This was an entertaining read full of twists and turns that alternates timelines (during a trial and flashbacks) as well as character points view. This is a good book to keep you guessing.

In the Deep was a fast-paced, thrilling read following a woman accused of murdering her husband.

Ellie Tyler has struggled to move on after her young daughter's death and her subsequent spiral into depression. Then she meets real-estate mogul Martin Cresswell-Smith and he's everything she's ever wanted. Whisked away to live in an Australian coastal town, Ellie is ready for her new life to begin. But after arriving in Australia, her life is nothing like the fairy tale she imagined nor is Martin the same man she married. After Martin is brutally murdered, everyone believes his wife is responsible. Senior Constable Lozza Bianchi has doubts about the case and begins to wonder if anything Ellie told her was the truth.

In the Deep opens with the start of the trial for the murder of Martin Cresswell-Smith which was a fantastic opening scene as I was immediately pulled in and wanted to know what happened. From there we flash back one year to the discovery of Martin's body before jumping back even further to two years ago when Ellie first met Martin. The book continues the back and forth between these timelines with Ellie's timeline eventually catching up to the one where Martin is murdered. The author manages to reveal just enough information in each chapter to keep you interested while also leaving you wanting to know more. The pacing of the book was great and I found myself unable to put the book down as I got closer to the end. The ending was a complete surprise and I was blown away by the reveal of what happened. Overall the plot was very well done and the author does a great job at keeping you guessing.

The characters in this book were well written with just the right amount of character development. Throughout the book we primarily follow two characters, Ellie and Lozza. Ellie comes across as rather unstable and a lot of her choices make you wonder what she's capable of. At the same time, she manages to make you feel sympathy for her and what she's going through. Lozza was an interesting woman and I found myself wanting to learn more about her. She's very dedicated to her job and she has a hard time letting injustices go. We also get a few chapters from the point of view of a mysterious Watcher. I was most intrigued by their chapters as I was curious to learn why they were watching the Cresswell-Smiths.

Overall In the Deep was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it if you're looking for a great psychological thriller.

I absolutely loved this book! It pulled me in right away and didn't let go. The story is told from different points of view at different points in time, woven between the scenes in the courtroom. A very original way to unravel the story, and it kept me guessing right up until the very end! One of the best books I have read so far this year.

Another great read from Loreth Anne White! I loved the setting and the atmosphere! And amazing psych thriller!

In the Deep is my first read by Loreth Anne White. It is very favorably reviewed by others, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I had a very hard time getting into the story, and really had to push myself to finish it. Having said that, there were several things I did like.

The pace of the story was quick and it did keep me coming back. The settings were glamorous and I liked the way the time frame switched back and forth. My biggest problem was with the main character, Ellie. Our first introduction to her she has major Daddy issues. It is the stereotypical older successful man with young wife barely older than the daughter. I found her overly dramatic reactions to him as annoying as he did in the story. She drank alot, did drugs, and although there was some background as to why, it didn't make me like her any better.

There was an unexpected twist at the end, but I didn't find it all that satisfying. I can see elements that would make others enjoy the story, so maybe I just took too long to get through it and sort of lost the plot.

I appreciate NetGalley , the publisher, and the author giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

Great book! Really enjoyed the twist - didn't expect that at all. I couldn't put it down. I'm new to the author but I will definitely look out for more in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for this ARC in exchange for a review. I am a huge fan of Loreth after reading her Angie Pallorino trilogy a few years back and absolutely loving. I was so excited to get approved for this book and it did not disappoint. This book is told from multiple POVs in a way that really plays to the story in this case. We begin at the murder trial of Martin Cresswell-Smith's wife who everyone knows has killed her husband. It goes back and forth between the trial and all the moments leading up to the trial and it's the kind of book that you don't want to put down. The pacing of this book is perfect! Little tidbits that make you feel uncomfortable are dropped at the perfect times and the twist???? Oh my gosh this was another incredible book by White and if you are a friend of domestic psychological thrillers, one I highly recommend checking out!

I love Loreth Anne White. I think she’s is brilliant, her books are page turners that you can not put down. This book was just as great as all the rest.

10/10 would definitely recommend.

Holy smokes this book!! In the Deep by Loreth Anne White is my first book by the author and it was fantastic! It will hook you and shock you with intense characters who are not only complex, but also unlikeable. The book is so well written and, honestly, I had no idea how it was going to end. One of the best psychological thrillers I've read recently. Going to look up the author's other books. Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the twists and turns in this book! This is what a thriller should be. It kept me guessing the whole time, and I sped through this book!
Having a main character who deals with drinking and drugs made the whole story much more interesting to me, having to constantly guess and not know where I stand made the reading experience both frustrating and enjoyable, as I had to keep reading to find out what happened.

