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nina_reads_books's review
4.0
Mystery and crime novels are not my usual go to genre but there are a few Australian authors that I will now happily pick up and @kyle.perry.author is one of them. Perry’s debut novel The Bluffs was an absolute winner for me so I was thrilled to get my hands on his follow up novel The Deep.
The Deep is set in Shacktown in coastal Tasmania and focuses on the Dempsey family. The family’s abalone diving business is the front for a drug ring that has create significant wealth for those that remain in the family business. Matriarch Iris oversees it all with middle son Davey. Youngest son Mackeral is just out of jail and is barely tolerated by the rest of the family, while oldest son Jesse disappeared seven years ago along with his wife and son Forrest.
When thirteen year old Forrest walks out of the sea one day battered and not willing to say where he has been all these years, the family’s long held secrets will be revealed. Add to this a looming threat from an infamous and almost mythical drug lord Blackbeard who may or may not be moving in to take over and you have the making of a real page turner.
Now this plot was definitely complicated and a real puzzle that had me guessing at every turn. In fact it almost felt like the story was a bit over the top (drugs! pirates! murder!) but I think this ultimately added to the enjoyment I experienced.
Both of Perry’s novels portray the landscape of Tasmania so well. This time in The Deep, the ocean and beach caves are vivid and wild adding to the tension in the story. This was a gripping and atmospheric read which I inhaled in a couple of days. I’d definitely recommend The Deep if you want to lose yourself in a mystery which was what I absolutely needed last week.
The Deep is set in Shacktown in coastal Tasmania and focuses on the Dempsey family. The family’s abalone diving business is the front for a drug ring that has create significant wealth for those that remain in the family business. Matriarch Iris oversees it all with middle son Davey. Youngest son Mackeral is just out of jail and is barely tolerated by the rest of the family, while oldest son Jesse disappeared seven years ago along with his wife and son Forrest.
When thirteen year old Forrest walks out of the sea one day battered and not willing to say where he has been all these years, the family’s long held secrets will be revealed. Add to this a looming threat from an infamous and almost mythical drug lord Blackbeard who may or may not be moving in to take over and you have the making of a real page turner.
Now this plot was definitely complicated and a real puzzle that had me guessing at every turn. In fact it almost felt like the story was a bit over the top (drugs! pirates! murder!) but I think this ultimately added to the enjoyment I experienced.
Both of Perry’s novels portray the landscape of Tasmania so well. This time in The Deep, the ocean and beach caves are vivid and wild adding to the tension in the story. This was a gripping and atmospheric read which I inhaled in a couple of days. I’d definitely recommend The Deep if you want to lose yourself in a mystery which was what I absolutely needed last week.
amrawinter's review
4.0
4 Stars.
"This is Forest Dempsey. Be careful what you wish for."
In coastal Tasmania, Shacktown is a town run by the Dempseys. Officially, Dempsey Abalone is one of the largest abalone suppliers in Australia, and unofficially, they run a drug business that keeps money flowing in. The Business is run by middle brother Davey, the 'favourite', after the tragic disappearance of eldest Brother Jesse and his wife and son seven years before. Younger brother Mack is a bit of a mess, having been cut off by the family before being picked up by the police for running his own drug ring. But when Davey dies and missing nephew Forest washes up on the beach, can the rest of the family keep the business going, keep out rival drug lord Blackbeard, and find the answers they seek?
One of Kyle Perry's incredible talents is his ability to add drama and atmosphere to his novels through the description of the Tasmanian landscape. Honestly, I've always wanted to travel to Tassie, but it rises up my travel list with every one of Perry's novels. I read The Bluffs last year and absolutely loved it, and so I was excited to read this! I really enjoyed the characters of Mack and Ahab, both complicated men who struggled with their decisions throughout the novel. I will say, however, that this didn't quite hit me in the same way as The Bluffs, I think possibly because it felt a little less realistic. I'm always down to suspend reality though, and this book has so many twists and turns it just kept me wanting to keep reading!
"This is Forest Dempsey. Be careful what you wish for."
In coastal Tasmania, Shacktown is a town run by the Dempseys. Officially, Dempsey Abalone is one of the largest abalone suppliers in Australia, and unofficially, they run a drug business that keeps money flowing in. The Business is run by middle brother Davey, the 'favourite', after the tragic disappearance of eldest Brother Jesse and his wife and son seven years before. Younger brother Mack is a bit of a mess, having been cut off by the family before being picked up by the police for running his own drug ring. But when Davey dies and missing nephew Forest washes up on the beach, can the rest of the family keep the business going, keep out rival drug lord Blackbeard, and find the answers they seek?
One of Kyle Perry's incredible talents is his ability to add drama and atmosphere to his novels through the description of the Tasmanian landscape. Honestly, I've always wanted to travel to Tassie, but it rises up my travel list with every one of Perry's novels. I read The Bluffs last year and absolutely loved it, and so I was excited to read this! I really enjoyed the characters of Mack and Ahab, both complicated men who struggled with their decisions throughout the novel. I will say, however, that this didn't quite hit me in the same way as The Bluffs, I think possibly because it felt a little less realistic. I'm always down to suspend reality though, and this book has so many twists and turns it just kept me wanting to keep reading!
recordofabibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the writing style of Perry. The story was good and the characters were great but I found it a bit slow and then was able to guess what was happening a few chapters before the characters knew. I mean everyone was a suspect but I got there
rachhenderson's review
3.0
Set in Tasmania, the Dempsey family have an abalone business plus are the local drug cartel rulers. The book starts with Forest Dempsey, a 13yo boy who has been missing for seven years, along with his mother and father, reappearing on the beach one day. This triggers unrest amongst the family and the broader drug dealing world, plus a renewed effort to find out what happened to his parents.
My biggest problems with Kyle Perry's previous book ([b:The Bluffs|51199465|The Bluffs|Kyle Perry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581511416l/51199465._SY75_.jpg|75959953]) was that it was silly, the characters were caricatures, and the story line was a little unbelievable. Again, this gets into the realm of "a little far fetched" and it certainly gets a bit silly towards the climax. But the characters were a little more real this time, so that's something.
It wasn't boring or difficult to read, but I just think there are better books out there.
My biggest problems with Kyle Perry's previous book ([b:The Bluffs|51199465|The Bluffs|Kyle Perry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581511416l/51199465._SY75_.jpg|75959953]) was that it was silly, the characters were caricatures, and the story line was a little unbelievable. Again, this gets into the realm of "a little far fetched" and it certainly gets a bit silly towards the climax. But the characters were a little more real this time, so that's something.
It wasn't boring or difficult to read, but I just think there are better books out there.
bookish_robin's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thebookmonger666's review
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
hellbent's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
katei42's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5