It was probably four chapters before I really stopped to take a breath. It’s been awhile since I had a read like that viscerally engaging, so kudos to Mayne. From that gut-clench beginning, it slows down a bit into a Hollywood version of a police procedural–I won’t spoil it, but suffice to say following leads often ends in surprises that aren’t just DNA related. I enjoyed it a great deal. I feel like he didn’t quite stick the landing, although on the surface, I’m not sure why. I was satisfied emotionally, and it makes since plot-wise. It just didn’t quite taste right.
What sets this series apart from the average airport thriller? I prefer mine with the type of story that doesn’t drag me down into the deepest swamps of human thought and behavior (aka skip the serial-killer perspective). I love it even more when it manages to avoid being full of -ist characters–I get enough of that in real life, thank you very much, so I don’t mind my fiction being a little bit sanitized with some idealism–so bonus points for a female lead. Because the unit is part of an underwater investigation team, there’s ample opportunities for water-related shenanigans, which resonates with my own interest areas. Honestly, couldn’t be happier. I’m glad I can go back to read book 1 while I wait for Mayne to come out with book 4, Sea Castle, in February.
