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Wide Open #2
Deep Down
Now that she's solved her sister's murder, Hallie Michaels has left the army and isn't sure what to do next. Her relationship with deputy Boyd Davies is tentative, there's still distance between her and her father, and she needs a job. The good news is, she hasn't seen a ghost in weeks.All that changes when she gets a call asking her to help an elderly neighbor who is being stalked by black dogs, creatures from the underworld that are harbingers of death. When a black dog appears, Hallie learns, a reaper is sure to follow. And if the dark visions she's suddenly receiving are any indication, it looks like the reaper is now following her .Meanwhile, strange events herald the arrival of ghosts from Boyd's past, ghosts the young deputy isn't ready to face. Refusing Hallie's help, Boyd takes off to deal with the problem on his own, only to find that he's facing something much larger and more frightening than he'd imagined.Stalked by a reaper and plagued by dark visions, Hallie finds she must face her fears and travel into Death's own realm to save those she most loves.Deep Down is the chlling sequel to Wide Open , Deborah Coates's "refreshingly original dark fantasy debut." ( Publishers Weekly )
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2013
5 people are currently reading
732 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Coates
22 books71 followersI grew up on a farm in western New York. I currently live in central Iowa. I work in IT by day and train dogs and write books by night. I live with a Rottweiler, a German Pinscher and a lot of books.
I am a fan of flyover country, wide open spaces, weather, books, working dogs, gutsy heroines and steadfast heroes.
My first novel, Wide Open, was published by Tor on March 13, 2012. My second novel Deep Down is out March 5, 2013.
I am a fan of flyover country, wide open spaces, weather, books, working dogs, gutsy heroines and steadfast heroes.
My first novel, Wide Open, was published by Tor on March 13, 2012. My second novel Deep Down is out March 5, 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
April 28, 2013
Anybody else think the first book, WIDE OPEN, was a tad predictable? I did. It didn't bother me, because I was reading for the characters and dialogue and setting, all of which were so good that I didn't care that it was super-obvious that Martin was the bad guy.
But in DEEP DOWN? We still have the characters and dialogue and setting, but the story is also less predictable. I did guess what was special about Lily and Beth, but not much more than that. Several details took me totally by surprise!
In DEEP DOWN, we have two subplots that sort of look like they're separate, but they actually tie together as the story progresses. We get the thing with the black dogs, that are not, of course, dogs at all -- they're harbingers of death, and they talk. At least the one that hangs out with Hallie talks. Still not clear why this particular black dog is hanging out with Hallie; I think we have a lead in to the third book, here. Which is fine. I like the black dogs and look forward to seeing them again.
So, anyway, the thing with the black dogs and reapers and a personified Death -- I always do enjoy a personified Death -- and the thing with the spooky bad guy, Travis Hollowell. Who is indeed pretty spooky. And, as I say, turns out to be involved with all those black dogs and reapers and everything, and in fact it all even ties together with the magic we saw from the first book.
One thing I really like about this story: the way there is ALL THIS weird spooky stuff going on, so that every time you turn around you bump into somebody else who can foretell the future (sometimes) or talk to dead people (if they're in the right mood). Usually these are not comfortable gifts; they are small and not very helpful and sometimes actually pretty dangerous, but they do turn up. And yet you can totally believe that most people don't notice the weird supernatural stuff that goes on behind the scenes, because Deb Coates is really good at showing how ordinary people just don't want to notice or acknowledge the weird stuff.
Another thing I really like: You may remember I mentioned before how very, very gifted Coates is with dialogue? Still true. I love the dialogue; and I love the things people don't say, which can be as vivid as the things they do say; and I love the relationships between even minor characters. And the relationship between Boyd and Hallie. Like this, for example:
There was something about the way [Boyd] said her name, about the way he entered a space, whether she was looking at him or not, like the air changed, like he figured she would always know that it was him. And maybe she would. Like a dance without music. Like they almost knew each other.
And this:
He paused, like he was figuring out what to say next, a problem they both had, not just because they didn't know who or what they were to each other, but because the subject of their conversations kept being things neither of them had ever heard of or knew anything about.
I could quote so many great bits! It's all so much more interesting and evocative and somehow real-sounding than the way the Female Lead thinks about the Male Lead in your typical paranormal/UF kind of story. Hallie and Boyd argue, and stop themselves from arguing, and protect each other, and stop themselves from protecting each other, and it's just a really great developing relationship. We learn a lot more about Boyd in this book. He really does suit Hallie down to the ground. There's this neat bit where she says, "You're not my type," and he just says, "Yes, I am." And of course he's right, and she knows he is. It's like, there's this great relationships that's rocky and sometimes tense, but without the angst that gets so tiresome in so many romances.
So, yeah, this one worked for me. Plus, that beautiful cover! I'm definitely looking forward to the third book.
But in DEEP DOWN? We still have the characters and dialogue and setting, but the story is also less predictable. I did guess what was special about Lily and Beth, but not much more than that. Several details took me totally by surprise!
In DEEP DOWN, we have two subplots that sort of look like they're separate, but they actually tie together as the story progresses. We get the thing with the black dogs, that are not, of course, dogs at all -- they're harbingers of death, and they talk. At least the one that hangs out with Hallie talks. Still not clear why this particular black dog is hanging out with Hallie; I think we have a lead in to the third book, here. Which is fine. I like the black dogs and look forward to seeing them again.
So, anyway, the thing with the black dogs and reapers and a personified Death -- I always do enjoy a personified Death -- and the thing with the spooky bad guy, Travis Hollowell. Who is indeed pretty spooky. And, as I say, turns out to be involved with all those black dogs and reapers and everything, and in fact it all even ties together with the magic we saw from the first book.
One thing I really like about this story: the way there is ALL THIS weird spooky stuff going on, so that every time you turn around you bump into somebody else who can foretell the future (sometimes) or talk to dead people (if they're in the right mood). Usually these are not comfortable gifts; they are small and not very helpful and sometimes actually pretty dangerous, but they do turn up. And yet you can totally believe that most people don't notice the weird supernatural stuff that goes on behind the scenes, because Deb Coates is really good at showing how ordinary people just don't want to notice or acknowledge the weird stuff.
Another thing I really like: You may remember I mentioned before how very, very gifted Coates is with dialogue? Still true. I love the dialogue; and I love the things people don't say, which can be as vivid as the things they do say; and I love the relationships between even minor characters. And the relationship between Boyd and Hallie. Like this, for example:
There was something about the way [Boyd] said her name, about the way he entered a space, whether she was looking at him or not, like the air changed, like he figured she would always know that it was him. And maybe she would. Like a dance without music. Like they almost knew each other.
And this:
He paused, like he was figuring out what to say next, a problem they both had, not just because they didn't know who or what they were to each other, but because the subject of their conversations kept being things neither of them had ever heard of or knew anything about.
I could quote so many great bits! It's all so much more interesting and evocative and somehow real-sounding than the way the Female Lead thinks about the Male Lead in your typical paranormal/UF kind of story. Hallie and Boyd argue, and stop themselves from arguing, and protect each other, and stop themselves from protecting each other, and it's just a really great developing relationship. We learn a lot more about Boyd in this book. He really does suit Hallie down to the ground. There's this neat bit where she says, "You're not my type," and he just says, "Yes, I am." And of course he's right, and she knows he is. It's like, there's this great relationships that's rocky and sometimes tense, but without the angst that gets so tiresome in so many romances.
