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Deep Blue
A suspense-filled search for hidden treasure---and hidden truths. While University of Michigan graduate student Jennifer Cassidy is researching the family history of Cecilia Sinclair, a long-deceased Southern expatriate, she discovers that something of great value is hidden in a spring near the family plantation in Florida. Jennifer contacts Beck Easton, a cave diver and former Marine, to help her. When Beck finds a map, it sets off a race for gold, and both pro- and anti-Cuban groups follow Jennifer and Beck as they travel from Florida to the Bahamas to Lake Huron, tracking clues that pre-date the Civil War. After nearly losing her life, Jennifer is confronted with the meaning of Matthew 6:19-21, 'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' And she realizes that she will have to make a decision---will she pursue gold and glory or God?
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
7 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
Tom Morrisey
17 books21 followersTom Morrisey is the author of six novels and short stories, is a world-renowned adventure-travel writer whose work has appeared in Outside, Sport Diver (where he serves as Editor at Large) and other leading magazines. He holds an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Toledo and an MFA in Creative Writing from Bowling Green State University. He lives in Orlando, Florida. Visit Tom's Web site at www.tommorrisey.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 4, 2017
Enjoyable and fun.
February 21, 2021
If a grown man called me a 'good girl' whilst I had access to a gun I'd shoot him in the head
March 29, 2013
This book is worth reading, but there are too many bizarre inconsistencies with the character development for me to give it four stars. It has all the elements that should make me stand up and cheer about it: History, mystery, a touch of conspiracy, God (albeit from a firm "once saved always saved" Protestant perspective, and a setting partially in my home state of Michigan. I admit that part of the difficulty may come from the fact that the audio version I borrowed from our local library featured a male narrator who felt the need to affect a voice resembling an amateur drag queen when portraying female characters, but the problems go deeper than that.
The female protagonist is supposed to be a graduate student, but in several instances acts as if she is either mentally disabled or a character out of Flowers in the Attic. For example, she has never heard of the extremely common concept of being "saved", even though she lives in the Midwestern U.S. Her ignorance of this phrase is awkwardly portrayed so that the male protagonist can explain to her what it means to be saved by Jesus. However, this could be done without her displaying total lack of cultural awareness. This artificial construction occurs throughout the story: She feigns ignorance of some common phenomenon that any semi-conscious person would know about, and he swoops in and explains it to her in a heroic way.
I don't know if the author doesn't like women or just doesn't understand them, but his treatment of the main character Jennifer borders on misogyny. In another instance, Jennifer acts like the concept of someone owning and flying a private plane is some bizarre and shocking occurrence, on par with owning a pet lion or being a cannibal. A University of Michigan graduate student just wouldn't be this naive. If you can get by the flat, unbelievable characters, the story itself is entertaining and fast-paced. It's light fiction, like watching a Law and Order episode where people regularly say Grace and talk about God.
The female protagonist is supposed to be a graduate student, but in several instances acts as if she is either mentally disabled or a character out of Flowers in the Attic. For example, she has never heard of the extremely common concept of being "saved", even though she lives in the Midwestern U.S. Her ignorance of this phrase is awkwardly portrayed so that the male protagonist can explain to her what it means to be saved by Jesus. However, this could be done without her displaying total lack of cultural awareness. This artificial construction occurs throughout the story: She feigns ignorance of some common phenomenon that any semi-conscious person would know about, and he swoops in and explains it to her in a heroic way.
I don't know if the author doesn't like women or just doesn't understand them, but his treatment of the main character Jennifer borders on misogyny. In another instance, Jennifer acts like the concept of someone owning and flying a private plane is some bizarre and shocking occurrence, on par with owning a pet lion or being a cannibal. A University of Michigan graduate student just wouldn't be this naive. If you can get by the flat, unbelievable characters, the story itself is entertaining and fast-paced. It's light fiction, like watching a Law and Order episode where people regularly say Grace and talk about God.
August 30, 2011
Cave diving and history collide in this pleasant thriller about a Christian dive instructor, Beck Easton, who's hired to do research by a young graduate student named Jennifer Cassidy. Cassidy suspects that somewhere down south there's a fortune in gold for the taking. However, their plans are interrupted by a man who wants the gold in order to control Cuba.
One glaring mistake caught my attention: Jennifer is a second year MS student in information science (sleuthing out facts, as she puts it) and she doesn't know when the Nixon administration was? Come on. Elementary school students know this!
