In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage

by Michael J. Tougias

The terrifying true story of a fight for survival for 28 hours in shark-infested waters.

October, 8, 2022.

Three friends are fishing for red snapper when their boat, tied to an oil rig, begins taking on water and sinks 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. Suddenly, the three men find themselves in a struggle for their lives. Their vessel succumbs to the building seas so quickly that the fisherman are unable send out a radio Mayday call, and their cell phones have no reception. They only have time to don their life jackets and hold onto a cooler as they are swept further out to sea.

They vow to stay together no matter what and must make several life or death decisions. Suffering from hypothermia and severe stings from giant jelly fish, the men desperately try to stay afloat as they realize there are circling sharks below.

In Deep Water is an hour by hour account of a desperate and determined struggle for survival, as well as the Coast Guard’s all-out effort to find the missing men. This fast-paced story has a number of surprising turns in both the survival ordeal and the rescue efforts. Based on interviews with the three survivors and the crew of the Jayhawk helicopter who rescue them, In Deep Water is a white-knuckle tale of bravery and brotherhood and a battle against the ocean's deadliest predators.

Genres: Nonfiction, Adventure, Nature, History

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 23, 2026

About the author

True Survival, rescue and history is the topic of most of my books. that runs through most of my books. My latest book is with St. Martins Press and is titled In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival and Courage. Other nonfiction sea survival and rescue books include Overboard! A Storm Too Soon, Rescue of the Bounty, Fatal Forecast and Ten Hours Until Dawn.
Disney made a major motion picture of my book The Finest Hours: The Trues Story of the Coast Guard's Greatest Rescue (Disney kept the same title). The movie stars Chris Pine an Casey Affleck and is a fantastic film.
My co-written history books include So Clost To Home (about surviving a Uboat attack in the Gulf of Mexico), Above & Beyond (the untold story of the Cuban Missile Crisis) King Philip's War (Native Americans vs Colonists) Abandon Ship (wwii) and several more
Another adventure for me is publishing a funny family memoir with my daughter, called The Cringe Chronicles (Mortifying Misadventures with my Dad).
My friends were been asking if I'll write a sequel to There's a Porcupine in my Outhouse (2003 Outdoor Book of the Year) and I suprised them with another book of misadventures titled The Power of Positive Fishing: A Story of Friendship and the Quest for Happiness. Also in the same category is The Waters Between Us: A Boy, A Father and Outdoor Misadventures.

Reviews

[Andrea Cox]

4 stars

Review to come, but it's definitely another winner by Michael J. Tougias. Love the cover! Took me a second to see the men's heads in the background.

[Amanda Alviz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Deep Water was more suspenseful than many thrillers I’ve read. I could not put this book down. Knowing that it was a true story somehow made every chapter even more intense because I kept thinking, these were real people experiencing this.

The story follows three friends whose fishing trip turns into an absolute nightmare after their boat sinks 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving them stranded in open water with nothing but life jackets and a cooler to hold onto. The hour-by-hour account of what they endured had me completely hooked. Between hypothermia, giant jellyfish stings, exhaustion, and sharks circling below them, the tension never let up.

This was a hybrid read for me, the majority of it on audiobook. I normally struggle to stay engaged with books narrated by male voices, but the narrator did an amazing job and completely pulled me in. I was invested from beginning to end and kept telling myself I’d stop after “one more chapter”… and then I’d keep going. I finished this in one day.

These three guys have to be the luckiest unlucky people ever. The amount of things that went wrong was unbelievable, but so was their determination and the brotherhood between them. This was one of those stories that leaves you thinking about it long after you finish.

If you like survival stories, true stories, or books that feel like a high-stakes thriller, I highly recommend this one.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for advanced copies.

[Jnix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! ✨

I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction about historical nautical disasters, so I was very interested in reading an account of a modern, small-scale (a small fishing boat vs the USS Indianapolis, for example) disaster and the story of the survivors.

I really appreciated how much care clearly went into getting to know every person involved in this rescue. The respect the author has for the men and women involved in marine search and rescue shone through on every page. Being unfamiliar with the Coast Guard and the area the men were lost in, I also appreciated the background info on the CG teams and the geographical area. The epilogue was so touching.

I would have liked to sit with Sonny, Lu, and Paul for a little longer after their rescue, but I also understand they may not have wanted to delve too deep into the post-trauma, and instead focus on their gratitude towards their rescuers.

One rather glaring issue: early on in the book, the author mentions “the Gulf of Mexico/America”. This was quite a turn off and should be edited out, as the Gulf remained the Gulf of Mexico throughout the rest of the book.

[MysTaries Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Firstly thanks to netgalley for this arc. I thought I would be more into a true story involving open water with suspense involving sharks, but this one I think read to me more like non-ficton and I was bored to the point I unfortunately DNF it a third of the way in. I really wanted to be interested but I couldn't get in to it.

[Alyson Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage
Author: Michael J. Tougais
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for sending me an ARC. Until this year, I had never read any books involving the Coast Guard and their rescues. This year, I have read two within a few months of each other. This book pulled me in very quickly, and I read huge chunks of this book in one go. The author had a way of bringing the true horror and trauma that these men went through to life on the page.

