The Girl Beneath the Sea by Andrew Mayne – Review

Published: May 1, 2020

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Series: Underwater Investigation Unit #1

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 328 (Kindle)

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

Synopsis:
For a Florida police diver, danger rises to the surface…

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 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. 

---

I have enjoyed every single one of Andrew Mayne’s book series and the Underwater Investigation Unit series is no exception. Thus far, the crimes being investigated are firmly in the realm of the real and don’t have any odd pseudo-paranormal vibes that the Jessica Blackwood series had. 

Sloan McPherson is a part time police diver when she’s not busy working on her PhD, which happens to also involve diving. When she’s out doing some underwater archaeology, someone throws a body into the canal she’s working in and unfortunately, it turns out to be someone she knew as a child. This turns into a rather thrilling and terrifying investigation into drug cartels, rogue government agents, and a search for millions in missing money.

This book balances the mystery/thriller aspects really well with Sloan’s everyday life, as she does have a young daughter, a handsome ex, and an interesting family in general. I think those aspects, particularly her concerns for her daughter’s safety in light of Sloan’s dangerous investigations, help make the story feel more grounded. I also like the juxtaposition of Sloan’s police work and academic pursuits and her family’s history as treasure hunters and criminals. She goes above and beyond to try and separate herself from the negative aspects of her past, and so much of that is because of the cop who busted her uncle for running drugs. The now retired cop that keeps showing up where Sloan is snooping around.

This was a really fun book, as all of Andrew Mayne’s books have been. It’s different enough from his other tales and characters that the stories are memorable. No blending together here! I picked up the second book in the series (ebook and audiobook are included with Kindle Unlimited!) and have already finished it as well! I’m hoping to have that review up soon!