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Cassie McGraw #1
What Lies Beneath
IT ISN'T WHAT'S ON THE OUTSIDE THAT COUNTS...BUT WHAT LIES BENEATH...Fresh out of high school and off to college, Cassie thought she had the world by its tail, and then she met Mike. Tall, handsome and a police detective to boot, he swept her off her feet and into a whirlwind relationship that led to an engagement ring.But things aren't always as they seem, and Cassie comes to discover that Mike has a dark side. When she learns just how dark it can be, she comes face-to-face with the greatest forward she could imagine, and it leaves her burned and scarred for the rest of her life.Cassie isn't one to wallow in misery. She takes her experiences and a degree in psychology and sets out to help other women avoid the kind of thing that happened to her, but then one of her clients comes to her in desperation. Her abusive husband has kidnapped her daughter, and it's up to Cassie to find the girl before it's too late.Of course, then the only trick is how to survive.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2017
2372 people are currently reading
1697 people want to read
About the author
David Archer
190 books504 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
David Archer was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. He is a fiction author and novelist, writing in the mysteries and thrillers genre. His approach to writing is to hit deep, keep you entertained, and leave you wanting MORE with every turn of the page. He writes mysteries, thrillers, and suspense novels, all of which are primed to get your heart pumping.
David Archer was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. He is a fiction author and novelist, writing in the mysteries and thrillers genre. His approach to writing is to hit deep, keep you entertained, and leave you wanting MORE with every turn of the page. He writes mysteries, thrillers, and suspense novels, all of which are primed to get your heart pumping.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
April 21, 2020
So glad I got this book free. I would be even more pissed if I paid for it. This book was painful to get through. Probably more painful than the burns on Cassie's body...
1. The personalities of the characters described are so adolescent, you are basically reading from a high schooler’s point of view. And somehow that high schooler gets through college and suddenly starts telling the story from an adult point of view. But the whole time reading it, you just can’t adjust to the fact that she really has matured that quick. I just couldn’t take her seriously and many of her actions/decisions were just plain stupid.
2. The whole repeating got tiresome quick. We get it, some cops are arresting some people, but do you seriously have to write out their Amendment rights for two paragraphs straight? Not only that, but the main character tends to repeat her story soooo much. You are constantly reading throughout the book and thinking, I swear I’ve heard this before or I sear, I’ve read these exact words a few pages/chapter back.
3. We get it, Cassie survived domestic abuse. I can tell that the author is trying to inform and make sure readers are aware that this happens in real life, but the way he repeats it throughout the book makes it feel like he is lecturing.
4. The entire book felt rushed and jumped from different stories. There were like 3 different stories in this one book, and each of them ended super quick. Not only did it feel rushed, but I came across typos as well.
5. The character Cassie tries to unrealistically play hero. I just cannot imagine how a counselor can get so much information out of people let alone ABOUT people with the quick call to a detective. Pretty sure detectives aren’t allowed to be giving out that kind of information over the phone.
I would definitely pass on this book and not recommend it. If it weren't for my OCD, and need to finish a book once I start, I would've stopped reading this before the first 25% of it.
1. The personalities of the characters described are so adolescent, you are basically reading from a high schooler’s point of view. And somehow that high schooler gets through college and suddenly starts telling the story from an adult point of view. But the whole time reading it, you just can’t adjust to the fact that she really has matured that quick. I just couldn’t take her seriously and many of her actions/decisions were just plain stupid.
2. The whole repeating got tiresome quick. We get it, some cops are arresting some people, but do you seriously have to write out their Amendment rights for two paragraphs straight? Not only that, but the main character tends to repeat her story soooo much. You are constantly reading throughout the book and thinking, I swear I’ve heard this before or I sear, I’ve read these exact words a few pages/chapter back.
3. We get it, Cassie survived domestic abuse. I can tell that the author is trying to inform and make sure readers are aware that this happens in real life, but the way he repeats it throughout the book makes it feel like he is lecturing.
4. The entire book felt rushed and jumped from different stories. There were like 3 different stories in this one book, and each of them ended super quick. Not only did it feel rushed, but I came across typos as well.
