What do you think?
Rate this book
Currents Deep and Deadly
In her travel log of murder, romance, and a personal journey of discovery aboard a cruise ship, Darcy Farthing manages to entertain the reader with her descriptions of Caribbean and South American ports, while also detailing the horrific and wondrous events that take place during her four week adventure. A pragmatic scientist by nature, she says she has given up belief in a spiritual component to life and knows that coincidences are either man-made or chance occurrences that might seem related but have no significance. That is, until a series of unbelievable coincidences challenges her belief. . In telling her story, she lays bare the deeply hidden emotions she has kept in a fragile prison of cold logic and denial for 20 years.
She is a savvy, professional woman who has been fighting her internal demons ever since she made a colossal mistake in her personal life from which she knows she can never recover. But on a hastily planned cruise with Dr. Johnson, her latest romantic interest, Darcy's non-belief system is shaken when she is confronted with a set of bewildering and frankly unbelievable coincidences that bring together a tangle of strangers, and people and events from her own past. She simply cannot accept that so many of these related events could happen by chance.
Darcy is already feeling trapped on the gigantic floating village when she accidentally overhears discussions about a murder for hire plot. Then when members of the crew begin to die under suspicious circumstances, she learns the hard way that she cannot trust anyone onboard the ship. She is forced to run for her own life as she tries to identify both the intended victim of the plot and the murderer before even more disaster strikes. These experiences are frightening to say the least and at worst, they threaten to upset her emotional balance and shatter her fragile mental defenses. Worse still, these terrible events seem to be connected to her past in ways she cannot fathom.
She gets some much-needed help in unraveling the maritime mystery from her new shipboard friends including Mick Clayton, a stranger who she soon realizes could be the man she has been waiting for. But Mick is traveling under his own emotional cloud and soon more disturbing events also link him with Darcy's past and a suspected murderer. All the while, Darcy and her shipmates try as best they can to enjoy the unique geography, architecture, and history of the exotic ports of call they are visiting along the way around the South American continent.
Finally, as the cruise sails through its final week the mystery appears to be solved and Darcy believes that further tragedy has been averted. Onshore in a beautiful Argentine city she experiences the greatest upheaval of her life when the mother of all coincidences finally brings her face to face with the past she has worked so hard to forget. She experiences the pain of breaking out of her emotional prison when she meets the one person who will either fulfill her life or destroy her completely. While Darcy finds much needed closure to one chapter of her life, the cruise sails on to what promises to be a restful and romantic end. However, just short of their destination Darcy and Mick meet with unimaginable violence and loss when they are finally forced to confront and battle a vicious killer.
She is a savvy, professional woman who has been fighting her internal demons ever since she made a colossal mistake in her personal life from which she knows she can never recover. But on a hastily planned cruise with Dr. Johnson, her latest romantic interest, Darcy's non-belief system is shaken when she is confronted with a set of bewildering and frankly unbelievable coincidences that bring together a tangle of strangers, and people and events from her own past. She simply cannot accept that so many of these related events could happen by chance.
Darcy is already feeling trapped on the gigantic floating village when she accidentally overhears discussions about a murder for hire plot. Then when members of the crew begin to die under suspicious circumstances, she learns the hard way that she cannot trust anyone onboard the ship. She is forced to run for her own life as she tries to identify both the intended victim of the plot and the murderer before even more disaster strikes. These experiences are frightening to say the least and at worst, they threaten to upset her emotional balance and shatter her fragile mental defenses. Worse still, these terrible events seem to be connected to her past in ways she cannot fathom.
She gets some much-needed help in unraveling the maritime mystery from her new shipboard friends including Mick Clayton, a stranger who she soon realizes could be the man she has been waiting for. But Mick is traveling under his own emotional cloud and soon more disturbing events also link him with Darcy's past and a suspected murderer. All the while, Darcy and her shipmates try as best they can to enjoy the unique geography, architecture, and history of the exotic ports of call they are visiting along the way around the South American continent.
