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Ty Hauck #4
One Mile Under
In New York Times bestselling author Andrew Gross's propulsive thriller, set amid the drought-stricken oil country of Colorado's beautiful high plains, Ty Hauck makes his long-awaited return rallying beaten-down farmers and ranchers against a giant energy company in a deadly confrontation involving murder, retaliation, and cover-up.
Leading a tour down the rapids outside Aspen, Colorado, whitewater guide Dani Whalen comes upon the dead body of a close friend. Trey Watkins's death is ruled an accident. Finding evidence that seems to back up her suspicions that it wasn't, she takes her case to Wade Dunn, the local police chief and her ex-stepfather, with whom she shares some unresolved history. Wade insists the case is closed, but Rooster, a hot air balloon operator in town, claims he saw something from the air she should know. When he suddenly dies in a fiery crash, Dani threatens to take her suspicions public, goading Wade into tossing her in jail.
When an old friend contacts Ty Hauck and says his daughter is in trouble, he doesn't hesitate to get involved. Together, the two step into a sinister scheme running deep beneath the surface of a quiet, Colorado town that has made a deal with the devil to survive. But in the square off between giant energy companies and beaten-down ranchers and farmers, one resource is even more valuable in this drought-stricken region than oil. They both will kill for it—water.
One Mile Under is a thrilling rapid run of hair-raising twists and unforeseen turns set against one of the most provocative environmental issues of our time.
396 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2015
233 people are currently reading
1657 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Gross
95 books1,779 followersHoward Andrew Gross was an American author of thriller novels, including four New York Times bestsellers. He is best known for his collaborations with suspense writer James Patterson. Gross's books feature close family bonds, relationships characterized by loss or betrayal, and a large degree of emotional resonance which generally leads to wider crimes and cover-ups. The books have all been published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
December 29, 2015
Dani Whalen was filled with the raw adrenalin of rushing down the rapids – a white water guide, she knew how to give her “guests” a fun filled ride; knew how to make them feel the danger, but also how to keep them safe. This had been Dani’s job and her love for a long time; fresh air, sunshine, the love of living. But the day she found fellow guide and good friend Trey Watkin’s body in a kayak on the edge of the rapids, long past help, was the day Dani’s life changed in a way she had never envisioned.
Police Chief Wade Dunn, also Dani’s ex-stepfather was the person Dani approached when she had suspicions about Trey’s death – nothing was adding up about the “accident”, but Wade wasn’t interested. He told Dani the case was closed; it was an unfortunate accident and that she wasn’t to interfere any further. But when another “accident” occurred, Dani wouldn’t be held back; her threats of what she would do amounted to one thing; Wade threw her in jail…
Ty Hauck was floating around the Caribbean on his yacht when he received the call to say his goddaughter was in trouble. Within 24 hours he was in Aspen, Colorado and talking to Dani – Ty was there to help and though initially sceptical, he did some checking. What he discovered sent both himself and Dani into an incredible maelstrom of danger; the David and Goliath type. As Ty and Dani investigated the circumstances the farmers of the small town where they headed had found themselves in, Ty realised Dani was right – something was terribly wrong, and there would be nothing on earth that would stop these people killing again and again…
One Mile Under by Andrew Gross is an incredibly gripping and tension filled thriller which had me on the edge of my seat. The first return of Ty Hauck in approximately five years, it was good to catch up with him again – a good man, the type to always try to do the right thing to help the downtrodden; the people who no one else will help. My only issue with the book is the continual editing issues, which I was very surprised about. Highly recommended.
Police Chief Wade Dunn, also Dani’s ex-stepfather was the person Dani approached when she had suspicions about Trey’s death – nothing was adding up about the “accident”, but Wade wasn’t interested. He told Dani the case was closed; it was an unfortunate accident and that she wasn’t to interfere any further. But when another “accident” occurred, Dani wouldn’t be held back; her threats of what she would do amounted to one thing; Wade threw her in jail…
Ty Hauck was floating around the Caribbean on his yacht when he received the call to say his goddaughter was in trouble. Within 24 hours he was in Aspen, Colorado and talking to Dani – Ty was there to help and though initially sceptical, he did some checking. What he discovered sent both himself and Dani into an incredible maelstrom of danger; the David and Goliath type. As Ty and Dani investigated the circumstances the farmers of the small town where they headed had found themselves in, Ty realised Dani was right – something was terribly wrong, and there would be nothing on earth that would stop these people killing again and again…
One Mile Under by Andrew Gross is an incredibly gripping and tension filled thriller which had me on the edge of my seat. The first return of Ty Hauck in approximately five years, it was good to catch up with him again – a good man, the type to always try to do the right thing to help the downtrodden; the people who no one else will help. My only issue with the book is the continual editing issues, which I was very surprised about. Highly recommended.
July 6, 2015
Initially, this was a very difficult book to get into. However, once I did, it was a good thrill ride that read quickly. If you can get through the beginning, the rest of the book is great!
June 25, 2015
I read the first book in the series featuring detective Ty Hauck, (The Dark Tide), a few years back - mostly prompted, I think, because of the author's association as a co-author of several books with James Patterson. I enjoyed it, but somehow the next two in the series got past me. Not long ago, this one - the fourth - caught my eye. It's been a long time coming for the author, too, who says this one was roughly five years in the making.
Clearly, plenty of action took place in the two previous books (some of that action is referenced in this one, which is how I know I missed out). That said, while I sort of wish I'd read those other two, reading them prior to this one really isn't necessary.