Easton practices karate one morning on a secluded beach. I can understand his learning this in the military, but consider Easton is a Christian. Most, if not all, of the martial arts are inextricably linked to the three main East Asian religions, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The movements of the martial arts themselves emphasize the concept of "zen", which is a sect of Buddhism that emphasizes religious meditation. These religious roots pose a serious problem for Christians in view of the Bible's words at 2 Corinthians 6:17: ("Therefore get out from among [false worshipers], and separate yourselves,' says Jehovah, `and quit touching the unclean thing.') How can you practice Christianity and link yourself with Eastern religions through martial arts?
There is a lot of history to wade through in this plot, and Morrissey does a decent job of weaving real life (he mentions the wreck of the Central America) and fiction.
One glaring mistake caught my attention: Jennifer is a second year MS student in information science (sleuthing out facts, as she puts it) and she doesn't know when the Nixon administration was? Come on. Elementary school students know this!
Easton practices karate one morning on a secluded beach. I can understand his learning this in the military, but consider Easton is a Christian. Most, if not all, of the martial arts are inextricably linked to the three main East Asian religions, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The movements of the martial arts themselves emphasize the concept of "zen", which is a sect of Buddhism that emphasizes religious meditation. These religious roots pose a serious problem for Christians in view of the Bible's words at 2 Corinthians 6:17: ("Therefore get out from among [false worshipers], and separate yourselves,' says Jehovah, `and quit touching the unclean thing.') How can you practice Christianity and link yourself with Eastern religions through martial arts?
There is a lot of history to wade through in this plot, and Morrissey does a decent job of weaving real life (he mentions the wreck of the Central America) and fiction.
November 18, 2007
I just reread this book (proabably the tenth time!) and I picked up new details I hadn't gotten before. Thats just the kind of book it is, you can keep reading it and find new and interesting things that you hadn't noticed before. I am not a very religious person but the author Tom Morrisey is. He really paints a picture of what its like to be religious the pros and the cons. He bases lots of this book on actual history which is very scarry at parts. To think that maybe something like this could be happening right now is wierd but really makes you want to read more. This book is mysterious and very suspensful but not in an over dramatic way! It (of course) has a bit of a love story and drama part in it as well and that really makes the book all the more real. Its so interesting to imagine these characters becasue they are people you would meet every day, a grad student and an ex-Marines man (with some extra special training). For all you out there that have ever read an edventure story and loved it this book is for you! It has adventure, love, history, and religion... it is truely amazing!
May 5, 2015
This is the most conflicted I've ever been about rating a book. It's a four-star adventure story with a one-star bimbo, some one-star stereotypes and maybe a two-star ending. Good plot line - could've made a great novel, but didn't.
May 19, 2018
This book is great for light reading that can be picked up as time allows and you can get right back into it without much effort. I feel that the main characters, especially the female role could have been better developed, but I enjoyed them. The historical aspects thrown in with the mix of conspiracy theory was fun and sends you to further investigate our countries history. I appreciated the salvation if the main character, but had we felt like we knew her better, it could have been more powerful.
April 15, 2019
I would have enjoyed this more as just a treasure hunt story. The political subplot felt forced and unnecessary. It seemed to be included just to show off Beck Easton's military training and give a climactic moment for Jennifer to be Saved. The treasure hunt aspect, however, was very well-developed. I enjoyed the alternate history included regarding the Civil War and the dive facts were interesting. If Morrisey had left out the Cuban politics and stuck to the Civil War Era sunken ships, I would have given it a 4 star rating.
April 28, 2022
This was a really interesting story that I got really hooked into. I just had a bit of a problem with the character of Jennifer. It just seemed that she was really dumb or childlike at times. It wasn't consistent. Also, at the end when they were on the boat (I'm not spelling it all out to avoid spoilers) but I wondered what they could possibly do to protect themselves in that situation. It was like they didn't think that out very well.
January 20, 2023
I picked it up for the diving content - which I felt was minimal. I didn't see how the "hero" could get from the bottom 2x in the time mentioned without getting the bends. I didn't appreciate the Christian proselytizing at all - and that seemed to go hand in hand with making the female lead as mindless as possible. I will not be reading more by this author.
April 5, 2025
I feel like if you’re a history nerd you’d really love this book but I think I just don’t know enough United States lore to really have enjoyed this book.