Finally, as the cruise sails through its final week the mystery appears to be solved and Darcy believes that further tragedy has been averted. Onshore in a beautiful Argentine city she experiences the greatest upheaval of her life when the mother of all coincidences finally brings her face to face with the past she has worked so hard to forget. She experiences the pain of breaking out of her emotional prison when she meets the one person who will either fulfill her life or destroy her completely. While Darcy finds much needed closure to one chapter of her life, the cruise sails on to what promises to be a restful and romantic end. However, just short of their destination Darcy and Mick meet with unimaginable violence and loss when they are finally forced to confront and battle a vicious killer.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 23, 2010
7 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Arleen Alleman
13 books51 followersArleen Alleman is a former senior analyst with the Government Accountability Office, where she wrote extensively on many topics ranging from satellite systems to endangered species. She has a science education but has also worked as a fashion model, insurance adjuster, jewelry designer, and proprietor of a home decor shop. Her interests include health and fitness, world religions, reading, and travel. Born in England, she grew up in New Hampshire and Nevada, then lived in Colorado. Now, she lives in SW Florida with her husband, Tim and their cat, Xena.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 13, 2012
CURRENTS DEEP AND DEADLY by Arleen Alleman is shelved on my Favorite Novels shelf. As an avid reader of mysteries, I enjoy being tantalized with thought-provoking clues throughout my read. The author was masterful in the way that she dropped her clues into the script, offering me just enough insight to keep me continually entertained yet hungry for the truth. I'm not one for lengthy descriptions of people, places and things. Ms Alleman played me very well, however. Her descriptions of Buenos Aires and other ports were so woven into the plot that it felt as if I were traveling along with Darcy, Mick and cohorts.
CURRENTS is a 5-star read for me. Beneath the storyline of the mystery itself are secrets and undercurrents of psyche issues within Darcy herself. The undercurrent themes of coincidental events and connections relative to her internal conflicts with issues of spiritual truth are compelling topics to me.
Arleen Alleman cleverly scripts a delightful yet complex mystery onboard a luxury cruise and scatters throughout vivid descriptions of fascinating South American seaports. Her cast of characters are engaging, endearing and even, insightful.
CURRENTS is a 5-star read for me. Beneath the storyline of the mystery itself are secrets and undercurrents of psyche issues within Darcy herself. The undercurrent themes of coincidental events and connections relative to her internal conflicts with issues of spiritual truth are compelling topics to me.
Arleen Alleman cleverly scripts a delightful yet complex mystery onboard a luxury cruise and scatters throughout vivid descriptions of fascinating South American seaports. Her cast of characters are engaging, endearing and even, insightful.
January 22, 2017
This book had an interesting plot and great settings centered around a one month cruise around South America. I liked the introduction of the main character which acquainted the reader with not only her backstory but also her philosophy of life that figures into the plot. Some of the relationships between characters were a little superficial--for example, it appeared that Darcy and Suzanne became friends only because they were both beautiful women. Dialogue was quite stilted with characters inserting the name of the person they were conversing with in almost every paragraph--not realistic. There were some other editing issues, particularly punctuation. But an enjoyable read.
Read
July 8, 2021Wouldn't rate my own work, but hope you'll check it out. The first in my Darcy Farthing cruise crime adventures. Many readers liked it very much. On kindle and nook too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2021
I read the ebook. Heroine is Darcy Farthing, aged 40. Supposed to be a cozy that takes place on a cruise ship but itt wasn't as simple as I'd hoped. The heroine tells the reader all about her unhappy childhood and her traumatic experience as a young single mother. I usually just like to read about the murder and solving it. Not a warm and fuzzy book, although I have to admit it kept me interested. Plot twists kept me wondering who was responsible for many things. Surprise ending. Copyright 2010.
December 12, 2019
It's rare that a book keeps me on my toes the way that Currents Deep and Deadly did. I'm also normally a pretty slow reader, but I totally sped right through the story and I've already re-read it twice, it's amazing.
