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maddie_d_316's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
betsyjoy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
worldsunlikeourown's review against another edition
4.0
Find this review and more on my blog at Worlds Unlike Our Own.
3.5 stars
It has been a few months since I sat down with a mystery novel and this one in particular is a book I’ve been trying to get around to reading pretty much since it released last year. Lying in the Deep is a locked room mystery, reminiscent of a YA version of Death on the Nile. The plot was what interested me most about this book as I always enjoy a good whodunit mystery.
Unfortunately, I found myself skimming through most of the first half of the book. It took so long for the mystery to actually start and I didn’t really find the characters that interesting, especially not all the teenage drama and angst. They were supposed to be college students but came off as much younger which made the drama all that much more annoying. This book definitely didn’t need to be as long as it was either and the pacing was ridiculously slow for a mystery/thriller.
As for the mystery itself, parts of it were definitely predictable very early on, but there were some good plot twists and the culprit wasn’t obvious right off the bat. In comparison to Diana Urban’s previous novels, I would say this wasn’t her best work, but all in all, it was a decent read and one that mystery fans would enjoy.
3.5 stars
It has been a few months since I sat down with a mystery novel and this one in particular is a book I’ve been trying to get around to reading pretty much since it released last year. Lying in the Deep is a locked room mystery, reminiscent of a YA version of Death on the Nile. The plot was what interested me most about this book as I always enjoy a good whodunit mystery.
Unfortunately, I found myself skimming through most of the first half of the book. It took so long for the mystery to actually start and I didn’t really find the characters that interesting, especially not all the teenage drama and angst. They were supposed to be college students but came off as much younger which made the drama all that much more annoying. This book definitely didn’t need to be as long as it was either and the pacing was ridiculously slow for a mystery/thriller.
As for the mystery itself, parts of it were definitely predictable very early on, but there were some good plot twists and the culprit wasn’t obvious right off the bat. In comparison to Diana Urban’s previous novels, I would say this wasn’t her best work, but all in all, it was a decent read and one that mystery fans would enjoy.
blinky13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
I love morally ambiguous protagonists and murder mysteries. Loved this book.
cathcasper's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
bookishlittlebird's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The ending 🫨🫨
aimeesbookstore's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75