This one tells the story of a twenty-eight-hour fight for survival after a small fishing boat sinks 15 miles off the Louisiana coast. Three friends head out for red snapper on an October day in 2022, tie off to an oil rig, and watch their vessel flood and vanish before they can send a Mayday. With no cell service, only life jackets, and a floating cooler, they drift into open Gulf waters. They promise to stick together and face brutal choices as night falls. Cold bites through their gear, jellyfish deliver searing stings, and shadows below resolve into circling sharks. Each hour brings a new test of endurance and resolve. The book follows the ordeal minute by minute while tracking the Coast Guard’s urgent search, including the Jayhawk helicopter crew that refuses to give up. Drawn from interviews with the survivors and rescuers, this is a relentless true story of courage, brotherhood, and the will to outlast the ocean’s most feared predators.

This reads like a thriller, even though the story is nonfiction. We follow the race against time as the Coast Guard and the men race to stay alive. This is an hour-by-hour account of what is going on. We get to know the men and are with them during the most difficult time of their lives. We see the struggle, see the will to live, and the fear that they will not come home. We see the Coast Guard as they try to do what they think is an impossible job. After all, people who have been in the water as long as the men don’t usually come home. All of this is presented in a heart-stopping and edge of your seat why that makes you want to keep reading. Now, with this being nonfiction, you can Google the outcome, but it’s just the way that everything is presented and written that made me want to keep reading.

A lot of this has to do with the fact that the author used the human side of things. We get to meet the men and their families. We know their backstories. We know that they have a lot more than just their lives to lose if they don’t come back. They have people counting on them. To me, it is this part of the story that makes it stand out. I know a lot of people don’t like getting background stories because they can slow the book down. I do agree with that in certain cases. However, here, I felt like it added to the story, and the book would not have worked as well without that in it. The time the author took to explain everything and give readers all the information is what made this book so gripping.

This shows us the best of the human spirit. Even in the worst of times, the will to live and the will to come home were there. That isn’t just for the men in the water, either. The amount of work and time that the Coast Guard put into this rescue mission is unbelievable. I feel like a lot of times, they are the military branch that doesn’t get the credit that they deserve. Really, until this year, I didn’t know all that much about the Coast Guard. It’s just remarkable all that they do and the amount of work that they do. Without them, this book would have had a very different outcome. To put it shortly: This book brings out the best of the human spirit in the worst of times.

Overall, I did enjoy this a lot. If you are looking for a nonfiction that reads like a thriller, then I encourage you to give this one a go.

This book comes out on June 23, 2026.

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage
By Michael J. Tougias

Three men are fishing more than fifteen miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. The boat is new to the owner who took possession of it the day before. Now he doesn't have to wait to be invited to go out on someone else's boat, he and his friends can go out whenever they can get time off from their jobs.

But, after hours of fishing, while their boat is tied up to an oil rig, they realize they are taking on water and decide to make their way back to shore. But at about fifteen miles out the boat sinks and the men have barely enough time to grab two adult life jackets and two child life jackets and two ice chests. The boat owner's wife knows he out there somewhere but won't be worried until evening. The other two men don't have anyone knowing of their schedule. They have their phones but no reception and they weren't able to get out a Mayday call.

After reading a lot about life on ships and boats, much of it having to do with wartime affairs, I've lost my desire to spend time on the ocean. When things go wrong, chances of help are slim and these men were in dire straits. They are in shark and jelly fish infested waters with a few bottles of water and a few pieces of fruit, no hats, no eye protection, very few options. For me, this type of real life struggle is as interesting or more interesting than any made up story. The hours before rescue (very slim chance) or death (very likely chance) can seem like a lifetime for the three men.

We get to learn the backgrounds of those who will be involved in the search and rescue of these three men. At first, no one was even looking for them so we follow the rescuers as they go about their jobs, helping others, doing their jobs on not enough sleep and rest, and this day seems to have some things happening that make it even harder to understand that there are three men stranded out in the ocean.

There is also the horror of constant jelly fish stings. Not all the jelly fish are small and then there will be the sharks stalking the men from below. As the men attempt to move towards oil rigs, their energy and spirits drain. It takes unbelievable strength of mind and body to deal with this kind of disaster, especially when the outcome is almost sure death. But the story shows that these men are true friends, thinking of each other and their families, spending little to no time on blame, but instead, knowing that for them to succeed, they needed to work together.

I'm so impressed by all that the rescuers do, all the training they have been through to make their very precise and intricate work allow them to succeed. I'm also in awe of them being able to find what they are looking for in a vast ocean that is always moving, always changing, and always dangerous in one way or another. Their success doesn't always mean saving people alive, it is often that they are able to find the bodies, and even finding bodies can be an impossible task.

As much as I don't want to spend time in the ocean, I do want to read more about the various groups that do the kind of work that make rescues possible. These people don't wake up one day with the ability to do these jobs. There are years of training behind them, years of moving around, working to master skills, and the willingness to risk their lives to save lives or find those who lost their lives. Real life drama can be so much more interesting than fiction and I'll be interested in reading more by this author.

Expected publication June 23, 2026

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, SMP Early Readers and NetGalley for this ARC

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy books about real people who are thrown into extraordinary circumstances. I often wonder while reading those books what I would do if I were in the shoes of the person and/or persons in that book. In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage, tells the real-life story of three friends whose boat, tied to an unmanned oil rig, sank 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. The three men were in the water for 28 hours!!!!! The men had to fight to survive against the waves, the cold, lack of water, and no one to call for help. Keep in mind, they were not the only ones in the water! Not only did they have to contend with jelly fish stings, nibbles from fish, and last but certainly not least, the circling sharks that kept getting closer and closer......

Not only was this book about the three men in the water, but it is also about those on the rescue team and their search for the men. How do you find people in the water when you don't know where they are? How do you search for those who never told friends, significant others, or family members what marina they left from? Here's some advice - always, and I mean always tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back!!!!!

This was fast paced and gripping book which had me turning the pages and wanting to know how (and if all) the men would be rescued. I had not heard of this incident, so this was all fresh news to me. The author spoke to everyone involved and put their tale down on paper. Readers will get insight into the minds of both the men in the water, those in the men's lives, and the rescuers who saved them. I could see their tale being made into a movie. This one was a nail biter. I can't imagine the fear the men must have felt, the desperation, the anxiety, the cold, the exhaustion. Then there is the fear and dread of their loved ones. The rescuers had their own tale to tell. How they managed to search and find the three men with little information to go on. The bravery, the determination, and the harrowing rescue.

I thought the author did a tremendous job of bringing this story to life. He did his research and it shows. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and the pulse pounding moments which the author brought to life. The friendship of the men and their fight to stay alive was admirable. All involved were brave and put in situations which tested them in more ways than one. The tension in this book hit me like the waves hit the men. As I mentioned, I kept thinking about what I would do if I were in their shoes or shall I say life jackets.

A wonderfully written, well researched, gripping, harrowing, and anxiety provoking tale of survival which proved to be a fast and riveting read!

4.5 stars

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[Erin Clemence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: June 23, 2026

Michael J. Tougias is a non-fiction author whose stories are mainly about surviving against all odds. His previous works included “The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue”, which was made into a Disney movie starring Chris Pine. “In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage” is his newest book and it is certainly a story of survival, following twenty-eight harrowing hours of fisherman lost at sea.

I should make it very clear that I do NOT like sharks. I’ve never seen Jaws and I won’t watch Shark Week. Just in case there was ever any doubt, I absolutely did NOT need to know that Great White Sharks have seven rows of teeth yet this is one of the details that Tougias includes in this captivating tale.

“Water” is a survival story more than it is a story about sharks though (that’s good news for me), as sharks only become a feature in the story about seventy percent through. Before that, there’s dehydration, hypothermia and stinging jellyfish, which is more than enough entertainment on their own. The fact that “Water” is a true story is beyond terrifying, and what’s pleasantly surprising (almost unbelievable) is that all three of the fishermen survived, mostly intact.

Tougias provides background on all three of the fishermen, including their families and a bit of their backgrounds, so readers will know who they have waiting on them at home and already have a bit of an understanding of each fisherman’s individual resilience and mettle. Tougias takes the unexpected route, as well, when he includes the background of the Coast Guard heroes who played a part in bringing the men to safety. It is not often that a tale of resilience and bravery includes first responders (if they are not the main focus anyway) and I really appreciated the special nod Tougias gives these men and women.

“Water” is a captivating and well-written tale that has a little bit of everything- history and background on the main players, including first responders, survival tips and information on creatures that lurk in North American bodies of water- and still manages to be a seamless, connected read. It is a non-fiction read that captured my attention from the beginning and I highly recommend it, as long as you aren’t going out onto the water.

[Mikala · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Deep Water is a straightforward, time‑stamped account of an almost unbelievable ordeal: three friends whose fishing trip turns into 28 hours adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, battling cold, jellyfish, exhaustion, and the unnerving presence of sharks, while the Coast Guard and other responders try to find three tiny heads in a very big ocean.

What worked best for me was how much care Tougias puts into the people involved. He digs into the backstory of the boaters and the rescuers so they feel like real, specific humans, not just interchangeable names in a survival narrative. Everyone here comes across as fundamentally decent. There are no villains, just a chain of decisions, bad luck, and a “that escalated quickly” moment that turns an ordinary day on the water into a life‑or‑death situation. It really does feel like “just a whoopsy” that spirals, rather than some morality tale about recklessness or malice.

The tone is very factual and restrained. Tougias sticks to an hour‑by‑hour recounting of what happened, drawing from interviews and records, and avoids the kind of exaggerated drama or horror‑movie scare tactics that a story about sharks and open water practically invites. The result is still tense and compelling, but in a grounded way; the anxiety comes from the situation itself, not from the author trying to juice it up.

There’s also not a lot of on‑the‑page “post‑processing” of the trauma afterward. We don’t spend much time with people in therapy, looking back years later, or unpacking their feelings in a structured way. Given the author’s focus and the particular kind of guys at the center of this story, that feels believable: these are people you can easily imagine trying to just get on with life rather than sitting down to talk about their emotions with a professional. Readers who want a deep psychological or reflective aftermath may find themselves wanting more on that front.

As a science nerd, I would have happily taken more oceanography and shark behavior. There are glimpses of that, but the balance here is clearly tilted toward accessibility and pacing. For most casual readers, I suspect the level of detail will feel just right: enough context to understand the environment and the risks without bogging down the narrative.

Overall, In Deep Water is a clear, efficient, and respectful retelling of a very bad day at sea that could have ended much worse. It’s a solid pick if you enjoy true survival stories that emphasize human competence, cooperation, and courage over sensationalism, and if you appreciate an author who lets the events speak for themselves.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Deep Water is the survival story of Paul, Sonny, and Lu, who take Paul’s new boat out in the Mississippi delta area, and then don’t come home.

More specifically, something causes Paul’s boat to sink, and the three men are now out in open water, connected only by a set of coolers, trying to survive the sun, waves, jellyfish, and sharks in the hopes of rescue.

As they do so, author Tougias is introducing the reader to the people of the Coast Guard and Search and Recovery who will be part of the rescue effort to recover the three men when Paul’s fiancée Sam reports them missing.

The book also integrates information about steps boaters can take to increase their chances of survival on open water and information about sharks.

The biographies of the rescuers show their passion for what they do, and the other information is interesting, but it all kind of feels like details to fill out what is already a very short book. The reader goes from being in perilous straits with the three men in the water to Katy’s path to being a Jayhawk pilot with the Coast Guard, to what type of life jackets provide the best odds of survival, to what type of sharks can be found in the gulf at different times of the year.

I’m sure Tougias wants to provide his dues to the rescuers, but focusing on why they serve and the risks they take is more relevant than biographies leading up to where they are now.

The factoids probably do belong in the story, but could be better integrated to fit into the flow of a dual storyline told between rescuers and survivors, or added as additional information at the beginning or end of the book (some of this information is already at the beginning of the book).

The highlights of this book were definitely when the men were facing danger in the water, and when the rescuers were undertaking the mission to find them, creating a sense of urgency that pulls the reader in and makes them want to keep reading.

This is a real life story that received national media attention, so there aren’t really spoilers, but I won’t give away additional details if the reader wants an element of surprise because they aren’t familiar with the actual events (I wasn’t). This was interesting, but I think it would have been better if it had been more tightly focused on the survival and recovery mission.


A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Tom Mathews · Rating 4 out of 5]

True life adventure stories involving sailors who are lost at sea in shark-infested waters rarely end well, unless you are the shark. But in 2022 I recall reading a news story about three Louisianna fishermen whose boat sank under them leaving them adrift in the Gulf of Mexico for over 24 hours with only two coolers to help keep them afloat. They hadn’t told anyone where they would be fishing nor were they able to send out a Mayday before their boat went down. It would be several hours before anyone would even begin to wonder why they weren’t home yet. To top it off, they soon found themselves surrounded by hundreds of stinging jellyfish and curious tiger sharks. The odds that any of them would be found and rescued were almost nonexistent.

If not for the incredible endurance of these three fishermen and the skill and dedication of the many Coast Guard crewmembers involved in the search efforts, this story would definitely have had a different ending. Michael Tougias, who has written several books about maritime disasters and Coast Guard rescue teams, recognized this and quicky reached out to the Coast Guard and arranged extensive interviews with everyone involved. The result is this excellent and thrilling tale.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good adventure story or who appreciates the efforts of those brave sous who have dedicated their lives to keeping those of us who go down to the sea in ships safe from harm.

*The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star – The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.

[Samantha Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of In Deep Water. 5 ⭐ alone for the very detailed information throughout the book!

This is a true story of Paul, Sonny, and Lu who venture out for a great day of fishing. It soon turns into a vow with each other to survive.
One of them discovered that the boat is taking on water. Once they realize this, they get their life jackets (2 adult and 2 child size) and keep hold of the coolers as they wait for the vessel to sink.
The descriptions in this book are so vivid that you feel like it's a movie. You can almost picture everything the author is describing. Some descriptions are hard to read, but keep you rooting for them to survive and keep going.
You get to hear some stories of the coast guard and jobs they have done, some with good endings, some without. But it was interesting to hear about all the things they do and help with when it comes to ships and people in the waters.
The men are left to try and swim to oil rigs in the water in hopes that they are being manned. They didn't take into account the winds and shifting waves and missed 2 of them. Once it grows dark they all worry silently, but maintain a positive outlook for each other. Dealing with jellyfish stings, sharks, and other aquatic creatures, was only part of their journey to survival.
What they don't know is if anyone is starting to miss them or wonder why they aren't back. In the meantime, people were talking and planning out the rescue, not knowing if they would find them or find them alive.

They spent 28 hours in the water! The work of all the coast guard teams involved was amazing! The stories they had of being in the water were so vivid and horrifying at the same time. But they continued to push through and even got separated in hopes of getting help. They all had reasons to keep pushing forward.

I loved how they gave insight on everyone who was involved and how they were overjoyed that the outcome was not worse (when it definitely could have been). What a great rescue for them all to remember.
Overall, an engaging and quick read with great descriptions and writing!

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 out of 5 stars

In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage follows the tale of Sonny, Lu, and Paul as their fishing boat sinks and the three men are stranded in the middle of the ocean for 28 grueling hours.

Even though the subject is interesting and has potential for high tension, this book feels a little disjointed. Michael J. Tougias expertly sets the scene of three men in a horrible accident and stranded in the ocean, forced to hand on to each other by tying two coolers together. The threat of waves, jellyfish, exhaustion, dehydration, and sharks loom in the distance, but then he breaks the tension by jumping to other people involved in the three men’s tale. While these are important to the story, I think there could have been a better way to organize the book. Getting pulled in and out of the main story does not make for a good read. With that said, I did still enjoy this book. The writing is good enough to easily get back into the story after the change of perspective. But I cannot deny that it impacted my overall enjoyment.

If you are picking up this book because of the promise of sharks, it should be noted that they don’t show up until about 70% into the book.

I wish Tougias had mentioned in the beginning of the book where his information came from. Then I wouldn’t have had to spend the whole book wondering how he knew all of the details and thoughts of the people involved in this event. This could have been a short paragraph before the prologue or even just a sentence. Any information would have been appreciated. But no, I had wait until the end of the book to infer that the people involved were interviewed by the author. I don’t have a problem with this being the source, but it feels like something that should be mentioned at the beginning.

Overall, I thought this was a good book. Tougias did a good job of sharing this survival story. I was engaged and curious to see how it would all end. If you are interested in tales of human struggles and success than I suggest picking this book up.

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for a nonfiction book that focuses on a true story of survival, nature, and courage, then look no further than In Deep Water by Michael J. Tougias. Three friends go fishing in the Gulf of Mexico when their boat begins taking on water and sinks 15 miles from shore. They only have time to don their life jackets and hold onto two coolers as they are swept further out to sea.

Paul, Sonny, and Lu are from Louisiana. They tell no one where they plan to fish, although Paul does tell someone they will be home by mid-afternoon. The three friends vow to stay together no matter what. As their ordeal gets steadily worse, they make several life-or-death decisions. After hours in the water, they are suffering from hypothermia, jelly fish stings, and they soon realize there are sharks circling below them. The book gives an account of their struggle for survival as well as the Coast Guard’s effort to find the mem.

The author does a great job of characterization for the three fishermen and the members of the Coast Guard crews looking for them. However, while the information on jellyfish and sharks in the Gulf of Mexico was enlightening and interesting, it broke up the flow of the struggle for survival and rescue.

Tougias obviously did a lot of research on both the nature side of the ordeal as well as interviews with the survivors and the rescuers. The epilogue was especially enlightening into the various people affected by the struggle.

Overall, this is a well-researched tale of survival and rescue. However, it wasn’t as suspenseful as I expected until the last quarter of the book.

St. Martin’s Press and Michael J. Tougias provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for June 23, 2026.
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My 3.54 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love nonfiction books that draw the reader right into the book, making it seem as if you are experiencing the same things that are being written about, and, indeed, if you do too, this book is definitely for you.
Recounting hour by hour the harrowing twenty-eight hour of three fishing buddies adrift in the Gulf of Mexico delivers on propulsive action and suspense too.

Three Louisiana fishermen, Paul, Lu, and Sonny, middle-aged and great buddies, head out into the Gulf to try out Paul’s new boat and maybe pick up a few red snappers (it’s that time of year) but forgetting to tell anyone where they are going. They tie up the boat at one of the rigs in the Gulf to fish when they suddenly realize the boat is taking in water. Thinking to stave off a problem they decide to head back but waves overtake them. They are dead in the water and their Mayday signal isn’t being received. As the boat sinks they are left with life jackets and a cooler to cling to. They know they are in a fight for their lives.

As the book describes the ordeal you have to marvel at the courage, the friendship bonds, and determination of these men. They suffer from exhaustion and hypothermia, receive severe stings from giant jellyfish and have sharks circling below them. This was not all that happened as the men waited for rescue - and this makes it all the more amazing they survived. But you have to read the read to find this out - you won’t be disappointed.

The author also shows the efforts of the Coast Guard to find and rescue the men as well as the training that goes behind Coast Guard search-and-rescue efforts (most interesting too). At the end the author gives us comments from these heroes. And I so liked at the end that the men thanks the crew who saved them. As the author writes that rarely happens.

Highly recommend!

I’d like to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for granting me access to this ARC.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage by Michael J. Tougias is a highly recommended true story of survival along with insight into the Coast Guard rescue operations.

On October, 8, 2022 three friends from New Orleans, Paul, Lu and Sonny, take Paul's new boat out on the Gulf of America to fish. They are looking mainly for for red snapper by oil rigs in the area. After successfully fishing for hours the men begin to head in when they notice the boat is taking on water and ended up sinking 15 miles from shore. The men manage to get life jackets on and find two coolers floating in the water they tie together to use as floats. Awaiting rescue, the men end up in the water for a brutal 28 hours, all while enduring jellyfish stings, other fish nibbling them, and sharks circling below.

Tougias presents an hour by hour account of their desperate and determined struggle for survival, while also following the Coast Guard’s all-out effort to find several missing men that day, before the three missing men were brought to their attention. This is truly a race against time and it is a miracle that the three survived for that long. Highlighting the actions of the Coast Guard's rescue operations that day, along with the crew of the Jayhawk helicopter who rescue them, only increases the tension while reading. Their survival and the rescue really is a race against time.

This is a well-written, factual account that would actually make a great real life survival movie. The harrowing ordeal the three men survived along with the Coast Guard rescue is a compelling story of survival. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Deep Water tells the tale of Paul and two of his friends who head out into the Gulf of Mexico for a half-day of red snapper fishing off the coast of Louisiana. Paul had just acquired a new boat as a birthday gift to himself and was excited to try it all out. Things do not go well, and no one back home knows where they are. All three men end up in the water facing unimaginable dangers.

The first thing that drew me in was the setting. I am used to survival books with shark threats in an ocean, but I do not remember reading one that takes place in the Gulf, an area I have often visited. Red snapper is one of the most popular seafood dishes at the nicer restaurants along the coast and In Deep Water serves as a reminder of the dangers that fishermen can face in trying to catch this wonderful fish.

The friendship of the three fishermen, Paul, Sonny and Lu is an important narrative in the story as no one will want to do anything that might impact the other two. Paul, who invited his two friends along for the day, especially feels responsible for the trouble in which they find themselves. The situation they find themselves in is absolutely frightening, especially as is gets dark. I found each of the three men, as well as their rescuers, to be relatable. You really want the best ending for everyone involved.

Words cannot describe the important work of the US Coast Guard, which, in this book, feels miraculous. Their work can be frightening and frustrating, often without any sort of acknowledgement. I am happy that the author clearly shows his appreciation for these unsung heroes.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read In Deep Water. I will remember this story for a long time. The above opinions are my own.

[Kristen Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes us along the experience of three men who find themselves adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, using nothing but two coolers as a floatation device, after their boat sinks on a casual fishing day trip. For 28+ hours, these men find themselves faced with hunger, thirst, jellyfish stings, sharks, unfavorable wind conditions, unimaginable bad luck, and an almost endless need for mental fortitude.

While this is outside of the genre I typically read, I have to say I’m a complete sucker for survival stories. As an avid camper and backpacker, I love the outdoors, and am always amazed and humbled at what Mother Nature can dish out to unsuspecting adventurers. This story was fast-paced and addicting, I actually read it all in a single afternoon. The book was a healthy mix of the experience from these three men’s perspective, as well as that from the rescuer’s perspective. Some of the background stories around the rescue teams felt a little bit distracting, but ultimately it provided a well-rounded story that gave the reader some serious suspense and anxiety.

Despite the writing feeling a bit too formal at times, I dove head first into this story and was amazed at what the human body can endure when you have something to fight for. Understanding what drove each man to keep fighting was beautiful and inspirational, especially considering the series of bad luck that they continued to face. Highly recommend this book if you’re itching to get outdoors this summer (especially if, like me, you’re dealing with this endlessly cold and rainy spring). It serves as a good reminder to always be prepared for the worst, and goes to show how badass humans can really be!

[Linda Ossman · Rating 2 out of 5]

“In Deep Water, A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage” by Michael J. Tougias is a harrowing tale of 3 friends taking a boat out along the Gulf of Mexico (America) for a morning of fishing, only to have the boat sink, leaving the 3 friends to survive in open waters for 28 hours, not knowing whether they would be rescued. The book was written in present tense, making the reader feel as though they are reading a fiction book instead of nonfiction.

This is a tale of friendship, determination, resiliency and courage in an unbelievable situation. The parts of the book that dealt with what the survivors endured while in waters that were filled with different types of fish, sharks, and jellyfish that were constantly stinging them were gripping and suspenseful. These pages were the best part of the book.

However, there were several areas where the book tended to drag. Almost an entire chapter dealt with descriptions of different types of sharks that are found in the Gulf. Another chapter or 2 described different missions that the Coast Guard were involved in. It seemed like these chapters were added as “filler” to make the book longer. I didn’t necessarily feel like it enhanced the story and found myself skipping several pages, wanting to get back to the survivors.

This book does not match up with books about Shackleton’s Endurance or Hampton Sides’s “The Wide Wide Sea” about James Cook or “In the Kingdom of Ice” about the USS Jeanett. Pick those books up instead and skip this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

[Danna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Deep Water details the incredible and horrifying survival journey of three men, Paul, Sonny and Lu, lost at sea when their recreational fishing boat sinks.

Paul finally purchased his own boat and was thrilled to take it on an open water fishing trip with his two best friends. They luck out with a gorgeous day and a few great catches. Then, they notice the boat is filling with water. In what feels like an instant, they are grabbing for life vests and hopping into the open sea in an attempt to save their lives.

Like most recreational boaters, they’ve told friends and family they’re headed out and a rough time of return, but no specifics. As their reality sets in, they wonder, when will someone report them missing? Every minute that passes in the open water under the blaring sun is one more where they’re fighting for their lives.

In Deep Water describes their 28 hours at sea: sun, dehydration, hunger, seemingly endless jellyfish stings, remora nibbles, and even a shark attack. This story is horrifying and larger than life, all the while knowing it’s going to end okay.

Overall, this was a quick, easy read. Some of the facts woven in feel disjointed, as they’re not directly linked to the story at hand, but added to provide additional context for the reader. I would have appreciated slightly better editing of that content, but it wasn’t a detractor.

If you’re a fan of true life adventures, you’ll enjoy In Deep Water. Recommended. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachaelbookhunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Deep Water is the true story of three men who become stranded in the ocean after their boat sinks while on a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico. With no cell service and no one knowing their location the friends stick together in an attempt to survive.