December 16, 2019
Arleen writes in such a beautiful and vivid way! Throughout my reading of the book, I actually felt as though I was on the cruise in person, present for all of the chilling events and every major turning point in the story.
January 14, 2020
Probably the best romantic thriller I've read in a very long time. I'm a big fan of the genre and found this book on a binge, even though Arleen Allerman isn't as well-known, the wow-factor is definitely there for me.
October 2, 2021
Currents Deep and Deadly by Arleen Alleman is a wonderful book. I enjoyed it a lot! The setting is were interesting, the characters are likable and realistic, the plot is very well thought out and compelling.. I recommend it 100%.
December 9, 2019
A seriously thought-provoking story, full to the brim with danger, romance and excitement. I highly recommend this book to anyone that's a fan of Laura Griffin or even Colleen Hoover.
December 16, 2019
Never a dull moment. I've decided to get into some light reading at my husband's behest and ended up picking up this book out of the blue. Lovely work!
December 19, 2019
I was a little apprehensive of getting the book at first, as I've never heard of the author but decided to do it anyway on a whim. And boy am I glad I did!
January 7, 2020
My sister had the book for a while, and I read it out of curiosity while I was crashing with her for a while. Let's just say that it was so good that I felt compelled to get my own copy!
January 10, 2020
The whole Darcy Farthing series is a total gem. I picked up the book on a friend's recommendation and several books later, I'm left wanting more.
November 20, 2010
Find adventure, romance, mystery, bizarre interconnected coincidences, brutal murders and a journey of self discovery on a luxury cruise ship in Currents Deep and Deadly.
Author Arleen Alleman introduces her main characters with plenty of description and back story while showing the events that brought each on the month-long South American cruise. Darcy Farthing, the heroine, boards the Sea Nymph, an enormous floating city, with her current love, Dr. Peterson. Darcy is a self-described atheist and non-believer of coincidence. While boarding, Darcy overhears a conversation that may suggest the planning of foul play. Mick Clayton is a recent widower who chose the cruise last minute, more to keep an eye on Sidney, an old acquaintance, and her problems with her dangerous husband, Paul Denezza, a Vegas casino boss with old school mob connections. Captain Epsten is as proud of his Viking heritage as he is to be the Captain of the Sea Nymph. Rounding out the principals is the exotic beauty Suzanne Moretti, the Captain’s wife.
When a crew member is killed it is first considered an accident. A second death has ship security and Mick investigating two possible homicides. Meanwhile the romance between Darcy and Mick increases, with their love scenes adding some needed sizzle. The coincidences continue as Darcy begins to believe someone is pulling the strings when she is reunited with an old friend. The finger of guilt is pointed at several of the primaries including the suspicious Denezza, the jealous Captain, his mysterious wife, and others as the author successfully keeps the reader guessing who-dun-it. When the killer turns on Darcy, it’s a life-and-death struggle that could destroy all that she has built with Mick. In the end, the author wraps up the loose ends while nicely setting up the sequel.
Arleen Alleman has done her homework. I came away with a clear picture of the shore excursion tour stops thanks to the well researched details of the villages, townspeople, and scenery. Alleman knows her way around a cruise ship as well, cleverly inserting the ship’s specs and dimensions to make me feel as though I was onboard. Darcy is an interesting, realistic protagonist and she has immediate chemistry with Mick as her side-kick love interest.
I would have liked to have seen an impact event in the opening chapter to hook interest earlier, and then a gradual increase in tension until the climax. Unfortunately, the author waits more than a dozen chapters until Part 2 to turn up the emotional ante with the first murder. No sooner had conflict arisen did the author switch to romantic scenes. Frequent head hopping point-of-view changes were distracting and slowed down an already sluggish plot. If the author had stayed in Darcy’s first person POV, I believe it would have improved flow and allowed readers to form a stronger bond with her and her plight.
