Into the Drowning Deep

Into the Drowning Deep
Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire), 2017

Premise: A ship went out, intending to film a shlocky “documentary” about mermaids. No one was seen again. The footage was discredited. Seven years later, another expedition is launching.

This book has all the complex and diverse characters, gruesome horror, and scientific plausibility that I expect from this author. It’s a horror movie on the page: introducing characters and steadily building foreshadowing, then shifting into high gear for the lengthy sequence of action scenes that lead to the climax. Said climax is perhaps a tad anticlimactic, but still great.

The cast is a complex ensemble led by Victoria, an underwater sound researcher looking for answers about her sister’s death on the earlier ship, and Olivia, a reporter for the entertainment network sponsoring the voyage. These two characters each have their trauma and their angst, but the way they find their way to hold onto each other in the face of all the death and horror is quite sweet.

Other notable characters include a trio of talented sisters with various scientific specialties, a cynical older woman whose life’s work was proving the existence of mermaids and her estranged husband who works for the network, and a pair of semi-sociopathic big game hunters who are part of the security team.

This is another winner from a reliable author. Gripping and tremendously enjoyable.

4 Stars - A Very Good Book