Der Rausch der Tiefe

by Kyle Perry, Sabine Längsfeld (Translator)

An der dramatischen Küste der Tasmanischen Halbinsel wird ein Junge angespült, übersät mit blauen Flecken und gebrandmarkt mit einem rätselhaften Tattoo, das ihn als Forest Dempsey identifiziert, jenen 13-jährigen Jungen, der vor sieben Jahren spurlos verschwand und seitdem für tot gehalten wurde. Was ist passiert? Da Forest hartnäckig schweigt, machen sich die Cousins Mackerel und Ahab Dempsey auf die Suche nach Antworten. Unerbittlich werden sie dabei zurück in den Strudel der verbrecherischen Machenschaften ihrer Familie gezogen, den sie eigentlich verlassen hatten. Und es wird immer schwieriger, zwischen richtig und falsch, zwischen Moral und Loyalität zu unterscheiden.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Australia, Audiobook, Tasmania

544 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Kyle Perry is a counsellor who has worked extensively in high schools, youth shelters and drug rehabs. In his work he encounters stories and journeys that would fill a hundred books. Kyle’s mother grew up in the foothills of the Great Western Tiers, in Tasmania’s heartland, where his grandfather was called on for search and rescues in the mountains. Kyle himself has been lost in Tasmanian mountains twice, and once used ripped pages of a journal stuck on branches to find his way back out. He has also seen strange things in the bush that defy explanation and are best not spoken about. Kyle divides his time between his small country hometown in Tasmania’s North West and Hobart. The Bluffs is his debut novel.

Reviews

[Kelz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It felt a bit like Jane Harper fan fiction. Or the version of Chris Hammer you get from Aldi. Okay at times, but laughably bad at others.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

IWow, Kyle Perry.. wow. This man can really write a tale can’t he. This is the eagerly awaited second book from the Tasmanian author and it was amazing. I really didn’t expect anything less, after reading the Bluffs last year.

Once again, he brings Tassie to life on the pages, making it so vivid in the readers mind as they learn the story of the Dempsey family. On the rugged coastline line, the ocean is a big part of the town of Shacktowns life. This is a book full of mystery, family secrets and betrayal. The Dempsey’s have been running their drug ring for years, under the cover of their fishing business. 7 years ago, Forest Dempsey disappeared with his parents and now he has washed up on the beach.... where has he been all this time?

The Deep is rich in legends of the sea, the sirens, the black wind, Blackbeard.. the mysterious leader. It is dark and intense and highly addictive. Fantastic.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

was so silly it just really annoyed me

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of The Deep and hadn’t read Kyle Perry’s first book. I found the remote Tasmanian small coastal town setting interesting and the town had lots of secrets. I found there were lots of characters and it was hard to keep track of who was who. The pace of the book sped up at the end but I found the behaviour of some characters unbelievable, especially Shelby when tragedy struck.
The Deep will probably appeal more to men than women and there are some interesting thoughts on what it means to be a man. Mackenzie develops as a person and puts a lot of his childhood trauma behind him

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unputdownable. This book only took me a week to read because I had to work every day. If I'd been able to devote the time I reckon I would have consumed this in 2 days! Kyle Perry had a stunning debut novel in The Bluffs, but this....THIS easily surpasses it. From the harsh but beautiful coastal setting, to the riveting and diverse characters and the twisting and turning plot - this is the novel of a writer really hitting his straps.
Set in the south-Tasman town of Shacktown, The Deep draws us into the seedy and violent world of the Dempseys; a crime family consisting of matriarch Ivy, and brothers Mackenzie (Mackeral) and Davey. They work in drug trade in partnership with a mysterious figure known only as the Dread Pirate Blackbeard. Everything is moving along nicely (as nicely as illegal pursuits can) - and then Forest, a boy long thought dead, turns up coughing and sputtering from the ocean.
Where has the boy been for 8 years? What happened the night he went missing? Where are the others who were with him? What does this mean for the Dempseys?
The Deep has a steady, building pace and Perry's plot twists made me gasp out loud at times, especially as the book neared its conclusion. It also has a lot to say about what it means to "be a man". The timely theme of toxic masculinity is an interesting thread through the novel and it's fair to say Perry leaves the read in no doubt about the devastating impact it has on men and those close to them (and even not close to them).
I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. I urge you to get your hands on it as soon as it's published on July 20th. You won't be sorry.