So, yeah, this one worked for me. Plus, that beautiful cover! I'm definitely looking forward to the third book.
March 26, 2013
From the moment I laid eyes on DEEP DOWN‘s gorgeous cover, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. In WIDE OPEN, I fell in love with Hallie. There is a particular quality to Deborah Coates’s writing that immerses me in her characters. The spare, concise narrative is so clearly seen through Hallie’s eyes, so simply stated with her voice, that even though I have little in common with this self-contained character I come away feeling like I know her on a meaningful level. This connection with Hallie became all the more important as her world writhes and changes.
Ghosts, magic, and monsters all permeate this story, sometimes to a ridiculous degree. Though this book is supposedly a “closed world”, where the supernatural isn’t acknowledged or believed in, Hallie and her companions have no trouble brushing past the issue of concealing magical events from unsuspecting “civilians”. Addressing characters’ doubts (or lack there of) is definitely not central to this story. I don’t mind this oversight, though, as DEEP DOWN explores the origins of Hallie’s powers as well as the rippling repercussions of past events. Coates’s common-sense day to day style makes Hallie feel so real.
Fans of Charlaine Harris will definitely enjoy how Coates mixes the esoteric and everyday. DEEP DOWN prompted me to induct Hallie into my personal Sisterhood of Practical Badasses (of which Sookie Stackhouse and Harper Connelly are founding members), as Hallie grocery shops with a harbinger of death riding shotgun and barters grazing rights for interviews with the dead. This series has gained speed from book one to book two, as DEEP DOWN evens out some of the pacing and believability issues I had with WIDE OPEN. This has my anticipation ratcheted all the way up, I can’t wait to see hints of book three.
Sexual Content: Kissing, references to sex.
Ghosts, magic, and monsters all permeate this story, sometimes to a ridiculous degree. Though this book is supposedly a “closed world”, where the supernatural isn’t acknowledged or believed in, Hallie and her companions have no trouble brushing past the issue of concealing magical events from unsuspecting “civilians”. Addressing characters’ doubts (or lack there of) is definitely not central to this story. I don’t mind this oversight, though, as DEEP DOWN explores the origins of Hallie’s powers as well as the rippling repercussions of past events. Coates’s common-sense day to day style makes Hallie feel so real.
Fans of Charlaine Harris will definitely enjoy how Coates mixes the esoteric and everyday. DEEP DOWN prompted me to induct Hallie into my personal Sisterhood of Practical Badasses (of which Sookie Stackhouse and Harper Connelly are founding members), as Hallie grocery shops with a harbinger of death riding shotgun and barters grazing rights for interviews with the dead. This series has gained speed from book one to book two, as DEEP DOWN evens out some of the pacing and believability issues I had with WIDE OPEN. This has my anticipation ratcheted all the way up, I can’t wait to see hints of book three.
Sexual Content: Kissing, references to sex.
July 25, 2013
Published on drey's library: http://www.dreyslibrary.com/2013/04/2...
Well, Hallie’s figured out what happened to her sister, and barely survived it. Now maybe she’ll have the opportunity to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life… Hopefully without all that otherworldly stuff that’s been dogging her.
Too bad what Hallie wants doesn’t matter. Because no sooner does she gets a job proposition than she starts seeing black dogs. Dogs nobody else can see, except for a select few. Dogs who appear and disappear on a whim. Dogs who hop into her truck – through the door – and talk to her. In riddles, mostly. Because plain talk is apparently to much to ask for…
It doesn’t take long before Hallie feels lost again, out of her depth with the unexplained occurrences. She wishes they’d stop happening, but well, if wishes were fishes… Oh, whatever. Things aren’t going to stop being weird just because that’s what Hallie wants. But is a supernatural-guidebook-for-dummies too much to ask for?
Deep Down gives us a story more mystery than supernatural – similar to Wide Open. We learn more about Hallie’s backstory as well as Boyd’s, and meet some new characters with pivotal roles to play. The ending gives us a revelation that’ll surely play out in the next book.
As with Wide Open, Deep Down is dark and solemn. There’s not a lot to laugh at or about, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed it. Deborah Coates’ storytelling is compelling and keeps your interest with its revelations, and while I’m impatient and want to know what’s going on now, I cannot wait to see where it all goes from here.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
Well, Hallie’s figured out what happened to her sister, and barely survived it. Now maybe she’ll have the opportunity to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life… Hopefully without all that otherworldly stuff that’s been dogging her.
Too bad what Hallie wants doesn’t matter. Because no sooner does she gets a job proposition than she starts seeing black dogs. Dogs nobody else can see, except for a select few. Dogs who appear and disappear on a whim. Dogs who hop into her truck – through the door – and talk to her. In riddles, mostly. Because plain talk is apparently to much to ask for…
It doesn’t take long before Hallie feels lost again, out of her depth with the unexplained occurrences. She wishes they’d stop happening, but well, if wishes were fishes… Oh, whatever. Things aren’t going to stop being weird just because that’s what Hallie wants. But is a supernatural-guidebook-for-dummies too much to ask for?
Deep Down gives us a story more mystery than supernatural – similar to Wide Open. We learn more about Hallie’s backstory as well as Boyd’s, and meet some new characters with pivotal roles to play. The ending gives us a revelation that’ll surely play out in the next book.
As with Wide Open, Deep Down is dark and solemn. There’s not a lot to laugh at or about, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed it. Deborah Coates’ storytelling is compelling and keeps your interest with its revelations, and while I’m impatient and want to know what’s going on now, I cannot wait to see where it all goes from here.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
January 3, 2013
There is a particular quality to Deborah Coates writing that immerses me in her characters. The spare, concise narrative is so clearly seen through Hallie's eyes, so simply stated with her voice, that even though I have little in common with this self-contained character I come away feeling like I know her on a meaningful level. This connection with Hallie becomes all the more important, too, as her world writhes and changes around her.
Ghosts, magic, and monsters all permeate this story, sometimes to a ridiculous degree for a supposedly "closed world". Hallie and her companions brush past the issue ofconcealing supernatural events from unsuspecting "civilians", and addressing characters' doubts (or lack there of) is definitely not central to this story. DEEP DOWN explores the origins of Hallie's powers as well as the rippling repercussions of past events, but all in the common-sense day to day style that makes Hallie feel so real. Fans of Charlaine Harris will definitely enjoy how Coates mixes the esoteric and everyday. DEEP DOWN prompted me to induct Hallie into my personal Sisterhood of Practical Badasses (of which Sookie Stackhouse and Harper Connelly are founding members), as Hallie grocery shops with a harbinger of death riding shotgun and barters grazing rights for interviews with the dead.
Full review to follow.
Sexual Content: Kissing, references to sex.
Ghosts, magic, and monsters all permeate this story, sometimes to a ridiculous degree for a supposedly "closed world". Hallie and her companions brush past the issue ofconcealing supernatural events from unsuspecting "civilians", and addressing characters' doubts (or lack there of) is definitely not central to this story. DEEP DOWN explores the origins of Hallie's powers as well as the rippling repercussions of past events, but all in the common-sense day to day style that makes Hallie feel so real. Fans of Charlaine Harris will definitely enjoy how Coates mixes the esoteric and everyday. DEEP DOWN prompted me to induct Hallie into my personal Sisterhood of Practical Badasses (of which Sookie Stackhouse and Harper Connelly are founding members), as Hallie grocery shops with a harbinger of death riding shotgun and barters grazing rights for interviews with the dead.