Several chapters in, though, I began to wonder if I'd picked up the right book; the illustrious Mr. Hauck was nowhere to be found. It begins as whitewater guide Dani Whalen finds the body of a good friend in the water, an apparent kayaking accident. Dani isn't so sure that's the case, especially when a local character named Rooster - who runs a hot air balloon operation - tells her he saw something. He'll meet her the next morning to spill the beans, he says, but he never makes it. He, and the two couples he's taken up in a balloon, inexplicably fall from the sky to their deaths before he and Dani can get together.
Another accident? Yes, according to the local police chief, who also is Dani's stepfather. He insists that she back off and leave the investigation to the professionals. But Dani is stubborn; when she threatens to go to the newspapers with her suspicions, her stepfather throws her in jail, notifying her biological dad of her whereabouts. Her father, in turn, is a friend of Ty's (who also happens to be Dani's godfather), so he gives Ty a call to go get her.
All of this means that 16 chapters go by before Ty makes an appearance. Once he hears her concerns, he's skeptical, but in it to win it. When he and Dani do some sleuthing around, they find that the folks in the small Colorado town, mostly farmers and ranchers, are (as the book description says) "selling their souls to the devil" by selling their much-needed water to a huge energy company for use in its local fracking operation (how's that for a timely hot-button issue)?
Butting heads with the big guns puts Ty, Dani and a few others in mortal danger on more than one occasion and pits them against local powers-that-be who are unwilling to jeopardize what has become an extremely lucrative arrangement. Will they get to the bottom of what's going on and nail whoever's responsible for all those deaths before they end up dead as well?
You'll just have to read it for yourself to find out the answer to that question.
Clearly, plenty of action took place in the two previous books (some of that action is referenced in this one, which is how I know I missed out). That said, while I sort of wish I'd read those other two, reading them prior to this one really isn't necessary.
Several chapters in, though, I began to wonder if I'd picked up the right book; the illustrious Mr. Hauck was nowhere to be found. It begins as whitewater guide Dani Whalen finds the body of a good friend in the water, an apparent kayaking accident. Dani isn't so sure that's the case, especially when a local character named Rooster - who runs a hot air balloon operation - tells her he saw something. He'll meet her the next morning to spill the beans, he says, but he never makes it. He, and the two couples he's taken up in a balloon, inexplicably fall from the sky to their deaths before he and Dani can get together.
Another accident? Yes, according to the local police chief, who also is Dani's stepfather. He insists that she back off and leave the investigation to the professionals. But Dani is stubborn; when she threatens to go to the newspapers with her suspicions, her stepfather throws her in jail, notifying her biological dad of her whereabouts. Her father, in turn, is a friend of Ty's (who also happens to be Dani's godfather), so he gives Ty a call to go get her.
All of this means that 16 chapters go by before Ty makes an appearance. Once he hears her concerns, he's skeptical, but in it to win it. When he and Dani do some sleuthing around, they find that the folks in the small Colorado town, mostly farmers and ranchers, are (as the book description says) "selling their souls to the devil" by selling their much-needed water to a huge energy company for use in its local fracking operation (how's that for a timely hot-button issue)?
Butting heads with the big guns puts Ty, Dani and a few others in mortal danger on more than one occasion and pits them against local powers-that-be who are unwilling to jeopardize what has become an extremely lucrative arrangement. Will they get to the bottom of what's going on and nail whoever's responsible for all those deaths before they end up dead as well?
You'll just have to read it for yourself to find out the answer to that question.
February 14, 2017
If it’s a choice between a) an interesting story that's poorly written or b) a mediocre story that’s written well, I’ll go with B every time. To me, good writing can make a mediocre plot enjoyable.
I’d never read anything else by Mr. Gross. And I doubt I will.
The story itself, the plot, was interesting. It was something new, not the same ol’ tired storyline.
The book started out good and I was sure I’d found a good author. However, as the book continued, the bad writing got harder and harder to muddle through.
I have several complaints about this book:
DIALOGUE:
I love an author who excels at dialogue. Linwood Barclay, for example, is a master of dialogue. Harlan Coben as well. Archer Mayor too. But the dialogue in this novel was not realistic and seemingly written by an 8th grader.
It’s not necessary to constantly use the other person’s name in every sentence:
Good morning, Ty.
Good morning, Dani.
Did you sleep well, Dani?
Yes, I did. Did you sleep well, Ty.
Yes, I did. Would you like some breakfast, Dani?
Yes, Ty, I would.
Do eggs sound okay, Dani?
Yes, Ty, they do.
That’s not an excerpt but you get the idea.
Another thing that bugged me about the dialogue was the change of names. Ty is Dani’s Uncle. During the same exact conversation, she sometimes calls him Uncle Ty. And other times, Ty. When Dani is talking with her step-father, Wade, sometimes, in the same conversation, he calls her Dani and then will call her Danielle.
EDITING:
Was this book edited? If so, it was a lazy job. There were numerous times when the same expression was used repeatedly in a short period.
In one scene, Dani is about to be thrown into a…pool or something. She will drown. The bad guy as he is leading her up the stairs, says “Trust me, you’ll need every breath.” They get to the top of the stairs and guess what he says? “Trust me, you’ll need every breath.” This happened repeatedly.
In one scene, a character “grit his teeth.” A page later a character “grit his teeth.” Two pages later, a character “grit his teeth.” We hear the same exact expression 3 times within 5 pages. And never hear it again. This is last writing and lazy editing.
Another example of this is early on we learn an experienced water guide, Trey, is found dead. It appears he drowned. We are told by Dani this is unlikely because “Trey could go down these rapids blindfolded with his son in his lap.” Later, his colleagues are in a bar, drinking and toasting his memory. Another person says, “Trey could go down these rapids blindfolded with his son in his lap.”
