Fun, engaging, and well-written closed-loop thriller
While not as captivating or insanely brilliant as last year’s These Deadly Games (one of my top 10 reads of 2022 and one of the best psychological thrillers I read last year no matter the age group it was written for), Lying in the Deep is a fun,thoroughly engaging, and well-written closed-loop suspense mystery with a nice dollop of thriller on the side. (Please note this is closed-loop and not locked-door, because there is a difference).
It’s really a good thing the blurb for this book is rather short on details and blunt in purpose, because this is a book you’ll want to go into blind. That’s one of the best things about a book like Lying in the Deep, where we have a large cast of characters from various locales that all suddenly find themselves in a somewhat trapped situation (a cruise ship, in this case). Each character has their own motivations, goals, purposes, and agendas. The only person we readers know and connect with is Jade, our protagonist, who really just wants to go on this semester-at-sea experience and try to heal the wounds from her boyfriend leaving her for her bestie and said bestie totally ghosting her. But then she can’t even do that because the two of them show up to board the ship, too. That’s only the beginning of Jade’s problems. Before this book ends, Jade’s had more problems than some people have had in their entire lifetimes and will need therapy forever. Trust.
Diana Urban has a knack for writing realistic dialogue for her characters, which can be a concern when you’re writing YA fiction dealing with trauma, grief, violence, addiction, and psychological issues. It’s a talent not every author has, but I saw it in These Deadly Games and again in this novel, and it impresses me. This book deals with all of these issues in one way or another, and Urban navigates it all so well I can’t help but be impressed.
My singular complaint about this novel was me guessing the turn from almost the beginning. I didn’t want to be right. I really didn’t. But everything else surrounding the back half of the third act was a surprise or a delight. I was just sad I guessed the turn.
If you haven’t tried Diana Urban yet, don’t be afraid to jump in with this book (and then go read These Deadly Games). It’s fun and a great closed-loop for the YA set. It also reminded me of why I will never go on a cruise ship, but that’s neither here nor there.
It’s really a good thing the blurb for this book is rather short on details and blunt in purpose, because this is a book you’ll want to go into blind. That’s one of the best things about a book like Lying in the Deep, where we have a large cast of characters from various locales that all suddenly find themselves in a somewhat trapped situation (a cruise ship, in this case). Each character has their own motivations, goals, purposes, and agendas. The only person we readers know and connect with is Jade, our protagonist, who really just wants to go on this semester-at-sea experience and try to heal the wounds from her boyfriend leaving her for her bestie and said bestie totally ghosting her. But then she can’t even do that because the two of them show up to board the ship, too. That’s only the beginning of Jade’s problems. Before this book ends, Jade’s had more problems than some people have had in their entire lifetimes and will need therapy forever. Trust.
Diana Urban has a knack for writing realistic dialogue for her characters, which can be a concern when you’re writing YA fiction dealing with trauma, grief, violence, addiction, and psychological issues. It’s a talent not every author has, but I saw it in These Deadly Games and again in this novel, and it impresses me. This book deals with all of these issues in one way or another, and Urban navigates it all so well I can’t help but be impressed.
My singular complaint about this novel was me guessing the turn from almost the beginning. I didn’t want to be right. I really didn’t. But everything else surrounding the back half of the third act was a surprise or a delight. I was just sad I guessed the turn.
If you haven’t tried Diana Urban yet, don’t be afraid to jump in with this book (and then go read These Deadly Games). It’s fun and a great closed-loop for the YA set. It also reminded me of why I will never go on a cruise ship, but that’s neither here nor there.