tl;dr: The second book in the Underwater Investigation Unit series completely blows the first book out of the water (forgive me). More grounded cases make this book far easier to buy into and the introduction of a new character helps add some more personality to the book. There are regular twists and turns throughout the novel and the weaving together of two cases helps keep the book interesting throughout. I blew through this in one day and I now rank it among my favourite thrillers.

Summary: Sloan McPherson, lead diver/investigator for the new Underwater Investigation Unit, is called in to help recover a body from a car that flew off of a bridge. After recovering the body, Sloan finds a van under the water and insists that it's brought up, something's not right about it. With the case of the van rapidly growing larger than UIU could have imagined, they're also trying to catch a group of thieves who steal expensive equipment from yachts in the area.

Thoughts: I loved this book. I wish that the first book had been more like this one. The main case involving the van is fascinating and regularly takes unexpected twists and turns, with even a few red herrings thrown into the mix. The side-case of the yacht thieves adds some nice variety into the novel and helps increase the suspense as the chapters regarding this case often occur right after a development in the other one. Both cases were very believable, certainly more so than the one in the first novel, so it was really easy to get invested in both of them.

The new character introduced, Hughes, is a former navy diver and compliments Sloan and George's characters well. He adds a nice new dynamic to the group and while his character isn't super-fleshed out, there's enough backstory to get a good picture of who he is.

There's less involvement of Sloan's family in this one, though her relationship with her daughter does get a good amount of focus and development. The only thing I really took issue with was that there wasn't really any development in her relationship with her daughter's father, it doesn't matter too much and I'm sure a lot of people won't care, but Sloan's family is an important part of her character and I would have liked to have seen more in that regard.

All in all, this is an incredibly compelling thriller that I'd certainly recommend to fans of the genre, I would say you could probably skip the first one if you wanted to but it is worth reading (and this book doesn't come out for a while anyway).

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy of the book.

4 1/2 stars. Very well done. Good development of characters and subject matter.I like the writers style, and will look forward to his next book.

Thoroughly enjoying this series the characters are interesting and interact well with each other. The story was fast paced,full of twists,building to an exciting conclusion.

A great follow-up to Book 1 (which I did read)! I was hooked from the beginning and since I do enjoy serial killer mysteries, this was right up my alley. As a Florida native and current resident, I love to read books that take place in my home state. I really like the whole idea of the underwater Investigative unit and look forward to seeing how this department grows and it’s relationship with other law enforcement agencies.

Looking forward to Book 3!

Thank you #netgalley and #thomasandmercer for the eARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for my advance reading copy of Black Coral.

I enjoyed this one a lot, and intend going back to read the first one. I'm a big fan of maritime and underwater intrigue, especially when it relates to treasure hunting! This wasn't your average treasure though, what Sloan, along with Hughes and Solar, was hunting, was a seriously dodgy killer. A killer who managed to evade capture for rather a long time. Sloan McPherson is part of the U.I.U, and is a gutsy, ballsy chick, albeit a bit reckless. I loved the description of the murky water, the gators, the van and Big Bill in his lair. The atmosphere created is creepy and ominous.

There was a lot of action, and I like Sloan, I really do, I also like Hughes. I can see this unit growing in strength and reputation, and being quite a force to reckon with, despite being seen as the underdog in many ways. The pace moved along nicely and I found myself pondering the outcome on a number of occasions.

The one thing I did not like was the graphic mention about the python killing. I don't understand why anyone adds something like that to a book - it doesn't lend itself to the story in any way and it can be quite off-putting for a number of readers, there are a few people out there who feel that way. In any case, I glossed over it completely.

Aside from that, this was a good read and worth picking up if you feel like a bit of adventure. I give it 3.5 stars.

Of all the thrillers I have read, I think this one hooked me the fastest, mostly due to the fact that it starts off with Sloan diving into a crime scene (quite literally). This book is like any other great thriller that you have read but add the spookiness of scuba diving and the eeriness of being underwater. Personally, I am a huge fan of the aquatics and thought it was a cool change in pace from your usual mystery.

The story follows the UIU, Underwater Investigation Unit, as they use their unique skills to solve crime. These are the kinds of cops you like to read about; dedicated to the job and passionate about their ways of doing it. Sloan might have some interesting ways, but is a total badass!

While I have not read Mayne’s first book in the series, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller. His style of writing made it a fun read and gave the reader a front seat to the characters thoughts. I definitely laughed a few times in between my fits of anxiety. I could not finish this book faster! It gave me “Long Bright River” and “The Chestnut Man” vibes. My next book is definitely going to be Mayne’s The Girl Beneath The Sea (the first book in the Underwater Investigation Unit series).

Thank you to Netgally for the copy, I definitely enjoyed it

Sloan MacPherson, a diver in the Underwater Investigation Unit, finds a van in Pond 65 while helping with a recovery of a body from a recent accident. The van is a 30 year old cold case that involved the disappearance of four teenagers after a rock concert. Investigation into the case appears to have reawakened a serial killer. Will Sloan and her team be able to track the killer without becoming a victim herself??? This is an exciting read!
This is the second book in the series and I look forward to reading more!!

This is the second book in the underwater investigation Unit. I did not read the first one, but it was easy to pick up what was going on.
Sloan McPherson is a diver who, while helping rescue the body from a recent crash, finds a van with the bodies of four teenagers which went missing.
I did enjoy the writing and the unraveling of the mystery of the teenagers.
There was another thread about a serial killer which I did not enjoy. The unit did a great job solving everything. It was good, I usually do not care of serial killer stories
Thank you, Net Galley, for an advance copy for an honest review.

