Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
I was introduced to Andrew Mayne's writing by his first Dr. Theo Cray mystery, The Naturalist, and when I learned that this mystery was the first in a new series about a woman police diver, I knew I had to give it a try. At the end of The Girl Beneath the Sea, I had mixed emotions... but I'm game to read the next book in the series (Black Coral, released in February 2021).
Mayne certainly knows how to tell a riveting story, even though the plot seems to be a bit far-fetched at times, and he also knows how to create a main character with a distinctive voice. The youngest child and only girl of the McPherson family, Sloan is a self-professed "alpha wolf," and it's true that her brothers do not make appearances in this book. Her shady family background in treasure hunting and drug smuggling has made her believe that she's always got to prove herself to everyone, and it's this that I had the most problems with. As an alpha wolf, she thinks nothing of putting herself in extremely dangerous situations with no backup, and I found her occasional TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) moments exasperating, especially since she's a single mother. If the story hadn't been so compelling, I would have stopped reading for this reason alone. I can't stand women who are TSTL.
However, as I said, Mayne knows how to tell a compelling story, and there are two things I really liked about The Girl Beneath the Sea: (1) teaming Sloan with DEA agent George Solar, a man she hates for putting her beloved uncle behind bars, and (2) the underwater scenes. Mayne is a diver himself, and he brings the underwater sequences to life. There's a lot of fascinating information about diving and the underwater world to be learned here, and he really had me squirming whenever Sloan was diving in those murky Florida canals. (I love the water, but I want to be able to see what's in the water with me if you know what I mean.) Teaming Sloan with George Solar puts a cap on those hare-brained solo stunts of hers and makes her grow up emotionally.
Even though the plot seemed a bit unbelievable from time to time, and even though I wanted to shake some sense into Sloan whenever she decided to dive in and save the day all by her lonesome, I do want to read the next book in the series. If Sloan continues her ill-advised ways in the second book, that's when I'll call it quits.
Mayne certainly knows how to tell a riveting story, even though the plot seems to be a bit far-fetched at times, and he also knows how to create a main character with a distinctive voice. The youngest child and only girl of the McPherson family, Sloan is a self-professed "alpha wolf," and it's true that her brothers do not make appearances in this book. Her shady family background in treasure hunting and drug smuggling has made her believe that she's always got to prove herself to everyone, and it's this that I had the most problems with. As an alpha wolf, she thinks nothing of putting herself in extremely dangerous situations with no backup, and I found her occasional TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) moments exasperating, especially since she's a single mother. If the story hadn't been so compelling, I would have stopped reading for this reason alone. I can't stand women who are TSTL.
However, as I said, Mayne knows how to tell a compelling story, and there are two things I really liked about The Girl Beneath the Sea: (1) teaming Sloan with DEA agent George Solar, a man she hates for putting her beloved uncle behind bars, and (2) the underwater scenes. Mayne is a diver himself, and he brings the underwater sequences to life. There's a lot of fascinating information about diving and the underwater world to be learned here, and he really had me squirming whenever Sloan was diving in those murky Florida canals. (I love the water, but I want to be able to see what's in the water with me if you know what I mean.) Teaming Sloan with George Solar puts a cap on those hare-brained solo stunts of hers and makes her grow up emotionally.
Even though the plot seemed a bit unbelievable from time to time, and even though I wanted to shake some sense into Sloan whenever she decided to dive in and save the day all by her lonesome, I do want to read the next book in the series. If Sloan continues her ill-advised ways in the second book, that's when I'll call it quits.