Full review to follow.
Sexual Content: Kissing, references to sex.
January 21, 2025
DNF not my cup of tea
August 8, 2019
Everyone who reads has a favorite author. Even people that don't read on a regular basis may still faithfully pick up the newest Stephen King novel upon release, and his might very well be the only books they ingest. Those of us that always have a book in hand generally have a list of go-to writers that we turn to in those times of "what do I read now?" Mine are many, including Brian Keene, Gary Braunbeck, J.F. Gonzalez, Lee Child, Robert Crais, and Joe R. Lansdale (just to name a very small few). The problem becomes, though, is that moment you are in between books, deciding what to tear into next, and you've read all the works of your stable of favorites. On those rare occasions when you find someone whose work is so good, someone who is new to you no less, it's quite a delight. Such is the case with Deborah Coates and her novel Deep Down.
You can read Steve's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Steve's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
September 17, 2018
Loved this. Utterly original and unique. Hallie, the heroine, rocks. She feels so tough and real.
March 15, 2013
Hallie Michaels is back in civilian life for good, but she’s not sure yet what she wants to do with that life, and she’s loath to be tied down to any one option. An old Army friend offers her a job that would take her away from her small South Dakota hometown again. She’s tempted to take it, but when she checks on her elderly neighbor Pabby Pabahar at her father’s request, Hallie discovers a mystery that may keep her in town for a while.
Pabby’s property is surrounded by black dogs that no one but Pabby and Hallie can see. The dogs, as it turns out, are harbingers of death; they appear when someone’s “time” approaches. What’s really weird is that Pabby knows it’s not her time. Her mother was psychic and predicted Pabby’s date of death — still some years in the future.
Death omens showing up at the wrong time turn out to be the tip of the iceberg. Hallie discovers even more strange occurrences, all of them connected in some way to death. And one of them is intimately connected to Boyd, the deputy Hallie may or may not be dating.
Deborah Coates set up a complex, evocative small-town setting in Wide Open and builds on it in Deep Down, as well as building on the magical goings-on that she created for that first book. She has a great knack for character, revealing a lot about characters and the relationships among them in a few short brushstrokes. Hallie is a tough heroine, but not one of the over-the-top, almost cartoonish ones we’re all tired of; she’s three-dimensional and grounded in real life and real relationships — as an example, her dead sister Dell isn’t just shrugged off as a plot device now that her murder is solved. Coates makes it clear that Hallie is still mourning her. The scary parts of the plot are truly frightening and fit perfectly into the prairie setting. I also loved the occasional bits of dry humor.
This series is planned as a trilogy, and there are certain things that come with being a middle book; namely, loose ends that go unresolved until book 3. Deep Down is no exception — there are some loose ends here. Yet this book has a distinct lack of what I think of as middle-book syndrome. This isn’t one of those books that feels like it’s just marking time until the third book can start. It develops characters, deepens relationships, introduces new supernatural elements, and raises the stakes considerably. Book 3 will certainly be a doozy.
This has quickly become one of the new series I’m most interested in following. I highly recommend Deep Down (and definitely read Wide Open first). On a lighter note, Deep Down has also earned a place on my list of Books with Cute Hellhounds!
www.fantasyliterature.com
Pabby’s property is surrounded by black dogs that no one but Pabby and Hallie can see. The dogs, as it turns out, are harbingers of death; they appear when someone’s “time” approaches. What’s really weird is that Pabby knows it’s not her time. Her mother was psychic and predicted Pabby’s date of death — still some years in the future.
Death omens showing up at the wrong time turn out to be the tip of the iceberg. Hallie discovers even more strange occurrences, all of them connected in some way to death. And one of them is intimately connected to Boyd, the deputy Hallie may or may not be dating.
Deborah Coates set up a complex, evocative small-town setting in Wide Open and builds on it in Deep Down, as well as building on the magical goings-on that she created for that first book. She has a great knack for character, revealing a lot about characters and the relationships among them in a few short brushstrokes. Hallie is a tough heroine, but not one of the over-the-top, almost cartoonish ones we’re all tired of; she’s three-dimensional and grounded in real life and real relationships — as an example, her dead sister Dell isn’t just shrugged off as a plot device now that her murder is solved. Coates makes it clear that Hallie is still mourning her. The scary parts of the plot are truly frightening and fit perfectly into the prairie setting. I also loved the occasional bits of dry humor.
This series is planned as a trilogy, and there are certain things that come with being a middle book; namely, loose ends that go unresolved until book 3. Deep Down is no exception — there are some loose ends here. Yet this book has a distinct lack of what I think of as middle-book syndrome. This isn’t one of those books that feels like it’s just marking time until the third book can start. It develops characters, deepens relationships, introduces new supernatural elements, and raises the stakes considerably. Book 3 will certainly be a doozy.
This has quickly become one of the new series I’m most interested in following. I highly recommend Deep Down (and definitely read Wide Open first). On a lighter note, Deep Down has also earned a place on my list of Books with Cute Hellhounds!
www.fantasyliterature.com
April 12, 2013
The spare, emotion-loaded beauty of Coates' terse dialogue and South Dakota rancher milieu started in "Wide Open" continues here in Deep Down.
Hallie Michaels is hanging around on her father's ranch, no longer able to return to her former life as a normal, army grunt in Afghanistan.
Her run in with the supernatural in the prior book has left her a bit at a loss for a life path. She's staying in town, but plans to leave both the town and her new romantic interest, boyish, strait-laced Boyd Davies.
She's not ready to commit to anything.
But then she goes to check on an elderly neighbor and finds black dogs, harbingers of Death, circling the property. At last, here's something Hallie has no problem committing to: figuring out how to solve both the puzzle of the dogs, as well as mysterious disappearances of solid citizens and mysterious reappearnces of victimless car crashes.
I am beginning to think of Deborah Coates and Alex Bledsoe's "Tufa" series along the same lines: something like urban fantasy set in rural American areas. There is wide open spaces, nature as a scene setter/mood influencer and sometimes character, as well as the rural sensibilities of people separated by space who yet have known eachother all their lives and who you can rely on in a pinch. Maybe "rural" fantasy? Whatever its called, I still love the way Hallie, Boyd, Death, and her father have that brusque, loaded-with-unsaid-things style of communication, as well as the details of ranch life.
As an added bonus, we not only get deeper into Boyd's backstory as his past holds clues to the current supernatural happenings in Prairie City , but also get the addition of a new character, Maker, who provides a perfect foil for Hallie as a source of irritation and information.
Hope to see more in this series.
This Book's Snack Rating: still Salt-and-Pepper Kettle chips for the no-nonsense flavor of Hallie's South Dakota world and the satisfying crunch of well-laid plot and fantastic elements
Hallie Michaels is hanging around on her father's ranch, no longer able to return to her former life as a normal, army grunt in Afghanistan.
