7/10 stars

Andrew Mayne has been getting a lot of good reviews – and a lot of publicity – in recent years. Specializing in well, specialist police procedurals/mystery thrillers, where the protagonists have each unique skillsets and viewpoints markedly different from your run-of-the-mill police detectives, Mayne made a name for himself. I guess his previous career as an illusionist gave him a lot of experience in creating intricate structures and patience in preparing the big show in incremental, consecutive steps, because that approach is clearly noticeable in his newest book, Black Coral. Black Coral is the second installment in the Underwater Investigation Unit series, but can be read as standalone.

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In Black Coral, the main protagonist is a young woman with a long and convoluted family history in (legal or not) treasure hunting, which through an archaeological degree and extensive diving experience she managed to turn into an entirely legal occupation in a police department. Sloan McPherson is a likeable lead, headstrong and intuitive and flawed, prone to mistakes that can be ascribed to her youthful arrogance – from constantly overextending herself and overestimating her abilities to being easily provoked and having an enormous chip on her shoulder. McPherson was for me not entirely believable as a character – there’s a very juvenile side to her that just doesn’t seem to gel well with the “responsible mother of a teenager and a seasoned detective” schtick and the level of irrationality in her decisions was just a too high. All in all, she was at times a bit much and I’m glad that her presence was mitigated by other characters – a very convincing father/mentor figure of McPherson’s boss, George Solar, and her new sidekick/Watson, an ex-Marine Calvin Hughes. The latter needs some work to become less stereotypical and more three-dimensional, but the beginnings are quite promising and Hughes’s presence adds another dimension to Sloan’s varied relationships.

That said, my favorite character in this book was Florida. Mayne depicts the U.S. favorite retiree state with a gleeful focus on all things criminal, and describes a lively environment of crooks, thieves, murders, corrupt politicians, ne’er-do-wells, child molesters and ex-convicts with an enviable panache. Yet the most memorable are definitely Everglades: the swamps are indeed a perfect setting for violence and secrets, and Mayne makes great use of them, introducing a spectacular minor villain in the form of a giant alligator, Big Bill. I also enjoyed reading about the ins and outs of diving – the technical details are judiciously sprinkled throughout the narrative and never become boring.

The rest is mostly your run-of-the-mill procedural. Serial killers and cold cases, red herrings, pissing contests between agencies, politicking, institutional backstabbing and maneuvering, you name it. But it’s fast and entertaining, with a straightforward main plot arc that keeps the tensions high even in the moments dedicated to one of the many side arcs – be they personal problems, institutional difficulties, thefts from luxury yachts or just loads of alligators with a taste for human meat.

I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t turn my nose up on some of the plot solutions and coincidences, which I’d generously call highly implausible. But that’s, again, part and parcel of the genre. All in all, though, Black Coral is an enjoyable, fast-paced mystery thriller with a strong setting, a cast of likeable characters and an interesting procedural angle. I sure hope that Big Bill will return in future installments!

I have received a copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review! Andrew Mayne was always an author that I recognizes the name, but had never read until this point!

The instant I started Black Coral, I knew I was in for treat. I didn't even realize this was the 2nd book in Underwater Investigative series until about 1/2 way thru! A page turner that had:
depth in character,
a fully developed story that didn't stray or try to hard to be something it wasn't
clever twists that still felt bound in reality
points that will make great conversation at our book club. In fact, I suggested we read an Andrew Mayne title before the year is out! I am sure that will snare some more AM fans!

Thank you for introducing me to an author that I now need to go back and catch up on all his previous novels....then anxiously await new titles!

BLACK CORAL (PolProc-Det. Sloan McPherson-Florida-Contemp) - Ex
Mayne, Andrew – 2nd in series
Thomas & Mercer, Feb 2021, 317 pp

First Sentence: Everyone is looking at me funny.

