Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
**4.5-stars rounded up**
After being betrayed by her best friend, Lainey, and her boyfriend, Silas, who are now a couple, Jade cannot wait to start her COB-adventure. She needs a way to escape from her regular life and what better way than aboard a shop?
‘COB’ is short for Campus on Board and is essentially a Semester at Sea program that Jade has been anticipating for years. It couldn’t have arrived at a better time.
Set on a luxury cruise ship, Jade is ready to meet new people and escape from the dark hole she’s been in.
In the line to board though, she’s shocked to see Lainey and Silas. They’re kissing and laughing, clearly happy. Lainey attracting attention, as always. Jade’s stomach drops. What are they even doing here!? This is her thing.
As annoyed as she is by the new couple, Jade is also confused as heck as to how it even happened. She wants answers and become set on getting them.
Luckily, on the ship, Jade’s mostly distracted from her heartache. She’s making new friends, her roommates are supportive, they’re going on excursions at various ports, but Lainey and Silas are never too far from her mind.
With time at sea, the players involved begin to get to know each other fairly well, their various dramas and secrets on full display. Therefore, they all know Jade holds a bit of a grudge against Lainey and Silas.
When there’s a murder, some people suspect Jade. She didn’t do anything, but now needs to prove it, because if she didn’t do it, that means there’s a killer on board.
Along with her new crush, Felix, Jade sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery before more people die.
Lying in the Deep is easily my favorite Diana Urban yet. This was close to a perfect YA Mystery/Thriller for me.
It features a fantastic setting, a varied cast of characters, wildly over-the-top drama, a classic-feeling locked room mystery, a shady corporation housing deadly secrets, blackmail, murder and more…
I had an absolute blast reading it. Lainey and Silas were so unlikable and I loved being on Jade’s side and rooting for her as she tried to survive this dangerous cruise.
There were moments I wanted to shake her, she didn’t always make the greatest choices, but I was invested in her character and her life. The side characters were equally messy and fun. I loved watching their relationships grow and change over the course of the story.
I am an atmosphere-girlie and I loved the setting of the luxury cruise ship. A bunch of students, strangers to one another before boarding, being trapped on a ship together. You just know juicy things are going to go down.
I also liked the idea of the excursions they went on in the various ports. There was always some action happening during those events.
Additionally, I thought the mystery was really well done. I loved how it progressed and the amateur sleuthing aspects involving Jade and Felix were so fun.
I had many theories, some panned out, but a lot didn’t. I didn’t fully catch on to the whodunit until very close to the final reveal. I had a lot of fun getting to that point.
The ending was completely insane, almost too much, but not. I liked it and was fully satisfied with the very final moments. Overall, I think Urban nailed this one.
I definitely recommend for Readers who enjoy a fun and fast-paced YA Mystery-Thriller. The cruise setting makes this the perfect Summer read. Grab your copy now!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Razorbill, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m excited to pick up more from Urban in the future.