If you enjoy mind games in your thrillers, this is the way to go for you.

This is a story full of twists and turns that truly keeps the reader guessing right until the very end....and even then, you don't expect what happens!.
Ellie has had a difficult past, with the death of her daughter and a rough divorce, she has hit rock bottom. But then, she meets Martin and everything changes for her. They are a couple that appear to have it all, however what happens behind closed doors is a different matter.
Shortly after their move to the Australian coast, Martin is brutally murdered, and here is where the twists and turns really begin!.

This story was perfectly written and captivated me from the start. The suspense built up throughout and took you through a range of emotions as the truth is uncovered.

Perfectly paced, thrilling and captivating. This book is without a doubt a must read!

I really enjoyed this book. It was creepy, full of twists and turns, unpredictable and wonderfully written. Would recommend.

“I hope you don’t find him. And if you do I hope he’s dead and that he suffered.” 👈 😱 I had to start with this line from In the Deep because it stuck with me and also, it’s being said by Ellie about her missing husband Martin. Ellie has a horrific and tragic past, her toddler drowned and her marriage unraveled and then she had a complete breakdown afterwards and basically lost everything. Now she meets Martin and she’s feeling hopeful for the first time in years. She’s leaving Canada for Australia with her dashing new husband and they’re set to build a resort. But as soon as they arrive in Australia things take a dark and sinister turn.⁣
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Y’all, this one was SO good! You have multiple perspectives, Ellie in the past and during the murder trial and Lozza, a police officer working the case. The majority of the book takes place in Australia and it was highly atmospheric and very well drawn. It was a complex and tangled mystery with so many aspects I never saw coming. It’s one of those books that in hindsight, things seem obvious, but when you’re reading it, you’re just guessing again and again. This one was super dark and full of triggers, pretty much anything you can imagine, but I really liked it, it was such a smart thriller.

It took me around 5 days to finish this book. Too many words lol but I don't regret finishing this story. You thought you know what is happening but damn you are wrong. There are multiple twists at the end and you won't see it coming at all lol

The main character, Ellie is such an unreliable character. I don't know whether I can trust her or not. Like she don't even know what is happening to her. Ohhh she is a drug addict and she is a mess!!


Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for In The Deep ARC!

4.5 you'll love it - and loathe it - stars

In the Deep is super difficult to review! I liked it; I loathed it. I felt awful reading it; I couldn't put it down! I felt sorry for the characters; I couldn't stand the characters!

If Ms. White was trying to challenge her readers thoughts and emotions and keep us on our toes...she succeeded! I started the book knowing nothing about the plot or characters and right away I couldn't put it down. I sensed their was going to be a big twist but there is really no way for readers to be prepared for it. I was completely surprised by the ending, although I sensed there was something off about our villain - or villains? - from the start.

In the Deep drops readers straight into the deep end. A murder suspect arrives at court to be tried for the murder of her husband. Readers aren't sure if she's guilty or innocent, but the narrator (our suspect) is alternately horrified by the screams and epithets hurled at her from the press and bystanders, and laser focused on presenting the best version of herself to win her freedom.

The novel then jumps back a year to the PoV of Senior Constable Lauren - Lozza - Bianchi. Bianchi, along with her partner Greg, accompany a local who claims to have found a body in a swampy channel off the Agnes River. Lozza suspects it might be Martin Cresswell-Smith, a real estate developer who went missing four days earlier, but since he's nowhere near where detectives believe he went missing, she has her doubts. When they finally locate the body, Lozza is certain IT IS Martin - and that someone tortured and killed him. But why? And how did he end up here?

Ellie Hartley is a hot mess. Two years earlier, after the accidental drowning death of her three-year-old daughter, Ellie's "perfect" life fell apart. Drinking and pills helped numb her pain, but after a divorce and total emotional breakdown, she ended up institutionalized. In The Deep begins with Ellie determined to move forward with her life and put the grief and rage and devastation firmly in her past. She's ready to start a new chapter - one filled with purpose (professionally and personally) and happiness. But her fresh start gets off to a rough start when she arrives at what she thought was a private dinner to celebrate her father's birthday, and instead discovers herself at a conference for entrepreneurs looking for investment money. Her father, a wealthy businessman, is looking for businesses to invest in, and he's accompanied by yet another young girlfriend. Furious, disappointed and sad, Ellie promptly gets drunk. The dinner ends after a loud and acrimonious exchange with her father, but Ellie remains at the Hartley Hotel bar (the hotel is owned by her father) to meet up with a friend. The two continue to drink until finally they part late that night.