The Underwater Investigation Unit is called out to a submerged van at Pond 59. The passenger has been recovered; but Detective Sloan McPherson, the team's top diver, needs to recover the driver. Rather than one, she finds three bodies in the van, and evidence of a fifth person having been involved. The investigation puts McPherson and the UIU on the trail of the serial killer, while also trying to catch a thief stealing millions of electronic equipment off mega-yachts.

Mayne has a great voice layered with wry humor—"If you have any questions, please contact us through our website," George concludes." … "We have a website?" I ask in a whisper." He is a true storyteller who creates wonderful characters that play into one another. One wants to share passages of his writing with others. Not every male author writes women well. Mayne is one who truly does, and it is a pleasure to read.

Slone is fully dimensional. There is a nice injection of the character's personal life which adds to balance to the story, injecting light into the dark. There is realism in admitting no one is a perfect parent. one provides compelling She is introspective both about the case—"I see two different men in front of me. One is the monster. The other is the victim. The victim didn't make the monster, but it sure did nurture him.", and her life as a cop—"…where do I go from here? Catching the New River Bandits was a good thing, but in no way deeply fulfilling."

Having Sloan be an archeologist, as well as a diver and cop, brings dimension to the character and opens interesting doors. The plot is very well done and filled with surprises, yet none of them feel contrived. The things one learns are unusual.

Periodic references to events from the first book, don't distract from the current story, nor does the crossover reference to Mayne's Theo Cray series. This book stands nicely on its own merit.

Of the two cases, one is fairly straight forward, but the second takes one down a surprising, twisty path with some definite "Oh, my" moments. Although the main plot is about a serial killer, the book is far more suspenseful than gory.

"Black Coral" is an excellent read full of humor, suspense, wicked good twists, and a very unexpected ending.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when a "thriller" novel doesn't "thrill" me. And that unfortunately was the case with this novel. I never got a sense of urgency with anything that was going on (even when these were scenes that were of importance to the plot). I also never felt a connection to the characters, especially Sloan. I get it - she's one heck of an investigator, but she's also just... annoying. I especially hated her inner monologue, I can read the dialog between characters (or the little things that were nuanced but not mentioned outright) and draw my own conclusions. I don't need to hear her opinion on every little thing.

I also felt as though things happened a little too easily for her and the team. They stumble on a scene and somehow despite it having happened over 30 years ago, they are able to determine certain aspects of it? And then not only connect it to other crimes, but find the location of a burial ground? And mostly on the word of an addict? I would have liked to have seen more investigating and less having things seemingly handed to them.

Even the ending didn't have the OH MY GOODNESS impact on me that I am sure the author intended. Instead, by that point I was just kind of like "oh okay".

All things considered, I think this author has a lot of potential. And I know this book will appeal to others in a way it didn't to me. But I doubt that I will continue on with this series.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Wonderful thriller. This is another brilliant story by Andrew Mayne that will thrill you and keep your suspense high. Gutsy diver Sloan even tackles an alligator. I loved it. I highly recommend it.

Black Coral continues the exploits of the Underwater Investigation Unit. When Sloan accidentally discovers an old van that has been drowned in a local body of water, she has no idea that she is stumbling upon one of the crime scenes of a decades old serial killer. As more evidence is uncovered that doesn't mesh with what local authorities believe, Sloan dives in to figure out what is really going on.

There is a lot of detail and at points is a bit slow, but overall is a great thriller. I couldn't wait to see what evidence would be uncovered next and how Sloan would cleverly use it to help solve this crime. She is tenacious and won't give up, despite facing resistance.

Overall I enjoyed this book as much as the first in the series, and can't wait to see what Sloan does next. It is suspenseful and it's not easy to guess what will happen next. I recommend if you enjoy thrillers.

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book has it all - alligators, a subzero cold case, punchy action sequences, and of course... a serial killer! Plus I loved the little easter egg of referring to The Naturalist series midway through. Sloan is such a wonderful choice of heroine - she's smart, sexy, and so devoted to her job. She really takes each of the crimes to heart in trying to solve them and that's something I don't feel like we see much in thriller series. Overall a great follow-up novel and I can't wait to read the third.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I love a good crime thriller and this one did not disappoint. I will definitely be reading more by Andrew Maybe. This book was quick paced and completely captivating.