Her run in with the supernatural in the prior book has left her a bit at a loss for a life path. She's staying in town, but plans to leave both the town and her new romantic interest, boyish, strait-laced Boyd Davies.
She's not ready to commit to anything.
But then she goes to check on an elderly neighbor and finds black dogs, harbingers of Death, circling the property. At last, here's something Hallie has no problem committing to: figuring out how to solve both the puzzle of the dogs, as well as mysterious disappearances of solid citizens and mysterious reappearnces of victimless car crashes.
I am beginning to think of Deborah Coates and Alex Bledsoe's "Tufa" series along the same lines: something like urban fantasy set in rural American areas. There is wide open spaces, nature as a scene setter/mood influencer and sometimes character, as well as the rural sensibilities of people separated by space who yet have known eachother all their lives and who you can rely on in a pinch. Maybe "rural" fantasy? Whatever its called, I still love the way Hallie, Boyd, Death, and her father have that brusque, loaded-with-unsaid-things style of communication, as well as the details of ranch life.
As an added bonus, we not only get deeper into Boyd's backstory as his past holds clues to the current supernatural happenings in Prairie City , but also get the addition of a new character, Maker, who provides a perfect foil for Hallie as a source of irritation and information.
Hope to see more in this series.
This Book's Snack Rating: still Salt-and-Pepper Kettle chips for the no-nonsense flavor of Hallie's South Dakota world and the satisfying crunch of well-laid plot and fantastic elements
May 24, 2013
After reading Wide Open I luckily had Deep Down ready and waiting for me to pick it up. While I do think you may be able to read this book without reading the first book, I wouldn't recommend it. You would miss to much character and story wise. Plus, there is only one more book in this trilogy so I would't miss that first book.
While the first book relied a bit more heavily on mystery than the paranormal, this one seemed to be the opposite. There was still plenty of mystery, but the paranormal reigns in this book. Not only there are ghosts, but reapers and harbingers in the form of black dogs. Now while I wouldn't want to specifically meet a harbinger, I did like one of the dogs that befriended Hallie in this book. Him, I would like to meet as long as it wasn't his "job" to meet me. :)
I have to say that I think I enjoyed this book more than the first. Now that the main characters are established the rest of the story just flowed better. I can't wait to see where this series takes us next in the last book. In fact, I have to know. As the main mystery and adventure is fully wrapped up, there is a question that is left floating. I hope that the answers are there as I need to know exactly what her decision was in the end. I suspect it will be the theme of the last book. You are left with that thread wide open (maybe that should have been the title for this book! LOL).
I give this book 4 1/2 stars and I recommend it to those that love a good paranormal adventure! Isn't that last book out yet? Not that I'm impatient or anything... :D
While the first book relied a bit more heavily on mystery than the paranormal, this one seemed to be the opposite. There was still plenty of mystery, but the paranormal reigns in this book. Not only there are ghosts, but reapers and harbingers in the form of black dogs. Now while I wouldn't want to specifically meet a harbinger, I did like one of the dogs that befriended Hallie in this book. Him, I would like to meet as long as it wasn't his "job" to meet me. :)
I have to say that I think I enjoyed this book more than the first. Now that the main characters are established the rest of the story just flowed better. I can't wait to see where this series takes us next in the last book. In fact, I have to know. As the main mystery and adventure is fully wrapped up, there is a question that is left floating. I hope that the answers are there as I need to know exactly what her decision was in the end. I suspect it will be the theme of the last book. You are left with that thread wide open (maybe that should have been the title for this book! LOL).
I give this book 4 1/2 stars and I recommend it to those that love a good paranormal adventure! Isn't that last book out yet? Not that I'm impatient or anything... :D
February 21, 2013
** I received an advanced copy for review**
5 FREAKING BIG, HUMONGOUS, BRILLIANTLY SHINING STARS!!!!
This book is so darn good, I wanted bad weather so I could stay home and finish it!
Anyway, Hallie, a former soldier returns from the war in Afghanistan to her father's ranch. She has no idea what she is going to do next. She gets a call from one of her old soldier buddies who offers her a good job. She would be traveling and away from her small, home town where everybody knows everything about everybody...
Oh wait, did I mention that Hallie has died before and can see ghosts??? Hallie decides she is going to take the job that her friend offered her, but she has a few things she needs to do first, like try and save an old lady, her boyfriend, and the world! And it's going to be hell!
Fan-freaking-tastic!!! I love this book and I am going to recommend it to everybody I talk to because it's just that damn good! I am so glad I got to read it as an ARC. Thank you so much Ms. Coates . I am eagerly looking forward to reading more of your work.
P.S. Maker is awesome. :)
5 FREAKING BIG, HUMONGOUS, BRILLIANTLY SHINING STARS!!!!
This book is so darn good, I wanted bad weather so I could stay home and finish it!
Anyway, Hallie, a former soldier returns from the war in Afghanistan to her father's ranch. She has no idea what she is going to do next. She gets a call from one of her old soldier buddies who offers her a good job. She would be traveling and away from her small, home town where everybody knows everything about everybody...
Oh wait, did I mention that Hallie has died before and can see ghosts??? Hallie decides she is going to take the job that her friend offered her, but she has a few things she needs to do first, like try and save an old lady, her boyfriend, and the world! And it's going to be hell!
Fan-freaking-tastic!!! I love this book and I am going to recommend it to everybody I talk to because it's just that damn good! I am so glad I got to read it as an ARC. Thank you so much Ms. Coates . I am eagerly looking forward to reading more of your work.
P.S. Maker is awesome. :)
May 21, 2015
Deep Down is even stronger than Wide Open. The plot is a little less cluttered and thematically stronger - the villain doesn't do quite so much evil cackling - and Hallie and Boyd's relationship remains adult, communicative, and healthy even when it faces challenges. Plus there's an awesome snarky talking death dog.
The setting remains one of the strong points of the story, and Hallie's complicated relationship with her home pervades the narrative. The tension between her and her acquaintances, who know she's been involved in inexplicable things but don't really want to know, and her tentative relationships with the others who have some supernatural contact, does a lot more for the atmosphere of the story than either a global blasé acceptance or a deadly-secret setup. If I have one real complaint, it's that she's never threatened all that convincingly (and, in fact, there's no significant loss at all, unlike the first book) but it remains an engaging little story. I'm still very much on board and hope there are more to come.
The setting remains one of the strong points of the story, and Hallie's complicated relationship with her home pervades the narrative. The tension between her and her acquaintances, who know she's been involved in inexplicable things but don't really want to know, and her tentative relationships with the others who have some supernatural contact, does a lot more for the atmosphere of the story than either a global blasé acceptance or a deadly-secret setup. If I have one real complaint, it's that she's never threatened all that convincingly (and, in fact, there's no significant loss at all, unlike the first book) but it remains an engaging little story. I'm still very much on board and hope there are more to come.
April 2, 2013
Deep Down is well worth a read. Coates’ unique writing style deserves much praise and attention. She has managed to write a unique, mature and believable urban fantasy that could easily appeal to a wide audience. Hallie is a wonderful character to follow, despite the fact that she can seem a little withdrawn from the reader at times. I have to admit, the more I read from Coates, the more addicted to her writing I become. Deep Down is an incredibly effective subtle thrill ride. Give it a try. I bet it will surprise you.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/04/...