July 9, 2015
Former marine diver Beck Easton is looking forward to a slow, hot summer running his small dive shop. His specialty is cave diving - a sport of measured risks. But when Jennifer Cassidy steps into his life, Beck knows that risks have just multiplied.
Jennifer Cassidy, a university graduate assistant, loves the thrill of research and the hunt for elusive facts. Hired for a summer research project, she has stumbled onto a mystery, a valuable secret hidden at the bottom of a Florida spring by a Civil War widow. Excited by the challenge, Jennifer shows up at Beck Easton's dive shop determined to uncover the mystery no matter what it took.
Intrigued, Beck agrees to help. When they dive into the caves of Twin Springs, Beck uncovers a 140 year old clue to a mystery that pre-dates the Civil War. What Beck doesn't know is that he is put himself - and Jennifer - on a dangerous path between truth and deception, a path where they must watch their every step.
When Jennifer's life is threatened, Beck begins to wonder if they've uncovered a secret worth dying. This is a fun suspenseful read I couldn’t put down. I really liked that this book was written from the man’s point of view. It was a refreshing and good read. One that would work well for book club. I highly recommend it!
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
Jennifer Cassidy, a university graduate assistant, loves the thrill of research and the hunt for elusive facts. Hired for a summer research project, she has stumbled onto a mystery, a valuable secret hidden at the bottom of a Florida spring by a Civil War widow. Excited by the challenge, Jennifer shows up at Beck Easton's dive shop determined to uncover the mystery no matter what it took.
Intrigued, Beck agrees to help. When they dive into the caves of Twin Springs, Beck uncovers a 140 year old clue to a mystery that pre-dates the Civil War. What Beck doesn't know is that he is put himself - and Jennifer - on a dangerous path between truth and deception, a path where they must watch their every step.
When Jennifer's life is threatened, Beck begins to wonder if they've uncovered a secret worth dying. This is a fun suspenseful read I couldn’t put down. I really liked that this book was written from the man’s point of view. It was a refreshing and good read. One that would work well for book club. I highly recommend it!
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
May 26, 2011
I was very surpised by this novel. It was a suspense mystery with the gospel. It started out with the civil war and a young wife hiding something in a deep underwater cave. The book picks up with the main character Jennifer hiring Beck for a underwater dive to find the something. The book kept you guessing and wishing that you paid more attention to civil war details. Morrisey took actual events with a little bit of liberty and much fact and made a great story. The book was not a cheesey christian novel. I do like cheesey but this was a nice change from that. It shared the gospel in the civil war setting and current events. Sharing redemption, salvation thru Jesus Christ and a life that is changed. It was believable and encouraging to both that know Jesus as Lord and Saviour and those who do not. I will be reading more of Tom Morrisey!
December 5, 2009
So far I've only found this book in downloadable audio version. Thankfully it is in our Overdrive collection. It was an interesting, if not totally plausible, mystery involving gold lost not long after the Civil War. A young genealogist/historical researcher comes across the story and decides to follow the possibility of finding the gold. She's partners with a cave diver in FL and is chased by a couple of bad sorts. A bit of sap runs through it as is common with Christian fiction, but the story is worth sticking with to the end.
April 24, 2012
I picked this book up because I'm a casual diver and enjoy anything related to the ocean. I also occasionally read Christian romance, so this book seemed a good fit. I did appreciate the complexities of diving and history, but the writing style itself wasn't particularly compelling. I would probably read another of his books for a quick summer read, but not if I'm looking for something to spark my own literary adventures.
June 14, 2010
Very interesting read. I read this because my own little hick town is featured in the book. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. Wonderful mystery that leads to a very interesting take on history. Main characters were enjoyable and enjoyed reading about the diving aspects of the book. Would definitely read more by this author if I came across it.
Want to read
June 14, 2016#
NC
Own in paperback.
FS: "Pale and Jeaden in the predawn light, the spring looked like nothing special, like a pond of rainwater standing in the tan limestone basin."
LS: "Beck will be back. I promise you that. And in the meantime, may the windows of heaven rain blessing upon you."
NC
Own in paperback.
FS: "Pale and Jeaden in the predawn light, the spring looked like nothing special, like a pond of rainwater standing in the tan limestone basin."
LS: "Beck will be back. I promise you that. And in the meantime, may the windows of heaven rain blessing upon you."
July 3, 2009
Good read but prequel is out of print
July 26, 2012
Loved it! Partially set in Michigan. Very likable characters. Good plot.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews