I was bored by the science and the techinical stuff in the book so I could not get into it like I wanted to which was a shame because the plot was amazing

Great thriller which kept me engaged throughout to the very end. Only wish I had read it sooner! Will be reading more by this author and recommend highly to others.

Apologizes for the late review, I got this book when I was new to NetGalley and I didn’t understand the archiving meant you couldn’t read things you’ve been approved for.

I ended up purchasing this book as an audio book because I was still very interested, and I really enjoyed listening to it.

I highly recommend this book for fans of Tom Clancy and Nelson DeMille, because it’s a well thought out plot with a lot of action, as opposed to a high octane things blowing up all over the place type deal, which I think DeMille & Clancy fans will enjoy.

I really likes the protagonist and his love interest, and I while it wasn’t quite my normal genre I would definitely try more from this author.

Into A Canyon Deep is one of those books that starts with a bang and the action keeps going. It is a fun read with an interesting hero, a scientist Chris Black, who is not afraid to get into a fight.


Criminals are dumping toxic waste in the ocean and professor Black is doing research in an area close by. When the criminals see his boat close to their dumpsite they go on the offensive. Attacking Black and members of his crew after they return to port.

Fortunately part of Black’s crew includes a former Navy Seal, Mac Johnson. Black and Johnson dig into the mystery to find out why they are being attacked. Then work to uncover who are the masterminds behind the conspiracy.

This is a well thought out story. It introduces a cast that I hope will become a long-running series. The setting of a group of researchers on a large ocean-going vessel opens the door to many adventures. I know some other authors have thrillers also set in the backdrop of a boat crew. But Author Dr. James Lindholm offers that “write what you know” insights from being an actual marine biologist.

I would recommend anyone looking for an action-adventure read to pick up Into a Canyon Deep.

An advance reader copy of this book was provided via NetGalley for this review.

Title: Into a Canyon Deep
Author: James Lindholm
Genre: Fiction, thriller
Rating: 3.0 out of 5

Returning from a research dive off the coast of picturesque Carmel-by-the-Sea, marine biologist Chris Black is attacked viciously. No stranger to physical altercations, Chris is able to defend himself and hold one of his assailants captive. He learns that the goon has been sent to intimidate him: Stop diving or else...

Not one to respond well to threats, Chris and his childhood friends Mac Johnson, a former Navy SEAL, and Jase Hamilton, investigator with the Monterey County Sheriff, dive a little deeper. What is it that Chris and his graduate students might have seen on the ocean floor? Is it related to the body that washed up on shore? And how does whatever might be buried under the sea connect to the rich and famous who fund Chris Black's research projects?

This seemed pretty clichéd to me, mixed with a healthy dose of vicarious living/wishful thinking. The criminals are dumb: “hiding” toxic waste within sight of the shore when it’s well-known marine research takes place there? Not to mention their fondness for smash-and-grab threats with zero subtlety or finesse. Lots of empty rambling and pointless—and poorly concealed—violence.

Chris himself is likable enough, but I felt like he was based on a bad 80s movie/TV show like Miami Vice: why does a random marine biologist know martial arts and have the ability to take out criminals? Not believable, and the “explanation” was clunky at best—more in the vein of as-you-know-Bob than in believable backstory.

James Lindholm lives in California. Into a Canyon Deep is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of CamCat Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I really loved the characters - they were all fairly believable and I could connect to them. The plot was a bit much and some aspects could have been flushed out or explained more. One I got into it, I had to read it all, even though it was quite predictable. Overall though, it was enjoyable and nice book to read while on vacation.

This is pretty good. Parts of it are quite engaging, and the ending was OK. The books shows the author's talent quite nicely. I enjoyed the main character (Black) who is well conceived and written. This is solid, suspenseful mystery. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the review copy!!

This is my first read by this author and I will read him again. It took me a bit to get into the story but then I found myself wrapped up in it. The characters are interesting and I really liked Chris Black. I wish there were a bit more details hidden about the mystery though. There isn't much suspense or tension. Overall it's a good book and I will definitely give the next one a try.

James Lindholm did an amazing job of creating a character who is intelligent, scientific, brave, and surprisingly strong. Chris Black is such a multi-dimensional character that you cannot help but root for him and be surprised by his moments of braun. I mean come on, a crime-fighting marine scientist, how cool is that? I spent many years of my life vacationing in Carmel-By-The-Sea and the descriptions of the city and surrounding Monterey were so vivid that I could see the places in my mind. Even if you haven't been, I'm sure any writer could feel like they were near the ocean from Lindholm's writing.

The story isn't altogether unpredictable, there were several times I felt myself guessing (accurately) at the climax. The predictability, however, does not take away from the enjoyability of the story. It's fun, very different from the usual suspense novels I read, and an original premise for a series protagonist. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this book and will probably continue to read the series when my TBR pile decreases.

suspenseful. What a great story and characters. The characters were all so well defined. I felt like I knew each of them personally. like some and hated others! From the first page, i was enthralled and couldn't stop reading. I was glad that i had the time to read the book!

I received a copy of Into a Canyon Deep by James Lindholm for my honest review. Chris Black is a marine biologist who always seems to find himself in the middle of trouble. A group of bad guys thinks he and his researchers have found their secret and try to silence them. If you like adventure type books or nature suspense, this was a good one. Fast paced and kept me interested. I enjoyed the characters and would definitely read more books in a series to see how the characters develop.

Unique premise and well-drawn characters, with plenty of "left turns" along the way to keep the reader intrigued. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and would recommend it to all readers searching for top-rate writing. Perfect summer read!

*I received this book as an ARC from the author/publisher in return for my honest review.*

This was an okay read. I generally enjoy water-related thrillers, and this one certainly fits that category. Chris Black is a nice lead character. The book was well done and paced quickly. I think the end was somewhat predictable. Everything just sort of floated along, if you’ll pardon my pun. I’m not sure I would grab the next one in the series, but I’d recommend reading this if you find the summary interesting.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

To start off, I could not put this book down once I got into the plot. Into a Canyon Deep is well written, action packed and scientifically interesting. There is not too much science jargon to make it uncomfortable, but just enough to feel like you are learning something new. Chris was extremely relatable and very easy to like, as were the other characters. The plot line was interesting and kept my attention throughout.

While the book’s ending was predictable, it was certainly an enjoyable read.