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/04/...
October 13, 2013
Eerie and quietly gorgeous. I loved the first 4/5 of the book and liked the last fifth even though it actually clashed with one of my very strongest personal biases as a reader. (I haaaaate dream sequences, for purely subjective reasons, and an important part of this book read a bit like a dream sequence in many ways, for excellent reasons - but it was so well-written that I kept reading and enjoying the book anyway, which says a lot!)
-- Oh, and I meant to add: this book has my favorite supernatural dog character I've read since Charles DeLint's Forests of the Heart and Lirael's Dog. Loved it!
-- Oh, and I meant to add: this book has my favorite supernatural dog character I've read since Charles DeLint's Forests of the Heart and Lirael's Dog. Loved it!
August 8, 2019
Deborah Coates' novel Deep Down has the storytelling style of Joe Lansdale and the snarky wit of Janet Evanovich. This was the first I've read of her work, and she easily has a new fan. You can read my full review over at Horror DNA.
December 28, 2014
Odd odd odd, and mostly quite wonderful with it.
April 15, 2024
This is the second book in the series. Hallie has left the army and is living with her dad on the farm. She goes to help a neighbor and finds that the supernatural is breaking through in an alarming way. She sees harbingers, who look like black dogs, and finds out that reapers are not far behind. Boyd is dealing with issues from his own path, but as things unravel, they may be intimately connected with what is going on in town. People are disappearing and the veil between this world and the next is becoming thin. Hallie must deal with Death in order to try to stop evil from taking over.
August 5, 2017
This series of books are really different from so many other fantasies I've read. They take place in rural South Dakota, though they are set in present-day, mixing the real with the fantasy. This type of blending is often seen more in "urban fantasy" books. I really love how the setting/place is as much as a character as the main characters.
April 2, 2021
I thought the second book might reflect an improvement over the first. It doesn't. Sub-mediocre. It lacks sufficient motive to be read.
Twenty-something girl tries to exert her insignificant self over the laws of nature. I could not care less how it proceeds from there. The characters lack personality, gumption, and seem to be "painted" with over-diluted colors.
Twenty-something girl tries to exert her insignificant self over the laws of nature. I could not care less how it proceeds from there. The characters lack personality, gumption, and seem to be "painted" with over-diluted colors.
March 25, 2022
Deep down
I really enjoyed this book deep down and I also enjoyed Deborah Coates first book about Halloween Michaels. But I didn't think that the bad language added anything good to the story. It would have been better with out of the foul language. There are enough words in the English language that using the lords name and vulgar language should not bE necessary.
I really enjoyed this book deep down and I also enjoyed Deborah Coates first book about Halloween Michaels. But I didn't think that the bad language added anything good to the story. It would have been better with out of the foul language. There are enough words in the English language that using the lords name and vulgar language should not bE necessary.
January 22, 2018
This book has an interesting cast of characters and a fascinating storyline with a nice paranormal mix. I loved the harbinger! Additionally, Hallie is a strong heroine. Really enjoyed this storyline, even more than book 1.
May 30, 2017
This was a really strong follow up to Open Wide.
August 8, 2017
This a great second book to the series..I cant wait to read more. I grew up in the mid west and she captures the life better than anyone I have read before.
December 6, 2021
……….wait did they fuck tho?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
June 28, 2013I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!
(Description nicked from B&N.com.)
“Now that she's solved her sister's murder, Hallie Michaels has left the army and isn't sure what to do next. Her relationship with deputy Boyd Davies is tentative, there's still distance between her and her father, and she needs a job. The good news is, she hasn't seen a ghost in weeks.
All that changes when she gets a call asking her to help an elderly neighbor who is being stalked by black dogs, creatures from the underworld that are harbingers of death. When a black dog appears, Hallie learns, a reaper is sure to follow. And if the dark visions she's suddenly receiving are any indication, it looks like the reaper is now following her.
Meanwhile, strange events herald the arrival of ghosts from Boyd's past, ghosts the young deputy isn't ready to face. Refusing Hallie's help, Boyd takes off to deal with the problem on his own, only to find that he's facing something much larger and more frightening than he'd imagined.
Stalked by a reaper and plagued by dark visions, Hallie finds she must face her fears and travel into Death's own realm to save those she most loves.”
With the main framework of the story set up in the first novel of this series, Coates is now free to explore it a bit more. She starts to investigate the limits—or lack thereof—on what supernatural forces can do in our world. It also becomes apparent that Hallie isn’t the only person in town who’s tuned in to the other world. The author really sets up the feeling that there’s something pervasively otherworldly about this town, beyond the radical supernatural events that have cropped up.
What I found most interesting about this book is that, unlike the first novel’s straightforward ghost story, this one goes for a sense of eeriness. The things that happen are rooted in plausibility: the premonition that leaving your house will result in your death; an accident that no-one saw and can’t explain; the person you see out of the corner of your eye that you would swear is a person who died years ago. Of course, the book takes it to weirder extremes than that, but there’s an air of reality to these events that you can’t deny.
I have to give a shout-out to a great minor character, the black dog that follows Hallie around. He’s another supernatural critter hanging around in our world, but there’s something strangely charming about him. He stays with Hallie because he finds her interesting, and he talks in statements that are often quite cryptic. Honestly, he reminds me of a cat in a dog’s body, because he has that same attitude of being amused at us silly humans that your average feline is wont to exhibit. I think he makes a great companion for someone who can see ghosts.
I actually like the minor characters in this book better than Hallie and Boyd. Hallie still sometimes comes across as too abrasive and stubborn to really be likeable, and Boyd for some reason felt overly standoffish. Perhaps it’s because the first book set up their romance and it doesn’t feel like that ever really came together, and we’re left with two people circling each other like suspicious soldiers unsure if the other person is going to pull a gun. I suppose this makes sense, given that Hallie is a veteran and Boyd is a cop, but in terms of a relationship, I don’t think we really got to see them working well together.
Taken by themselves, the main characters work well within the storyline, and since Boyd is away for a good chunk of the novel, their lack of chemistry didn’t bother me too much. This is a story that stands on the strength of its atmosphere and worldbuilding anyway, so I can definitely enjoy it on that level.
Deep Down is a book that doesn’t need monsters and gore to scare you. The creepy setting and eerie events will probably have you looking over your shoulder for overly friendly black dogs. Deborah Coates has crafted some quality supernatural fantasy, and I highly recommend her books to anybody searching for an unusual ghost story.
This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on June 28, 2013.
http://www.owlcatmountain.com/deep-down/
(Description nicked from B&N.com.)
“Now that she's solved her sister's murder, Hallie Michaels has left the army and isn't sure what to do next. Her relationship with deputy Boyd Davies is tentative, there's still distance between her and her father, and she needs a job. The good news is, she hasn't seen a ghost in weeks.
All that changes when she gets a call asking her to help an elderly neighbor who is being stalked by black dogs, creatures from the underworld that are harbingers of death. When a black dog appears, Hallie learns, a reaper is sure to follow. And if the dark visions she's suddenly receiving are any indication, it looks like the reaper is now following her.
Meanwhile, strange events herald the arrival of ghosts from Boyd's past, ghosts the young deputy isn't ready to face. Refusing Hallie's help, Boyd takes off to deal with the problem on his own, only to find that he's facing something much larger and more frightening than he'd imagined.
Stalked by a reaper and plagued by dark visions, Hallie finds she must face her fears and travel into Death's own realm to save those she most loves.”
With the main framework of the story set up in the first novel of this series, Coates is now free to explore it a bit more. She starts to investigate the limits—or lack thereof—on what supernatural forces can do in our world. It also becomes apparent that Hallie isn’t the only person in town who’s tuned in to the other world. The author really sets up the feeling that there’s something pervasively otherworldly about this town, beyond the radical supernatural events that have cropped up.
What I found most interesting about this book is that, unlike the first novel’s straightforward ghost story, this one goes for a sense of eeriness. The things that happen are rooted in plausibility: the premonition that leaving your house will result in your death; an accident that no-one saw and can’t explain; the person you see out of the corner of your eye that you would swear is a person who died years ago. Of course, the book takes it to weirder extremes than that, but there’s an air of reality to these events that you can’t deny.
I have to give a shout-out to a great minor character, the black dog that follows Hallie around. He’s another supernatural critter hanging around in our world, but there’s something strangely charming about him. He stays with Hallie because he finds her interesting, and he talks in statements that are often quite cryptic. Honestly, he reminds me of a cat in a dog’s body, because he has that same attitude of being amused at us silly humans that your average feline is wont to exhibit. I think he makes a great companion for someone who can see ghosts.
I actually like the minor characters in this book better than Hallie and Boyd. Hallie still sometimes comes across as too abrasive and stubborn to really be likeable, and Boyd for some reason felt overly standoffish. Perhaps it’s because the first book set up their romance and it doesn’t feel like that ever really came together, and we’re left with two people circling each other like suspicious soldiers unsure if the other person is going to pull a gun. I suppose this makes sense, given that Hallie is a veteran and Boyd is a cop, but in terms of a relationship, I don’t think we really got to see them working well together.
Taken by themselves, the main characters work well within the storyline, and since Boyd is away for a good chunk of the novel, their lack of chemistry didn’t bother me too much. This is a story that stands on the strength of its atmosphere and worldbuilding anyway, so I can definitely enjoy it on that level.
Deep Down is a book that doesn’t need monsters and gore to scare you. The creepy setting and eerie events will probably have you looking over your shoulder for overly friendly black dogs. Deborah Coates has crafted some quality supernatural fantasy, and I highly recommend her books to anybody searching for an unusual ghost story.
This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on June 28, 2013.
http://www.owlcatmountain.com/deep-down/
March 14, 2013
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Supernatural, Ghost
RECEIVED: Received from Tor
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
Loved this! Deep Down was pretty much just as good as Wide Open, but I felt had more eerie paranormal goodness that I liked it that much more. Hallie is really getting deeper into her supernatural side and the ghost aren’t her only problem this time.
Hallie is done with the Army and is back on her father’s farm trying to figure out her next step. She also is still trying to figure out her relationship with deputy Boyd and find out the story behind this ghost that’s been following him around. But once she finds out the truth, death appears, along with black dogs that follow death and the reapers. Hallie is about to get up close and personal with “real” Death and find out what he wants from her.
Hallie is one of those characters you just connect to right off. In Wide Open she was heart broken and angry after her sisters death, but now all she wants is to move on and protect those closest to her, she is ready to fight back hard. Hallie learns a lot about her gift, she sees things know one else can and that means she can see Harbringers (black dogs) that go wherever death is. Coates really digs in deep with the supernatural this time around, I loved having Hallie work with Maker one of the Harbingers to stop this evil reaper that’s trying to hurt Boyd. I know it may sound strange but Id totally love having my own Harbinger as my back up. Hallie is one tough girl and I think with each book she's just going to keep getting stronger.
Boyd is highly focused on this time around, where in Wide Open he just shows up to help Hallie, this time he’s the one stuck in the middle. His wife’s ghost is following him, bringing along the person who killed her. The problem is the man who killed her isn’t exactly dead or alive and he’s ready to make Boyd’s life miserable by using Hallie. Though Hallie wont back down for anyone and helps Boyd however she can. I liked digging in deep into Boyd’s past; we get to see what kind of man he was before and how much he changed.
Overall Hallie is dealt a lot of questions and she gets help from a very interesting “psychic” through out the book along with Maker. She’s starting to handle all the ghost, death and reaper situations quite well and becoming more comfortable with what she is. At the end she is giving an interesting choice and I’m so curious on how things are going to pan out for her now. Coates once again wrote a story that kept me guessing and not once did I put this book down. I applaud Coates for creating such a strong group of characters, a supernatural world with a touch of humor and eeriness that kept me on my toes. The supernatural characters and world almost feel “real” it gave me chills and I can’t imagine seeing what Hallie sees everyday. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Hallie and Boyd.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a series that you don’t want to miss and Urban Fantasy that will have you on the edge of you seat until the very last word. Fans of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series and Kim Harrisons’ The Hollows series will want to get their hands on this second installment Deep Down by Deborah Coates.
THEME: Romance, Supernatural, Ghost
RECEIVED: Received from Tor
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
Loved this! Deep Down was pretty much just as good as Wide Open, but I felt had more eerie paranormal goodness that I liked it that much more. Hallie is really getting deeper into her supernatural side and the ghost aren’t her only problem this time.
Hallie is done with the Army and is back on her father’s farm trying to figure out her next step. She also is still trying to figure out her relationship with deputy Boyd and find out the story behind this ghost that’s been following him around. But once she finds out the truth, death appears, along with black dogs that follow death and the reapers. Hallie is about to get up close and personal with “real” Death and find out what he wants from her.
Hallie is one of those characters you just connect to right off. In Wide Open she was heart broken and angry after her sisters death, but now all she wants is to move on and protect those closest to her, she is ready to fight back hard. Hallie learns a lot about her gift, she sees things know one else can and that means she can see Harbringers (black dogs) that go wherever death is. Coates really digs in deep with the supernatural this time around, I loved having Hallie work with Maker one of the Harbingers to stop this evil reaper that’s trying to hurt Boyd. I know it may sound strange but Id totally love having my own Harbinger as my back up. Hallie is one tough girl and I think with each book she's just going to keep getting stronger.
Boyd is highly focused on this time around, where in Wide Open he just shows up to help Hallie, this time he’s the one stuck in the middle. His wife’s ghost is following him, bringing along the person who killed her. The problem is the man who killed her isn’t exactly dead or alive and he’s ready to make Boyd’s life miserable by using Hallie. Though Hallie wont back down for anyone and helps Boyd however she can. I liked digging in deep into Boyd’s past; we get to see what kind of man he was before and how much he changed.
Overall Hallie is dealt a lot of questions and she gets help from a very interesting “psychic” through out the book along with Maker. She’s starting to handle all the ghost, death and reaper situations quite well and becoming more comfortable with what she is. At the end she is giving an interesting choice and I’m so curious on how things are going to pan out for her now. Coates once again wrote a story that kept me guessing and not once did I put this book down. I applaud Coates for creating such a strong group of characters, a supernatural world with a touch of humor and eeriness that kept me on my toes. The supernatural characters and world almost feel “real” it gave me chills and I can’t imagine seeing what Hallie sees everyday. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Hallie and Boyd.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a series that you don’t want to miss and Urban Fantasy that will have you on the edge of you seat until the very last word. Fans of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series and Kim Harrisons’ The Hollows series will want to get their hands on this second installment Deep Down by Deborah Coates.
