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Uncharted
Carter McDowell is a broken man. Guilt and grief haunt him as he struggles to keep the only thing he has left, his sailboat Wind Chaser.Kat Deano, a feisty investigative reporter, is in the Bahamas to probe the mysterious disappearance of her twin brother.Thrown together when Carter fishes Kat from the sea at night far from land, their lives become increasingly entangled as they face the forces of nature and threats from unexpected sources. Their uncharted voyage propels them from the office of the Bahamian Prime Minister to the remote island of Andros as they stumble onto a horrific plot that threatens both the U.S. and the Bahamas.Uncharted sets a turbulent period in the Bahamas’ history as the backdrop for a present-day catastrophe. Drawn on the author’s extensive experience cruising this region, this riveting suspense will captivate both seasoned and armchair sailors.
536 pages, Paperback
Published October 30, 2020
69 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 26, 2021
I am always excited to read a book that takes place in a setting I know well, and I am thrilled when the author gets the setting right. Janet Howle clearly knows the Bahamas and its people. Everything about the locations rings true from the vibes of different islands, to the pervasive corruption within the government, to the typical surnames and nicknames of the ordinary folks, to the caves, blue holes and reefs that dominate the landscape. She also knows the history of the island nation, weaving in folklore, iconic figures and the darker legacy of the drug trade.
I am not typically a reader of suspense novels, so perhaps I am not the best to judge, but I found the plotline to be fast-paced and convoluted enough to keep the reader wondering.
I was fortunate to "meet" Ms. Howle on a Zoom book club meeting comprised of female sailors. She shared with us her real life sailing history and clued us in: there is more to come! I look forward to reading her next book!
I am not typically a reader of suspense novels, so perhaps I am not the best to judge, but I found the plotline to be fast-paced and convoluted enough to keep the reader wondering.
I was fortunate to "meet" Ms. Howle on a Zoom book club meeting comprised of female sailors. She shared with us her real life sailing history and clued us in: there is more to come! I look forward to reading her next book!
January 6, 2026
Uncharted by Janet Howle is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that pulls you in from the very first pages and never loosens its hold. The story beautifully blends suspense, emotional depth, and rich nautical detail, making it impossible to put down.
Carter McDowell is a compelling, deeply human character haunted by loss, guilt, and the fear of losing the last thing anchoring him to life: his sailboat, Wind Chaser. Kat Deano is equally engaging a sharp, determined investigative reporter driven by love and unanswered questions about her missing twin brother. When their lives collide in the dark waters of the Bahamas, the connection feels natural and earned, not forced.
What truly sets Uncharted apart is the authenticity of its setting. Janet Howle’s extensive experience cruising the Bahamas shines through in every scene. The islands, the sea, and the unpredictable forces of nature are not just a backdrop they are living, breathing elements of the story. The plot unfolds with steadily rising tension, carrying the reader from intimate character moments to high stakes political intrigue involving both the Bahamas and the United States.
The pacing is excellent, the suspense is relentless, and the emotional undercurrents give the story real weight. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or someone who simply loves a smart, well crafted thriller, Uncharted delivers on all fronts.
A riveting, immersive read that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended. 🌊📖
Carter McDowell is a compelling, deeply human character haunted by loss, guilt, and the fear of losing the last thing anchoring him to life: his sailboat, Wind Chaser. Kat Deano is equally engaging a sharp, determined investigative reporter driven by love and unanswered questions about her missing twin brother. When their lives collide in the dark waters of the Bahamas, the connection feels natural and earned, not forced.
What truly sets Uncharted apart is the authenticity of its setting. Janet Howle’s extensive experience cruising the Bahamas shines through in every scene. The islands, the sea, and the unpredictable forces of nature are not just a backdrop they are living, breathing elements of the story. The plot unfolds with steadily rising tension, carrying the reader from intimate character moments to high stakes political intrigue involving both the Bahamas and the United States.
The pacing is excellent, the suspense is relentless, and the emotional undercurrents give the story real weight. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or someone who simply loves a smart, well crafted thriller, Uncharted delivers on all fronts.
A riveting, immersive read that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended. 🌊📖
March 4, 2021
If a trip to the Bahamas, an adventure on a sailboat, a little drug-running intrigue, and some starting-over romance sound good, grab Janet Howle’s Uncharted. Howle’s background as a sailor, obvious appreciation for research as a writer, and local knowledge as an adventurer make this story of a burned-out boat captain, a driven investigative reporter, some dope-slinging bad guys, and a complicated cop spring to life—from its seafaring start to its explosive ending.
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Suspense? Check.
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Storm at sea? Check.
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Local color? Check.
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Nasty dudes with guns, axes to grind, and shady motivations? Multiple checks.
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A dash of family drama? Check.
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Even Hemingway haunts? Check.
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It’s all here.
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Is there gonna be a sequel? Seems like Howle may be plotting a course to another installment. Or at least there’s room in the harbor for more, and it would be great to see where Captain Carter and clever Kat end up next! Regardless, Uncharted rides the waves of fun, entertainment, bookish travel, and salty sleuthing to deliver her readers onto the shores of a great story.
*
Suspense? Check.
*
Storm at sea? Check.
*
Local color? Check.
*
Nasty dudes with guns, axes to grind, and shady motivations? Multiple checks.
*
A dash of family drama? Check.
*
Even Hemingway haunts? Check.
*
It’s all here.
*
Is there gonna be a sequel? Seems like Howle may be plotting a course to another installment. Or at least there’s room in the harbor for more, and it would be great to see where Captain Carter and clever Kat end up next! Regardless, Uncharted rides the waves of fun, entertainment, bookish travel, and salty sleuthing to deliver her readers onto the shores of a great story.
May 11, 2022
Janet Howle writes with style and grace in this thriller. Set in the wonderful setting of Bahama, Carter Mc Dowell, the owner-captain of the Wind Chaser, finds himself caught in a dangerous and life-changing adventure. Almost bankrupt, about to lose his boat, and suffering the loss of his daughter and family, there seems little for him, until he rescues a woman tossed into shark-infested waters miles from land.
Political corruption, international intrigue and murder, prove the setting to be anything but paradise. Kat, an investigative journalist, the twin sister of a missing scientist, daughter of a retired US general and wife of an unsupportive layer, is determined to discover the truth of her brother’s death, and bring those responsible to justice.
The settings are exotic, the characters fascinating and the boating idyllic, but like the crystal blue waters, sharks are circling. A wonderful read that I highly recommend.
Political corruption, international intrigue and murder, prove the setting to be anything but paradise. Kat, an investigative journalist, the twin sister of a missing scientist, daughter of a retired US general and wife of an unsupportive layer, is determined to discover the truth of her brother’s death, and bring those responsible to justice.
The settings are exotic, the characters fascinating and the boating idyllic, but like the crystal blue waters, sharks are circling. A wonderful read that I highly recommend.
June 8, 2021
If you are looking for a page turning thriller to read this summer look no further. Uncharted is a book set in the Bahamas and is the perfect combination of mystery, suspense, and romance to keep you wanting to read on. From the first page til the last readers will be gripped in a roller coaster of emotions. This book will take you into the underworld of some dangerous people as well as show the softer side of the islands. It shows true human emotions in real life setting, while having just enough plot twists to keep you guessing what is going to happen next. I would definitely give this book more then a 5 star rating if I could!!! The best part if you go to her website janethowleauthor.com you can read the first chapter for free!!! I promise you after reading the first chapter you will be hooked and on a hunt for this book.
February 7, 2021
Janet Howle takes us on a fun romp around the Bahamas. If you are looking for a romantic mystery type book with lots of sailing and boating scenes, then look no further. Multiple plots and interesting characters keep the pages turning. Makes a perfect easy read and escape to a tropical paradise where adventure awaits in every chapter.
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June 19, 2022Convoluted Island time yarn
Wow - too many characters to keep straight and disjointed & tough to follow plot line. Gave up 2/3 of the way through. Still accurate Bahamian sailing travelogue.
Wow - too many characters to keep straight and disjointed & tough to follow plot line. Gave up 2/3 of the way through. Still accurate Bahamian sailing travelogue.
October 17, 2022
A great read , excellent character development blending fact and fiction as you travel on the sailboat Windchaser throughout the waters of the Bahamas. Well written and immerses you in the life and culture of the Bahamas. Loved it!
December 21, 2020
Loved this book so much- great story and intrigue, had me guessing the whole way!
Beautifully written and researched- really hard to put it down!!
Beautifully written and researched- really hard to put it down!!
February 10, 2021
As someone who normally reads non-fiction, I really enjoyed this!
There was lots to learn about boating, the Bahamas, psychology and politics.
Superb pageturner that also felt very real!
There was lots to learn about boating, the Bahamas, psychology and politics.
Superb pageturner that also felt very real!
August 18, 2021
Absolutely loved it
Was sorry when the story ended, wished it would continue on and on. Very good writer, story very well written.