(reviewer supplied with an ARC by publisher in professional capacity as a librarian).

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the edge of Tasmania, lies Shacktown, a coastal Australian town ruled by the Dempsey family. The Dempsey family are most know for two things - their drug empire and the mysterious disappearance of Jesse, Alexandra and Forest Dempsey many years ago. 7 years later and Forest Dempsey has just washed up on the beach with a crude tattoo across his back and clear signs of trauma. Where has this boy been for 7 years and is the Dempsey family empire about to fall?

I really, really wanted to love this one, I can't emphasise that enough. I loved The Bluffs and had high expectations but was left feeling a little underwhelmed. The storyline was intriguing and kept me hooked, but turned in directions that left me frustrated. I loved the small beach town setting, but the characters were the WORST. The big reveal at the end was sadly predictable and left me feeling disappointed. I will definitely be reading more of Perry's work in future, but this one was not a must read.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘This is Forest Dempsey. Be careful what you wish for.’

Pirates Bay, Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania. A thirteen-year-old boy walks out of the sea. There is a tattoo on his back: can he really be Forest Dempsey? Forest was believed dead: he went missing seven years ago.

The Dempsey family are well known on the Tasman Peninsula. They operate Dempsey Abalone and, using this as cover together with the weather, run a drug ring. Forest’s father Jesse was in charge, until he, his wife and Forest disappeared. His brother Davey now runs the operation, their other brother Mackenzie (known to most as Mackerel), out of gaol on strict bail, is shunned by the family including his mother Ivy.

‘Black wind at morning, sailors take warning. Black wind at night, death is in sight.’

The reappearance of Forest throws the family into crisis. Where has Forest been for all those years? Is his return tied to the emergence of the infamous Blackbeard, rumoured to be manoeuvring for a takeover of the Dempsey’s drug empire?

The story unfolds mainly through the perspectives of Mackerel Dempsey, his cousin Ahab Stark, and young Forest Dempsey. Family secrets and mysteries all have a part to play, as does the setting. Mackerel Dempsey is fighting to keep out of trouble before his next court appearance. His mother Ivy treats him with contempt. Ahab Stark is fighting his own demons and has renounced the family drug business. He has seen the cost firsthand. And Forest is surrounded by mystery.

I picked this novel up and could not put it down. I am familiar with many of the landmarks of the Tasman Peninsula and could just imagine the story unfolding there. Mr Perry has provided several well-developed characters for me to like (or loathe) and while parts of the story made me uncomfortable, I liked the way it was all drawn together in the end.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Deep is a fast-paced, twisty intrigue-thriller exploring the tribulations of the extended Dempsey family after 13-year-old Forest Dempsey is rescued alive after washing up on a rock shelf, having been missing for seven years, bearing a beguiling tattoo on his shoulder blade -

THIS IS FOREST DEMPSEY
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

The Dempseys - headed by second brother Davey and family matriarch Ivy - run an abalone fishing business out of Shacktown, a fictional town clearly inspired by Eaglehawk Neck and Doo-town on the real-life Pirate's Bay at the northern point of the Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania. However, the Dempsey fishing operation is actually a front for a lucrative drugs importation business. Side-lined from the criminal enterprise are black sheep younger brother Mackenzie "Mackerel" Dempsey and cousin Ahab - whose late mother was a Dempsey - who chose to turn his back on the drugs industry several years back, much to the disgust of the core members of the Dempsey clan. (I actually had to sketch myself a little family tree to keep track of which character was which before I'd progressed somewhat into the book!)

Jesse, eldest brother and heir assumptive to the family business, disappeared mysteriously with his wife Alexandra and 6-year-old son Forest seven years previously, with suspicions abounding as to who might have wanted him out of the way. Forest's dramatic reappearance poses the renewal of speculation about Jesse and Alexandra's whereabouts, not to mention burning curiosity as to where the child has been all these years and why he's turned up back in Pirates Bay now.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the Tasman Peninsula, among the sea-cliffs, is Shacktown. We meet the Dempsey family that have run a drug ring for years, by cover of a fishing business. But one day thirteen year old Forest Dempsey walks out of the ocean - a boy that has been missing for seven years and the story begins. We get to see the family, with Mack out of jail but on strict bail reporting conditions and his cousin Ahab, who has made a career for himself and stayed out of the family business. They both search for answers as to where Forest has been and what caused his disappearance and secrets are slowly uncovered surrounding the mystery. Meanwhile, the rumours continue about Blackbeard, a notorious drug kingpin moving in on the family territory and Ivy Dempsey, the matriarch, is not pleased.