Really???
In another scene, Ty has his boot on a guy’s throat. Someone pulls a gun, tells him to drop his weapon. Ty lifts the boot from the guy’s…chest. Huh??? I thought it was on his throat.
DANI:
At first, Dani, mid-twenties, seemed pretty cool. She is a whitewater raft guide who is tough and likable character. I thought, right off the bat, she is cool. Later, she ends up contacting her Uncle Ty (even though he is her godfather.)
Suddenly, Dani changes. She is no longer this cool 20-something woman but now a whiny, temperamental little kid. Ty keeps telling her, ‘You cant come with me’ and she responds with “But why? I wanna. I wanna. I wanna come with you. I don’t wanna stay here. I wanna. I wanna. Come on, Uncle Ty.”
Sheesh.
HIDDEN MEANING:
It became apparent early on that this was really a 21st century western. You have farmers on the eastern plains of Colorado being starved off their lands by the big, bad oil company stealing their water rights while the crooked sheriff and all the lawyers have been bought off by the rich guys taking over the town.
Sure enough, with about 80 pages left, we have the big gunfight. Ty and Watkins against about 5 bad guys. Now, to quote a line from another famous western. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, “If you wanna shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.”
They are shooting at each other. Diving behind hay bales. Throwing Molotov cocktails at each other. The barn in on fire and going up in flames. Bullets whizzing everywhere. Good stuff, right?
Yet, in the midst of all of this, they are engaging in long, drawn-out conversations. “Well, if you would’ve listened and done this and done that and not talked to the other person and not done the other thing, then none of this would’ve happened.”
“Well. You left me no choice because you did this and that and the other thing which forced me to do A B and C.”
Give me a break. Think of any gunfight in any western. The Magnificent Seven, Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Silverado. You either shoot or you talk. Wyatt Earp didn’t have a nice little tete-a-tete with Ike Clanton.
NAMES:
Lastly, and this may sound petty. It probably is petty. Had I liked the book this would not even be a concern. But why do 4 different characters have names with “W”? There’s a Wade, a Watkins, a Wendell and a Whalen. There’s also a “John” and a “Littlejohn.”
I got to within 65 pages and gave up.
I may possibly try another book by this author, sometime, eventually, down the road. But if I do—which seems unlikely—it better pull me in quick.
This book had potential and I think a good author could have done wonders.
I’d never read anything else by Mr. Gross. And I doubt I will.
The story itself, the plot, was interesting. It was something new, not the same ol’ tired storyline.
The book started out good and I was sure I’d found a good author. However, as the book continued, the bad writing got harder and harder to muddle through.
I have several complaints about this book:
DIALOGUE:
I love an author who excels at dialogue. Linwood Barclay, for example, is a master of dialogue. Harlan Coben as well. Archer Mayor too. But the dialogue in this novel was not realistic and seemingly written by an 8th grader.
It’s not necessary to constantly use the other person’s name in every sentence:
Good morning, Ty.
Good morning, Dani.
Did you sleep well, Dani?
Yes, I did. Did you sleep well, Ty.
Yes, I did. Would you like some breakfast, Dani?
Yes, Ty, I would.
Do eggs sound okay, Dani?
Yes, Ty, they do.
That’s not an excerpt but you get the idea.
Another thing that bugged me about the dialogue was the change of names. Ty is Dani’s Uncle. During the same exact conversation, she sometimes calls him Uncle Ty. And other times, Ty. When Dani is talking with her step-father, Wade, sometimes, in the same conversation, he calls her Dani and then will call her Danielle.
EDITING:
Was this book edited? If so, it was a lazy job. There were numerous times when the same expression was used repeatedly in a short period.
In one scene, Dani is about to be thrown into a…pool or something. She will drown. The bad guy as he is leading her up the stairs, says “Trust me, you’ll need every breath.” They get to the top of the stairs and guess what he says? “Trust me, you’ll need every breath.” This happened repeatedly.
In one scene, a character “grit his teeth.” A page later a character “grit his teeth.” Two pages later, a character “grit his teeth.” We hear the same exact expression 3 times within 5 pages. And never hear it again. This is last writing and lazy editing.
Another example of this is early on we learn an experienced water guide, Trey, is found dead. It appears he drowned. We are told by Dani this is unlikely because “Trey could go down these rapids blindfolded with his son in his lap.” Later, his colleagues are in a bar, drinking and toasting his memory. Another person says, “Trey could go down these rapids blindfolded with his son in his lap.”
Really???
In another scene, Ty has his boot on a guy’s throat. Someone pulls a gun, tells him to drop his weapon. Ty lifts the boot from the guy’s…chest. Huh??? I thought it was on his throat.
DANI:
At first, Dani, mid-twenties, seemed pretty cool. She is a whitewater raft guide who is tough and likable character. I thought, right off the bat, she is cool. Later, she ends up contacting her Uncle Ty (even though he is her godfather.)
Suddenly, Dani changes. She is no longer this cool 20-something woman but now a whiny, temperamental little kid. Ty keeps telling her, ‘You cant come with me’ and she responds with “But why? I wanna. I wanna. I wanna come with you. I don’t wanna stay here. I wanna. I wanna. Come on, Uncle Ty.”
Sheesh.
HIDDEN MEANING:
It became apparent early on that this was really a 21st century western. You have farmers on the eastern plains of Colorado being starved off their lands by the big, bad oil company stealing their water rights while the crooked sheriff and all the lawyers have been bought off by the rich guys taking over the town.
Sure enough, with about 80 pages left, we have the big gunfight. Ty and Watkins against about 5 bad guys. Now, to quote a line from another famous western. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, “If you wanna shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.”
They are shooting at each other. Diving behind hay bales. Throwing Molotov cocktails at each other. The barn in on fire and going up in flames. Bullets whizzing everywhere. Good stuff, right?
Yet, in the midst of all of this, they are engaging in long, drawn-out conversations. “Well, if you would’ve listened and done this and done that and not talked to the other person and not done the other thing, then none of this would’ve happened.”
“Well. You left me no choice because you did this and that and the other thing which forced me to do A B and C.”
Give me a break. Think of any gunfight in any western. The Magnificent Seven, Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Silverado. You either shoot or you talk. Wyatt Earp didn’t have a nice little tete-a-tete with Ike Clanton.
NAMES:
Lastly, and this may sound petty. It probably is petty. Had I liked the book this would not even be a concern. But why do 4 different characters have names with “W”? There’s a Wade, a Watkins, a Wendell and a Whalen. There’s also a “John” and a “Littlejohn.”
I got to within 65 pages and gave up.
I may possibly try another book by this author, sometime, eventually, down the road. But if I do—which seems unlikely—it better pull me in quick.
This book had potential and I think a good author could have done wonders.
April 7, 2015
Being a white water guide was Dani’s dream job, but finding a dead body of a friend as she was completing a run put a whole different light on her dream job.
Was her friend's death an accident or was it murder? Too many things happened after she found the body to convince her that it was simply an accident.
The tension and the action escalated once Dani and her Uncle Ty decided to investigate. They became involved in an unscrupulousness scheme by environmentalists. Murder, corruption, and folks being paid off made ONE MILE UNDER an action-packed thriller.
Dani and Uncle Ty were likable characters along with the folks that were being victimized by the environmental corruption. Most of the other characters were deadly, frightening, dishonest, and cunning.
ONE MILE UNDER took a few pages to get interesting, but once it got going you won't want to put the book down. The detailed action was intense, and will have you feeling the fear and sharing the fear of the characters. The book had me on the edge of my seat.
Any reader who enjoys fast-paced, gripping, page-turning thrillers will definitely enjoy ONE MILE UNDER. 4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
November 2, 2024
3.5***A nail biting, stay-up-all night ,suspenseful, read! His best! The author has grown in his ability, and Ty Hauck, the protagonist, has developed into a multidimensional, dynamic character. The plot is unique and intriguing, the storyline is fast paced, and the climax is utterly thrilling. The denouement is extremely satisfying. I certainly hope the author will not wait another five years to write another in this series! Can't give it 4**** because 1) poor character development of characters( other than Dani and Ty). 2) suspension of disbelief strained because state police and/or FBI were not brought in.....THEY wouldn't be part of the corruption!
August 9, 2015
It's been a while since Ty Hauck strutted his stuff, and I am glad he is back. A bit of a slow start that meanders along, but then we hit the rapids, and the ending more than compensates. A nice easily read thriller.
May 13, 2015
I am a fan of both Andrew Gross and the character Ty Hauck. However, this is the first Ty Hauck book in 5 years and I admit I was a little nervous. After reading around 20% of the book I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Ty, but to be honest I wasn’t missing him. The main character Dani Haller is a feisty girl who works as a white-water guide. She comes across the body of a friend and is then like a dog with a bone, convinced that it was no accident. Dani is a great character and is gutsy and smart which always pulls me in. When Ty Hauck finally got a mention a fifty of the way I, I was quite surprised. It turns out that Dani is his God Daughter and he is the one that gets the phone call to go and help her out of the trouble she has landed herself in.
First off I had to try and reach the corners of my brain to work out what happened to Ty in the last instalment. Yu do get a brief overview but it wasn’t ringing any bells so I finally relented and went back and read my review to jog my memory. When Ty first appears it almost seems like he has had a bit of a personality transplant, either that or his extreme absence just hasn’t made my heart grow fonder! Anyhow, when he picks up Dani and gets collared with looking into the death of her friend it then starts to get interesting. There are certainly a lot of bad guys in this book and an awful lot of dodgy dealings and underhand tactics with a large corporation.
The last quarter of the book was much more ‘old-school’ Ty Hauck and it was much pacier and full of quite a few tensions and hair raising moments. Having said all of that, I struggled to rate this. Initially I wanted to give it 3, middle of the road but felt that the last part of the book more than made up for it so finally decided on a 4. I think my reluctance to be more positive is that I have come to the conclusion 5 years is too long to not read about a character (just in my opinion). It has been too long between books and I felt like it was meeting a new character all over again. There are numerous parts of this book that show just how awesome an author Andrew Gross is, but please Mr G….don’t leave Ty out for too long next time
First off I had to try and reach the corners of my brain to work out what happened to Ty in the last instalment. Yu do get a brief overview but it wasn’t ringing any bells so I finally relented and went back and read my review to jog my memory. When Ty first appears it almost seems like he has had a bit of a personality transplant, either that or his extreme absence just hasn’t made my heart grow fonder! Anyhow, when he picks up Dani and gets collared with looking into the death of her friend it then starts to get interesting. There are certainly a lot of bad guys in this book and an awful lot of dodgy dealings and underhand tactics with a large corporation.
