Deep Water

A great book by a great author! Deep Water starts out introducing lots of characters, but stick with it, they all have an important role throughout this realistic story. Deborah Coonts takes real life tragedies and gives us a view we don't get by reading newspaper accounts or watching tv. Great story, with lots of romance and suspense. Strong characters! I can't wait for book 2! I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book that I received from the publisher. Lynn k

Deep Water by Deborah Coonts is a fast-paced thriller about oil and the economic and political intrigue that go with it. And the power and danger that controlling it – or trying to control it – can bestow. This is the first book in her new Sam Donovan Mystery series, and I hope there are many more books just like this one. The story takes off at breakneck speed, introducing a lot of people, a lot of locations – and a lot of action. You have to pay very close attention to who’s who and what’s what. But it’s well worth it. This author is a favorite of mine, and I’ve learned from reading her other stories, especially the suspense, that every character, every word, has meaning and it will all come together in the end. So put on your thinking cap and get ready for a wild ride. The story is very contemporary and appropriate in today’s political climate. It doesn’t pull any punches. It’s intense. Everyone is playing a dangerous game and some will die. The suspense builds and builds and is almost unbearable at times. You’ll want to peek ahead, but don’t. The story has a little bit of everything: flying, oil, relationships, politics, the news media, danger, secrets, betrayal. It’s a big story with big personalities, big actions, and big consequences. Even the romance is intense, which is fitting. Light and fluffy wouldn’t be appropriate, and it would be annoying. The wording and actions can be rough, but it’s intentional and accurate for real life. The cast of characters is large but compelling. You want to know them better. This book was a pleasure to read. The plot is solid and the writing is excellent. The phrasing is nearly perfect, whether we are on the oil rig, flying, in danger, or having a romantic moment. The language and allegory are strong and descriptive, almost poetic at times. Once I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down. I received an ARC for an honest review. I highly recommend you start the Sam Donovan series with Deep Water. You’ll soon be anxiously waiting for book #2 just like I am.

The best suspense books have an element of truth to them. Personal experiences, because we’ve seen this happen before, ratchet up the tension because even though it is fiction we don’t want to see it happen again. Such is the case with Deborah Coonts’s latest release, Deep Water. We, as the reader, remember Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon deep water well blowout; we don’t want to see these things happen again. Full of twists and turns, with lots of seemingly unconnected threads, Coonts definitely keeps us guessing, even as she builds on our own fears. Everything isn’t tied neatly into a bow at the end, which makes everything even more haunting. Sam Donovan and Kellen Wilder are two of my new favorite characters. I look forward to seeing where this series goes from here. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

A wild ride! Oil, pilots, FBI, reporters, big business world. Nonstop excitement that gets you thinking. Really enjoyed this book!