I loved the mystery and suspense in this one and the slow revelation of family secrets. For some reason I loved the deep sea diving element and the mystery surrounding the ocean and caves, I was completely immersed. The talk of Blackbeard, the Black Winds and modern day pirates added to the atmosphere of the novel and it was such an enjoyable one.

Thanks so much to Penguin Books Australia for this gifted review copy.

[Silvie Klokgieter · Rating 3 out of 5]

De familie Dempsey uit het dorpje Shacktown aan de kust van Tasmanië is berucht om twee dingen: hun drugsimperium, waarvoor hun visserijbedrijf als dekmantel dient, en de mysterieuze verdwijning van drie van hun familieleden, jaren geleden. Toch wanen ze zich onaantastbaar en denken ze overal mee weg te kunnen komen.

Wanneer Mackerel Dempsey na een jarenlange gevangenisstraf weer op vrije voeten komt, probeert hij zijn leven op te pakken zonder de hulp van zijn criminele familie. Dat lukt aardig, tot op het strand een jongen aanspoelt met een bijzondere tatoeage op zijn rug: DIT IS FOREST DEMPSEY. WEET WAT JE WENST. Wat jarenlang in de diepte verborgen lag, borrelt langzaam naar boven…

Het vorige boek van Kyle Perry, 'De vermiste meisjes', vond ik supergoed en mysterieus dus ik was heel erg benieuwd naar dit nieuwe verhaal!

'De diepte' begint met het aanspoelen van een jongen op het strand. Het blijkt om de vermiste Forest Dempsey te gaan en hierdoor wilde ik snel verder lezen en er achter komen wat er met hem was gebeurd.

Je leest vanuit verschillende personages: Forest, Ahab en Mackerel Dempsey en het is al gauw duidelijk dat de familie Dempsey een hele beruchte familie is. Ze houden zich bezig met allerlei criminelen zaken, waaronder drugs.

Nu ben ik normaal gesproken nooit zo geïnteresseerd in dit soort drugsverhalen, maar ik was zo enthousiast over het vorige boek van deze auteur én de flaptekst sprak mij ook aan wat betreft de aangespoelde jongen en de verdwijningen...

Helaas moet ik toch toegeven dat dit verhaal niet helemaal "mijn ding" was. Er zitten zeker wel een aantal goede en spannende stukken in, maar het verhaal an sich vond ik toch niet boeiend genoeg.

MAAR... als je dus wél van criminaliteit en drugszaken houdt, dan is dit boek zeker wel een aanrader voor je! Het is dus echt geen slecht verhaal, je moet er alleen van houden.

Beoordeling: 3,0 ⭐️

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

After thoroughly enjoying Kyle Perry’s debut novel, The Bluffs, I had high hopes for The Deep. It is almost two years since I read The Bluffs, and maybe my reading tastes have changed a little perhaps, but honestly this novel didn’t do it for me. I really wanted to like this one but the subject matter, characters and plot were not in my areas of interest. The only thing I vaguely liked was the setting of Eaglehawk Neck in southeastern Tasmania, however, even that was not enough to salvage this one for me as Perry didn’t really elaborate the setting in a major way. Overall the novel was a little too far fetched for me and all a bit cliche with tried and true story lines. Probs only 2.5 rounded to 3 stars.

[Nic D'Alessandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyle Perry's 'The Deep' comes on the back of his successful debut novel in 2020 'The Bluffs'.

It's tempting to compare the two-even wile reading-but these books do stand alone. There are some similarities mind you... Tasmania, the drug trade, police, the supernatural, and wayward kids.

The Deep is set in south-east Tasmania around the Tasman Peninsula. Once again, Perry has captured the landscape and feel of the place. 'Shacktown' is fictitious, but locals will still recognise many of the places and natural features in the area. His description of places, the fauna, and particularly the ocean are captivating. His depictions of diving in the ocean are atmospheric and evocative. And, we're even given a lesson in cooking 'ice', and how it feels to be on the stuff!

I won't include any spoilers, but the plot centers around The Business - a local family with an iron grip on the local drug import trade. They're faced with the ominous prospect of a mysterious drug-lord muscling in on their territory. The family is also haunted by their own past with some of their family members missing, and it's unknown whether those people are in fact dead or alive.

Perry has once again crafted some great characters. Mackenzie (or 'Mackerel') is a great creation and becomes the backbone of the story. His tale is one of tragedy and despair, but also of overcoming against the odds.

The only niggles I had with the book were some of the character names. 'Ahab' and 'Huck' just didn't sit well in a Tasmanian story, and especially down in the south-east. And there were many characters to keep track of, including a complex extended family structure with takes some getting your head around. Some of the dialogue was just a bit too 'clipped' and sanitised. Excessive slang and swearing can be off-putting when you're reading, but fisherman and drug dealers who don't drop the f- or s-bombs occasionally are not quite the real-deal.

Overall, this is a masterful story, very well told. The mysterious plot takes a little getting used to in the first half, but things start to click as you push on, and the intensity ramps up to a satisfying ending.

A recommended read. Well done, again, to Kyle Perry.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Black wind at morning, sailors take warning. Black wind at night, death is in sight.”

On the southern coast of Tasmania, the Dempsey family empire in Shacktown has been built not only on their monopoly of abalone fishing licenses but on their illicit drug importation business. Davy Dempsey has been the head of the family operations since his older brother, Jesse and his wife and son, vanished seven years ago, but when Jesse’s son, Forest, washes up on the beach, exhibiting signs of physical and emotional trauma, the Dempsey’s are thrown into crisis. Sensing vulnerability, a fearsome rival makes a move while family loyalties are tested and unraveling secrets threaten to swamp them all.

Kyle Perry’s second novel, The Deep, plunges readers into a turbulent, gritty, atmospheric story of betrayal, corruption, loyalty and redemption. It offers more than one mystery and several stunning twists as the members of the Dempsey family take sides in a battle for the business, and their lives. Issues such as morality, masculinity, family violence, the drug trade, and addiction are explored through a fairly large cast of characters.

The tale unfolds primarily from the perspectives of Mackerel (Mackenzie) Dempsey, the younger brother of Jesse and Davy, and the black sheep of the family; the Dempsey brothers uncle, Ahab Dempsey, who despises the drug business; and the now teenage Forest Dempsey. The Dempsey family speak of a curse that plagues their men - great success will be followed by a spectacular fall - but it’s hardly a surprise given the dangerous businesses the Dempsey’s are in, not to mention their disturbingly dysfunctional family dynamic. Perry’s characters are complex, and mostly deeply flawed, some irredeemably so, such as the Dempsey matriarch Ivy, and her two eldest sons.

I didn’t find The Deep to be as compelling as The Bluffs if I am honest, it was a little slow to start and I was probably close to halfway through the novel before I was fully invested, but from that point on, I was reluctant to put it down.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Black wind at morning, sailors take warning.
Black wind at night, death is in sight.”

Perry is back with his second thriller set off the rugged coast of Tasmania. If you find yourself in the path of the black wind while your out at sea all you can do is race to the shore and hope you make it there alive. If you’re part of the Dempsey family the wind messes with your mind!

The Dempsey family have run a drug ring over generations by using their fishing business as a front. 13 year old Forrest Dempsey walks out of the water 7 years after disappearing and it sets of a chain of events no one could predict.

The one thing on everyone’s mind what happened to Forrest and where has he been all this time?

Mack is out of jail and is on strict bail terms, he’s desperate to break the cycle and build a better future. His cousin Ahab has cut himself off from the family and is struggling to keep afloat on the straight and narrow. Rumours of a new kingpin Blackbeard has been flooding into the town and he’s taking over.

Ivy runs the town, what she says goes and she isn’t happy that Blackbeard is questioning her status. When her son and heir to her dynasty goes missing the whole family is divided. The Dempsey family are full of secrets and Forrest’s return has everyone questioning if blood is thicker than water?

Underbelly meets the Sea, modern day pirates, dysfunctional family’s, drugs, betrayal and the dangerous sea. My favorite part about Perry’s writing is the research that goes into his books. Every little detail carefully planned out and executed. I felt like I was apart of the book and right in the heart of the Tasmanian terrain.

Congratulations Kyle Perry on another gripping novel. After the success of The Bluffs writing book two must her been extremely daunting to release, but you nailed it!

[Christine Riches · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the Bluffs. I so wanted to love the Deep.