April 16, 2013
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2013/04/...
Hallie Michaels finds herself settling back in to the day to day chores involved in the upkeep of her father’s South Dakota ranch. It hasn’t been long since she solved her sister’s murder and feelings of restlessness are starting to creep in. When she encounters a dark shadow one morning, which knocks her to her feet and sends a shooting pain through her head, the first inklings of dread begin to take hold. Hallie can see ghosts, which she assumes is a side effect of her death, and subsequent resuscitation, in Afghanistan while on a tour of duty with the Army. However, she was hoping she’d get a break since solving her sister’s death. Yeah, not so much. When she gets a call that an elderly neighbor, Pabby, needs her help, she arrives at her ranch to find it surrounded by black dogs, which only she and Pabby can see. These dogs are harbingers, indicators that death is near, but Pabby doesn’t plan to go quietly. Pabby wants Hallie to help her find a way out, and Hallie agrees to do her best. It also seems like one of the dogs has latched on to Hallie, making for not unpleasant, if odd, company.
Meanwhile, Hallie continues to try to get closer to the enigmatic young deputy Boyd Davies, and although it’s obvious that he’s attracted to Hallie, and cares about her, something is haunting him, holding him back. Turns out the haunting is very real, and has something to do with Boyd’s past. In fact, a rogue reaper is on the loose, and Boyd seems to be his target. Hallie’s determined to help not only Pabby, but Boyd, whether he likes it or not. As magic gathers and dark forces begin piercing the thinning veil between the living and the dead, Hallie may have to make a journey that may save Boyd’s life, but end her own.
If you read my review of Wide Open, the first in this series, you know how much I fell in love with Deborah Coates’s effortless writing and her no nonsense heroine Hallie Michaels. The South Dakota landscape is as much of a character as Hallie and Boyd, and the subtle horror will make the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up. And in this series, subtlety is key, and partly why I love it so much. You won’t find graphic violence and gore here, but you will find utterly absorbing storytelling and more atmosphere that you can shake a stick at. Creeping dread and surreal scenes are an integral part of the author’s style, and superior dialogue and an eye for the little things that make us human round out one of the best contemporary fantasy series out today. If magic realism, atmosphere that constantly crackles like a brewing thunderstorm, and just plain superb writing, is your thing, you’re in for a treat. There’s a reason Wide Open was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award, and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Deep Down appeared on next year’s ballot.
Hallie Michaels finds herself settling back in to the day to day chores involved in the upkeep of her father’s South Dakota ranch. It hasn’t been long since she solved her sister’s murder and feelings of restlessness are starting to creep in. When she encounters a dark shadow one morning, which knocks her to her feet and sends a shooting pain through her head, the first inklings of dread begin to take hold. Hallie can see ghosts, which she assumes is a side effect of her death, and subsequent resuscitation, in Afghanistan while on a tour of duty with the Army. However, she was hoping she’d get a break since solving her sister’s death. Yeah, not so much. When she gets a call that an elderly neighbor, Pabby, needs her help, she arrives at her ranch to find it surrounded by black dogs, which only she and Pabby can see. These dogs are harbingers, indicators that death is near, but Pabby doesn’t plan to go quietly. Pabby wants Hallie to help her find a way out, and Hallie agrees to do her best. It also seems like one of the dogs has latched on to Hallie, making for not unpleasant, if odd, company.
Meanwhile, Hallie continues to try to get closer to the enigmatic young deputy Boyd Davies, and although it’s obvious that he’s attracted to Hallie, and cares about her, something is haunting him, holding him back. Turns out the haunting is very real, and has something to do with Boyd’s past. In fact, a rogue reaper is on the loose, and Boyd seems to be his target. Hallie’s determined to help not only Pabby, but Boyd, whether he likes it or not. As magic gathers and dark forces begin piercing the thinning veil between the living and the dead, Hallie may have to make a journey that may save Boyd’s life, but end her own.
If you read my review of Wide Open, the first in this series, you know how much I fell in love with Deborah Coates’s effortless writing and her no nonsense heroine Hallie Michaels. The South Dakota landscape is as much of a character as Hallie and Boyd, and the subtle horror will make the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up. And in this series, subtlety is key, and partly why I love it so much. You won’t find graphic violence and gore here, but you will find utterly absorbing storytelling and more atmosphere that you can shake a stick at. Creeping dread and surreal scenes are an integral part of the author’s style, and superior dialogue and an eye for the little things that make us human round out one of the best contemporary fantasy series out today. If magic realism, atmosphere that constantly crackles like a brewing thunderstorm, and just plain superb writing, is your thing, you’re in for a treat. There’s a reason Wide Open was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award, and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Deep Down appeared on next year’s ballot.
March 24, 2013
As is the usual preamble, I received this book in a GoodReads giveaway. Despite that kind consideration of sending me books in the mail for free, I will render my candid opinions below. It's also worth noting that I haven't read the first book in this series so I'm coming in a bit in the middle of things.
Our protagonist is seeing ghosts. Not in the usual metaphorical sense but in the quite literal sense. Not just ghosts but Harbingers of Death, Reapers and that most grim of Grims, Death himself. Worse than that, something seems amiss in the normally orderly and happy hierarchy of the pantheon of the great beyond. Luckily, there's someone to put things to the right.
So as far as original story lines go, this one has a lot going for it. It's sort of a conglomeration of 'Dead Like Me' and a Dashiell Hammett novel with maybe a bit of 'Topper' thrown in. Our protagonist has a "gift" but she's also rather a slave to it at the same time and you can sense her building frustration as the powers that be make her a rather casual pawn in the whole scheme of the universe. One exchange in particular made me laugh out loud (that sort of barking "glad it's not me" laugh really more than an amused one) and sums up the tone of the story nicely:
On the other side of the ledger, for all its originality, this book is one of those that is very subtle in its delivery and easy to be distracted from. Potential readers are advised to make sure they have absolute solitude when trying to consume it lest they become distracted. Not one you want to try to read in the waiting room at the dentist. Also, the novel does lean fairly heavily on its predecessor. While the author does a fine job of 'catching up' those who haven't read the first, it would be much better to go back and start from the proper beginning.
In summary, "Deep Down" continues an amusing thread of narrative but doesn't grasp the reader around the throat like many in this genre. A worthwhile novel to pursue for certain but best for a long, rainy weekend and only after having read the first of the series.
Our protagonist is seeing ghosts. Not in the usual metaphorical sense but in the quite literal sense. Not just ghosts but Harbingers of Death, Reapers and that most grim of Grims, Death himself. Worse than that, something seems amiss in the normally orderly and happy hierarchy of the pantheon of the great beyond. Luckily, there's someone to put things to the right.
