Book Review: ‘Black Coral: A UIU Novel’ By Andrew Mayne

Author and Magician Andrew Mayne follows up his first novel in his Underwater series The Girl Beneath The Sea with a solid second novel Black Coral. Once again Sloane McPherson and the Underwater Investigation Unit (UIU) are at the center of the story. A car has gone off the road into Pond 65 with one suvivor and one stuck in the car. Sloane is tasked with going down into the alligator infested waters and there’s worry that Big Bill, a huge gator, could show up. Sloane is able to get down and get the body and then notices another van stuck in the water. It’s not uncommon for vehicles to be found in the water. Sloane has a feeling about this and is able to get the authorities to let her go down. It contains the remains of four high-school aged kids that disappeared thirty years ago. The case is just made a cold case but Sloane thinks there’s more to it and starts an investigation. It soon leads to the conclusion there was murder and then more bodies are tied to the case, including a fresh kill in the everglades and it turns into a search for a serial killer. And it opens up long held secrets and the a suspect is arrested but the question is did he do it? Or is there someone else out there that is actually the serial killer and is Sloane and UIU members safe?

As I said before a solid follow up with thrilling action, especially the undersea scenes and the threat of Big Bill. Here’s to more underwater adventures with the UIU.

You can pick up Black Coral in stores on Tuesday, February 16.