Sloane McPherson of the UIU (Underwater Investigative Unit) is a police diver called into assist with recovering a body from a just-sunk car in Pond 65, haunt of Big Bill, a vast and ill-tempered alligator. By necessity, it’s a quick job, but while evading Big Bill, Sloane spots a sunken van. Something bothers her about it enough to push for the van’s recovery… and when four bodies are found in the back, Sloane can’t quite let the case go.

Soon enough, links start to appear to other cases, and it becomes apparent the UIU might be on the trail of a serial killer… one who’s been operating with impunity in the Everglades for thirty years. Of course the FBI come in to take over the case… but Sloan can’t quite put her finger on what’s nagging at her. Something’s not right, and she can’t just walk away.

Sloan’s a fascinating character and there are a host of intriguing supporting characters, from her maverick boss George to her treasure-hunting family. This is apparently the second book in the series, and I’m pretty sure I’ve missed a lot of character background, but I didn’t have any issue keeping up with the main storyline here as it’s a complete (and riveting) arc. Sloan’s personal life is just side colour.

I’ve visited the Everglades a couple of times and Mayne has really captured them here, the lushness and the menace, the wildness of them sometimes just metres away from civilization. Miami is here in all its glory; yachts worth hundreds of millions and trailer parks where sex offenders congregate. Sloan is fascinating because she moves just as comfortably in both places - which is to say, just as aware danger might come from the person right next to you.

I really enjoyed this. Sloan is hyper-competent but far from infallible, and aware she still has a great deal to learn about investigative work. This is a very different type of police procedural - I don’t think I’ve ever read one from the point of view of a police diver before - and I’m absolutely hooked. I’m going to go back and read the first in the series, and I’ll be looking out for the next one too. Five stars.

I give this one three and a half stars. I was simply intrigued by the cover and plot description for this one. I have never read any Andrew Mayne before this; so if you have not read the first book in this series, I do think you can read this as a stand alone. (Though now I want to go back and read the first one.) I was just super intrigued about the underwater diving unit and how Sloan McPherson was going to navigate the murky waters of this crime. (Pun intended!)

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer Publishing, and Andrew Mayne for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is book 2 in the series. Even though I haven’t read book 1 I didn’t feel like I was missing out on much other then maybe a little background information but that didn’t affect my reading experience. Really enjoyed it and was hooked from the beginning. It’s a totally different take when it comes to a police procedural storyline as it focuses more on the underwater investigative unit. I found it really interesting. Loved Sloan McPherson as a strong female character but felt at times ‘strong female’ was a little overdone. With the dual storylines the suspense really keeps you turning the pages and the pace was just right but then in the flip of a page there was a sudden rush to figure it all out and come to an end. That was a little disappointing as it seemed the build up didn’t gel well with the follow through to finale. It really is something different and I will look forward to the next instalment.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 2nd of March.

(N.B To clear up some confusion, I realised there was a review for a different ARC here so I’ve replaced it with the right review. Apologies)

Andrew Mayne is back with his Underwater Investigative Unit and I have to say this installment was even better than the first. Plenty of action, alligators, and adventure. Sloan seems a little sharper than the last time around, and the plot is fast-paced and exciting, as usual.

‘Black Coral’ (Underwater Investigation Unit Book 2) by Andrew Mayne (Thomas & Mercer, $11.69)

If Andrew Mayne’s currently owning the Top 2 two spots in one bookseller’s “Sea Adventures Fiction” designation doesn’t resonate with you, take another look. That’s a category typically home to authors you recognize by a single name: Melville, Cussler and Martel among them.

“Black Coral” is the second in Mayne’s Underwater Investigation Unit series, and with the return of auxiliary Lauderdale Shores PD officer Sloan McPherson, Mayne elevates his storytelling even above his best-selling first offering, “The Girl Beneath the Sea.”

