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A.J. Bailey Adventure #3
Wreck of the Raptor
It's 1974 and Whitey Snow is working for ruthless Peruvian drug lords.
He's in deep, and with the wrong people. After falling for Isabella Alonso on the island of Grand Cayman, he decides to get out. He hides a key to the cartel’s cash in the engine room of a sunken wreck, but when his cold-blooded boss, Gabriel Cavero, becomes suspicious, things turn deadly.
45 years later, Hazel Delacroix arrives on Grand Cayman to enjoy some Scuba diving with AJ Bailey's Mermaid Divers. The two quickly become close, but AJ soon discovers Hazel's interest in diving wrecks has less to do with recreational diving, and more to do with what happened in '74.
Is there something else behind Hazel's fascination with the wreck of the Raptor?
A thrilling climax awaits in the waters of Grand Cayman.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2019
475 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Harvey
42 books176 followersA USA Today bestselling author, Nicholas Harvey's life has been anything but ordinary. Race car driver, motorsports professional, adventure traveller, divemaster, and since 2020, a full-time novelist. Raised in England, Nick has dual UK and US citizenship and now lives nomadically wherever he and his amazing wife, Cheryl, choose to land for a few months. He is the author of the Nora Sommer Suspense, Kat Cromwell Mystery, and AJ Bailey Adventure series, as well as multiple collaborations.
Find out more info and join his newsletter at www.HarveyBooks.com
Find out more info and join his newsletter at www.HarveyBooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 19, 2021
This series just keeps getting better with every book!! The storylines are creative and thrilling; I couldn’t put the book down I had to finish it! Having the two separate storylines 45 years apart but parallel each other was really interesting. And I really like the characters!!
January 17, 2023
Another great read. Very exciting following two stories almost 40 years apart. Kept me fascinated throughout the entire story. Whitey and Hazel were very interesting characters . Eager to read next book in series!
July 18, 2020
GENRE: Adventure
SETTING: Grand Cayman
PLOT: Dive boat operator, AJ Bailey, befriends a French woman named Hazel, who is visiting Grand Cayman on a soul searching trip after a series of misfortunes. They seem destined to be best friends.
So when the opportunity came to dive the wreck of the Raptor, Hazel jumped at the chance. But it turns out, there is more to the wreck than AJ Bailey knows...
OPINION: I’ve done it! I’m caught up on all 7 books within the AJ Bailey scuba diving adventure series!! And let me tell you, this has been my favorite series to read since Alex Cross. There is adventure, mystery, suspense, and history - all set around the beautiful island and ocean of Grand Cayman. Even if you aren’t a scuba diver, I think you’d find this thrilling ride one you’d want to be on!
STAR RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
SETTING: Grand Cayman
PLOT: Dive boat operator, AJ Bailey, befriends a French woman named Hazel, who is visiting Grand Cayman on a soul searching trip after a series of misfortunes. They seem destined to be best friends.
So when the opportunity came to dive the wreck of the Raptor, Hazel jumped at the chance. But it turns out, there is more to the wreck than AJ Bailey knows...
OPINION: I’ve done it! I’m caught up on all 7 books within the AJ Bailey scuba diving adventure series!! And let me tell you, this has been my favorite series to read since Alex Cross. There is adventure, mystery, suspense, and history - all set around the beautiful island and ocean of Grand Cayman. Even if you aren’t a scuba diver, I think you’d find this thrilling ride one you’d want to be on!
STAR RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
November 20, 2022
The groovy 70’s, cartels, crazy Cubans, & ol’ St. Nick, oh my!…
This 3rd tale in the AJ Bailey Adventure series is definitely a trip!
A trip back & forth from the 70’s to today, & from predominately Miami to Grand Cayman with some quick stopovers in Peru. (And naturally, continually cycling between being above the sea to 135ft below!)
I really enjoyed this cartel theme. You know these guys can be ruthless, so it definitely added a special edge to the story.
And softening this up is a bit of a romantic story for one of the main characters this time around. (“Temporary” Book 4 character.) This love affair is balanced extremely well - after all, this is not a “romance novel.”
If I was more on the sentimental side, I imagine some tears might have been shed by the end.
Speaking of relationships, once again strong friendships take on an important role here. And not just with our usual crew who are as tight as ever - with some new faces in the mix from Book 2 - the friendships include the central characters of this individual story.
The lead male character has a best buddy. And AJ meets a new girlfriend, & rapidly the two are, well, two peas in a pod! They get along swimmingly! ;)
These two best friendships are critical to this plot; subplots.
Yet another knock it outta the park book written by Nicholas Harvey in this series. The adrenaline isn’t as amped this time around, but that’s ok, we don’t need to be completely breathless every second, every book.
The mystery is solid, I didn’t have it completely figured out at all, & the conclusion was satisfying.
On to all the twists & turns & surprises which await in Book 4! ……
This 3rd tale in the AJ Bailey Adventure series is definitely a trip!
A trip back & forth from the 70’s to today, & from predominately Miami to Grand Cayman with some quick stopovers in Peru. (And naturally, continually cycling between being above the sea to 135ft below!)
I really enjoyed this cartel theme. You know these guys can be ruthless, so it definitely added a special edge to the story.
And softening this up is a bit of a romantic story for one of the main characters this time around. (“Temporary” Book 4 character.) This love affair is balanced extremely well - after all, this is not a “romance novel.”
If I was more on the sentimental side, I imagine some tears might have been shed by the end.
Speaking of relationships, once again strong friendships take on an important role here. And not just with our usual crew who are as tight as ever - with some new faces in the mix from Book 2 - the friendships include the central characters of this individual story.
The lead male character has a best buddy. And AJ meets a new girlfriend, & rapidly the two are, well, two peas in a pod! They get along swimmingly! ;)
These two best friendships are critical to this plot; subplots.
Yet another knock it outta the park book written by Nicholas Harvey in this series. The adrenaline isn’t as amped this time around, but that’s ok, we don’t need to be completely breathless every second, every book.
The mystery is solid, I didn’t have it completely figured out at all, & the conclusion was satisfying.
On to all the twists & turns & surprises which await in Book 4! ……
November 2, 2024
This is the third book in this mystery series by Nicholas Harvey. The series features a young (approximately 30 yrs old) single female scuba diver in the Cayman Islands. She (A.J. Bailey) runs a diving excursion service for tourist visiting the Cayman Islands. This story involves a cargo vessel that sank near the Cayman Islands in the early 1970s. A duel timeline is used to convey events from 1974 and today (2019). How and why did something “valuable” get hidden on the Raptor cargo ship in 1974? What’s the connection between the people in 1974 and the people seeking the hidden item now, 45 years later? Why didn’t anyone try sooner to seek the hidden item? These are the mysteries A.J. Bailey gets involve in. Initially, she is tricked into helping to recover the hidden item. But she soon becomes a mostly willing accomplice to the hunt. The plot twists and the danger, both from the environment where the Raptor is located as well as the criminal element that also wants the item that’s been hidden on the Raptor, make this a mystery worth reading.
May 18, 2021
Wreck of the Raptor - a review by Rosemary Kenny
AJ's 30th birthday shindig in 2019 goes a little OTT, which might explain why she's hungover and late for her dive-charter client, Hazel, the next day. Luckily, AJ's partner Thomas takes care of preparing everything for the dive, so Hazel and AJ can get underway and soon become good friends.
Meanwhile in a dual timeline set 45 years earlier, crook 'Whitey' Snow inviegles his pal Ainsley into a dangerous get-rich-quick scheme in Grand Cayman, but things go badly wrong for one of them. Why does Whitey dive on the Raptor?
What secret is Hazel hiding?
A deadly game of cat-and-mouse reveals both the guilty and the innocent, as a Mafia family boss seeks recompense and retribution through his son.
Will Whitey, Ainsley, Hazel, Reg and AJ live to discover the secret hidden within the Wreck of the Raptor? Get your copy of Nicholas Harvey's great book to find out the unexpected twist at the end!
AJ's 30th birthday shindig in 2019 goes a little OTT, which might explain why she's hungover and late for her dive-charter client, Hazel, the next day. Luckily, AJ's partner Thomas takes care of preparing everything for the dive, so Hazel and AJ can get underway and soon become good friends.
Meanwhile in a dual timeline set 45 years earlier, crook 'Whitey' Snow inviegles his pal Ainsley into a dangerous get-rich-quick scheme in Grand Cayman, but things go badly wrong for one of them. Why does Whitey dive on the Raptor?
What secret is Hazel hiding?
A deadly game of cat-and-mouse reveals both the guilty and the innocent, as a Mafia family boss seeks recompense and retribution through his son.
Will Whitey, Ainsley, Hazel, Reg and AJ live to discover the secret hidden within the Wreck of the Raptor? Get your copy of Nicholas Harvey's great book to find out the unexpected twist at the end!
September 7, 2023
Absolutely first rate thriller in this exciting series featuring AJ Bailey and her team in Grand Caymen. I love the way the author begins with an event that happens in the past and ties it in to the activities in the present. His back and forth time lines keep you interested and always wanting to read more. These are well developed , believable story lines that grip you from the very first page. The characters in this one , especially her new friend Hazel, are perfectly drawn and developed. I am happy to know that there are at least 13 books in this series. start with book one and see what i mean.
June 3, 2022
Outstanding adventure under water as a key to millions is hidden on a sunken boat
Great characters, tight plot, and fascinating underwater exploring as a safety deposit box key is in a filter at 130 feet, leaving little time for experienced divers to find it. The safety deposit box holds millions in cash from Peruvian drug lords and it’s existence in a local bank threatens the tranquility of a peaceful island. Page turning action with plenty of surprises right to the end. Well worth the time.
Great characters, tight plot, and fascinating underwater exploring as a safety deposit box key is in a filter at 130 feet, leaving little time for experienced divers to find it. The safety deposit box holds millions in cash from Peruvian drug lords and it’s existence in a local bank threatens the tranquility of a peaceful island. Page turning action with plenty of surprises right to the end. Well worth the time.
March 6, 2020
Nick's AJ Bailey Adventure series just keeps getting better! Lots of twists and turns, incredibly immersive (in more ways than one) and a really big surprise at the end. Well-written, lots of suspense! I never want to put his books down ... thrilled when I'm reading, sad when I'm finished because I have to wait for the next release ... can't wait for the next one... get writing Nick!
March 1, 2021
Masterfully Written.
The A. J. Bailey Adventures just keep get better and better. Full of suspense and intrigue, each chapter plays out and moves the reader along at a nice pace. As the story builds, the pins and needles set in, and it becomes like a tennis match you can’t stop watching. Or in this case, stop reading. It naturally leaves you wanting the next book.
The A. J. Bailey Adventures just keep get better and better. Full of suspense and intrigue, each chapter plays out and moves the reader along at a nice pace. As the story builds, the pins and needles set in, and it becomes like a tennis match you can’t stop watching. Or in this case, stop reading. It naturally leaves you wanting the next book.
November 25, 2022
This is one wonderful series, it has adventure, action, a great and interesting cast of characters and heart and soul. It is a well written story and I cannot wait to read the next in this amazing series.
April 20, 2025
Good
I really like AJ and the regular characters, and this story was interesting with some excitement. I'm not into diving, though, so skim a bit when technical things are mentioned.
I really like AJ and the regular characters, and this story was interesting with some excitement. I'm not into diving, though, so skim a bit when technical things are mentioned.
April 3, 2020
Great story with a time hopping plot. Difficult to put down once started.
Thoroughly enjoyed it
Thoroughly enjoyed it
October 18, 2021
Good read with good plot
It was an enjoyable fast read. My only criticism is that Colombian or Colombia was spelled wrong throughout the book.
It was an enjoyable fast read. My only criticism is that Colombian or Colombia was spelled wrong throughout the book.
November 13, 2021
Intense
Well written story about a dive team and a shipwreck and a key that was hidden in the shipwreck back in the 70's. Bad it's want the key and the team fights for their lives.
Well written story about a dive team and a shipwreck and a key that was hidden in the shipwreck back in the 70's. Bad it's want the key and the team fights for their lives.
November 14, 2021
Good read
Nice segue to the other AJ books. I would recommend it! Kept me interested, but truthfully, it did lack some of the suspense of the first two that I trad.
Nice segue to the other AJ books. I would recommend it! Kept me interested, but truthfully, it did lack some of the suspense of the first two that I trad.
July 30, 2022
The Raptor is really deep!
Harvey’s got his stuff together. Great twist and turns to a super story. You may want to get your feet wet in this one. Dive in you’ll love it.
Harvey’s got his stuff together. Great twist and turns to a super story. You may want to get your feet wet in this one. Dive in you’ll love it.
February 3, 2023
SCUBA adventures are amazing!
Read
July 16, 2024As always, Mr. Harvey writes a fantastic novel! Love the mystery, the diving, and the adventure!
October 31, 2025
Just an easy to read series
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews