perfect grumpy partner for her. These two are willing to take risks too. The scenes were superbly written. I am not a diver, but I believed it. So, my rating for The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne is five stars. If you love thrilling mysteries, then you’ll like this one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Sloan McPherson has been diving since she was very young with her expert father teaching her. She has searched for artifacts, but in recent years has become a part of Lauderdale Shores Police Department. They use her regularly for evidence recovery, since she is very familiar all the South Florida waterways.
One day when she is doing a dive, she surfaces to find a body that seems to have just been dumped while she was underwater. At first, this puts her as the prime suspect, but as time goes by she and others realize the situation has much deeper roots in some really scary criminals. Soon she comes to fear more for her young daughter than herself. Can she protect herself and those she loves from harm?
Andrew Mayne is a new to me author. I am thankful Thomas & Mercer shared an advanced reading copy of this wonderful novel to read and review. I have truly become a thriller reader in the past year or two and Andrew Mayne is master of the genre. This male author gets how to write an authentic, strong female protagonist. Sloan “marches to a different drummer” in regards to her career choice and her relationship with her daughter’s father. She is loving, but tough and wants to seek justice and what is right.
Another standout character is George Solar. He is a DEA agent who arrested Sloan’s uncle who was into lots of illegal activities. Solar is a intelligent, highly trained man and partners up with Sloan despite their past.
The author sets this book in South Florida where he grew up and the phrase “write what you know” serves him well in this story. Even if you have never been to this area, he brings it alive for you. The forensic and crime details are well researched.There is lots of heart stopping action.
Andrew Mayne has a legion of fans who call them themselves “Mayniacs” Since I loved THE GIRL BENEATH THE SEA, I will be looking forward to the next adventures of the Underwater Investigation Unit in the future.
What started as a routine dive ended with a dead body. For Sloan McPherson, this isn’t such a big deal since she works as a diver for the Lauderdale Shores PD. Recovering bodies and evidence from the water is what she does. But when she discovers she knows the victim, things start to get dicey for her and her entire family. Forced to team up with her family’s arch enemy, she wonders what more can go wrong.
Sloan McPherson is one heck of a woman. Coming from a family of treasure hunters, she’s now going to college and working as a diver for the police department to support herself and her daughter. She walks a thin line while balancing her personal life with her work life, which is hard considering her father and uncle have run afoul of the law more than once. However, she’s a dedicated mother to her daughter, Jackie, even if she does make some dumb choices at times. Thankfully, she has Run – Jackie’s father – to help out and make sure Jackie doesn’t wind up an orphan. Sloan is smart and witty and although our lives are nothing alike, I found it easy to relate to her and her struggles.
I didn’t like George Solar much at first, but a lot of that is due to the fact we’re in Sloan’s point of view and she didn’t like him at all. She wonders, so of course, I did, too, what he’s up to and if he has an ulterior motive. As the story progresses and you get more of his history, his personality starts to shine. In the end, I wound up really liking him a lot. He is good at keeping secrets but seems to only do it out of necessity. It drives me nuts when one half of a team won’t tell the other why they’re doing something. George was as up front with Sloan as he could be and I appreciated that.
The Girl Beneath the Sea is an action-packed mystery that takes you all over Florida in search of answers. From the beginning to the end, I was on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put this book down. I’m excited to see what case George and Sloan handle next as well as where Sloan’s relationship with Run goes in the future. Since the sequel isn’t due out until next year, in the meantime, I’m going to have to check out the author’s other novels.
Adventure Story
No sex
Suitable for mid-teen – adults.
Some limited harsh language
Action-style violence/nothing stomach-turning
For grammarians: You will NOT be reaching for your red pen. Any mistakes are so minor as to be forgettable.
Written in a flowing style that kept me going long after I should have turned out the lights.
Sloan, who lives in Florida and works for police in underwater investigations, literally bumps into a fresh corpse when she’s doing a recreational dive. Things get messy. Things get concerning because of corruption in higher and higher places. Things get downright dangerous. Who should she trust?
From the first pages I loved this main character. She’s smart, but not so smart she’s unbelievable. She knows her limits but is willing to take her chances to save lives.
Recommended recommended recommended!
See also his short story, Fire in the Sky. It’s about a 30 – 40 minute read, suitable for middleschoolers – adults.