I've read several of Andrew Mayne's books so I jumped at the chance to read the new series. And although it's quite similar to the Jessica Blackwood books, I like this series so far. Actually, I like this book a bit more than I liked the first. I'm not sure why, exactly; I think the maybe the crime(s) in this one were more compelling.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing this copy for review.

Not your typical thriller. Edge of your seat underwater scenes that you don’t normally associate with crime novels. Twists and turns throughout the book made it hard to put down. The UIU is made up of characters you can’t help but root for. Loved this book.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC. I did not read the first book in the series, but that didn't detract from this book. It started out so good. What happened to the four teenagers? For me, the book was better when it focused on the teenagers, but then it just became a serial killer book. The ending was good, though. It wasn't a bad book, just wasn't great for me.

To comprehend how much fun I had reading Black Coral you must know these three things about me . . . I am a scuba diving enthusiast, I have recently moved to Florida, and I am not a delicate flower.

You never know what you’ll find below the surface . . . this thriller follows Sloan McPherson (a spunky female detective with the local Underwater Investigative Unit) into the murky waters of the Everglades where she discovers evidence beyond the current investigation. This find by Sloan along with the UIU attracts press and triggers the reopening of a cold case file from 1989.

We follow Sloan as she uncovers each clue, follows each hunch, and navigates tricky waters . . . at work, at home, and literally . . . all to protect her family and her community from a major creeper on the loose.

This book isn’t stuffy, not like the typical overly polished crime dramas I’ve been encountering lately. I love that this book captured a candid and snarky realness that kept the pages turning.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is book #2 in a series, but I enjoyed it as a stand-alone without having read the first one. I plan to seek out The Girl Beneath The Sea and other titles by Andrew Mayne.

Could not put this book down! A great story with engaging characters. Had me on the edge of my seat at some parts.

The second book in the series finds Sloan McPherson working with George Solar in the newly formed Underwater Investigation Unit. When asked to assist on a case Sloan finds an additional car in the water, a van that contains four bodies. While the other law enforcement agencies are quick to label the case an accident Sloan, Solar and their new hire Hughes determine that the evidence suggests homicide. As the investigation progresses they realize the van was just the beginning. Another interesting story with Sloan McPherson, even though it doesn't quite match the high stakes climax of the first book. I will definitely look for book three in the future.

Sue Grafton created a memorable private investigator in a long series of thrillers. She has died and we have a new heroine to replace Kinsey Millhone. She is Sloan McPherson and she is my new idol. What a terrific addition to the women detectives I love. She is an archeologist, a cop and a skilled diver whose deductive skills are more than admirable. She excels where her make counterparts pale in comparison. I loved the book. The Florida setting with the Everglades descriptions was interesting and clarifying. I look forward to more in a sequel. Grafton got up to X in hers so I hope Andrew Mayne is inspired to create many more mysteries with Sloan as the protagonist. Well done!

Black coral is a fast paced crime thriller that is distinctly unique. It follows the newly founded U.I.U as they investigate crimes in and around the Florida waters. This is the second book in the series.

When called to the scene to dive and investigate an accident in a pond, Sloan accidentally uncovers a van which has been missing for decades. This throws the underwater investigative unit into a 30 year old cold case.

Sloan is a master diver who comes from a colorful family with an even more colorful past. She’s reckless, and impulsive and speaks her mind when she really should not. Her lack of thinking before speaking often gets her and her team in trouble. She takes a lot of risks that put herself and her team in bad positions, leaving her boss to clean up her mess and deal with the political fall out within the other Law enforcement agencies.

Sloan, makes a connection that others are not willing to see. She begins to connect the dots and uncover one of Florida’s most horrific killers.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the interactions between Sloan and the other characters. The author makes her rough around the edges. Sloan is not a perfect crime fighting detective like you find in typical crime thrillers. Sloan has complicated relationships with pretty much everyone in her life. You get to see her struggle with being a mom, an investigator, an employee, and even her love interest.

This was a fun and entertaining book from start to finish. I loved all the twists the book takes. The mixing of agency politics along with the investigation itself kept me wanting to know what was coming next. There are a bunch of nasty, scheming characters that help make this story fantastic!

I definitely recommend Black Coral, especially if your looking for a book with great characters, that are not your typical investigators.

Book #2 in series. I enjoyed the first one and especially enjoyed this one. The main character, Sloan finds a van with four decomposed teens, while diving for a different case. Cold Case?? Evidence suggests something more. This series is refreshing to me. A diving female 'detective', unusual family (jailed uncle, pirate Dad, etc) her job always seems on the line. A major mystery, with a side one....Andrew Mayne develops his characters well. I don't need a reminder who they are...they stay with me. I was given an ARC by NetGalley. I'm looking forward to reading book 3.

This series is getting more action packed, exciting and entertaining at each book. It was pleasure to see Sloan McPhearson and UIU are back for another jaw dropping, breath taking, soul crushing, adrenaline pumping journey.
We also get a closer look and learn more details about Sloane's family dynamics, her entertaining, humorous inner monologues when she is under too much stress and it was pleasure to see her adorable daughter and Run again.
This time she finds bodies in tomb belong to teenagers who has been disappeared 30 years ago after they'd left a rock concert. They are murdered and their case connects with a few vanishing cold cases in Florida. This time she's trying to catch a real mad man, a genius evil master, a serial killer. Could she catch him without getting harmed and putting her loved ones' lives into danger? Time is ticking. She needs to move fast! Think faster!

It was another fast read for me. I couldn't stop. I couldn't put down and as soon as I finished I wanted more. These series are truly captivating and addictive and I need to read more. I cannot wait to dour the third book of the series!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Thomas&Mercer for sharing this page turner ARC in exchange my honest review.