The last quarter of the book was much more ‘old-school’ Ty Hauck and it was much pacier and full of quite a few tensions and hair raising moments. Having said all of that, I struggled to rate this. Initially I wanted to give it 3, middle of the road but felt that the last part of the book more than made up for it so finally decided on a 4. I think my reluctance to be more positive is that I have come to the conclusion 5 years is too long to not read about a character (just in my opinion). It has been too long between books and I felt like it was meeting a new character all over again. There are numerous parts of this book that show just how awesome an author Andrew Gross is, but please Mr G….don’t leave Ty out for too long next time
April 22, 2015
ONE MILE UNDER is the first Ty Hauck novel Andrew Gross has written in five years. Im so glad the wait is over and I got to catch up with a Ty. The wait was definitely worth it and once again, Mr. Gross is going to pull you right in, speed up your heart many many times, and never let you go! From the first page, ONE MILE UNDER is a thriller that is going to have you forgetting every thing you are supposed to do until you read the very last page. Andrew Gross does a great job of explaining the cause and effect of fracking. The murders, the town and the people will keep you reading to the very end and you will find yourself cheering for Dani and Ty the whole time.
April 17, 2015
Good book with lots of action. Characters are well developed. Since I live in Colorado (60+ years) it was interesting because I've been to the 'real' places in the book and fracking is a big deal. However, I do have to point out that the author has Ty and Dani going back to the Colorado mountains via I-80. I-80 does not run through Colorado. I'm sure he meant to say I-70 but no one caught the error in proofreading.
April 23, 2015
One Mile Under
I didn't dislike this book I just didn't like it as much as I liked all of Andrew Gross' other books. It was interesting and I liked reading about the fracking process but the story around it just didn't grab me. I'll still be waiting to read his next book though.
I didn't dislike this book I just didn't like it as much as I liked all of Andrew Gross' other books. It was interesting and I liked reading about the fracking process but the story around it just didn't grab me. I'll still be waiting to read his next book though.
July 6, 2015
Its a shame when authors decide to take an initially strong, smart, courageous character and dumb them down as the case here. This results in a rated star reduction. 6 of 10 stars
June 15, 2023
Did I just read a 500 pages book in one day? Yes, yes I did.
Although the story started pretty intriguing, it massively slowed down afterwards. Surprising enough, I didn't really get bored, which often happens with thrillers that don't include a serial killer or multiple deaths. I didn't really care for all of the drilling stuff, but the idea was pretty cool. However, I expected Dani to be the main character. Instead, it seemed like Ty turned into the main character and Dani was more of a background character that wasn't even that important. There was some action, such as The fact that Ty I felt weirdly sad about Poor guy. I don't really have an opinion about any of the characters though, since we still barely seem to know any of them. I did skip over some paragraphs that didn't interest me, so that might've helped as well. I didn't really see how the story would end well, but I'm happy with the way it ended - besides I do wish we'd know more about Wade's kid and how he's doing.
Although the story started pretty intriguing, it massively slowed down afterwards. Surprising enough, I didn't really get bored, which often happens with thrillers that don't include a serial killer or multiple deaths. I didn't really care for all of the drilling stuff, but the idea was pretty cool. However, I expected Dani to be the main character. Instead, it seemed like Ty turned into the main character and Dani was more of a background character that wasn't even that important. There was some action, such as The fact that Ty I felt weirdly sad about Poor guy. I don't really have an opinion about any of the characters though, since we still barely seem to know any of them. I did skip over some paragraphs that didn't interest me, so that might've helped as well. I didn't really see how the story would end well, but I'm happy with the way it ended - besides I do wish we'd know more about Wade's kid and how he's doing.
March 25, 2017
A white water river guide named Dani put two and two together in the deaths of two friends. She believes they were killed, but it is hard to find someone who will help her. Finally, her godfather Ty Hauck arrives, and together they discover secrets about an oil and mining company who are intimidating a whole town. During several violent episodes of both Ty and Dani nearly dying, they are able to get the town to stand up for themselves and help. The company and several government figures who were in their pockets are soon taken care of.
March 15, 2017
This novel is part of a series but each one can be read as a stand alone novel. In this one, Dani discovers her friend's body. Everyone believes it was a whitewater accident besides Dani. Dani is Ty's goddaughter and Ty gets involved. This investigation leads to a much bigger conspiracy.
This book is your basic thriller novel and it was a pleasure to read. I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters even though they haven't seen each other for years. The highlight of this book was how a lone criminal act ended up being so much more. It involved conspiracy, shady business and political dealings, and environmental stakes. The author did a good job weaving one issue into the next and balancing the whole network of criminal activity. There were plenty of action sequences that involved life or death results and these sequences kept the pace moving throughout.
This book is a good example of a "beach read" novel. It doesn't require a lot of thought or extreme attention to the narrative but it does provide plenty of entertainment that the reader will enjoy.
This book is your basic thriller novel and it was a pleasure to read. I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters even though they haven't seen each other for years. The highlight of this book was how a lone criminal act ended up being so much more. It involved conspiracy, shady business and political dealings, and environmental stakes. The author did a good job weaving one issue into the next and balancing the whole network of criminal activity. There were plenty of action sequences that involved life or death results and these sequences kept the pace moving throughout.
This book is a good example of a "beach read" novel. It doesn't require a lot of thought or extreme attention to the narrative but it does provide plenty of entertainment that the reader will enjoy.
October 12, 2019
Exciting thriller although a bit far fetched st times but kept you reading Good to have some environmental aspect thought about. An eye opener
May 5, 2017
When trey was kayaking down a class 4 rapids, which he does every day until he didn't return and an instructor and a family were making their way don the rapids when they spotted some thing in the water it was an overturned kayak they pulled the raft ashore and the instructor had to walk across the slippery rocks with water flowing across them when Dani the instructor flipped the kayak over there was a body! it as trey! Dani stepped back in shock and there was bruise marks all over him but some how Dani knows that this was no accident.
July 22, 2015
Borrowed as an audio book from my local library.
I thought the plot of this book was well thought out and researched, although I have no experience w/ oil fields and the process of removing oil/gas but it seemed believable. The storyline itself was good. Good moments of action and tension, however, I think there was a lot of lazy story telling in this book and I feel this author needs a much better editor to parse the story down.
There were several moments in the book in which I felt the author was describing a situation and merely repeated the same phrase over and over to drive a point home.
We get it Trey was an experienced rafter and shouldn't have died the way he did. Every time someone in the story discussed his death, they mentioned this often using the same phrase to describe Trey's death. Another example of this 'beating of a dead horse' was towards the end of the book, in which the author describes a piston type action. We all know what a piston does. It goes up and down. If you didn't know, you do know. Because he repeated several times in the same passage. Up and down. Up and down. I GOT IT. Thanks. IF I had this as a text book, I might go back and count how many times he repeated the phrase (yes, the phrase up and down) but I don't. If I had to warrant a guess, I would have to say it'd be more than 10 times in the scene.
In other parts of the book, the author would quote earlier parts of the book. If a character was contemplating an earlier interaction, whole sentences would be repeated from that conversation. This, I feel, makes sense if it is a certain detail that was minute and possibly the reader may have missed it, or if it occurred so early in the story that the reader may have forgotten it. But if it is a general idea or was literally the last scene, it probably isn't necessary!
Characters...
I felt the characters in this book were likeable, however the detective and his god daughter were supposed to be very smart. It's the god daughter who put two and two together and identified the crime behind the seeming accident. Yet simple parts that they should have picked up (especially by the detective, ex-cop, Hauck) weren't. Granted, sometimes this is part of story telling and as a reading it's easier to pick up the big picture, but by the end the characters should have figured it out and not needed an extended telling by the characters nemesis.
I did enjoy the book and its story overall, but probably won't pick up more by this author given his writing style.
Note about the audio recording. I felt this narrator did a good job. Adding drama, tension, or whatever was appropriate at good times. No added music, sound effects were added (which I think is great!)
Overall well done.
I thought the plot of this book was well thought out and researched, although I have no experience w/ oil fields and the process of removing oil/gas but it seemed believable. The storyline itself was good. Good moments of action and tension, however, I think there was a lot of lazy story telling in this book and I feel this author needs a much better editor to parse the story down.
There were several moments in the book in which I felt the author was describing a situation and merely repeated the same phrase over and over to drive a point home.
We get it Trey was an experienced rafter and shouldn't have died the way he did. Every time someone in the story discussed his death, they mentioned this often using the same phrase to describe Trey's death. Another example of this 'beating of a dead horse' was towards the end of the book, in which the author describes a piston type action. We all know what a piston does. It goes up and down. If you didn't know, you do know. Because he repeated several times in the same passage. Up and down. Up and down. I GOT IT. Thanks. IF I had this as a text book, I might go back and count how many times he repeated the phrase (yes, the phrase up and down) but I don't. If I had to warrant a guess, I would have to say it'd be more than 10 times in the scene.
In other parts of the book, the author would quote earlier parts of the book. If a character was contemplating an earlier interaction, whole sentences would be repeated from that conversation. This, I feel, makes sense if it is a certain detail that was minute and possibly the reader may have missed it, or if it occurred so early in the story that the reader may have forgotten it. But if it is a general idea or was literally the last scene, it probably isn't necessary!
Characters...
I felt the characters in this book were likeable, however the detective and his god daughter were supposed to be very smart. It's the god daughter who put two and two together and identified the crime behind the seeming accident. Yet simple parts that they should have picked up (especially by the detective, ex-cop, Hauck) weren't. Granted, sometimes this is part of story telling and as a reading it's easier to pick up the big picture, but by the end the characters should have figured it out and not needed an extended telling by the characters nemesis.
I did enjoy the book and its story overall, but probably won't pick up more by this author given his writing style.
Note about the audio recording. I felt this narrator did a good job. Adding drama, tension, or whatever was appropriate at good times. No added music, sound effects were added (which I think is great!)
Overall well done.
April 22, 2015
This is a page-turner by an experienced thriller writer (who has co-written books with James Patterson). His skill at keeping you on the edge of your seat is evident in this fast-moving and topical story about fracking operations in Colorado.
It begins with the discovery of a body by Dani Whalen, 25, who knows the dead man, Trey Watkins, and knows he is too skilled to have been in a kayak “accident” - especially one in which he was not wearing his helmet. But when she tries to get her ex-stepfather, Sheriff Wade Dunn, to investigate, he throws her in jail and calls her father to get her not to interfere. Dani’s father is in Chile on a teaching sabbatical and cannot come, so he asks his college roommate, Ty Hauck, who is also Dani’s godfather, to go see what kind of trouble Dani is in and help her out.
Ty Hauck, apparently a recurring character of Gross’s who is sort of a superhero type, finds out that Dani may be right about Trey having been murdered, but it also looks like the murder is part of something much bigger, and much more dangerous to everyone involved.
Discussion: If you are unfamiliar with the Karen Silkwood story (which many people know about only because of the outstanding movie made in 1983 on her life starring Meryl Streep and Cher, you might find what happens in this book too improbable. [And in fact, the New York Times called the story of Karen Silkwood “a vivid case of life imitating bad art…”) To learn more about what happened to her, I highly recommend the 1981 book The Killing of Karen Silkwood: The Story Behind the Kerr-McGee Plutonium Case by Richard Rashke.]
In spite of the thrilling pace and tension, you will learn a great deal about the “fracking” process for extracting gas and oil from shale rock by injecting water, sand and chemicals into the rock at high pressure to allow the gas to flow out to the head of the well. You will get a good idea about why there is a lot of uproar, not just because of potential toxic effects, but also because of the appropriation of sand and particularly water for this process.
This important information is not delivered in a didactic or info-dump-ish way; rather, it’s well-integrated into the unfolding of edge-of-your-seat action.
Evaluation: I love the adrenalin of thrillers, but they are even better when they include useful knowledge, rather than just a dead body, a killer, and a chase. This is a good read!
It begins with the discovery of a body by Dani Whalen, 25, who knows the dead man, Trey Watkins, and knows he is too skilled to have been in a kayak “accident” - especially one in which he was not wearing his helmet. But when she tries to get her ex-stepfather, Sheriff Wade Dunn, to investigate, he throws her in jail and calls her father to get her not to interfere. Dani’s father is in Chile on a teaching sabbatical and cannot come, so he asks his college roommate, Ty Hauck, who is also Dani’s godfather, to go see what kind of trouble Dani is in and help her out.
Ty Hauck, apparently a recurring character of Gross’s who is sort of a superhero type, finds out that Dani may be right about Trey having been murdered, but it also looks like the murder is part of something much bigger, and much more dangerous to everyone involved.
Discussion: If you are unfamiliar with the Karen Silkwood story (which many people know about only because of the outstanding movie made in 1983 on her life starring Meryl Streep and Cher, you might find what happens in this book too improbable. [And in fact, the New York Times called the story of Karen Silkwood “a vivid case of life imitating bad art…”) To learn more about what happened to her, I highly recommend the 1981 book The Killing of Karen Silkwood: The Story Behind the Kerr-McGee Plutonium Case by Richard Rashke.]
In spite of the thrilling pace and tension, you will learn a great deal about the “fracking” process for extracting gas and oil from shale rock by injecting water, sand and chemicals into the rock at high pressure to allow the gas to flow out to the head of the well. You will get a good idea about why there is a lot of uproar, not just because of potential toxic effects, but also because of the appropriation of sand and particularly water for this process.
This important information is not delivered in a didactic or info-dump-ish way; rather, it’s well-integrated into the unfolding of edge-of-your-seat action.
Evaluation: I love the adrenalin of thrillers, but they are even better when they include useful knowledge, rather than just a dead body, a killer, and a chase. This is a good read!
July 9, 2015
Book 4, in the Ty Hauck series
This long-awaited who done it mystery takes us on a journey were farmers are pit against an energy company supporting fracking exploration in Colorado. In spite of the story there is a great deal about the process for extracting gas and oil from shale rock by injecting water, sand and chemicals into the rock. Although a fiction, this story surely made me wonder about this type of process. This latest thriller is one that includes a great deal of useful information.
I missed those 5 years between installments, reading this latest was getting back with an old friend although this time in a whole different setting. This is a straightforward mystery that tells what desperate people would do for water and the bargain they are ready to make. In hush-hush fashion the dealings with the instigators are kept out of the limelight.
I wondered in the few opening chapters where was Ty everything was about Dani Whalen , a white-water guide and a friend found dead of an apparent kayaking accident, then another accident involving another of her friend. It took for ever before TY showed up to save the day. Honestly I really didn’t miss him. Dani was an excellent player, a feisty and smart girl that entertained and captivated me throughout, at least for the first part of the novel. Then the superhero showed up but what did we have: a lesson on fracking…..and harping on the process. There is limited action, yes a few thrilling moments but suspense is rarely felt and the whole experience lack the luster of a real mystery. There is way too much turning in circle, coming back to the same old points. It seemed the pages needed to be filled. Frankly by then it was time to reach the end I was losing so much interest. Not my preferred novel and this by a long shot.
Whether we are for or against fracking this story will at least make you think of its consequences.
This long-awaited who done it mystery takes us on a journey were farmers are pit against an energy company supporting fracking exploration in Colorado. In spite of the story there is a great deal about the process for extracting gas and oil from shale rock by injecting water, sand and chemicals into the rock. Although a fiction, this story surely made me wonder about this type of process. This latest thriller is one that includes a great deal of useful information.
I missed those 5 years between installments, reading this latest was getting back with an old friend although this time in a whole different setting. This is a straightforward mystery that tells what desperate people would do for water and the bargain they are ready to make. In hush-hush fashion the dealings with the instigators are kept out of the limelight.
I wondered in the few opening chapters where was Ty everything was about Dani Whalen , a white-water guide and a friend found dead of an apparent kayaking accident, then another accident involving another of her friend. It took for ever before TY showed up to save the day. Honestly I really didn’t miss him. Dani was an excellent player, a feisty and smart girl that entertained and captivated me throughout, at least for the first part of the novel. Then the superhero showed up but what did we have: a lesson on fracking…..and harping on the process. There is limited action, yes a few thrilling moments but suspense is rarely felt and the whole experience lack the luster of a real mystery. There is way too much turning in circle, coming back to the same old points. It seemed the pages needed to be filled. Frankly by then it was time to reach the end I was losing so much interest. Not my preferred novel and this by a long shot.
Whether we are for or against fracking this story will at least make you think of its consequences.
July 15, 2016
I first discovered Andrew Gross when he co wrote with James Patterson. I found his collaborations were more enjoyable than others. Now he writes alone and he writes real page turners.
When white water rafter guide, Dani, discovers the body of her friend Trey, in the Colorado Rapids, she cannot believe he drowned as he was very experienced. A witness comes forward to say they saw some one with Trey, but then they die in tragic circumstances. Enter Ty Hauck, Dani's godfather. Together they try to unravel how the town is being controlled by an energy company, and that there is something more valuable than oil, something worth killing for.