Ellie is contemplating a return home when she bumps into a handsome stranger on her way out. He introduces himself as Martin Cresswell-Smith, a real estate developer looking for investors in his latest project - a luxury housing community in New South Wales, Australia. Ellie feels a flare of attraction after her charming stranger urges her to join him for another drink, and likes him even more after they sit down for drinks. The "relationship" develops quickly, and before long Ellie is joining Martin on business trips and romantic getaways. On a trip to Las Vegas only a few short, intense months later, she impulsively suggests they get married - and Martin agrees. She also offers to invest in his New South Wales project after an important investor drops out, and Martin - reluctantly - agrees to that, too. The pair make plans for Ellie to join Martin in Australia, and after a stressful trip from Vancouver, Ellie exits the airplane to find a smiling Martin waiting to welcome her. The doubts and stress of her past seem far away...until Martin shares his plans for the day with his jet lagged and weary wife.

Oh friends. There's nothing dreamlike about Ellie's new life. It's a nightmare that unfolds almost from the moment she steps off the plane. But you expected that didn't you? I'm not going to give away any of the secrets of this novel except to confirm you are right to be worried about our poor Ellie. But is she 'poor Ellie' or 'murderous Ellie?' Ah, now that's the question. (I won't be answering). Ms. White masterfully introduces each other characters that have a part to play in this story - Ellie, Martin, Lozza and several other important secondary characters, but readers are never quite sure about Ellie. We spend time in her unreliable PoV, along with Lozza - who's own traumatic past exerts a significant pull on her thoughts and actions, and with the Watcher - an unnamed person who seems to be stalking Ellie. It's a creepy, clever waiting game as we wait for Martin to meet his end.

In the Deep is entertaining and addictive. Like a train wreck, you can't look away! I kept wondering just how Ellie's arrival in Australia was tied to the court case and murder at the start of the book, and Ms. White draws out that mystery until the near end of the book. I liked how it all came together, but the book is nearly finished when she dangles one last possible twist. I wasn't ready for it - and I found myself wishing we had one more chapter to explore this tantalizing reality.

Fans of twisty, character driven mystery/thrillers will love this one. I didn't love the characters - any of them! - but the story is a winner.

Recommended.

I FLEW through In The Deep! This is a super twisty murder mystery that had me quickly turning pages. I couldn’t put it down!

After a whirlwind romance, Martin and Ellie seem to have it all. Until Martin is brutally murdered and secrets start to reveal...

This was so manipulative, and twisted, and fabulous! Every twist was perfectly timed and executed. Just when you think it’s over, the author throws another curveball your way. The suspense ramps up throughout the book and leaves the reader with no option but to keep turning the pages. A compulsive, twisted story! My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Loreth Anne White's "Angie Pallorino" series is one of my all-time favourite series and her stand alone novels are just as good.
This is the story of Ellie who is in the depths of despair after suffering the devastating loss of her child, quickly followed by divorce. Once meeting Martin she feels she may be able to find happiness again. Ellie moves to Australia with Martin where she begins to see his dark side. Suddenly he disappears and nothing is as it seems.
A unique storyline, complex and captivating characters, dangerous and intense situations, and intriguing twists and turns result in "In The Deep" being a fantastic novel in this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Loved it!!!! There are so many twists and turns. The ending was everything. Loved the story, characters and writing style. The characters were perfect, none of them were very likable but they made the book work. Lozza Bianchi was the only redeemable character. She actually could see what was really happening and what people were trying to hide. She definitely will be watching. Ellie must be blind because she had huge red flags blinking and waving in front of her but she saw NOTHING. She ignored everything, even when she saw it with her very own eyes. Everything was too good to be true. There's so many surprises throughout the book and I never saw them coming. The best thing I could say is read the book, you will not be disappointed.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller and will keep you guessing until the very end. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake Romance through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Right off the bat it's revealed that Ellie's husband has been murdered, the trial is ready to begin. Interspersed with the trial chapters are Ellie's story, starting when she first met Martin, and Lozza's investigation into the murder. Ellie is a total mess, pills/booze steer her life, and she's still deep in grief. Her whirlwind romance with Martin sends up so many red flags I was saying "girl, RUN!" throughout. Martin is a master at gaslighting.

I had my suspicions about the villain, but I did not guess the extent of it: WAIT..........oooooooooh. That twist really threw me! The whole book gave me a sense of impending doom, and the final chapter gave me chills.

If you are looking for a tense, edge-of-your-seat, thriller with an unreliable narrator, this book is perfect. White is a master of tangled suspense that keeps you guessing to the end.