After tying the boat to an oil rig and fishing for a short while the boat suddenly sinks. Paul, the owner of the boat, and his friends think quickly, throwing on life jackets and grabbing a couple coolers with water bottles in them. They know, though, that their chances of survival are slim. Determined to stick together they attempt to swim towards an oil rig. Their journey is slow and fraught with dangers. They have to worry about everything from jellyfish, dehydration, hypothermia, to sharks.

We get a short background on each of the men. There is information about sharks, jellyfish, oil rig, and the Gulf. We also get introduced to all of the different people and branches of service of the Coast Guard and those involved in the search and rescue. It's all presented in an interesting, easy to read way.

In Deep Water is an amazing tale of bravery, determination, strength, and survival. The author places the reader in their shoes. We see everything as it's happening. Every time they face a new source of pain, frustration, or disappointment we feel it too. I couldn't stop reading. It's a page turner.

Read this book if you love stories of survival, friendship, or anything to do with sharks and the ocean. I think many readers will enjoy it

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh, I am not happy about this review, folks. Michael Tougias is one of my favorite maritime survival writers and his newest, In Deep Water, is a great story that just isn't long enough to sustain a book-length narrative.

The event is pretty straightforward. Three friends head out on a new boat for some fishing. It sinks. The three friends are stuck in the Gulf of Mexico without anyone knowing where they are. There are multiple twists and turns, and it's all true.

The problems with the book are apparent pretty early on. You know all three men. This in and of itself is not a bad thing. I'm thrilled they lived! It also allows Tougias to tell the reader their exact thoughts and feelings throughout the ordeal. However, it also means that whenever Tougias breaks away from them to talk about something else, it feels like the narrative has stopped in its tracks. Some diversions make sense, like the ones where he focuses on the Coast Guard. However, others feel like pure filler.

Tougias almost pulls it off because he is such a good writer with a penchant for making the reader feel the desperation of everyone involved. There are also enough twists that the story is truly amazing. However, the exceptional elements and cohesive narrative of Tougias's own The Finest Hours, Ten Hours Until Dawn, or A Storm Too Soon are not here in full force. In the end, this isn't a bad book by any means, but there are enough stops and starts that left me a bit frustrated.

(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.)

[Brannigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping nonfiction survival story told in a very straightforward way.

The book recounts the true story of a group of friends who set out on a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico near the oil rigs. What begins as a normal day quickly turns into a fight for survival when their boat takes on water and sinks before they can send a mayday. Suddenly they find themselves adrift in open water with nothing but life jackets, a cooler, and their determination to survive.

From there the story follows their long ordeal in the ocean as they battle hypothermia, jellyfish stings, and the constant fear of sharks while trying to stay together and keep each other alive. Tougias clearly did extensive research and takes great care to reconstruct the events as accurately as possible, including the Coast Guard’s search and rescue efforts.

The writing style is very plain and methodical. It almost reads like an extended newspaper article, carefully laying out events step by step without a lot of dramatic flair or sensory embellishment. Some readers may wish for more narrative color, but in many ways the restraint works in the book’s favor. The author lets the facts and the ordeal speak for themselves.

For readers who enjoy real-life survival stories told honestly and without unnecessary dramatics, In Deep Water is a compelling account.

I was given a free ebook from the publisher and NetGalley for a honest review.

[R.Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a somewhat tedious introductory description, this took off, and I could not put it down. Three close friends go fishing in Paul's newly acquired boat. Paul, Lu, and Sonny move from oil rig to oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, trying to find the best place where fish are biting. While they are moving, the boat is slowly taking on water. By the time the men notice, it is too late. Paul's boat sinks quickly, and the men grab the only equipment they can reach: two adult-size and one child-size life jackets, and two coolers with handles containing some sandwiches and bottles of water. They vow to stick together by holding onto the coolers' handles. For the next twenty-eight hours, they endure hypothermia, fish nibbling at their skin, the painful stings of jellyfish, muscle cramps, a shark attack, and desperation to live as they wait for dawn to finally arrive. They are miles from shore, drifting past the oil rigs, and only one person is waiting for their return at a certain time. Will that be enough to save them? Finally, Paul swims away from his friends, trying to reach a small shrimp boat on the horizon, but it turns and moves away as he approaches. The friends are separated.
But this is only part of this story. When a search finally begins, we follow the Coast Guard and other rescuers, bone-tired from two other rescues, as they set out again to try finding tiny specks in the water below.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of In Deep Water did a good job capturing what an ordeal the experience was for the three men and how exciting it is for rescuers when they find someone who is alive. The story of the three men is remarkable. The actual telling was not as riveting as I’d hoped; there are a lot of details that feel like they were included to pad the word count. The story slows down every time we get someone’s backstory.

The overall tone of this book for me was middle school. Like something from an “I Survived” series of chapter books. I found the present tense irritating, although some readers may find that makes the story more immediate. I’ve never read the author before, but maybe that’s just his style.

I would have liked to have heard more about why the boat sank or what happened after – did he just get insurance? Did he follow up with the previous owner? Seems very fishy, that the boat couldn’t handle one outing. I assume it is now deep on the ocean floor. The commentary on the animals in the water with the men seemed very anecdotal as opposed to science-driven.

