I love this series and enjoyed Dark Dive even more than the previous books in the UIU series. I love the relationships, the action, as well as the shorter chapters that keep you reading just...one...more. Sloan is a fantastic lead and I love the interactions with Jackie, Run, and her co-workers, Hughes and George. I love how Sloan is written as somewhat reckless, yet smart. Not just a younger woman bumbling about in a police investigation and getting into trouble. And come on, who doesn't love giant alligators.

I cannot wait to keep reading this series!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC I received in exchange for my honest review.

This is book 5 in the series Underwater Investigation Unit. This series has everything you want in a police procedure, mystery with the extra bonus of underwater investigation. I have to like the main characters and this series doesn't disappoint. Sloan is a female 'cop' diver. She and her team are looking for a missing diver. There is a lot in these books, this one has to be my favorite, it grabbed me and off I went until I finished this in one day. Housework, etc be damned. Thank you for allowing me to read an advanced copy. Looking forward to book #6

*Spoiler*
I very much enjoyed this book. While it did take awhile to get into it to the point where I didn’t want to put it down, it was still very engaging. The plot twist was well thought out and kept me guessing until the end. The only thing I wish was explained more was what happened at the farm.

Dark Dive: A Thriller is the fifth installment in the gripping Underwater Investigation Unit series by acclaimed author Andrew Mayne. Set in the depths of the ocean, this thrilling novel follows the exploits of a team of divers and investigators as they unravel a complex web of mystery and suspense. The novel seamlessly combines heart-pounding action with intricate plot twists, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.
Mayne's vivid descriptions and meticulous attention to detail immerse readers in the breathtaking underwater world, making them feel as if they are part of the investigation team. The characters are well-developed and relatable, adding depth and authenticity to the story. With its fast-paced narrative and spine-tingling suspense, Dark Dive is a must-read for fans of the thriller genre.

Dark Dive begins with a crime scene that requires the help of Florida’s UIU (Underwater Investigation Unit). After a massive alligator takes a chomp on their remotely operated underwater robot, Sloan McPherson, diver for UIU, volunteers to brave the water herself. A dangerous dive that doesn’t go as planned.
Their next assignment, a missing person case. Fred Stafford’s girlfriend reported him as missing for a week. Fred is a well known diving instructor in Florida and extreme technical diver from all over. Sloan knows Fred as a family friend, one who’s had some wild dives with her father. She is expecting to find that he’s off on another job or drinking a beer in Bermuda. As Sloan and her partner, Scott Hughes, investigate further, they are led to an excursion with a group called the dive rats, uncharted sinkholes, underwater caves, creepy swamps with dangerous creatures, a con artist, an abandoned boys home and more directions than they could’ve ever expected.
This was a very interesting read. As someone who doesn’t know much about diving, I enjoyed the way the story added just enough information to understand how and why divers utilize the equipment and the procedures they need to follow. I also found the details on the underwater robots pretty interesting. The story had a good flow and plenty of believable turns. I would definitely read another book from Andrew Mayne.
This would appeal to those who love a good mystery and appreciate a good plot that doesn’t cut corners.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Another fast-paced thriller with Sloan McPherson leading the charge for the newly reopened UIU while investigating the strange death of a diver with archaeological implications. Looking forward to Sloan’s next adventure, possibly as a federal agent. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review!

I love the Underwater Investigation Unit series, and I just caught up on books 3 and 4. I'm glad that this installment goes back into the water when McPherson investigates the disappearance of a famous local diver. There were twists and turns with the case, and she works with a great team that's expanded to include Wylder. I enjoyed how the team is incorporating robotics and AI into their searches and cases. The ending made it out that there is another case coming our way, so I can't wait to read more!

Twists and turns. This story starts with a rather routine case, but branches out to go in different directions until it ends somewhere totally unexpected. I did not see where the story was going until the end. I love this series. Sloane and the UIU team are well developed, work well together and the interactions between them feel real. The Florida location is perfect and the diving sequences make for an interesting and different feel from a lot of mysteries. I highly recommend this book and want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for an honest review.

Maybe is one of my favorite writers. Science education and action, with fantastic protagonists. Unfortunately, this is the first I've read in this series, and apparently there are four more.
I'm this story, there's a missing diver, and the search is on. There are explanations of diving, and I got a little claustrophobic during some of the more tense moments in dangerous underground locations, but I actually felt a little scared during the great descriptions when they had to dive in an area with lots of wild Florida animals.
And I like how you don't need to read his other books to jump into a new one.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

4.5/5

This is definitely one of my favorites in the series.
Sloan McPherson and Scott Hughes are at it again. The story has everything in it from artifacts from old Florida being found to murder. The book is fast paced and I didn’t want to put it down.

Definitely one of my favorite series to read!

This is a good mystery/thriller about underwater investigations by specially trained Scuba divers. Set in Florida in and around, not the Atlantic or the Gulf, but various sinkholes—some of them ancient—located within the state’s interior, it contains lots of very good research and information about a variety of subjects, including but not limited to alligators, crocodiles, anacondas, pythons, professional and amateur diving, Florida’s ancient history and geology, as well as sinkholes and what they can contain.. The characters are interesting. The settings are well described. While it’s a “who done it,” I didn’t find the central mystery to be all that compelling. especially since we never really get to meet, and thus become involved with, the victim. But author Andrew Mayne created some very tense scenes, especially underwater, that kept me on the edge of my seat. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Andrew Mayne, and publisher Thomas and Mercer for providing me with a complimentary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

Release Date: March 2024

I'm a sucker for Andrew Mayne's writing and the Sloan McPherson storyline. There hasn't been a book yet in this series that I haven't loved. This book is no different. I devoured this book.

Andrews writing always makes reading this storyline with several moving parts easier to read and enjoy. I'm not one for difficult storylines, but Andrew always makes a more than simple storyline so easy to follow. Not just to follow but fall into full force. Like Sloan, I dive straight into every book and never look back until I come up for air at the end.

I honestly couldn't love these characters more. Solar is like the surly older man with authority before he even asserts himself. Hughes is the best partner a girl could ask for. Always there to anticipate what she needs even without her saying so.

This storyline definitely kept me engaged with who everyone new was and their connection to everything. There wasn't a better way for this to be written.

I hope that you will take a chance and read this!

Thank you to Netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own, honest and voluntary.

friendship, friends, investigation, action-adventure, snarky, law-enforcement, missing-persons, recovery-diver, family-dynamics, procedural, thriller, suspense, unputdownable, sinkholes, Florida, conspiracy, multiple-murder, due-diligence, cave-diving, archaeology, historical-research, crime-fiction*****

Sloan McPherson of the dispersed Underwater Investigation Unit is skilled in all forms of diving but having a bit of trouble with the panics after a recent job. She is decidedly law enforcement an tied into a rather large number of Florida and Federal alphabet agencies. This time a fellow diver (a civilian) has vanished and the task of locating him gets more convoluted as the book goes on.
This is not as long as a Cussler novel, but the research info that frequently arises is every bit as evidence of a thorough knowledge of things maritime and bits of archaeological nature. LOVED IT!
I requested and received a free EARC from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thank you!

Having devoured the first four books in the series, the return of Sloan McPherson in "Dark Dive" by Andrew Mayne had me eagerly diving back into the underwater investigative world. The book maintains the series' stellar pacing, an engaging plot, and believable twists that set it apart from typical crime procedurals. Sloan remains a remarkably well-developed female lead, anchoring the narrative with her depth and complexity. While the plot marks an improvement from the fourth installment, my only qualm was the somewhat abrupt introduction of AI elements. The frequent, almost infomercial-like mentions felt a touch forced. Despite this, the concept added intriguing layers to the story, enhancing its authenticity. "Dark Dive" weaves a gripping tale of mystery, unearthing buried secrets, and navigating the depths of a Florida cold case. Mayne's expertise shines through, making it a thrilling addition to the Underwater Investigation Unit series.

The 5th book in the Underwater Investigation Unit series is about officers of the law who are investigative divers for the State of Florida. It begins with the team trying to pull a coroner's van from an alligator infested pond. The van had been forced off the road in an accident.. The bodies in the van were possible evidence in the case of a serial killer. The authorities were desperate to save the evidence. Scott Hughes offered his ROV to take a line and loop it over the tow ball to be able to pull the van out. Unfortunately the alligators mistook the ROV for a turtle and tried to eat thus ending its task. Sloan McPherson volunteers to swim in through a pipe, that held a pump which she was assured was broken, to accomplish what the robot couldn't. She succeeded in getting the van connected, but then she must escape an interested alligator and the suddenly working pump. The excitement and adventure never ends as Sloan continues to risk herself in each new case.
A fellow diving friend has dropped out of sight. Sloan and Hughes set about investigating his disappearance. The man was involve in cave diving in Central Florida. The investigation takes them in claustrophobic caves in an effort to find what the man was searching for and if he had met with some trouble.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

This is the fifth book in the Underwater Investigation Unit series but I was able to read it as a standalone.

This was a quick, fun read. I love Sloan McPherson, the series' female protagonist, and the relationship she has with her dive partner Scott Hughes. As someone who has a fear of drowning, I was on the edge of my seat each time a dive took place.

This was my first book by Andrew Mayne but will not be my last. I plan to go back and read the previous four books in this series and look forward to the next.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my voluntary and honest review.

I will read anything written by Andrew Mayne, and I especially like this series. And this book is probably the best of the group. It has an interesting juxtaposition of prehistory and robotics. Stone weapons to high tech. Wrapped up in a really good whodunit.

Always a guaranteed 4 or 5 star read, never a disappointment. At this point will read anything mayne writes

This is a great little read, with an interesting female protagonist that leads an alternative lifestyle. This book appeals to folks that love the ocean and being out on the water. I honestly can’t remember what the plot was, but I enjoyed reading the interaction with the characters. I felt like I was one of them, making wisecracks and maybe slapping them in the back of their heads. Andrew Mayne is very good at weaving complex plots with good storytelling. The whole series is highly recommended