5. The character Cassie tries to unrealistically play hero. I just cannot imagine how a counselor can get so much information out of people let alone ABOUT people with the quick call to a detective. Pretty sure detectives aren’t allowed to be giving out that kind of information over the phone.
I would definitely pass on this book and not recommend it. If it weren't for my OCD, and need to finish a book once I start, I would've stopped reading this before the first 25% of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2020
Let me start by saying why I picked up this book: I was impressed with the darker theme of a victim of violence finding her way back into life and helping others. I would have loved to give this book more stars based on this daring premise, but sadly this book disappointed me in pretty much every way.
First off, I could not bring myself to like any of the characters. They were all superficial constructs that had no depth or development and all of their relationships made no sense. Take Cassie and Scott. Why are they together? Nobody knows, but we're supposed to believe that this love of two teenagers was meant to be... for a while at least. Really, there are two reasons that Scott is in this story:
1. The reader should feel pity for pool little Cassie, the eternal victim
2. The reader learns that in this world, 18 year old teenagers only think about weddings, marriages and kids
That's it. Once Scott is out of the picture the actual plot begins, which, in my opinion, is overly simple and obvious. A girl is murdered, and Detective Mike Kendall enters the plot. He's tall, handsome and all around too good to be true. Again, the reader is supposed to enjoy a heartfelt romance between him and Cassie but honestly, I was only creeped out. I have no idea what the typical age of a detective is, but let's assume he was mid-twenties. So we have a detective that is working a case, he interviews a bunch of 18 year-old college girls and that same day (!!!) he asks one of them on a date. That's not romantic. That's not cute. That is creepy, unprofessional and just wrong.
Anyhoo, they date, they fall in love, and less than a year later, they're engaged. So, best case scenario, Cassie get's engaged at age 19, to a detective she barely knows, who hit on her while she was the witness in a murder case. I'm sorry but am I the only one who is severely bothered by this?
Fast forward a few months and their relationship changes to becoming an abusive relationship. My issue here is that there is not enough of a case that is building up. In most domestic violence cases, the victim was not only physically abused. But the aggressor usually makes the victim completely dependent on them and also mentally manipulates the victim, so that when they become physically abusive, it is the victim's fault and they truly cannot leave. They are so bound to their abuser, that leaving is impossible. In the case of Mike and Cassie there was no such manipulation. Mike becomes distant and stressed. Cassie plays housewife. One night they argue and then he hits her. That's it. Cassie holds no grudge, doesn't protest and brushes it off like it's no big deal. This goes on for some time, and while I really did try to feel sympathy for Cassie, I could only be annoyed at her stupidity!
But the absolute peak of Cassie's stupidity comes, when she begins to unravel the mystery of Mike.
My other main issue with this book was the way it was written. There was no emotion in those lines. The words did not leap off a page. To me, it felt very monotone, while the narration itself was also very simple. In my memory, the narration is like this:
I worked a lot. I also liked my studies. Scott did not put a lot of effort into remaining in contact. When I called him one day, a girl answered. She said she was his girlfriend. When I finally managed to reach Scott, he said he was sorry. He cheated on me and wanted to see where things went with the new girl. So now I was single. Men sucked. But then detective Kendall came. Everyone thought he was so attractive and made bets he would ask me out. And then he did. I never felt so safe with anyone.
This is the level of emotion and excitement the author managed to convey in this book. Which bored me, to be honest. If you have unlikable characters, an overly simplistic plot that lacks any sort of suspense, you at least need some emotive language, you need to pull the reader in with your writing, because otherwise, people will not finish their books. Like me. I gave up on this one about halfway through.
First off, I could not bring myself to like any of the characters. They were all superficial constructs that had no depth or development and all of their relationships made no sense. Take Cassie and Scott. Why are they together? Nobody knows, but we're supposed to believe that this love of two teenagers was meant to be... for a while at least. Really, there are two reasons that Scott is in this story:
1. The reader should feel pity for pool little Cassie, the eternal victim
2. The reader learns that in this world, 18 year old teenagers only think about weddings, marriages and kids
That's it. Once Scott is out of the picture the actual plot begins, which, in my opinion, is overly simple and obvious. A girl is murdered, and Detective Mike Kendall enters the plot. He's tall, handsome and all around too good to be true. Again, the reader is supposed to enjoy a heartfelt romance between him and Cassie but honestly, I was only creeped out. I have no idea what the typical age of a detective is, but let's assume he was mid-twenties. So we have a detective that is working a case, he interviews a bunch of 18 year-old college girls and that same day (!!!) he asks one of them on a date. That's not romantic. That's not cute. That is creepy, unprofessional and just wrong.
Anyhoo, they date, they fall in love, and less than a year later, they're engaged. So, best case scenario, Cassie get's engaged at age 19, to a detective she barely knows, who hit on her while she was the witness in a murder case. I'm sorry but am I the only one who is severely bothered by this?
Fast forward a few months and their relationship changes to becoming an abusive relationship. My issue here is that there is not enough of a case that is building up. In most domestic violence cases, the victim was not only physically abused. But the aggressor usually makes the victim completely dependent on them and also mentally manipulates the victim, so that when they become physically abusive, it is the victim's fault and they truly cannot leave. They are so bound to their abuser, that leaving is impossible. In the case of Mike and Cassie there was no such manipulation. Mike becomes distant and stressed. Cassie plays housewife. One night they argue and then he hits her. That's it. Cassie holds no grudge, doesn't protest and brushes it off like it's no big deal. This goes on for some time, and while I really did try to feel sympathy for Cassie, I could only be annoyed at her stupidity!
But the absolute peak of Cassie's stupidity comes, when she begins to unravel the mystery of Mike.
My other main issue with this book was the way it was written. There was no emotion in those lines. The words did not leap off a page. To me, it felt very monotone, while the narration itself was also very simple. In my memory, the narration is like this:
I worked a lot. I also liked my studies. Scott did not put a lot of effort into remaining in contact. When I called him one day, a girl answered. She said she was his girlfriend. When I finally managed to reach Scott, he said he was sorry. He cheated on me and wanted to see where things went with the new girl. So now I was single. Men sucked. But then detective Kendall came. Everyone thought he was so attractive and made bets he would ask me out. And then he did. I never felt so safe with anyone.
This is the level of emotion and excitement the author managed to convey in this book. Which bored me, to be honest. If you have unlikable characters, an overly simplistic plot that lacks any sort of suspense, you at least need some emotive language, you need to pull the reader in with your writing, because otherwise, people will not finish their books. Like me. I gave up on this one about halfway through.
December 21, 2020
What can I say Cassie is a great character. Great determination, and a good example of how things can go wrong so quickly in this world. I would think this is a good book for young women to read to better understand what to watch for in relationships, and also for inspiration, especially to those who have been abused. The story was good , and there are other books for anyone interested in hearing some more stories from Cassie's character.
January 15, 2024
I actually couldn’t believe how dumb some of this was as I was reading. The constant repeating of the same stories whenever Cassie met someone new made me feel like I was gonna lose it lol. Also for as tragic as some of the events were, there were next to no emotions happening…
February 18, 2020
My goodness. What a powerful story. I have to confess that I read up to 44% and was in shock as Cassie, the main character had been through such a traumatic experience. I even contacted the author. BUT I still read on to 80% when I was so tired. Finished the book the next morning . This is a brilliant, compelling, humorous, dramatic story that I literally could not put down. I thoroughly recommend this book . The beginning is not for the faint hearted but is so worth finishing. Well done David. Another winner .
February 4, 2024
Honestly the writing was just not great, pretty repetitive. Also Cassie is just unbearable as a character. After "the incident" she pretty just turned into an asshole and used it as an excuse to be rude to everyone. She also comes off as very preachy.
April 21, 2024
Couldn’t recommend this snooze fest less. Nothing really even happened in this book
January 22, 2025
Cassie thinks she found the perfect man, a detective whom everybody seems to love. He seems the perfect gentleman, but after Cassie moves in with him that perfect persona turns dark when Cassie discovers who he truly is.
Not bad for an under 300 page book.
Cassie is very likable. After she goes through a really tough circumstance she doesn’t let that stop her, and helps other people along the way.