The one annoying thing about this book was it had so many errors in it, shame on the proof reader/ editing. Never encounter so many in a finished copy.
When white water rafter guide, Dani, discovers the body of her friend Trey, in the Colorado Rapids, she cannot believe he drowned as he was very experienced. A witness comes forward to say they saw some one with Trey, but then they die in tragic circumstances. Enter Ty Hauck, Dani's godfather. Together they try to unravel how the town is being controlled by an energy company, and that there is something more valuable than oil, something worth killing for.
The one annoying thing about this book was it had so many errors in it, shame on the proof reader/ editing. Never encounter so many in a finished copy.
January 26, 2016
I couldn't put this one down. From the first word to the last it captured my total interest. Maybe it was because I have experienced rafting that got me hooked. The thrill of achievement in completing a dangerous task on rushing water with a group of strangers all working toward a selected goal of making it through no matter what the circumstances. Taking that achievement and linking it to a different set of goals these strangers were able to accomplish an uprising against all odds to find a common goal to stand up for one's rights and overcome the enemy.
March 20, 2020
Took a long time to get into but I wasn't that bothered. I think I've only ever not finished one book so I was always going to read it but it took me so long. Chapters were too short, story was simple and over done. I felt like I couldn't picture any of the settings. I didn't really like it, a bit of a drag really.
April 25, 2015
*Received as FirstReads giveaway*
I was so excited to receive this book, as it is the newest published by my favourite crime author: Andrew Gross. He did not disappoint! Another fast-paced story which kept me hooked from beginning to end (around 24 hours!) I hope there will be more from Ty Hauck!
I was so excited to receive this book, as it is the newest published by my favourite crime author: Andrew Gross. He did not disappoint! Another fast-paced story which kept me hooked from beginning to end (around 24 hours!) I hope there will be more from Ty Hauck!
June 9, 2015
A fast, predictable read
Like watching some tv show.... brainless, predictable and quick. Characters were interesting, story was entertaining but not particularly memorable or award winning.
Like watching some tv show.... brainless, predictable and quick. Characters were interesting, story was entertaining but not particularly memorable or award winning.
April 10, 2020
There were so many copy errors in this it really spoiled any enjoyment of the book. Felt the story was too long, too unlikely, and just didn't really hold my attention. Disappointed as I've really enjoyed other Andrew Gross books.
August 4, 2015
Really enjoyed this in the series of Ty Hauk mystery thrillers. Likeable characters. Decent story, if a little predictable at times - then again that's maybe as this genre is mostly all I read!
June 22, 2017
Great read!
October 22, 2017
Liked the rafting bits best .. made for movie action .. politically unpalatable .. high implausability .. I will read Brad Thor instead.
And WAY too long.
And WAY too long.
October 8, 2017
With plenty of action packed suspense, "One Mile Under", from author Andrew Gross is easily the best TY Hauck book yet. I've had kind of a hard time getting into any tales coming from author Andrew Gross. The first three Hauck books did underwhelm me somewhat. However this fourth Hauck book in series was exceptional. With plenty of action and well developed supporting characters to help Hauck carry this book it's clearly a much better read than any of his others. Set in Colorado this book features Hauck's Goddaughter Danielle "Dani" Whalen. Dani a free spirit, is a white water rafting guide and the step daughter of current local police chief Wade Dunn. Since Dani's mother passed away Wade has been nothing but a thorn in Dani's side. The two flat out just dislike each other immensely. Dunn's career has been on the skids for years. Corrupt and a drunk Dunn can be easily bought. On one of Dani's white water rafting tours everyone in the raft are horrified when along the river banks the body of Trey Watkins is found floating. Not wearing a helmet, Watkins has suffered a severe head injury that's killed him. Dani knows there is foul play afoot since Trey is an expert on the water and always used a helmet. Chief Dunn and the authorities are much too happy to write Trey off as dying in an accident. When Dani is unable to get anyone to investigate this "accident" she calls her father who is living in South America. Still on leave from "The Talon Group" Ty Hauck is glad to end his three months lounging in the Caribbean recovering from his last adventure when Dani's father calls looking for his help. Dani's father knows it's best to send Ty to Colorado to sort out mess Dani has wandered into. But Dani gets a call from local barfly and hot air balloon tour guide "Rooster". Rooster has some vital info about Trey's murder and wants to meet Dani after his next balloon tour to fill her in. Dani is horrified when Rooster's balloon comes crashing down killing six. Chief Dunn is sure it's another accident. With "Rooster" dead Dani is now in real danger. Luckily Ty Hauck shows up soon and the circumstances of Trey's 'accident' begin to get unwound. The oil/ fracking corporation RMM run by the "Alpha" group seem to be involved in Trey's death. Ty and Dani must travel to several towns away to investigate RMM. The Alpha group is not a group to fool with. Soon both Dani and Ty have bullseye's on their backs. At just over 460 (Paperback) very fast paced pages, "One Mile Under", is a very enjoyable suspense thriller. This fourth Ty Hauck book gives Hauck his best platform yet to stand out as a hero. Finally coming across a book from author Andrew Gross I really liked I'll probably read the next Hauck book. Although some of the supporting characters are well developed they do seem to get lost within the narrative from time to time. This read is clearly a vehicle to allow Hauck to dominate the stage far more than any bad guys. A solid four stars out of a possible five stars, "One Mile Under", is a good reason to further check out Ty Hauck series from author Andrew Gross. (almost, almost a 4.25 star book). if you've read the first three books in this series this one is a do not miss. I sure hope the Ty Hauck series continues to keep getting to develop into some solid suspense thrillers.
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