Overall, Currents Deep and Deadly is a good attempt at a mystery/thriller and I would recommend it as a holiday read.
Author Arleen Alleman introduces her main characters with plenty of description and back story while showing the events that brought each on the month-long South American cruise. Darcy Farthing, the heroine, boards the Sea Nymph, an enormous floating city, with her current love, Dr. Peterson. Darcy is a self-described atheist and non-believer of coincidence. While boarding, Darcy overhears a conversation that may suggest the planning of foul play. Mick Clayton is a recent widower who chose the cruise last minute, more to keep an eye on Sidney, an old acquaintance, and her problems with her dangerous husband, Paul Denezza, a Vegas casino boss with old school mob connections. Captain Epsten is as proud of his Viking heritage as he is to be the Captain of the Sea Nymph. Rounding out the principals is the exotic beauty Suzanne Moretti, the Captain’s wife.
When a crew member is killed it is first considered an accident. A second death has ship security and Mick investigating two possible homicides. Meanwhile the romance between Darcy and Mick increases, with their love scenes adding some needed sizzle. The coincidences continue as Darcy begins to believe someone is pulling the strings when she is reunited with an old friend. The finger of guilt is pointed at several of the primaries including the suspicious Denezza, the jealous Captain, his mysterious wife, and others as the author successfully keeps the reader guessing who-dun-it. When the killer turns on Darcy, it’s a life-and-death struggle that could destroy all that she has built with Mick. In the end, the author wraps up the loose ends while nicely setting up the sequel.
Arleen Alleman has done her homework. I came away with a clear picture of the shore excursion tour stops thanks to the well researched details of the villages, townspeople, and scenery. Alleman knows her way around a cruise ship as well, cleverly inserting the ship’s specs and dimensions to make me feel as though I was onboard. Darcy is an interesting, realistic protagonist and she has immediate chemistry with Mick as her side-kick love interest.
I would have liked to have seen an impact event in the opening chapter to hook interest earlier, and then a gradual increase in tension until the climax. Unfortunately, the author waits more than a dozen chapters until Part 2 to turn up the emotional ante with the first murder. No sooner had conflict arisen did the author switch to romantic scenes. Frequent head hopping point-of-view changes were distracting and slowed down an already sluggish plot. If the author had stayed in Darcy’s first person POV, I believe it would have improved flow and allowed readers to form a stronger bond with her and her plight.
Overall, Currents Deep and Deadly is a good attempt at a mystery/thriller and I would recommend it as a holiday read.
December 11, 2014
None of my cruises were nearly this exciting! I’ve weathered a few rough days at sea but none compare to all that transpires during Darcy’s month long South American cruise. If you have ever cruised aboard a large ship Alleman’s writing will surely give you flashbacks of your time on board and at port (minus the murders of course).
I loved the pace of this book. Alleman takes her time drawing you into the character’s lives and introducing you to their personal struggles that brought them aboard the luxury cruise liner in the first place. After you have formed an attachment to those characters she begins dropping bodies, building the suspense and teasing with just enough information and clues to make you think you know the killer’s identity. Believe me, you don’t.
The story is completely unpredictable (as a good mystery should be). I enjoyed getting to know Darcy and found her character relatable in many ways. This book is a complex and thrilling read that delivers more than just mystery. The attraction between Darcy and Mick and their own personal beliefs and demons make for a great sub-plot. The entire series (oh yes, I have read them all) is one of the best mystery series on the market with such a genuinely “normal” female protagonist. By “normal” I mean she doesn’t turn into a werewolf, she doesn’t have a shady criminal past, can’t read minds and doesn’t have super powers. She is a real woman with her own personal struggles like any other which makes her quite appealing to me.
This is a realistically drawn book and series based on what I believe to be extensive research, making it wholly believable. Very close to a story one would see featured on Dateline NBC with a tag line of “Murder and Mystery aboard a Luxury Cruise: When Vacations Turn Deadly” set to dramatic music. “Currents Deep and Deadly” is well worth adding to your to-read list and Arleen Alleman is a name to watch as I suspect she has only just begun adding titles to her impressive, suspenseful and thrilling collection of mysteries.
I loved the pace of this book. Alleman takes her time drawing you into the character’s lives and introducing you to their personal struggles that brought them aboard the luxury cruise liner in the first place. After you have formed an attachment to those characters she begins dropping bodies, building the suspense and teasing with just enough information and clues to make you think you know the killer’s identity. Believe me, you don’t.
The story is completely unpredictable (as a good mystery should be). I enjoyed getting to know Darcy and found her character relatable in many ways. This book is a complex and thrilling read that delivers more than just mystery. The attraction between Darcy and Mick and their own personal beliefs and demons make for a great sub-plot. The entire series (oh yes, I have read them all) is one of the best mystery series on the market with such a genuinely “normal” female protagonist. By “normal” I mean she doesn’t turn into a werewolf, she doesn’t have a shady criminal past, can’t read minds and doesn’t have super powers. She is a real woman with her own personal struggles like any other which makes her quite appealing to me.
This is a realistically drawn book and series based on what I believe to be extensive research, making it wholly believable. Very close to a story one would see featured on Dateline NBC with a tag line of “Murder and Mystery aboard a Luxury Cruise: When Vacations Turn Deadly” set to dramatic music. “Currents Deep and Deadly” is well worth adding to your to-read list and Arleen Alleman is a name to watch as I suspect she has only just begun adding titles to her impressive, suspenseful and thrilling collection of mysteries.
February 27, 2012
Do I want to go on another cruise?
Why I began with a question is because I love to go on cruises, but would I still look forward to cruising after reading Arleen Alleman's suspense novel, Currents Deep and Deadly? I was right to be apprehensive because Alleman weaves an intricate spell showing that cruises aren't only romance and adventure on the high seas, but intrigue, deception, and sometimes murder as well. She deftly introduces a complex cast of characters, including heroine Darcy Farthing who overhears two men possibly discussing foul play. With Darcy's new love interest, several murders, and a string of bizarre coincidences, the reader is kept guessing to the end.
Because of the author's extensive research on port of calls and ship activities, I felt the book was very realistic. If I had one small criticism, it was that the book's lengthy descriptive passages sometimes appeared when I was less interested in my surroundings and more intrigued with the plot and eager to move forward. I would still rate it five stars and commend Alleman for her first book. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series, Currents of Vengeance.
Why I began with a question is because I love to go on cruises, but would I still look forward to cruising after reading Arleen Alleman's suspense novel, Currents Deep and Deadly? I was right to be apprehensive because Alleman weaves an intricate spell showing that cruises aren't only romance and adventure on the high seas, but intrigue, deception, and sometimes murder as well. She deftly introduces a complex cast of characters, including heroine Darcy Farthing who overhears two men possibly discussing foul play. With Darcy's new love interest, several murders, and a string of bizarre coincidences, the reader is kept guessing to the end.
Because of the author's extensive research on port of calls and ship activities, I felt the book was very realistic. If I had one small criticism, it was that the book's lengthy descriptive passages sometimes appeared when I was less interested in my surroundings and more intrigued with the plot and eager to move forward. I would still rate it five stars and commend Alleman for her first book. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series, Currents of Vengeance.
July 1, 2015
Currents Deep and Deadly dives into the world of murder mystery at sea and had me hooked from the start. There was lots to commend the book. Strong plot, plenty of intrigue and Darcy Farthing makes a wicked protagonist. Really please I have found this series and looking forward to lazy summer days when I can catch up with the other books.
July 8, 2015
I like my murder mysteries to be intelligently written with a well-conceived plot that doesn't leave any loose ends and this one delivers on both counts. An enjoyable read with nicely developed characters I had to think about events as they unfolded and it kept me guessing to very near the end. Overall, very good.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews