I'm a big fan of young adult murder mystery novels - I read a lot (!) of them. And the fact that it only took me two days to read the book was a good indicator that I liked it.
The setting on the ship and the city descriptions were some of my favorite aspects of the novel. I also enjoyed the humor of the "bad boy" character, which is not always the case for me with that type of character. I normally don’t like bad boys, but I really liked Felix.
The first half of the book focused heavily on feelings of hurt, such as lost love, broken family, and the betrayal of former friends, which was unexpected for a murder mystery book but still managed to entertain me. The writing style was smooth and suited the young characters, making it easy for me to fly through the book in two days.
Although the main character was a touch too whiny for my taste due to her breakup and hurt feelings, I understand that this is a common trait for young adults and teens. And let's face it, weren't we all a little overdramatic when we were young? At least I was.
One thing that confused/surprised me was that the murder didn't happen until about halfway through the book (although it was the hook in the blurb) which was a bit later than I expected for a murder mystery. However, the lead-up to the murder kept me entertained, as the main character repeatedly confronted herself with the betrayal of her former friends and got angry about it. After the murder occurred, the book picked up pace and remained suspenseful throughout.
Although I knew early on who the killer was and why, I thought the reveal was well-executed and it will probably come as a big surprise to many readers who haven't read as many ya mystery novels as I have.

There is one small thing tho that bothered me a bit. I found the portrayal of the gay influencer to be an unnecessary stereotype that almost bordered on insulting. He was portrayed as a complete stereotype of a gay man - he loved makeup, loved gossiping, the way he spoke, and so on. As I gay man myself it felt a bit cringe. Sure, some of us are like that - and that is perfectly fine. But the way it was portrait here felt a bit too one-dimensional. At least for my personal taste.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this novel and would recommend it to fans of YA murder mysteries. You’ll have a good time.

Diana has once again proven that she is a force to be reckoned with in the YA Thriller genre! (Or any genre for that matter!) Urban’s third stand along novel will keep you up all night reading, wondering what twist she is going to throw at you next. If you’re wondering what kind of twist I am talking about, think Karen M McManus but on steroids!

Lying in the deep follows Jade, our main character, as she embarks on a semester at sea. This is something she deserves after her boyfriend broke up with her over text for her best friend and then was blocked by the both of them. She’s gonna have 4 months, and 11 countries, to get over the heartbreak. Or so she thought. Lainey and Silas both decide to still join Campus on Board for the summer and Lainey is not holding back on the death glares. Jade’s obsession with finding out why they both dropped her at the drop of a dime makes her suspect number one when on of the students is killed. She must team up with her fake boyfriend to clear her name, while trying to keep them both alive in the process. Bodies are being found around every corner. Who’s next?

The amount of twist and turns this book took had me on the edge of my seat for the entire time I was reading. I felt connected to Jade on a few different levels because of how great Diana wrote the emotions behind what she was feeling. Being dumbed over text has got to be rough to begin with but when he does it to get together with your best friend? She handled it better than I would have. The suspense was set up earlier in the book then expected. A series of events that, on their own seem innocent, is what really sets up the mystery. I can’t really say much more without spoiling the book, but the last…five-ish pages left my jaw on the ground! Be sure to check out Diana’s Instagram below for pre order information (which includes a GREAT pre order gift!) Lying in the Deep from Penguin Random House releases May 2nd 2023.

Jade was best friends with Lainey in college and she had a loving boyfriend until the ultimate betrayel happen. While doing a summer internship at Laineys dad company, Silas and Lainey hook up and got together leaving Jade heart broken.

Jade trying to get over everything boarded a ship to spend a semester as sea only to find out both Lainey and Silas were are the ship to. She was determined to find out what happened them in any way possible. But no one would expect to Lainey room splattered and blood in what looked like expected murder. But no the less Jade was determined to find out who did this to Lainey.

There was so many plot twist and turns and once I thought I had something figured out, I was proven wrong. Was definitely kept me guessing the very end

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Filled with plot twists, and mystery this kept me hooked till the very end! I loved the character development and backgrounds, it felt like I could be sitting next to them in the same room. You know when authors make such a hateable character but on purpose? Lainey was that. I started out with this sort of ‘burning’ sense of hatred for her right when the book started, but over time there were reveals and who knew she would turn out as one of my favorite characters?! The ending felt almost cliché, the murderer was predictable in the “it’s not who you think” sense, but then again, aren’t they all? Some scenes felt unnecessary and were dragging out the plot, but overall this is one of the better YA murder mysteries. I definitely think it’s a step up from “All Your Twisted Secrets” as the ending is much more intricate. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a complicated murder mystery!

3.5 stars.

I love any book that involves any type of schooling abroad. And on a ship? Yes, please.

Lying in the Deep was really fun! It was one giant mystery. First, the mystery of Jade’s falling out with Lainey and Silas. Then, the mystery of the murder.

My only complaint with this book was that I felt it was too long and had a lot of unnecessary detail before it got interested. It took me about halfway through the book the get hooked.

There were a lot of fun twists and I definitely wasn’t expecting the ending.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher (PenguinTee ) for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

I think this is a really good mystery thriller. I read this in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down. I was on my toes the whole time trying to figure out who did what.

I will say the ending didn’t really surprise me. The plot twist was good but I think you could kind of see it coming. I love the murder mystery theme. It was a fast pace and fun read. I do hope though that Felix and Jade reunite somewhere in the world this author create. I really did love them together and I also really loved the fact that Lainey really did care about her.

All in all this was a very enjoyable read and I plan to buy an actual copy to have because I’m a big mystery/crime book junkie and this was perfect.

5 stars!

I will forever love YA murder mysteries! They’re such entertaining, quick reads. It’s always so much fun trying to guess who’s behind it Allen Even more unique, this one takes place on a semester at sea cruise ship, which is a setting that I’ve never read before in YA thrillers. Imagine a killer going around targeting your classmates, but you’re stuck on a cruise ship!

The book begins with Jade embarking on the cruise ship in Amsterdam, the beginning of 11 months of travel, part of a college program at Stanford that her scholarship covers. She’s looking for a distraction from her ex best friend Lanie, who her boyfriend cheated on her with. But lo and behold, guess who shows up at the cruise ship’s port? Lanie of course, with her Louis Vuitton suitcase and Gucci sunglasses in tow! Even better, she brings along Jade’s ex Silas as well!

I really enjoyed this book. Sure, it was corny, and though they were in college it felt more like YA, but it was a fun read. It does take a while for anything to happen; you get to about halfway through the book and nothing has happened at all except friend and ex drama. I was like if just waiting for it to get to the point. But the last 30% of this book was so good! So twisty and full of surprises. I genuinely didn’t guess how it was going to end. This was a fun way to pass a couple of hours!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for sending an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading Lying in the deep by Diana Urban. The book was an action packed whodunit, isolated young adult thriller. Jade decides to join Campus on board for a semester at sea to get away from everyone after her boyfriend, Silas and her best friend, Lainey, betray her and get together. But while waiting in line, Jade spots Lainey and Silas also boarding the boat. Instead of getting distance from the situation, she is stuck on a boat with them. It's going to be a ride to remember!

I feel the book didn't need to be as long as it was, sometimes the story dragged and I lost interest in the book at times. There were many twists and turns but it was pretty predictable until the ending, which took me by surprise.

I liked the writing style and how Diana Urban developed her characters. They were very well fleshed out. I plan on reading more books from this author as I do enjoy her writing.

Thank you to penguin random house and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Lying in the deep is so far my favourite book by this author. It was kinda like a modern YA “murder on the nile”

Though I was able to predict most of the ending, I still found this book entertaining and it kept me wanting to read more to find out what happens next.

The characters were likeable for the most part and I found the plot very interesting. The writing was light and easy to understand, however by the end of the book, it became a little difficult to keep track of who did what as there were lots of conflicting sides to the same story.

Overall, I really liked this book and definitely recommend this for fans of murder mysteries.

I adored the story, the world building was amazing. I love meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it. The writing was also really nice. I couldn't put the book down and I can't wait for others to read and enjoy this story as well.

Man I have never been so happy not to have Dnf'd a book. This book was frustrating in a lot of aspects but mainly in the way that it seems like it was written by a completely different person in the second half than in the first half. The first half was juvenile and frankly kind of annoying, especially since this is marketed as a mystery and yet the murder didn't happen until halfway through the book. I really hope that Urban reworks the book some to make it flow better and so that the change in tone isn't so dramatic.

I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book and thought the concept was refreshing. However, the characters were annoying and I can't get over the fact that she named the twins Nayva and Divya??? like please use some more unique names.

This book has a lot of potential, but could definitely use some polishing.

Lying in the Deep proves why Diana Urban is quickly becoming another go-to for YA mysteries for me.

Every single time she manages to pull the rug entirely out from under my feet. She sets out these complex mysteries with plenty of threads for you to follow and red herrings to get lost chasing. However, she will always leave you reeling, even if you think you have it all sussed. Lying in the Deep continues this trend with aplomb. It was another highly bingeable and thrilling read, with twists and turns aplenty.

It also heavily features some intriguing character work and a large focus on the fractured interpersonal relationships of these characters. I like how Urban’s books always sit in this ambiguous morality. You meet fractured characters who have often done terrible things or initially feel like caricatures of media depictions of teenagers. As you spend more time with them, they become three-dimensional and expose the reductive dismissal those stereotypes embody. Once again, this group felt relatable and real, with believable motivations and reactions. In a claustrophobic setting like this, everyone becomes a suspect, meaning a lot of this story rests on your perception and understanding of these characters.

I also really appreciate how socially conscious this was with an interesting rumination on the commercialisation of the medical industry, the ethics of medical insurance policy and generally a damning indictment of the pharmaceutical industry. It felt similar to a recent binge-watch of mine that I highly recommend: Wreck. This is a dark comedy murder mystery set aboard a cruise ship that delves into beauty standards, capitalism and exploitation of free labour. These two stories really marry well together, so a dual screening and reading experience would be amazing.

Lying in the Deep transports the locked room mystery to a fantastically imagined setting and fills it with shocks, surprises and startling social commentary.

I tried so hard to get into this! I love Diana’s other 2 books so much.

Unfortunately this fell flat for me. I read up to 100 pages and so much was happening. The plot was moving slow and it didn’t keep my attention. I ended up skipping ahead a bit and the ending was pretty good with twists I wasn’t expecting!

Overall, giving this 2 ⭐️. I’m so disappointed, I really wanted to love it!

Welcome aboard!! There’s truly something about a thrilling read set in a location where the main characters can’t leave. Like being trapped with a killer has to be the scariest thing to be honest.

What a twisty ride Lying in the Deep was! I truly didn’t suspect the turn of events at all and was completely shocked in most aspects… but not all 😉.

If you like remote locations with twists and turns, some blood and disloyalty.. Lying in the Deep is sure to delight!

I really enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would! I read it entirely in one go. And even though some of the twists were predictable, I still liked the story and the setting of a murder mystery on a cruise ship (semester at sea). I liked Felix and I hope that he and Jade reconnect at Stanford. I liked Jade’s roommates, even though they had their own issues as sisters and couldn’t get along.

It was just a really entertaining read for me and definitely felt like mature YA. The characters felt pretty developed.