So as far as original story lines go, this one has a lot going for it. It's sort of a conglomeration of 'Dead Like Me' and a Dashiell Hammett novel with maybe a bit of 'Topper' thrown in. Our protagonist has a "gift" but she's also rather a slave to it at the same time and you can sense her building frustration as the powers that be make her a rather casual pawn in the whole scheme of the universe. One exchange in particular made me laugh out loud (that sort of barking "glad it's not me" laugh really more than an amused one) and sums up the tone of the story nicely:
"I don't remember that," he (death) said. He leaned on his cane, and his expression seemed serene to Hallie, like none of this mattered as much as it ought to. And it ought to matter a lot because ... well, because it was pretty important that there be a line between the living and the dead. Like, pretty damned important.
"You need to do something," Hallie said.
He looked at her for what felt like an uncomfortably long time. "I am doing something," he said.
"What?"
"I have you."
On the other side of the ledger, for all its originality, this book is one of those that is very subtle in its delivery and easy to be distracted from. Potential readers are advised to make sure they have absolute solitude when trying to consume it lest they become distracted. Not one you want to try to read in the waiting room at the dentist. Also, the novel does lean fairly heavily on its predecessor. While the author does a fine job of 'catching up' those who haven't read the first, it would be much better to go back and start from the proper beginning.
In summary, "Deep Down" continues an amusing thread of narrative but doesn't grasp the reader around the throat like many in this genre. A worthwhile novel to pursue for certain but best for a long, rainy weekend and only after having read the first of the series.
March 5, 2013
Deep Down is the second in Deborah Coates' series of novels featuring Hallie Michaels. The first novel was good, and this one is even better, so this is a must-read for anyone who liked the first book.
For readers who are unfamiliar with the series: Hallie died and was revived while serving as a soldier in Afghanistan. She came back with a new ability--she can see ghosts. In Coates' first novel, Wide Open, Hallie solved her sister's murder with some help from ghosts and a handsome sheriff's deputy who has prophetic dreams. In Deep Down, the novel opens with Hallie's neighbor asking her to investigate why black dogs--harbingers of death--have shown up at her ranch, since it's not her time to die. The story builds from there, with people disappearing, reapers appearing, and death coming for someone. At the end of the novel, Hallie receives an offer from a supernatural entity that she might not be able to refuse. Stay tuned for book 3 to find out more!
This isn't your typical paranormal fantasy series. While the supernatural is clearly present, there aren't vampires, or fae, or were-creatures of any type. The novel takes place on the plains of South Dakota, and the environment plays an important role in the mood and action of the story. Hallie isn't a stereotypical genre heroine; she's a tough ex-soldier who prefers action to talking. Present her with a problem, and she might not know what's going on, but she's not afraid to jump in and confront the situation head on (maybe with her fists or a gun., if necessary). And, while there is the obligatory handsome guy (the deputy) who Hallie isn't quite sure about her future with, well, she's not afraid to jump in there, either.
So, if you're ready for a paranormal fantasy that's a little different from the rest, you might want to give Coates' novel a try. However, if you haven't read the first book in the series, I'd recommend reading that one before tackling Deep Down, because there are enough references to earlier events that the story would probably be confusing otherwise.
An ARC was provided by the publisher through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
For readers who are unfamiliar with the series: Hallie died and was revived while serving as a soldier in Afghanistan. She came back with a new ability--she can see ghosts. In Coates' first novel, Wide Open, Hallie solved her sister's murder with some help from ghosts and a handsome sheriff's deputy who has prophetic dreams. In Deep Down, the novel opens with Hallie's neighbor asking her to investigate why black dogs--harbingers of death--have shown up at her ranch, since it's not her time to die. The story builds from there, with people disappearing, reapers appearing, and death coming for someone. At the end of the novel, Hallie receives an offer from a supernatural entity that she might not be able to refuse. Stay tuned for book 3 to find out more!
This isn't your typical paranormal fantasy series. While the supernatural is clearly present, there aren't vampires, or fae, or were-creatures of any type. The novel takes place on the plains of South Dakota, and the environment plays an important role in the mood and action of the story. Hallie isn't a stereotypical genre heroine; she's a tough ex-soldier who prefers action to talking. Present her with a problem, and she might not know what's going on, but she's not afraid to jump in and confront the situation head on (maybe with her fists or a gun., if necessary). And, while there is the obligatory handsome guy (the deputy) who Hallie isn't quite sure about her future with, well, she's not afraid to jump in there, either.
So, if you're ready for a paranormal fantasy that's a little different from the rest, you might want to give Coates' novel a try. However, if you haven't read the first book in the series, I'd recommend reading that one before tackling Deep Down, because there are enough references to earlier events that the story would probably be confusing otherwise.
An ARC was provided by the publisher through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
January 17, 2016
As with the first book in this series, it's tough to give Deep Down a star rating, because the aspects that would normally take a book down a notch in my eyes (very slow pacing, very late reveals of important things, a little too much reliance on deus ex machinas) somehow.... never actually seem like flaws when Deborah Coates is behind the wheel, which is puzzling but amazing all at once.
Hallie continues to be a brilliant character: solid and stubborn, and utterly determined to win at whatever she's put her mind to. But as new troubles bring new challenges, this time we have a chance to see more than that: as it's revealed that Hallie was not only a soldier in Afghanistan but a squad leader, the plot neatly allows us to see those same qualities at work as she gathers allies, pieces together facts, experiments with different approaches to the problem, and then makes her move. So many of the scenes here balance vulnerability, of fear and just plain not knowing, with the need to make a firm decision and plunge into the unknown anyway - and I loved how well and thoroughly this was tackled, both on practical and emotional levels.
And as for Hallie's counterpart... oh, Boyd. It's fantastic to see the two of them making some actual progress discussing their emotions, even in their understated Midwestern way. Somehow bad communication (and resulting fallout and drama) seems to be a staple of urban fantasy lately, which is why I utterly love Coates for flipping this on its head: Hallie and Boyd may be angry or grumpy with each other at times, but they always do work it out, and it certainly never escalates into yelling or Dramatic Fighting. Bravo! I'd love to see more relationships like this in print.
This is definitely not a series you can pick up without having read the first book, but I still heartily recommend it to new readers. It's certainly not your run-of-the-mill urban fantasy, but if you're willing to be a little patient, you may just find a new favorite author in these books.
Hallie continues to be a brilliant character: solid and stubborn, and utterly determined to win at whatever she's put her mind to. But as new troubles bring new challenges, this time we have a chance to see more than that: as it's revealed that Hallie was not only a soldier in Afghanistan but a squad leader, the plot neatly allows us to see those same qualities at work as she gathers allies, pieces together facts, experiments with different approaches to the problem, and then makes her move. So many of the scenes here balance vulnerability, of fear and just plain not knowing, with the need to make a firm decision and plunge into the unknown anyway - and I loved how well and thoroughly this was tackled, both on practical and emotional levels.
And as for Hallie's counterpart... oh, Boyd. It's fantastic to see the two of them making some actual progress discussing their emotions, even in their understated Midwestern way. Somehow bad communication (and resulting fallout and drama) seems to be a staple of urban fantasy lately, which is why I utterly love Coates for flipping this on its head: Hallie and Boyd may be angry or grumpy with each other at times, but they always do work it out, and it certainly never escalates into yelling or Dramatic Fighting. Bravo! I'd love to see more relationships like this in print.
This is definitely not a series you can pick up without having read the first book, but I still heartily recommend it to new readers. It's certainly not your run-of-the-mill urban fantasy, but if you're willing to be a little patient, you may just find a new favorite author in these books.
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