Negative five stars for “Gulf of Mexico/America” in the Prologue. Hopefully that will be edited to Gulf of Mexico in the released book.

If you enjoy rescue stories with happy endings, you may enjoy In Deep Water. You can always skim forward through the parts that aren’t directly about the ordeal and the rescue.

I read an advance reader copy of In Deep Water from Netgalley.

[Igor DelRey · Rating 4 out of 5]

IN DEEP WATER is a fine and tense nonfiction book about 3 friends who go fishing and end up being stranded in the middle of the ocean, with all kinds of sea life lurking around them. It's a typical survival story.
I liked it. I cared for the three men in that harsh and dangerous situation. I rooted for them.
I personally love stories (fictional or not) involving sea life - more likely sharks, so this book was a nice treat to me, personally speaking. It is terrifying to know that, even though this story sounds like a 'typical shark attack movie', it all happened for real.

However...something in the writing bothered me a little. To me, this book, for the most part, doesn't read like nonfiction. The narrative, to me, reads a lot like fiction. The way the dialogues are presented sometimes, the way the narrative is told by different POVs. It all reminded me a lot of fictional books, and that bothered me. There were moments I totally forgot I was reading a nonfiction story. And that is a feeling I certainly do not wish to have when reading nonfiction.
Yet, I liked it, and I believe that other readers who are into this kind of story might be pleased, too.

I listened to the audio format of this book and the narrator does a good job. I have no notes.
If you're an audiobook listener, consider picking this one up on audio too.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for allowing me to listen to an advanced free audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of this book is what drew me in. I love a good shark story and then finding out it was real, I was all for it.
I went into this expecting it to be a little more movie life. The exact minutes following Lu, Sonny and Paul around in the ocean. There was some of that but I felt like there was a lot of fluff mixed in as well. Chapters dedicated to learning about shrimp boats and different kinds of sharks. They also dived into all the men’s weights and heights. Some things I felt were irrelevant to the story. Also a lot of filler about the different pilots and rescue crew.
If you are reading this for interest on those things, you will enjoy this. If you are looking for a wild ride that leaves you on the edge of your seat, this probably isn’t for you.
It didn’t become suspenseful until 70-80% in.
Don’t get me wrong, this story is remarkable and amazing that they made it. I know I wouldn’t have made it with sharks swimming below me. I did find it odd how their cell phones worked after being submerged in water for that long. How is that possible?! Sounds like you guys really did have some guardian angels with you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

And thank you to gentlemen who shared their story with us. I plan to look this up online so I can put a face to name and see what other articles there are about this.

[Julie]

Three men, out for a day of fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, are enjoying time spent with friends and reeling in a few nice catches. When they begin to head back to shore, their boat suddenly begins to take on water -- and it gets worse from there. In Deep Water is the true story of Paul. Lu, and Sonny and their struggle to survive a chain of horrific events.

The beginning of the book felt a bit clunky, as so many characters were introduced. Each one played a critical role, and their backstories did begin to add some nice pacing to the story. As someone who has spent time aboard smaller boats on the ocean, is terrified about all of the things that actually came to pass in this story, and anticipates returning to the ocean, I appreciated the sections of advice from Coast Guard experts on what to do/have/remember that could make a critical difference in the survival of a boat malfunction.

I am sure I heard this story, at least briefly, when it happened, but time has put enough space between those memories and this book. It is a good reminder of what the human spirit can see you through.

[Autumn Danner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to LN from Macmillan for the ARC of this book which is one of the most engrossing open-water survival accounts I have read!! This true account reads like one of the best fictional survival movies, but includes more than just the survivors' memories. Tougias not only gives us the challenges that each man overcame, he peppers the account with so much tangential information about open water environments, tides and currents, oil rig architecture, and aquatic life of the area. He also includes accounts of other strandings in the area including their outcomes to highlight the dangers facing this trio. I appreciated the information about the Coast Guard, including training and commitment involved - I feel that these heroic people are so often overlooked. The author showed how crucial each member of the Coast Guard was in this rescue. I have to admit that I felt the anxiety, fear, exhaustion and despair as these men fought for their lives. What these men survived is incredible, and the account was phenomenally written. This is a book that will stick with me for a long time!!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published June 23, 2023.

BLOOOOOOOOOD IN THE WAAAAAATTTTTER! Shipwreck! (Well, boatwreck.). Sharks! (They don’t show up til you are almost three-quarters of the way through the book, but, they’re comin’!). What else do you need?!!??

This short (about 200 pages) book covers the ill fated day fishing trip of three life-long friends, Paul, Lu and Sonny, who are headed out for red snapper on Paul’s new boat; it’s the maiden voyage. The trio live in New Orleans, are immigrants or the children of immigrants and have worked hard, mostly at manual labor, throughout their lives. I had trouble telling them apart, they were all so close.

They are having a good day on the Gulf when disaster strikes; the boat begins taking on water and they are miles from shore. Within minutes the boat is gone and the men are in the water, fighting to survive.

I won’t give anything away, just trust that the facts are well-told and I enjoyed it. The author offers a good look at Coast Guard rescue operations on the open water. And I hope that someone sued the bastard who sold Paul that boat for three trillion dollars.