In “Black Coral,” McPherson is again making her own way in a field not known to be dominated by women. Here, she and the Underwater Investigation Unit discover a van at the bottom of a Florida pond. Initially, everyone assumes that the bodies of the four teenagers are from an accident that happened three decades ago. Everyone, that is, but Sloan. Sifting clues better than anyone on the task force, she’s certain that the scene was not an accident, but homicide.

Soon after, when new deaths begin, Sloan is afraid she’s awakened a monster. Setting a trap for a serial killer is dicey, but that’s only one of the challenges Sloan must face in the pursuit of truth.

Not one to take sex- and other “ism’s” lightly, Sloan’s temper gets her kicked off the team and placed on administrative leave. But like every good sleuth holstering a true North Star and hair-trigger disposition, Sloan stays on the case and unearths more victims. The resolution comes at a price for all involved, and not everyone is willing to pay.

Sloan is not Mayne’s first fictional creation. His Jessica Blackwood series earned an Edgar Award nomination, and his diverse talents include work as a magician with the likes of David Copperfield. Both are fitting and show in “Black Coral.” Mayne weaves real magic into this suspense tale, keeping readers at a distance until the final reveal.

I loved this book! I’d almost classify it as a mystery and thriller in one which I absolutely can’t get enough of. This reminded me of Criminal Minds and SVU so that is already another win for me! The characters were really strong and I liked all of their connections with each other. The plot kept me going until the very end too. I never expected all of those twists there. Amazing!

In Black Coral, Detective Sloan McPherson is a diver with the newly created Underwater Investigative Unit within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

While pulling a car accident victim from a canal, Sloan finds a thirty-year-old crime scene. Four long-missing teenagers are the victim of a serial killer who hasn’t been active lately. However, now that the crimes are being reinvestigated, the killings begin again and Sloan is targeted. Can she solve the crime before the killer murders her too?

This novel is a well-plotted serial killer police procedural. The Florida setting allows you to learn a lot about gators and why you don’t want to move to Florida! Overall, Black Coral is a pleasant read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I read the first in this series from Amazon First Reads and got hooked on the series as well as all of the author's other books! Sloan is an awesome character and I couldn't put this book down. Please write lots more of this and your other series too!

Black Coral is the second instalment in the Underwater Investigation Unit (UIU) series, set in Florida. Detective Sloan McPherson, a diver for the Florida UIU, is called in to retrieve a corpse from the 'gator-infested Pond 65 after a car ended up submerged having run off the road; of the two individuals in the car one had survived and one was not so lucky. As the task is in progress, however, Sloan stumbles upon a sunken van containing four bodies requiring a second more extensive search, which is not a task she particularly enjoys due to the notorious Big Bill, a rather sizeable alligator who was known to roam these parts. Thankfully she emerges unharmed, but after looking into the van she discovers it was last seen when four teenagers disappeared thirty years ago never to be seen again. It would've been bad enough had they met their end through reckless driving or being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence but Sloan realises the circumstances are much more sinister than that. By looking into each of the high-schoolers' identities she comes to believe that they met with foul play at the hands of a ruthless serial killer. Despite being a decades-old cold case, Sloan hope to find out the truth and bring closure to the families, but when they are informed of what likely happened to their offspring by her superior, UIU head George Solar, the parents respond by taking their pent-up anger and endless grief out on one another by shouting and placing blame. She interviews as many of those from the victims' past as she can locate until she comes upon some lucrative information.

School friend of all four victims — Ethan Rafferty — implicates Sleazy Steve as a possible perpetrator and who he claims was possessed by a demon the mates were obsessed about at the time. Soon more bodies become tied to the case and a similar but fresh murder takes place in the Everglades notifying all local law enforcement (LE) of the case Sloan and newly-appointed UIU member Scott Hughes had been quietly looking into. A manhunt ensues and Sloan finds herself fighting other LE agencies, who want to get a piece of the action, to keep control of the case. It culminates in Sloan being kicked off the task force for a snarky but understandable response to a patronising Broward County detective before being placed on temporary administrative leave. Can she somehow continue her investigation on the down-low and help bring a ruthless serial murderer to justice? This is a riveting, compelling and refreshingly original police procedural with a multifaceted plot and plenty going on to sink your teeth into. There's never a dull moment and the amalgamation of the different parts that make up the thoroughly engrossing and compulsive plot had me hanging on Mayne's every word — the descriptive portrayal of the Everglades ecosystem and its varied and often dangerous inhabitants, the thrilling action of the serial killer manhunt, the office politics and the personal development, trials and tribulations of Sloan, a young woman at a crossroads in her life who must work out exactly who and what she wants to be, all make for nail-biting suspense. Highly recommended.

Sloan McPherson is back with the UIU. I really like this series. Mayne gives you a good mystery to solve with the uniqueness of the Florida wetlands and diving. The threat of predators of the reptile variety adds to the case.

It’s a cold case that turns into a current case. The book is fast paced and full of action. I can’t wait to see what’s next I. The series.

I did not realize this was book two in a series when I requested it, but fortunately it is written in a way that it did not feel required to having started at the beginning. That said, I will most definitely be reading the first book and any continuation of books in this series!

What attracted me to this book (besides the awesome cover art) is that it takes place in Florida, where I happen to reside as of a year ago. So that made me feel automatically connected to the story because the surroundings felt familiar. In addition, I really liked the premise - even though underwater diving scares the stuffing out of me, but hey - I'm addicted to that heart pounding feeling, so I "dove" in anyway.

Sloan McPherson is a police diver working in Florida where she works for the Underwater Investigative Unit (UIU) and is assigned a case involving a car going off a bridge and into a pond.

She dives to locate the car and ends up discovering a van with four bodies inside. Turns out they are the bodies of four young local people that went missing 30 years prior after attending a rock concert. An accident it was everyone deems it off the cuff but Sloan, despite warnings to leave it alone, follows the leads and believes they was foul play involved. She links them to previous historical missing person cases, she determines she has stumbled across a serial killer from the past.
When a new female body is discovered shortly afterwards in the Everglade, Sloan knows the killer is still alive with the news of his past awakening his dormant killing spree. Will Sloan be able to catch this guy before he strikes again?

I really enjoyed this book - it was such an easy, fast paced read. I really enjoyed the suspense and thrill of watching everything unfold throughout Sloan's investigation. Thrillers like these can sometime disappoint with the ending - but that was NOT the case here. I was absolutely happy with it and thought it was a nice bow put on the story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to have an ARC to read and review! I've discovered a new author that I enjoy in the process and look forward to reading the first book in the series as a follow up!

My Review:⭐️⭐⭐⭐/ 5 stars

This is the 2nd installment to the Underwater Investigations Unit series by Andrew Mayne and as a fan of the investigative police/crime shows & books, I was excited to start this one. Even though I did not read the first book, the author did a great job catching you up. It follows the story of Sloan McPherson, a police diver (who is also studying for her PHD in archaeology) who discovers an abandoned van underwater in Pond 65 in south Florida (where giant alligators are the norm). There are 4 bodies inside of teens who went missing thirty years ago after a rock concert. The police want to pass this off as a crazy drug induced night gone wrong. Sloane has a feeling in her gut there is something more to this - possibly a 5th person involved, maybe even a serial killer. As Sloan and her team keep investigating, more bodies keep turning up in the Everglades. This killer seems to have decades of experience hiding in plain sight as Sloane has to think of trickier ways to lure them out.

If you are a fan of police procedural thrillers, then definitely check this out. I really enjoyed the underwater parts of Sloan and Hughes digging and trying to keep away from sharks/alligators/crocodiles. It was very interesting to learn about how this team does their work. My only complaint might just be with Sloan and her really annoying inner dialogue - she is equally brilliant in her investigative hunches, but also incredibly oblivious when talking to other people.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!