January 30, 2022
Reading this book felt like reading a more intense and altruistic adult-version of Nancy Drew that tackled the dark truth of domestic abuse and that had more than one main story line.
I think this quote summed up the theme of the book: “It seems like it’s always the tragedies in our lives that affect us the most, doesn’t it? Those are the things that always end up pushing us down the path we choose.”
This book was actually short in terms of pages but jam-packed with action and character backstories that tugged at my heartstrings and kept me turning page after page as well as sighing in tragic disbelief and weeping every now and then.
While some dialogue felt unnatural and used primarily as a device to quickly set up a character's backstory (which was understandable as it kept things fast-paced), I especially enjoyed certain witty banters and lines. I was a bit bothered by the repetitiveness whenever Cassie or another character relayed previous information but I looked past it since it was reworded well enough.
The main character, Cassie, has gone through so much; it was a crazy, painful ride but she came out as such a strong heroine and I'm such a fan! Her story made me rethink about what I'm doing with my life and how I can make a difference in the world.
My own spoiler-free recap:
The story follows Cassie as she embarks on a new chapter of her life: entering college as a psych major. The book also jumped straight in to the conversation of domestic abuse, a recurring topic althroughout. Cassie immediately makes friends with her roommates and gets to know their story. Everything plays out well until something horrible happens and Cassie crosses path with a police officer who she eventually develops a relationship with. Unfortunately, an incredibly unfortunate string of events lead to Cassie becoming a domestic abuse victim herself, showing how anyone could be a victim. With the help of her friend, Cassie was able to come to her senses but at a tragic cost that changes the course of her life.
Instead of letting her traumatic incident hold her back, Cassie embarks on a new journey: to help other women like herself, victims of domestic violence whether physical or emotional. This leads her to investigating one domestic abuse case to another, each with its own gripping tale. In the midst of it all, Cassie is able to find a new friend while also caring for her irritable yet cuddly cat.
I think this quote summed up the theme of the book: “It seems like it’s always the tragedies in our lives that affect us the most, doesn’t it? Those are the things that always end up pushing us down the path we choose.”
This book was actually short in terms of pages but jam-packed with action and character backstories that tugged at my heartstrings and kept me turning page after page as well as sighing in tragic disbelief and weeping every now and then.
While some dialogue felt unnatural and used primarily as a device to quickly set up a character's backstory (which was understandable as it kept things fast-paced), I especially enjoyed certain witty banters and lines. I was a bit bothered by the repetitiveness whenever Cassie or another character relayed previous information but I looked past it since it was reworded well enough.
The main character, Cassie, has gone through so much; it was a crazy, painful ride but she came out as such a strong heroine and I'm such a fan! Her story made me rethink about what I'm doing with my life and how I can make a difference in the world.
My own spoiler-free recap:
The story follows Cassie as she embarks on a new chapter of her life: entering college as a psych major. The book also jumped straight in to the conversation of domestic abuse, a recurring topic althroughout. Cassie immediately makes friends with her roommates and gets to know their story. Everything plays out well until something horrible happens and Cassie crosses path with a police officer who she eventually develops a relationship with. Unfortunately, an incredibly unfortunate string of events lead to Cassie becoming a domestic abuse victim herself, showing how anyone could be a victim. With the help of her friend, Cassie was able to come to her senses but at a tragic cost that changes the course of her life.
Instead of letting her traumatic incident hold her back, Cassie embarks on a new journey: to help other women like herself, victims of domestic violence whether physical or emotional. This leads her to investigating one domestic abuse case to another, each with its own gripping tale. In the midst of it all, Cassie is able to find a new friend while also caring for her irritable yet cuddly cat.
June 5, 2020
Just ridiculous!
Okay first I will say I was 22℅ through this book when I couldn't take another word! A girl who comes from a happy family, Cassie, is barely into college. She is 18 when book starts and her college roommate, well one of them, is murdered. The detective handling the case calls her for a date. Now, how old is he, well we are not told. Then they are engaged and living together when he starts hitting her. Cassie has always said no woman has to put up with abuse, they can choose to leave, but not her. Then a serial killer comes to town brutally killing women, and it happens only when her fiance is at work, so After digging in boxes finds dads with him and an accomplice killing women. She says nope this can not be! This is role play! Really?? This started out crazy and just got worse, so no, I did not waste my time finishing it!
Okay first I will say I was 22℅ through this book when I couldn't take another word! A girl who comes from a happy family, Cassie, is barely into college. She is 18 when book starts and her college roommate, well one of them, is murdered. The detective handling the case calls her for a date. Now, how old is he, well we are not told. Then they are engaged and living together when he starts hitting her. Cassie has always said no woman has to put up with abuse, they can choose to leave, but not her. Then a serial killer comes to town brutally killing women, and it happens only when her fiance is at work, so After digging in boxes finds dads with him and an accomplice killing women. She says nope this can not be! This is role play! Really?? This started out crazy and just got worse, so no, I did not waste my time finishing it!
March 30, 2020
Amazing story...unable to set it down. Great character with so much resolve. Turns in story I never saw coming. Very strong and smart young lady. Can not wait to read more about Cassie. Unbelievable..
everyone will want to read this. Twist and turns, very strong and smart. And really good friends to help her along.
everyone will want to read this. Twist and turns, very strong and smart. And really good friends to help her along.
April 15, 2023
Audiobook
January 6, 2024
Maybe I’m biased considering my name is Cassie and I’m a social worker but this was such an intriguing read!
One of my favorites in awhile!
One of my favorites in awhile!
May 11, 2024
1 dimensional characters and too many plot lines attempting to add depth to the main character when in reality is perpetuates simpleton ideas of womanhood and what it means and looks like to be a survivor of domestic abuse. Not to mention, the only person of color in this book had family who ran in circles with drug dealers and she wound up dead. Stereotypes galore. Would not recommend.
January 27, 2024
Very disappointed in this book. I'm blown away by there being 4 or 5 stars given by other readers to be honest. The plot moved too quickly meaning very little time for plot or character development, resulting in no real depth to either.
There are many parts that I didn't like. A few of the top annoying ones - Go-Pro camera. The crime scene people overlooked that the camera was on. But Cassie, who was drunk, is able to look at the crime scene photo and point it out to the detective. A drunk 19 year old has better detective skills than these trained officers. insert eye roll emoji. Then the whole DVD thing. So if I found a video of someone beating and killing somebody- I'm getting the heck out of there and going to the police. Instead, Cassie goes to a local motel. She wants Mike to explain the video. Really? Not to mention he is a detective. Did she honestly believe he wouldn't be able to track her? These are just a few. Trust me when I tell you there were plenty more. I have ZERO interest in reading the next book in this series. Even if it was free.
There are many parts that I didn't like. A few of the top annoying ones - Go-Pro camera. The crime scene people overlooked that the camera was on. But Cassie, who was drunk, is able to look at the crime scene photo and point it out to the detective. A drunk 19 year old has better detective skills than these trained officers. insert eye roll emoji. Then the whole DVD thing. So if I found a video of someone beating and killing somebody- I'm getting the heck out of there and going to the police. Instead, Cassie goes to a local motel. She wants Mike to explain the video. Really? Not to mention he is a detective. Did she honestly believe he wouldn't be able to track her? These are just a few. Trust me when I tell you there were plenty more. I have ZERO interest in reading the next book in this series. Even if it was free.
April 30, 2020
Felt like the story should have been split into two, maybe even three books and expanded on 1. the university/housemate murder; 2. Mike storyline; and 3. the Dex/Sabrina storyline. The plot moved too quickly meaning very little time for plot or character development, resulting in no real depth to either. This made it hard to invest in the characters and you didn't need to ponder over the plot/whodunnit or any potential for twists because it seemed like each part of the plot was described (in quite a simple manner) and wrapped up within a couple of chapters before moving onto the next.
There was also a section where a previously explained scene/story was very similarly described again a few pages later. This reminded me of an undergraduate essay that hadn't been proofread after a last minute, hungover attempt to reach a word count before submitting moments before deadline. Would definitely benefit from some editorial work.
