Splitter: A Deep Sea Thriller

by Stu Croskell

When a deadly marine creature escapes AUTEC, the US Navy’s top-secret Bahamian research facility, retired Navy SEAL, turned marine biologist, Jack Tarr, is called back into action. Reluctantly leading a team of SEALs, Jack embarks on a perilous pursuit across the Caribbean, through the treacherous Florida Keys, and into the stormy Gulf of Mexico.

But the hunt takes a dark turn when Jack uncovers a shocking link to his best friend's mysterious disappearance. As the terrifying creature pushes the team to their limits, Jack must navigate a web of Navy secrets and confront a horrifying truth—one that could shatter everything he thought he knew about loyalty, survival, and the ocean’s darkest depths.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 6, 2025

Reviews

[Bookish Barbarian]

Fun, fast paced creature feature that relies a bit too much on clichés.
If you are looking for a breezy, action packed popcorn read
A solid, entertaining creature feature that is perfect for a quick weekend read. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's a fun ride if you turn your brain off and just enjoy the monster mayhem.

[Tom]

What a brilliant debut novel. The prose flows really well and the plot is gripping throughout. I genuinely couldn't put it down and liked the balance that was struck between classic thriller with eerie science-fiction. Also enjoyed learning some more American and naval jargon - the author clearly has strong subject matter expertise in these areas.

There's something about these enigmatic clandestine types and the name Jack - Jack Reacher, Jack Ryan and now Jack Tarr.

It is poised brilliantly for a sequel, which I hope is forthcoming!

One of those books I think every reader would enjoy. It's a fast paced page turner which will particularly appeal to fans of military-linked novels and science fiction afficionados. Think Jason Statham's Meg but with depth on every level, not just the underwater kind.

[E.L. Armstrong]

Very strong offering from a new author. Plenty of detail and expertise about the nautical world, with plot twists to keep everyone engaged (I did not predict the major twist at all!)
Generally very good SPAG, just a couple of weird formatting typos here and there.
A couple of points near the end where there was a lack of detail and explanation about what was going on, to the level where I didn't understand things, rather than it being creepy/thriller-esque, but they were minimal.
Good potential for a sequel, which I will be looking out for!

[jean mary jones]

Man Made Monsters

A fairly slow start soon developed into an intriguing story with the usual bad guys and good ones. This time the main baddies are so disgustingly evil I found it difficult to believe anyone could do what they did.Still science will out but not necessarily win.This was not your usual monster story

[Trevor]

Retired SEAL Jack Tarr, now marine biologist, is called back to the navy, to help track down a mutant Crustacean. As the chase hots up, Jack realises that he is not being told the whole story, can he put the puzzle together and stay alive.