This was a very interesting read. I thought it was kind of slow but I was stubborn and kept reading it cause I wanted to see what happened and I was glad I did.

This book was very intense at time and it kept you guessing every page.

Great job Debra can't wait until the next one!

The past is coming back to haunt Vera Boyett. Vera is on leave from a special task form that she was in charge. She knows she is probably about to lose her job, so she heads home to Tennessee. She does not realize that she is about to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

When the body that is found in a cave on her family's property turns out to be Vera's missing stepmother, Vera starts to feel the heat. After all who else would know about this cave on her family's property. To make matters worse, their stepmother was like the wicked stepmother in Cinderella, so there was no love lost when she disappeared. This book is an emotional mess with family drama, and sisters who have secrets with one another and some of their own. Secrets can only stay hidden for so long.

At first this appeared to be an easy mystery to solve, but it gets more complex with every chapter. Every time another clue drops, the puzzle pieces multiply and do not fit together. This was an insightful book about a flawed family in all their messy glory. It was a police procedural, family dramatic mystery and a little romance to make it even more interesting. Debra Webb never disappoints with her storytelling and her interesting cast of characters. I look forward to more books in this series.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The main character, Crime Analyst Vera Boyett, is fully expecting to be named the scapegoat in the deaths of two of her officers in the Memphis Police Department.
What she doesn’t need is another complication to her life. But when her sister calls to tell her that the bones of her long lost step mother have been found, she is naturally shaken. The author gives the reader a lot of information covering the twenty year span of when Vera’s stepmother went missing to when her bones were found. A small town, rumors, secrets and twists lead to more bones being found and more than one mystery to solve. I received an arc from Netgalley and Publisher Thomas Mercer of this new series and I look forward to the next exciting entry by Author, Debra Webb. This review is my personal opinion.

I have mixed feelings on this one to be honest. I was intrigued by Vera's character, and more than a little confused on why she was the one held accountable for someone else's actions back in Memphis, especially after it was concluded that there was no possible way she could have known how things were going to happen. And while her near constant thoughts about how attractive her ex-boyfriend is during a very tense investigation, were cliche and tiresome at times, I did like how there was no romantic relationship getting in the way of the storyline.

My main issue with this story is two-fold. To begin with I found it very implausible that Vera was allowed carte blanche to run all over town conducting her own parallel investigation (often without the sheriff by her side). I could say that I get it, she was a valued FBI agent, except there are two problems with that scenario.

To begin with, she was on leave. Meaning she had no authority to act in any capacity as an FBI agent, she even resigns whilst in the middle of things. And then (the even bigger issue), all of the bodies were found in a cave located on her family's property. Her family (her father especially) were considered suspects. There is absolutely no way the Sheriff should have been telling her any details about the case, much less allowing her to run around investigating on her own. When the FBI sent in other agents, I'm surprised they didn't keep a closer eye on her and her activities.

Now when it comes to the ending, again I'm of two minds. On one hand, it was interesting to see how things wrapped up. Who was really involved, and how things happened, but I feel like there were areas in this where the author could have gone into more detail (for example did the one parent know their best friend was having an affair with their child). And other areas where the story didn't quite make sense (to be perfectly honest I felt like Eve's originally account of events regarding Sheree made more sense than the supposed truth). On the other hand, there was still one thread that was left completely open, which didn't make sense. Sure you had all of the other murders all tied up with a pretty little bow, why not push for answers for the final victim? I can only assume this may somehow tie into a future book?

Which makes me wonder what will happen to the friendship (and potential rekindling romance) between Vera and Sheriff Benton if the truth does eventually come out?

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.

Vera is back home with her sisters Eve and Luna because she had to quit her job with the FBI since she made an inexcusable mistake.
Now she finds that there are bodies found in a cave she and her sisters used to play in. She knows that the skeletons are being pulled out of the closet and it's going to be her job to solve this crime without her and her sisters ending up going to prison for it!
This is yet another, you're gonna miss some sleep, read by Ms. Webb.
There were some places in this book that were too slow for me, but I still loved this read!

Leaves you breathless and eagerly turning pages!

Debra Webb's latest thriller is an absolute page-turner, brimming with twists and turns at every corner. Deeper Than The Dead captivates from the first page with its gripping plot and emotional depth. Crime analyst Vera Boyett, now a disgraced deputy police chief, is forced to revisit her past when her long-missing stepmother's remains are discovered in a cave on her family land.

Set in the steamy, secret-laden summer of small-town Tennessee, the story beautifully intertwines the nostalgia of a once fairy-tale childhood with the chilling uncovering of buried truths. The relationship between Vera and her sister Eve adds a poignant layer, making the narrative as heart-wrenching as it is thrilling. Debra Webb masterfully crafts an atmosphere so thick with suspense, it will leave you breathless and eagerly turning pages. A must-read for any thriller lover!

A small southern town full of secrets is the setting for Debra Webb's new series and once again she knocks it out of the park! Vera, a crime analyst/deputy, returns home for the summer hoping for peace but instead finds family skeletons. The twists and turns take the story down a lot of paths in this enthralling book that is part procedural, part suspense, with some family drama and romance thrown in. Very enjoyable!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All thoughts on this book are my own.

Wow! Debra Webb is an auto buy author for me and this one did not disappoint! Webb mixes police procedural and thrilling drama in the best ways. The story was excellently crafted and intriguing. I can't wait for the next installment and will be recommending for sure!

WOW! Whatever Debra Webb writes I read. I just love her books, full of mystery, suspense, drama and even some romance. I love her characters, they just draw you in and you just can't stop reading until you find out what happens. There were so many twists and turns and leading your mind in one direction and then just as fast you are going down another direction. So exciting and enjoyable! Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book.

Deeper Than the Dead by Debra Webb is a captivating start to the Vera Boyett series, blending small-town charm with dark secrets and gripping suspense. When disgraced deputy police chief Vera Boyett returns to her Tennessee hometown, she uncovers her long-missing stepmother's remains in a cave on her family's property, igniting a dangerous investigation that unravels deeply buried family secrets. Webb's vivid descriptions and well-crafted characters, including Vera’s complex relationships with her sisters and former love interest, Sheriff Bent, create a compelling narrative. The intricate plot, filled with twists and emotional depth, keeps readers guessing until the satisfying yet thought-provoking conclusion, making this book a must-read for thriller enthusiasts.

Vera Boyett's police career is unraveling in Memphis when an urgent call from her half-sister beckons her home. The discovery of her missing stepmother's body in a cave on their family farm marks the beginning of a chilling mystery. Vera harbors secrets about the body's presence, but as more remains emerge, the small town of Fayetteville, TN starts revealing its deeply hidden truths. The narrative poses a compelling question: How far would you go for family or friends? I was captivated by the fast-paced mystery and the blend of Webb's characters with small-town drama. I look forward to more from Webb and the Vera Boyett series.

"A lie has no leg, but scandal has wings." (Thomas Fuller)

Sounds about right. Deputy Chief Vera Mae Boyett is trying to slam the door on a bad situation where she was part of the Memphis Police Department. In her position, she had to take the guff for the actions of two members of her team. Waiting out the aftermath of this in-house investigation left her no choice but to return to her hometown of Fayetteville, Tennessee. But maybe, just maybe, she's leaping from the frying pan into the fire.

Deeper Than the Dead is my first Debra Webb novel and it's the first in this Vera Boyett Series. It was floating at 4 Stars, dippin' down to 3 Stars, and then soared to 4 Stars once again. There are good bones here. Debra Webb captures the elements of small town life and a family situation that fully seeps into a scandal if not mopped up immediately......if not sooner. There's an abundance of characters to keep track of as well that float to the surface from the past. And the twisties charging up to the finale were a bit far flung.

Vera and her sister, Eve, were living on the fringes after the death of their mother from cancer when they were teenagers. Their dad remarried shortly afterwards to Sheree, the town's scandalmonger. Everyone knew Sheree's intentions........except their father. The result is a newborn named Luna. Vera and Eve took care of Luna while Sheree drifted into town.

That is until Sheree's driftin' days came to an end. Everyone thought that she hit the road. Instead, her body was found in a cave on their farm property twenty years later. Ol' Sheree didn't get much mileage that fateful day. All eyes begin to turn to the husband who is now living in a nursing home with dementia. Vera wants to clear her father.......until three more bodies are found.

Deeper Than the Dead shows potential for a good series. Debra Webb has familiarity with this part of the country and small town life. It's my hope that the character of Vera Boyett will bring her experiential background from big city Memphis into establishing herself into whatever the future brings. Readers hold believability as key and hope that Webb will encase Vera with exactly that. Check it out.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Debra Webb for the opportunity.

The saying goes, "You can;t go home again." Perhaps the question is should you? For Vera, she will have to answer that question. Once upon a time, she ran away from her home life for college and a career in the city. But she was running from her darkest day and running doesn't make things go away permanently. As Vera discovers, you can run from your darkest day but it will always be there to haunt you until you square your shoulders and face it head on. To Vera, her current life crashes as she becomes the fall guy for something outside her control. It is funny how all of your accomplishments can be wiped away by a single act, especially if you are not the actor. We experience that through Vera. Just as her new world blows up, she is drawn back home, She is drawn back to face that which she ran from.
We slowly learn over the early part of the book, the situation that blew up Vera's family. We quickly learn how her sister's suffered as well. Vera, Eve and Luna each lost something that day and each suffered for it. In my opinion after reading the story, the biggest loss was the feeling of a close family. The girls lost a mother and had an absentee father but they had each other until they didn't. There story is so sad and heart retching. Family is the most important thing in life and watching a family breakdown through these woman's memories is beyond sad. Those of us with close families, will get the feels as we read about 2 teenager girls and the wicked witch who wrecked their lives once and comes back for more.
They mystery was good but as I have spent time taking about family, it almost took a backseat in this story. Years ago, I watched a TB show where they talked about how one single act or one single choice changed everything. I was struck by the line as I read this story. As I read about how Eve lost herself to drink and drugs, I thought about that line. As I read about how Vera ran far from home to a new life, I thought about that line because even her career was shaped by one incident. The same could be said for Bent, he made one decision and it turned him from the town drunk to a good man. Sometimes that one moment can be good and sometimes not but the moral of the story is you can't outrun the past.
The girls and Bent will be back in future books as the girls found a way to rebuild their family in this book. I enjoyed the book. My only complaint was it might have been about 50 pages too long. Debra Webb is a good author but she does sometimes she runs into that issue. Rest assured, this is my opinion so don't let it hold your back from reading a good book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Deeper Than the Dead was the first book in a new series by Debra Webb. This book was cleverly written filled with lots of secrets, dead bodies, and major betrayals. I loved the character of Vera and her interaction with Bent the local sheriff of the county. I didn't really connect with the two sisters, like I did Vera. Lots of twists and turns in the story line, and I most definitely would recommend this book to others.

I received and ARC from NetGalley and the publisher Thomas and Mercer, I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Disgraced police officer Vera goes home after human remains are found in a cave on her families property. This family has secrets that could destroy them. This book grabs you from the first page and you won’t be able to set it down. There are few twists at the end of the story. Debra can always be counted on a good story with plenty of suspense. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Deeper than Dead…Wow. I have read other books by Debra Webb which were good books and that’s what led to my anticipation of reading her new one. The book starts with Vera Boyette (Vee for short) and the current situation with her job as Deputy Police Chief/ Crime Analyst in Memphis, TN. She’s cleaning out her office and headed home to the farm in Fayetteville, Tennessee.
I’ll set the scene for you, a family farm. Several murders stemming back as far as 25 years ago, and one murder as recent as 5 years with a total of 4 murders. Vera & Eve (Vera’s sister) share a secret and may know something about one of the murders. Sheree, who was Vera and Eve’s stepmother and mother to Luna their younger sister. Sheree disappeared, or did she?
Bent, Vera’s old love and the new sheriff, is on the scene (Boyette Farm) at the cave where the bodies are found. Who buries the bodies in the cave with rocks and necklaces?
Vera and Bent team up trying to piece together what happened years ago. Starting with Vera’s Dad who has dementia. Retired Sheriff Fraley and his wife Beatrice and then The Higdons (Charles, Florence, and their son Preston) in addition to other characters who are ties into this roller coaster of a story.
You immediately fall in love with the characters. The author makes it easy to have a clear visual of who they are. It’s easy to imagine Boyette Farm, the cave, the funeral home, cemetery and all the other landmarks in the story. This was an easy and fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed finding out WHO-DUNNIT.

Looking back at my goodreads list, I think I’ve read nearly 20 books by Debra Webb over the years. She is an auto read for me and I was pretty happy to see an ARC available for her latest book on NetGalley.
‘Deeper Than The Dead’ is the first book of a new series featuring former deputy police chief Vera Boyett, who is called back home to small town Tennessee by her sister when the skeletal remains of her stepmother are found on their family’s property. Vera and her sister Eve are now faced with secrets they have tried to bury for 20 years and as more bodies are found on the property, Vera must try and solve the cold cases before the Sheriff does and clear her family’s name before it’s torn apart.
I must admit I struggled with the beginning of this book, I found it a bit hard to get into. I couldn’t connect with Vera and didn’t particularly like Eve. But the story picked up in the second half and became more interesting with the discovery of the additional bodies. Until the final chapters. I’m sorry but I find it hard to believe that a veteran police officer would make such stupid decisions about her own safety knowing she and her family were targets of a killer. And the killer reveal? I found it a bit silly, it made me giggle at how unbelievable it was. That took off a star for me. Overall it was a good, solid read. 3.5 stars

I am a fan of female lead mysteries and this series has just been added to my auto click list! The story was original and well plotted. There was a thread of romance between Vera and Bent, the local sheriff, which did not overwhelm the mystery. I did find the history of the stepmother a bit heavy handed and repetitive. But the twists and the secrets had me committed to turning the pages until the end!

Interesting start to a new series. There is definitely more than meets the eye to this cast of characters. I’m eagerly awaiting to see how this series twists.

First book in a new series! Dead bodies, dark caves, mysteries, secrets and a hot sheriff. What more do you need? Vera goes out on a mission to clear her families name.