There was also a section where a previously explained scene/story was very similarly described again a few pages later. This reminded me of an undergraduate essay that hadn't been proofread after a last minute, hungover attempt to reach a word count before submitting moments before deadline. Would definitely benefit from some editorial work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2018
Unexpected Good Read, A Powerful Female Victim who becomes a Heroine
Cassandra, a farmer's daughter who expects to marry her high school sweetheart until college changes all that with a cheating boyfriend, a murdered roommate and an unlikely detective woods her into a painful, near death experience. This is her beginning and what builds her into a powerful force and advocate for women in abusive relationships. Her experience leads her into exposing killers and finding missing people who get themselves into untenable situations. A surprisingly good read for such terrible tragic tales.
Cassandra, a farmer's daughter who expects to marry her high school sweetheart until college changes all that with a cheating boyfriend, a murdered roommate and an unlikely detective woods her into a painful, near death experience. This is her beginning and what builds her into a powerful force and advocate for women in abusive relationships. Her experience leads her into exposing killers and finding missing people who get themselves into untenable situations. A surprisingly good read for such terrible tragic tales.
May 3, 2023
I don’t think I’ve ever hated a protagonist so much, especially one that I’m supposed to feel sorry for. Cassie is absolutely insufferable. We get it, she’s disfigured and hideous, no man would ever want her, blah blah blah. Add the major contradictions that 1) she hates all men and thinks women should fear them all like they fear bears (??) but jumps into bed with the first one who isn’t grossed out by her, and 2) that she’s somehow a super-genius detective yet makes the world’s dumbest decisions, and I’m beyond perplexed. She’s supposed to be a psychology major? Nah bro. I can’t.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2018
Better Than I Expected
It's unusual to find the hero or heroine that is disabled, but David Archer chose to give Cassie McGraw that rare handicap, which at first seemed distracting. But as i kept reading i realized it gave Cassie depth as a character, especially in her twisted world of abuse. I'm not sure how Archer made that work, but he did.
It's unusual to find the hero or heroine that is disabled, but David Archer chose to give Cassie McGraw that rare handicap, which at first seemed distracting. But as i kept reading i realized it gave Cassie depth as a character, especially in her twisted world of abuse. I'm not sure how Archer made that work, but he did.
February 28, 2024
the racial portion on like the 20th page is offputting
making the black girl in the book one , your definition of “hood” or “ghetto” speaks to your idea of black people. I also feel like it’s predictable to make the black girl die. this is super offputting the book was great till that part. as a black woman i cannot look past this and won’t be finishing this book
making the black girl in the book one , your definition of “hood” or “ghetto” speaks to your idea of black people. I also feel like it’s predictable to make the black girl die. this is super offputting the book was great till that part. as a black woman i cannot look past this and won’t be finishing this book
March 15, 2024
The fact that this book is a series and people can actually tolerate more of this protagonist is wild. There were way too many climaxes with subsequent plot changes and each character felt irrelevant considering they all die. But hey she’s just a burned, one-eyed college drop out turned murder mystery solver, police interrogator, secret lover, and “social worker” with no license.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2022
She's a Strong One
Cassie McGraw is not one to give up on a fight. She proved that in the most gruesome way possible, overcoming an event that would have incapacitated nearly anyone. Instead of living in victimhood and allowing that event to destroy her physically and mentally, she chose to thrive. She's been through the crucible, and now she's making it her mission to help others. What an intriguing character.
This two-novel set is a great intro into a heroine who carries her own brass pair: probably in her purse, but hey. She's strong, fiery, independent, and fierce. She doesn't back down from a fight and has no problem standing between a victim and her tormentor. Not only is Cassie tough, but she has a great sense of humor and an understanding of the human psyche. She gets why people stare or look away, and why they can be uncomfortable around her. Amazingly, she doesn't let it bother her but instead works to make the other person more comfortable. Most of the time.
Both of these stories are intense and raw. They feature men who prey on the perceived weakness of women and strive to subjugate them in vicious and horrific ways. These will be trigger points for some readers and should be considered. The author, I believe, set out to bring realism to these works. In so doing, these novels are not sugar-coated when it comes to the violence some men will perform in response to women who they perceive are not respectful of the man's proper place as the dominant gender.
For me, these stories portray a woman who chose strength over victimhood, who chose to thrive when society would have surely understood why she "never really came out of it." She's an overcomer, and her triumphant nature is a joy to read about. The author has populated these stories with several great characters and dropped them into fast-paced storylines that will keep the reader/listener gripped.
Cassie McGraw is not one to give up on a fight. She proved that in the most gruesome way possible, overcoming an event that would have incapacitated nearly anyone. Instead of living in victimhood and allowing that event to destroy her physically and mentally, she chose to thrive. She's been through the crucible, and now she's making it her mission to help others. What an intriguing character.
This two-novel set is a great intro into a heroine who carries her own brass pair: probably in her purse, but hey. She's strong, fiery, independent, and fierce. She doesn't back down from a fight and has no problem standing between a victim and her tormentor. Not only is Cassie tough, but she has a great sense of humor and an understanding of the human psyche. She gets why people stare or look away, and why they can be uncomfortable around her. Amazingly, she doesn't let it bother her but instead works to make the other person more comfortable. Most of the time.
Both of these stories are intense and raw. They feature men who prey on the perceived weakness of women and strive to subjugate them in vicious and horrific ways. These will be trigger points for some readers and should be considered. The author, I believe, set out to bring realism to these works. In so doing, these novels are not sugar-coated when it comes to the violence some men will perform in response to women who they perceive are not respectful of the man's proper place as the dominant gender.
For me, these stories portray a woman who chose strength over victimhood, who chose to thrive when society would have surely understood why she "never really came out of it." She's an overcomer, and her triumphant nature is a joy to read about. The author has populated these stories with several great characters and dropped them into fast-paced storylines that will keep the reader/listener gripped.
February 15, 2020
It took me a while to get into the story of What Lies Beneath by David Archer due to a backstory that took too many chapters to get told. Several character idiosyncrasies didn’t mesh solidly about the main character Cassie McGraw. A girl who has everything, then suddenly finds it all gone, does not immediately become the altruistic do-gooder that Cassie did in this story. If she almost becomes an alcoholic after her first boyfriend drops her, she’s not going to turn accepting angel when her next boyfriend nearly destroys her.
A chapter that takes her to the dark side before hitting her real goal in life might have added a bit more to this story. In other words, open with that horrific scene with the fire, then uncover the past while she learns to deal with the horror of her situation. This would have grabbed your readers by the throat and they’d have refused to put that book down until finished! A good content edit could have realigned the text into a killer thriller, but in the end, it did turn into an interesting read.
I found the idea of a deformed reformed Cassie taking on the crusade for battered women very enticing, and I look forward to Mr. Archer developing the character and his future books into an exceptional series.
A chapter that takes her to the dark side before hitting her real goal in life might have added a bit more to this story. In other words, open with that horrific scene with the fire, then uncover the past while she learns to deal with the horror of her situation. This would have grabbed your readers by the throat and they’d have refused to put that book down until finished! A good content edit could have realigned the text into a killer thriller, but in the end, it did turn into an interesting read.
I found the idea of a deformed reformed Cassie taking on the crusade for battered women very enticing, and I look forward to Mr. Archer developing the character and his future books into an exceptional series.
August 30, 2021
I have never read a book with so much repetition...even down to the full Miranda Rights within pages of each other. Cassie's story repeated over and over and over and...you get my drift. Such an unlikely heroine. She's probably only 20 years old since the first part of the book she is 18, and then it is 2 years later. Suddenly she is not a naive teenager but a mature woman. This book is really 3 stories but none of them done particularly well. The plots were predictable and the characters unrelatable. It's hard to get invested in someone's story when their character is not developed. Cassie goes from a morose alcohol binging teen to an abused fiancee in the space of months. After her ordeal, she becomes a super sleuth....it's all so superficial. I felt like I was reading a 10th grader's work who ran out of ideas, smashed a bunch of events into a story, and then because it didn't fulfill the page requirements, added the repetitions. Ugh. I probably edited this review more than the author did of his novel. Totally unsatisfying!
December 9, 2017
A difficult book to read, but worth it!
I wasn't sure after I had read about half of this book that I would be able to finish it. As he said in the introduction, it might be difficult for some people to read and it surely is. It deals with subjects that simply are too dark to think about. One thing though that I really like about the way David Archer rights and he certainly did it in this book is that he doesn't explain in detail the things that are happening. He paints it with a rather broad brush and then allows the readers bond to fill in the details. Pretty much like Alfred Hitchcock did. I think that David Archer is a great author but I would prefer that he stick with his two main protagonist Noah Wolfe and Sam Pritchard. I'm not really sure I will read any of his books like this one in the future.
I wasn't sure after I had read about half of this book that I would be able to finish it. As he said in the introduction, it might be difficult for some people to read and it surely is. It deals with subjects that simply are too dark to think about. One thing though that I really like about the way David Archer rights and he certainly did it in this book is that he doesn't explain in detail the things that are happening. He paints it with a rather broad brush and then allows the readers bond to fill in the details. Pretty much like Alfred Hitchcock did. I think that David Archer is a great author but I would prefer that he stick with his two main protagonist Noah Wolfe and Sam Pritchard. I'm not really sure I will read any of his books like this one in the future.
February 5, 2024
Got this book for free via Audible. Thought I'd give it a go. It was just not for me. This is truly one of the strangest books I've ever read. It felt like 3 different book ideas put into one, all about 1 character. The first part was interesting but rushed and then it turned out that wasn't the main part of the story anyway. The repetition, weird dialogue, chapters ending in middle of conversations, the main character flip flopping with no development or deep understanding (considering what happens to her!). I think that was it though, no depth. The audible reading and performance was amazing though! Probably the main reason I finished it in the first place. Deffo won't be returning to the second one.
February 29, 2024
While I agree with some of the things other readers said in their reviews, I found this book kept my attention and was interesting. As a victim of domestic abuse, I can relate to how hard it is to get away and believe what's happening to you from the inside. It's much easier being on the outside and giving advice on getting out. The only thing I didn't care for about the story was Cassie's constant negative comments about her scars from the fire. I'm sure it's difficult to live with scars like that, but at least she lived through the event. Can't say the same thing for her best friend that tried to help her. At least Cassie used her life experiences to try to help other women in similar circumstances. Decent enough book that I'll listen to the rest in the series.
December 18, 2017
I am not sure about this book. The first part bothered me and I didn't know if I would like it or not. After finishing it, I as still not sure where it is going with the next chapter in Cassie's life. A young girl gets involved with a man who has a dark side he did not want her to know about. One of her friends, who is an advocate for battered women, comes to Cassie's aid and gets killed. Cassie is burned on over half of her body. From here, we follow Cassie as she goes about helping other battered women and follows clues on another case. It is an interesting character as she uses her scarred face as a way to get into the cases she is working on.
April 25, 2023
I got a free audiobook version of the first 2 books of the series and figured I’d give them a try. I will say right off the bat that this reads like a YA James Patterson novel (not in a bad way though?) lol
I got really into the story and it was hard for me to stop listening. I’m not sure how I would have felt if this wasn’g an audiobook thought. Ratings are hard for me because I am EASILY entertained by anything so truthfully I always rate things on the higher end but overall I enjoyed the narrative, felt inclined to keep listening and have started book 2.
I got really into the story and it was hard for me to stop listening. I’m not sure how I would have felt if this wasn’g an audiobook thought. Ratings are hard for me because I am EASILY entertained by anything so truthfully I always rate things on the higher end but overall I enjoyed the narrative, felt inclined to keep listening and have started book 2.
January 26, 2025
This was the first in a series so I figured I’d read this and decide if I wanted to read the rest. Big NOPE on that.
This book felt extremely amateurly written.
It was like David Archer crammed 3 different stories into one book. The characters really weren’t developed well & most of the time I was left saying “can anything else in the book possibly happen to this girl!?” and it wasn’t meant in a good way by any means.
I definitely won’t be reading the next in the series or passing this on as a recommendation. This book was literally chaotic and I. can’t. even.
This book felt extremely amateurly written.
It was like David Archer crammed 3 different stories into one book. The characters really weren’t developed well & most of the time I was left saying “can anything else in the book possibly happen to this girl!?” and it wasn’t meant in a good way by any means.
I definitely won’t be reading the next in the series or passing this on as a recommendation. This book was literally chaotic and I. can’t. even.
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