But, the characters were so predictable, and worse, some of the premises absurd. A drug dealers wife with no idea what her husband really is who happens to be a chemist who then has a doomsday prepper for an Aunt who has dozens of boxes of pseudoephedrine stored in her house?

The descriptions of the Tasmanian coast were beautiful which salvaged things somewhat.

[Monique Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Kyle Perry.. amazing. Was hooked from the first page

[Jukebook_juliet · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 🌟

[brooke erickson · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointed with this book!! I really enjoyed the Bluffs so this was a massive let down… if I wasn’t listening to the audio book version I don’t think I would have finished it…

[Jessica (bibliobliss.au) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the success of The Bluffs, I know a lot of readers are eagerly anticipating The Deep, so feel lucky to have read an uncorrected proof of what will be a popular Aussie release!

The Deep it set in coastal Tasmania. Here, family drama abounds with Davey Dempsey leading the family drug business, his brother Mackerel just released from prison, cousin Ahab who’s renounced the family and Ivy Dempsey, the matriarch of the family. There’s also the mystery Jesse Dempsey, the former head of the drug ring who disappeared with his wife and son, Forest 7 years ago.
But when Forest suddenly reappears, seemingly traumatised, the family find themselves caught up in a dangerous world of secrets & deceptions. What happened to Forest? And does his return have anything to do with the rumours about ruthless drug kingpin, Blackbeard, coming to take The Business from the Dempseys?

Comparisons with The Bluffs are probably inevitable but The Deep is a different book. Its pacing isn’t as rapid, the urgency not as great but it’s a more intricately woven puzzle than The Bluffs.

Kyle Perry is adept at using nature to help build tension within his stories. For this, coastal Tasmania & the moody ocean waters are an ideal backdrop. Kyle Perry draws out the creepy and foreboding in this landscape.

The Deep had me guessing the whole way through. The absence of a visible threat for much of the book had some pros & cons. At times, the characters’ imagining of the incoming danger was dark & menacing and at other times, felt like the characters were being sent on a wild goose chase. It all came together in the end though and I think both feelings contribute to the overall riddle and psychological deceptions at play in this mystery.

One particular character from The Deep was a stand-out for me. They added a really interesting anti-hero arc to the narrative & I’m not against seeing a prequel about this complex character.

The Deep is gritty, raw and dark, dotted with violence and tragedy and presented with characters who will have you wondering who can be trusted. The Deep is a must-read for thriller fans.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

I flew through this! THE DEEP is an atmospheric crime fic/thriller on par with the works of Jane Harper and Chris Hammer. ⁣
⁣
Set against the rugged Tasmanian landscape, THE DEEP centres around the powerful Dempsey family and the drug trade they run under the guise of an abalone business. The family have had their share of betrayal and heartbreak, with the former head and his family, Jesse, disappearing without a trace 7 years ago. But when Forest Dempsey, Jesse’s son, washes up on the beach, the family are thrown into disarray as deeply buried secrets bubble to the surface. ⁣
⁣
The best word to describe this book is layered - beyond the epic pairing of Underbelly-esque drug dynasties and modern day pirates, THE DEEP also explores the topics of rehabilitation, toxic masculinity and pride. I loved the character of Mack! He embodied the concepts of guilt, honour and redemption beautifully.

It was a bit of a rush towards the end and a few unanswered questions remain. Could’ve benefitted from a bit of a tighten - probably 2-3 chapters shorter. Also idk about including the details about how to cook ice?!? Didn’t sit well with me.
⁣
The extent of Perry’s research is clear in the details of the book and the grittiness of the characters. As with his debut, The Bluffs, Perry draws from his own experiences as a counsellor - in particular a case manager in a men’s drug and alcohol rehab. He spoke to numerous current and former drug dealers and visited drug dens and underworld houses to ensure accuracy of information. Fun fact - he also learnt how to scuba dive the aspects of underwater physics in the book. That dedication! ⁣
⁣
I haven’t yet read his debut, The Bluffs, but I certainly will now!! ⁣
⁣
Review copy kindly gifted by Penguin Books Aus.

[Julie (Bookish.Intoxication) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am finally diving in to Kyle Perrys latest release and wow, from the first page I am thrust into a place that feels so familiar, filled with characters that could be people I know.

That familiarity is part of what draws me to Perry's work. Being a fellow Tasmanian, I know the places that have inspired the novels  have been there countless times, know the smells and sounds and sights. Not to mention, know the locals and the townships. It adds another layer to the incredible writing within these books.

Each character within these pages is deep and complex. You think you know where they are coming from and then they turn a full 360 and show a new side of themselves. They feel real, as though they could be someone you know, they have depth and rawness that comes with going about life. Perry has breathed life into his characters, which makes them leap from the pages.

Chapter to chapter, the reader is tossed into a tumultuous sea of plot twists, character development and deceptions that are impossible to predict. But the ultimate twist is on the very last page, a haunting revelation that keeps the reader thinking, long after turning that final page.

The Deep is a master work filled to the brim with loveable, yet rough, characters. Paired with Perry's uncanny ability to transport you directly to the coast of Tasmania with complete sincerely and accuracy. This book is not to be missed and is definitely my top read of 2021.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

As indicated in my interim impression, written when I was about half way through the book, the setting was great and unique (at least for a Canadian reader). The author skillfully used the Southern Ocean as a powerful ally in creating atmospheric scenes where the sea and superstitions, as well as very real dangers and tragedies, permeated the lives of the varied and often quirky denizens of Shacktown, in Tasmania.

However, at that point the pace fell off for about 50 pages and it seemed that the central story, of the powerful, corrupt and cruel family that controlled Shacktown, was just beginning. The author was able to rekindle the necessary momentum, albeit a bit awkwardly, to complete a coherent novel, but the slow unfolding of the direction the author had taken until mid-book never did entirely dissipate. And he kept returning to earlier events in a way that, once again, spoiled the pace and flow of the central plot.

Two or two and a half stars for a story that had the potential to be very good, except for pace. Oh, and some serious coincidences and repetitive back-stories about child abuse and craven violence within a family dynasty. And some clichéd side-bars related to coming-of-age and absolution. And the “nasty” in dynasty - the domineering, ruthless granny - etc.

I very much wanted this book to be better but found myself quite bogged down at times.

[Annetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Perry’s style of writing and he can spin a good mystery with many twists and turns . My concern ( pet hate ) is that the content is based on drugs and a drug family . This really is something I hate reading and my f I had known would not have started . I nearly put this down quite often because of the casual references to drugs with no great concern about the horrors they cause on bodies and souls and families . This is a personal issue but it did colour how I feel about this book .

[Mary Ladrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent thriller read set in Tasmania Australia. Author of The Bluffs another excellent read. Explores the author's experience as a drug and alcohol counsellor incorporated in this fiction read. Great suspense and twists. Enjoy! 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
Enjoyable but a bit messy/confusing at times. I generally like books with lots of twist but I almost felt like this had too many twist that made it a bit hard to follow sometimes. But overall it was still enjoyable.

[Ben Hobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rivetting, emotional - so many twists and turns it'll crick your neck. Really fun, really thrilling.

[Mandie (allbookedout_with_mj) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliant dark and atmospheric book from the author of The Bluffs, Kyle Perry comes The Deep!

What a wild and thrilling ride this was! Kyle knows how to take nature and use it to create such dramatic and intense scenes!

Set in Tasmania and based around a family run drug ring, I was drawn in from the get go. I needed and wanted to know more about the lives of the family and each of the characters and the dark secrets that created tension and suspense throughout the book.

I loved the multiple POV’S and the difference of characters and how they felt and thought! I was a big fan of Mack and there were scenes where I was literally yelling out loud at him because I wanted him to make a particular decision.

A twisty crime thriller that will keep you guessing all the way!

[Laura Trenham · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and a half stars

[Jay Dwight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyle Perry follows up last year's excellent "The Bluffs" with another dark and atmospheric, totally engaging read.

Again set in Tasmania, this is a story of the drug trade in coastal Shacktown, and the story focuses on the Dempsey family who have been the leading crime syndicate in the area for many years, hiding behind the legitimate Dempsey Abalone business. When 13 year old Forest Dempsey reappears, after being missing and presumed dead for several years, a chain of events with far reaching consequences is set in motion.

A story of a dysfunctional family, hidden secrets, and the lengths some will go to in order to protect what is theirs.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollicking read, Kyle Perry has a great way with storytelling. I loved the twists and turns, definitely a thrilling read with unexpected moments. The characters were engaging and the family dynamics kept me guessing. My one wish would be for it to have had a more definitive ending, this was something I noticed in his previous book as well, and hopefully it will be worked on in future books. A great weekend or holiday read.