As a big fan of Diana Urban's previous books, I was so excited to read this! Lying in the Deep is accurately described as having "Knives Out" vibes. I enjoyed the cruise ship setting and of course, all the twists! I don't know if I would describe this as an "edge of your seat" book, but rather one that leaves a steady hum in your brain of not knowing who to trust. The best friend/boyfriend betrayal was a great setup to the chaos onboard the ship and resulting in Jade appearing to be a potentially unreliable narrator for much of the story, which added to the intrigue and suspense. I've already preordered this and can't wait to recommend it to students!

I was INVESTED in this book oh my god. the romance, the mystery, the pure THRILL of it all was incredible I literally never wanted to put it down I absolutely loved how Diana added a bit of a romance subplot in it (my weakness) I never expected it (prob because I just went in blind) but it was so incredibly good and added so much to the overall plot of the book. I had so many questions throughout the book and received the most insane and shocking answers at the end. this is definitely a must-read for those who love a good whodunit mystery (on a cruise ship!!!) with such a cute lil romance subplot

<b>Quick Stats</b>
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 1.75 stars
Plot: 1.5/5
Characters: 2/5
Setting: 2/5
Writing: 2/5

<i>Special thanks to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.</i>

Suite Life on Deck meets One of Us Is Lying in Diana Urban’s newest YA mystery.
That premise was so interesting to me. I loved the idea of it, but the execution did not work. There is no murder in this murder mystery until page 170, 45% of the way through. And almost everything before that point does not matter. It was painful to get through.
I went in here expecting a high stakes twisty murder mystery and I got 20 year old acting like they’re 14 fighting over boys and petty relationship and friendship drama that was way too dramatic. It’s 170 pages of woe is me my best friend and boyfriend betrayed me for each other boohoo. Until—finally—a murder! Except I was so sick of the main character at this point that I would not have cared if she ended up going down for it. I also did not care about the murdered girl. Or any of the subsequent murdered people. Actually, I did not care about a single character in this book.
This entire book was painful to read, the investigation was so stupid and pointless. “Obviously it wasn’t x character.” With no reason other than “because it couldn’t have been”.
The last 50 pages were kind of interesting to read, but honestly that’s the extent of it.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with the eARC! I really enjoyed Diana's These Deadly Games so I was intrigued by her next book, even more so when I got to read an excerpt from it(thank you BookishFirst).
I have second degree hate for Laniey already omg. Usually it's the best friend dates my bf trope is a cliche but it works here in a very good way, I can already tell. Jade's interaction with Miguel is giving me strangers on a train vibes but ofc they're on a cruise. And the prologue with the opening scene...I love that Jade has no qualms about finding her ex bestie dead, she just like "welp, its what she deserves' it's cold but I love it because ofc she feels that way. I like her murderous imagination. Also the shirt thing with the twins(how are you gonna buy someone a shirt, give them it, and you expect them to pay it back?) When I read it I thought "ohhh, so they're like that. Ok". Also the way Lainey acts whenever Jade tries to talk to her and Silas as if she's a psycho ex makes me question if she told badmouth Jade around Silas, cause she's definitely mindfucking with everyone on the cruise. Made me wonder what she's setting the stage up for because it seemed manipulative to me. I kept on wondering how Jade had enough time to wander about a ship( whenever there's a teen sleuth you have to give them the benefit of the doubt and throwaway some logic), cause there was 18 hours until they docked at the next port and she never really got tired or seemed hungry, I understand she was on adrenaline probably but for the entirety of the 18 hours, never resting or eating at least a little bit? She shouldn't have been able to function imo. I did still enjoy reading the book, I liked her and Felix's banter and ofc with Diana Urban the love interest is not what they seem which seems to be a pattern in her books. I like the shock of that. I also did enjoy how all the side characters and their situation got a complete beginning and an ending, that they weren't forgotten or pushed aside due to the main story line..

Solid thriller that kept my interest. I was annoyed with the main character, as she just seemed to flounder whenever something difficult happened. She did find her strength as the story went on, so that was encouraging. The ending had me scratching my head, haven’t decided if it was a brilliant ending or just overkill. Overall an enjoyable read.