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    Beneath the Surface
    Beneath the Surface
    Beneath the Surface
    Audiobook11 hours

    Beneath the Surface

    Written by Lynn H. Blackburn

    Narrated by Kate Forbes

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Leigh Weston thought she'd left a troubled past behind when she moved back home to Carrington, North Carolina. But when dive team investigator Ryan Parker finds a body in the lake near her home, she fears the past hasn't stayed where it belongs. After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she'd left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help. Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff's Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer--one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all. Dive into the depths of fear with an exciting new voice in romantic suspense. Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn grabs readers by the throat and doesn't let go until the final heart-pounding page.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMar 6, 2018
    ISBN9781501966040
    Beneath the Surface
    Author

    Lynn H. Blackburn

    Lynn H. Blackburn is the award-winning author of Unknown Threat, Malicious Intent, and Under Fire, as well as the Dive Team Investigations series. She loves writing swoon-worthy Southern suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters by putting them into terrifying situations while she sits at home in her pajamas. She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Learn more at www.LynnHBlackburn.com.

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    Reviews for Beneath the Surface

    4/5

    63 ratings19 reviews

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    • 5/5
      One of the greatest book discoveries for me in 2020 was the Dive Team investigations series by Lynn Blackburn. I found them thanks to other book reviewers on Instagram and I am so glad I gave them a chance. How did I miss these when they released? They are the epitome of everything I love about the genre of romantic suspense. All of them are full of swoonworthy heroes who repeatedly save the day, but not because the heroines are weak and need rescuing. It is quite the opposite actually. All of the women are smart and independent, but find themselves in some pretty precarious situations. I like that each of the three couples relationships develop throughout the book. Instant relationships would just not be believable given the characters backgrounds and nail-biting situations going on in each story. It's not surprising that my favorite part of the series by far was the page-turning suspense! Each book hooked me from the beginning and I found myself totally surprised at the end! I really don't think I could pick a favorite hero, heroine, or book in the series. I loved them all!The blessing in disguise with finding this series late was I got to binge read the entire series so there was no waiting in between!Note: The novella, Unseen Enemy, is available to the author's newsletter subscribers and is a connector between this series and the first book in her new series which releases this spring. Can't wait!
    • 4/5
      Take a trip to Carrington, North Carolina for lurking danger, a second chance at romance, and a whole lot of tasty treats in Lynn H. Blackburn’s first Dive Team Investigation, Beneath the Surface.Ryan Parker and his dive-team buddies discover a body in Lake Porter, while Leigh Weston begins to receive stalker-like attention. The subsequent investigating reunites the pair, giving them ample time to discover, amidst the danger, the romantic potential they denied throughout their growing-up years. With plenty of unsettling twists and turns to keep them occupied, do they have a chance at a future together—after catching the culprit, of course?I so enjoyed Beneath the Surface! A fun, fast-paced romantic-suspense read, it kept me guessing and left me eager to revisit Carrington and all the characters I quickly loved. I think fans of the genre will love this novel as easily as I did and highly recommend it.Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a complimentary copy of Beneath the Surface and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
    • 4/5
      EXcellent start to a fine new series. Interesting characters, probably the most intelligent team of investigators since Nero Wolfe and Archie. Well organized procedural with logical character development as they pursue who is trying to kill Leigh. Why, would an apparent serial killer target a local female nurse when all of the other known victims are middle-aged males?
    • 3/5
      Lynn H. Blackburn’s new series, Dive Team Investigations, starts out with a bang.

      First off, the characters. Leigh is an interesting and well-rounded character. Her issues of faith and fear felt very real and relatable. Ryan’s character was also good, and I think I liked him even better than Leigh. I appreciated how he wasn’t your stereotypical perfect specimen of humanity that all the girls fall for. He was awkward at times, bumbling in an adorable way, and didn’t always handle things perfectly. He was realistic.

      Interestingly enough, I think I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters even more than the main characters. From Anissa and Gabe to Adam and Sabrina, they were all such fun additions. Gabe, in particular, was fabulous, and I am really hoping he gets his own book. I adore these types of sidekick characters who perfectly complement the others, yet still have so much depth and personality. He made for some great comedic relief throughout – there were even sometimes I actually laughed out loud – but he also had his serious moments that were just as great. While a supporting character, he was the best character, in my opinion.

      The story gets going pretty quickly and captured my interest. I did feel that a portion of the middle got rather boring and repetitive at times, but it keeps you pushing through to find out “who dun it”.

      The element that I least enjoyed, and the main reason I docked some stars, was the romance. It felt very shallow and based mostly on physical appearances, which always annoys me. Frankly, you could have taken that whole aspect out of the book and I would have enjoyed the story that much more. There was also some semi-detailed kissing/embracing/attraction that was definitely too much for me.

      The themes of faith and trusting God felt slightly shoe-horned in, but were nonetheless very solid and encouraging.

      All in all, I can’t say this was my new favorite novel, but it’s worth checking out if you enjoy romantic suspense.

      Content Advisory: I’d recommend this book for ages 16 . There are mentions of violence pertaining to a serial killer, dead bodies, a kidnapping, and a really psycho villain. Also mentions of an unfaithful spouse, and a stalker. The romance is on the heavy side, and there is a lot of attraction/desire between the main characters. I’d say this rates pretty high on my ‘creepy-scale’, so if you are a young or sensitive reader, maybe this one isn’t for you.
    • 4/5
      Fast paced romantic suspense that I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to reading more from this author.
    • 5/5
      On a routine diving drill, a decapitated and dismembered body is found in a quiet lake. Homicide investigator Ryan Parker, Gabe Chavez, and dive captain Anissa Bell are suddenly thrust into a murder investigation. Worse yet, Leigh Weston, whom Ryan is coming to care for, has become an object of several no-holds-barred murder attempts. I loved getting in on the ground level of this new series. It was also fun to see other relationships, besides Leigh and Ryan’s, develop just enough that we can reasonably be assured they will get their own story. Also, Blackburn develops all her characters to the point I care about somewhere between 6-10 characters and would be proud to call any of them “friend.”I just loved Mr. Cook. He may be old, but he’s God’s prayer warrior, and His people know it.“If Mr. Cook decided to pray for you, you could be sure the Almighty was going to get involved.” My parents’ prayers are like that, and I pray that mine will become as effective... not for fame, but to help others realize the greatness of our God. That is the kind of character Mr. Cook is.To be honest, Leigh struggles with juxtaposing God’s greatness and all-powerfulness with His allowing sin and atrocities to occur.“If God had protected her, that was awesome. But why allow any of it?”This is a great question that many of us have, and it is well-answered.I read this on my kindle. At first, I thought I had smudges on the screen. I finally figured out there were light “fingerprints” between chapters. How perfect.With plenty of suspense, some romance, and a few great twists, Lynn H. Blackburn is a romantic suspense author to add to your must-read pile.I will definitely be back for book two with my wetsuit on. I gratefully received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way influenced my opinions, freely given, for which I am solely responsible.
    • 5/5
      This is the first book in a new series and the first book I have read by this author and I loved it. I look forward to many more romantic suspense books by this author. I really enjoyed the banter between Leigh and Ryan. This book wouldn’t let me put it down. This had many twists and turns. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
    • 4/5
      Lynn H. Blackburn is a new author for me. But with the fast-paced twists and turns I found in Beneath The Surface, she has moved to the top of my must-read list for romantic suspense. The great characters, an interesting plot foundation, and a keep-you-guessing story line make this book a recommended read.The novel starts out strong with a dive team based in a town in North Carolina. The team made up of people across law enforcement finds a body in a routine training exercise. The investigation is hindered by the circumstances and condition of the body, but this team is professional and determined to get their man or woman. Swept up in the investigation is nurse practitioner Leigh Weston. As the danger increases to Leigh, so does the attraction between her and childhood friend Ryan Parker. They need to get the case solved fast — so they can get back to normal life and pursue a relationship!Blackburn builds an ensemble cast in this first book in the Dive Team Investigations series. While the story revolves around the investigation of the body found in the lake and the romance between Leigh and Ryan, the other members of the team are integral parts of the action and great supporting characters that will get their own stories in coming books. Leigh and Ryan are relatable characters with doubts and struggles common to all. Their belief in God is strengthened as they face the dangers and a case that creates more questions than answers. And the case is a tricky one — the threats come fast and furious! A real puzzler, it combines the day to day grind of police work with the addition of high tech help. Because of Leigh’s work in the ER, Beneath The Surface also has a medical drama vibe that adds to the action and suspense.My book club is reading Beneath The Surface later this year. I cannot wait to introduce my group to a this book that promises more great reading to come!Recommended.Audience: adults.(Thanks to the author and Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
    • 5/5
      I received this book through Librarything.com Early Review Giveaway for an honest review. I really did enjoy and love this book!!!! It was a fast pace book. The characters were great and strongly identified it the book. When I was read the book I could picture the characters clearly.
    • 5/5
      The author places Leigh Weston on your heart from the very beginning of this story, and soon we are caring about several other people, they seem to have a heart for the Lord, but also for their fellow men.Can you imagine being stalked by a patient, but she worked as an oncology nurse, and guy has died, so now who wants her dead?Your mind is going to change constantly from whom you think is the perpetrator of evil, and once you finally decide, you will be changing your mind.A page turner as we need answers, an old high school crush, a brother who wants to protect his sister forever, even from across the ocean, cute!Once you begin this book, you will be hooked and wanting answers, there is a deranged evil person out there and the law does not want them to win any longer.I received this book through the Revel Blogger Program, and was not required to give positive review.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book I've ever read from this author but it won't be the last. Although I don't get the title as the book itself had very little to do with anything beneath the surface and only minimal action of the dive team the interactions of the characters was quite interesting and kept my attention. I would categorize it more as a romantic suspense novel with there being more romance that suspense.I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*
    • 5/5
      Title: Beneath the Surface (Dive Team Investigations #1)Author: Lynn H. BlackburnPages: 352Year: 2018Publisher: RevellMy rating 5 out of 5 stars.Lynn H. Blackburn weaves a tale of romance and stress of finding a killer before he/she strikes again which causes Detective Ryan Parker and Leigh Weston paths to intersect time and again. Ryan was Leigh’s brother Keith’s best friend growing up, and without Ryan’s knowledge Leigh was interested in the teenager. Now Leigh has returned to the area to care for her mother and work at a local hospital, hoping to leave her past experiences behind, but has it followed her home?Ryan is an experienced diver training at the lake where Leigh and other homeowners live. At least it was training until they made a gruesome discovery. The more time Ryan and Leigh are together the more their past friendship begins to grow into something deeper, but is now the time? Leigh’s life seems to be constantly threatened whether she is working at the hospital or at home. Ryan already has one mystery with a body and now his best friend’s sister’s life is being threatened and almost taken without many clues. Where is the missing key to solving the cases?The moment I read the synopsis of the book I wanted to read it and see if it was as exciting as I hoped it would be. Let me tell you this is one story that captures the imagination and heart of the reader, pulling them in the story time after time! Written with the plot constantly in motion and the characters of various experiences and personalities is well done. I simply couldn’t figure out who was responsible for the bodies that kept turning up and if the possible romance between Leigh and Ryan was going to develop into something more.I won’t spoil it for readers, but I will say this is one author whose future books I plan on reading as soon as I can get my hands on a copy! While we await her next story in the series, enjoy the first book in her Dive Team Investigations as it is absolutely outstanding!Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
    • 5/5
      This was a fun, quick read for those interested in romantic thrillers. I was expecting more dive action given the series but there was lots of other action. I knew it would be a Christian book given the publisher but I was still surprised by the number of times the main character's prayers are quoted at length so I can understand why some non-Christian readers would not be pleased.The romantic relationship that develops between Ryan and Leigh isn't entirely realistic but it is fun. If you're looking for a nice beach read then this is for you. If you want an airtight plot and characterization then you might want to pass this one by. There was a preview of the second book in the back and if I have the chance I'll definitely read it.
    • 3/5
      Blackburn's debut novel tries to be several things at once and doesn't really succeed at any of them. It presents itself as the first in a mystery series (note the subtitle: Dive Team Investigations) but there is exactly one scene featuring an underwater dive — the opening scene of the novel — and after that it's just a standard murder mystery.The mystery itself becomes more and more unbelievable as the story progresses, and Blackburn commits the capital sin (to me) of having the killer be someone who isn't really part of the ongoing story. There's no way for the reader to guess whodunit because we never meet the perpetrator until they've already been identified by the investigators.The investigation seems to careen from unlikely occurrence to unlikely occurrence. The sheriff instantly approves all extra expenditures involved, and cheerfully approves of his main investigator getting romantically involved with the woman who is the killer's repeated target. There's not even a token scene where someone suggests that he might be too personally involved to be a good detective. Instead everyone, including his fellow cops, plot to make them into a couple.In fact, no one ever disapproves of anything anyone does, because it turns out they are all proselytizing Christians who think nothing of interrupting a murder investigation with pages-long ruminations on why Jesus lets bad things happen to good people. Novels without conflict between characters are bloodless, boring things.And of course, it wouldn't be a "Christian" novel without evil Muslims, in this case the family of the heroine's sister-in-law, who are furious that she converted to Christianity and married outside their faith. So furious, in fact, that the heroine's brother takes a job in Europe to keep his wife away from her family, and cannot return to the States to support his sister while her life is repeatedly threatened BECAUSE HE'S WORRIED HIS WIFE'S CRAZY MUSLIM FAMILY WILL KIDNAP HER. Not that we get to meet them, or the sister-in-law, or allow them to present their side of things because no non-Christian characters are allowed speaking parts, I guess. And I mean that seriously: Everyone in this book is an outspoken Christian. They say grace before every hastily grabbed sandwich in the middle of the investigation and no one is made uncomfortable. There's not even a token agnostic who can be converted by the end of the book, let alone a Jew.I am not against characters expressing their faith within the construct of a mystery. But there's a difference between the nuanced way Margaret Maron portrays her characters' strong Christian faith in the Deborah Knott series (coincidentally also set in North Caroline, so it's not a cultural difference) and the way Blackburn shoehorns God onto nearly every page.So yeah, I didn't much care for this one. It was an Early Reviewers pick, and nothing in the ER description mentioned the proselytizing aspect. Being blindsided by that probably made me react more strongly than I would have otherwise, but ultimately this is just not a very well-written or -plotted mystery.
    • 4/5
      This mystery/romance kept me riveted to the book until I had finished it. In part a “Why is everyone trying to kill me?” and holy moley this girl is hot! In this love story and slightly religious tale, the characters are so well-developed that you just have to see how it comes out.When a nurse practitioner moves back home after years away; she seems to bring trouble whenever she goes. A long-lost love takes her under his wing along with many co-workers, bad guys (most of whom didn’t do it, but it was really fun to finally see who DID). Dive teams are a new touch and very well explained.Lynn H. Blackburn writes well. Very good descriptive phrasing which makes you want to be in the moment. A great plot and just enough “wow” factor to keep your attention. Anxiously awaiting #2!
    • 5/5
      This is a great mystery with plenty of suspense. The dive team didn't really come into play past the first chapter, but the discovery there was what sent a chain of events into action that created the entire plot of the book. I think the story had just the right amount of romance interplaying with the murder investigation. I found that I really cared about the characters and wanted to solve the mystery just as much as they did. I particularly like that even though this is the beginning of a series it is a completely self-contained story, so you're not left hanging waiting anxiously for the next book. I will be interested to read more stories about these characters, but it's nice having this story completed.
    • 4/5
      This book was really interesting. I was drawn into it right away, always a plus this time of year, and I didn’t want to put it down. The romance between Ryan and Leigh was sweet and I loved them together. They seemed to compliment each other well. This book didn’t really have much to do with the dive team, however, so I am not sure where the author is going with this series. This book was a romance with some suspense and drama thrown in. I was expecting more about underwater investigations so I was a little disappointed in that. Ryan is a member of the dive team but the only time he goes in the water in the entire book was at the very beginning, and that was only for a few minutes. I do hope that the next books in this series focus a little more on the dive team aspect. Overall, I liked the characters, I liked the suspense, and I feel there is plenty of material for many more books in this series. I do look forward to a book about Adam and Sabrina, I think they are delightfully nerdy. I will definitely look forward to reading the next books in this series. *I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*
    • 3/5
      It's what you would expect for a suspenseful romantic book. Nothing too surprising. I do wish the book description mentioned that religion played a significant part in the character's lives/interactions. I'm not a religious person and I have no interest in reading books that contain it.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in a new series called Dive Team Investigations--though diving did not feature prominently in the book past the first chapter or so. One of the divers is one of the main characters in this suspenseful romance, but the majority of the book centers on the relationship between him and Leigh Weston as well as trying to track down who is threatening Leigh's life.The suspense part was slow to start, but once it ramped up, it was hard to put this book down, and I found myself staying up late because I wanted to see who the culprit behind it was. (I didn't guess the suspect--I did find myself hoping it wasn't Keri or Miss Edna though as I went back through the characters partway through the book.)I think it was fairly realistic that the investigative team would try to shield Leigh at first, but eventually come around to including her in some discussions to try to pinpoint suspects. The ways the killer tried to get at Leigh were interesting and sometimes unexpected (by me at least). There are definitely set-ups in place for future romances. I do wonder if Anissa and Gabe will eventually become a couple--their interaction with each other, while not the standard for romance, does lead me to believe that there might be more underneath how they treat each other. I would read more books in this series and more books by this author--and I always say that is the highest compliment I feel I can give an author!I was given an advance copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.