Beneath the Surface ~ Review

Beneath the Surface
Dive Team Investigations #1
By Lynn H. Blackburn

When a training exercise uncovers a murder victim in the lake behind her house Leigh Weston's life is about to take on a dangerous twist. Having returned to her childhood home after dealing with a patient turned stalker, Leigh had hoped for a return to normal.

A weekend training exercise in Lake Porter was about as relaxing as Ryan Parker could hope for while being on-call for the weekend. As part of the Carrington County Sheriff's Office dive team, he found this a relaxing way to work. But when the exercise turns into a homicide investigation his weekend and that of the dive team just went jumped to intense and frustrating.

The unknown victim has had his identification quite effectively stripped from his person. And due to the location of her home and dock Leigh is asked if the department can make use of it for the duration of their investigation. With Ryan being her brother's best friend and her secret girlhood crush Leigh agrees.

All too soon Ryan finds himself dealing with two cases - the unidentified murder victim and the attempted murder of Leigh Weston. Could Leigh's stalker be back? Or is it just a strange coincidence?
All too soon it becomes apparent that Leigh is indeed in someone's sights - the question is whose. As the murder investigation takes an unexpected turn, the danger Leigh faces grows. Will they be able to determine who is after Leigh in time to save her life? Or will she too become a victim with unanswered questions left at her death?

For those who enjoy books with a steadily growing level of suspense that branches off into different directions give this series debut a consideration. Fans of Lynette Eason, Patricia Bradley, or Terri Blackstone will want to try out Lynn Blackburn's work as she writes in a style that will appeal to these readers. The reader is effectively kept in the dark as to who, where, and why as the story progresses so one's attention is completely engaged throughout. And for those who like a dose of romance mixed in with their suspense - well you will be thrilled to know Beneath the Surface has that as well.

A word of warning the murder is rather gruesome and does not make me want to join this investigative team - if I saw it I would probably be very sick and having nightmares for a very long time (Just saying).

P.S. the excerpt from the next book in the series promises to be just as intriguing so don't skip it!

I was provided a complimentary review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review - all opinions expressed are my own.



About the Book:

She thought she'd be safe 

when she moved

back home.

She was dead wrong.

After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she'd left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.

Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff's Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer--one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.