Was sorry when the story ended, wished it would continue on and on. Very good writer, story very well written.
February 9, 2021
Entertaining book with interesting characters and mysteries to solve. I enjoyed the Bahama Islands setting and the sailboat theme. Quick and easy read.
November 23, 2021
Unchartered an adventure to read
A great story and adventure with a surprise finish
Anyone who has spent time in Bahamian waters will enjoy this
A great story and adventure with a surprise finish
Anyone who has spent time in Bahamian waters will enjoy this
November 11, 2020
Howle explores themes of loss, love, and trust in her emotionally involving suspense thriller that narrates the story of two broken people brought together by circumstances.
Nearly a year after a personal tragedy hit him, Carter McDowell is completely shattered. While on ocean, he finds Kat Deano, a feisty investigative reporter, stranded in the sea. Trying to keep the only thing he has left, his charted sailboat Wind Chaser, he agrees to help Kat with her search for her missing brother. But their lives become increasingly entwined as they face the forces of nature and threats from dangerous enemies. Their uncharted voyage takes them to the office of the Bahamian Prime Minister and further to the remote island of Andros as they stumble onto a sinister plot that threatens both USA and Bahamas.
Howle’s prose is precise and sensitive, her writing poignant, and her characters richly drawn. While the beginning of the book shows Howle’s gifts for detailed descriptions, in the second part she comes out as a fine storyteller; here her gifts for characterization are shown to good advantage.
With her profound insights and thorough understanding of the contradictory impulses of human nature, she creates a remarkably imagined protagonist in both Carter and Kat, their unhappy life crafted without an ounce of cliché. As both begin to develop a tender bond, Howle delves into the complexities of past trauma, grief, guilt, and regret, exploring the intricacies of marriage and relationships, the questions about trust and the uncertainty of life. Both the protagonists struggle with their personal tragedies, but Howle’s refusal to rely on melodrama makes their story tauter and more focused.
Despite some familiar tropes, Howle keeps the reader rooting for the engaging pair. Action is plenty, and there’s no dearth of tension and suspense as Kat and Carter find themselves entangled in relentless terse situations while trying to unravel the mystery behind the former’s brother’s disappearance.
The tight plotting, the meticulously researched, realistic details about sailing, references to history and culture, and stunning descriptions of Bahamas and the remote island of Andros combined with thrills and chills of a suspense thriller make the reader thoroughly invested in the story. Drawn on Howle’s extensive experience cruising the region, this richly detailed thriller makes for an impressive accomplishment.
Lovers of both suspense thrillers and survival novels will enjoy the pull of this thrilling, evocative story told by Howle.
Nearly a year after a personal tragedy hit him, Carter McDowell is completely shattered. While on ocean, he finds Kat Deano, a feisty investigative reporter, stranded in the sea. Trying to keep the only thing he has left, his charted sailboat Wind Chaser, he agrees to help Kat with her search for her missing brother. But their lives become increasingly entwined as they face the forces of nature and threats from dangerous enemies. Their uncharted voyage takes them to the office of the Bahamian Prime Minister and further to the remote island of Andros as they stumble onto a sinister plot that threatens both USA and Bahamas.
Howle’s prose is precise and sensitive, her writing poignant, and her characters richly drawn. While the beginning of the book shows Howle’s gifts for detailed descriptions, in the second part she comes out as a fine storyteller; here her gifts for characterization are shown to good advantage.
With her profound insights and thorough understanding of the contradictory impulses of human nature, she creates a remarkably imagined protagonist in both Carter and Kat, their unhappy life crafted without an ounce of cliché. As both begin to develop a tender bond, Howle delves into the complexities of past trauma, grief, guilt, and regret, exploring the intricacies of marriage and relationships, the questions about trust and the uncertainty of life. Both the protagonists struggle with their personal tragedies, but Howle’s refusal to rely on melodrama makes their story tauter and more focused.
Despite some familiar tropes, Howle keeps the reader rooting for the engaging pair. Action is plenty, and there’s no dearth of tension and suspense as Kat and Carter find themselves entangled in relentless terse situations while trying to unravel the mystery behind the former’s brother’s disappearance.
The tight plotting, the meticulously researched, realistic details about sailing, references to history and culture, and stunning descriptions of Bahamas and the remote island of Andros combined with thrills and chills of a suspense thriller make the reader thoroughly invested in the story. Drawn on Howle’s extensive experience cruising the region, this richly detailed thriller makes for an impressive accomplishment.
Lovers of both suspense thrillers and survival novels will enjoy the pull of this thrilling, evocative story told by Howle.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews