Into the Deep

Rock Harbor #3

by Colleen Coble

Acanine search-and-rescue team find the missing link between disparate crimes that have authorities perplexed.A local scientist misses his son's birthday party and turns up dead in Lake Superior. A radical environmental group blames a mysterious lab for dead fish found in a remote stream. Then an Alzheimer's patient goes missing and his home is ransacked.Bree Nichols and her beloved search-and-rescue dog, Samson, pitch in to help investigate the events disrupting their small community. But new discoveries soon throw her shaky love life into tilt, dredge up her painful past, and threaten her family. Bree must dive deep for the faith to keep going, the strength to defend those she cares about, and the courage to keep her fearful heart open to love.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Romance, Christian, Suspense, Contemporary

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2004

About the author

USAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Arizona. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 6 million books in print.

Reviews

[Christine Indorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 in the Rock Harbor mystery series. Bree has a decision to make on who she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Eventhough she is looking what is best for her son she can't help but to fall for Kade the Park Ranger who loves her fearfully. But Bree to make this decision is a harder choice when her beloved dog Samson goes missing. So Bree does anything to get him back. Will she finally let Kade in? Bree also discovers that she has a missing family will she let them in as well? Many decision for Bree, can she give it to God and let Him show her the way? Another great installment of the Rock Harbor Mystery series. Now book 4, what will happen to Bree next??

[Hwydiva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't get the positive reviews of this book. It is a very easy, mindless read but the characters are not realistic. Is this a mystery? Not really. Not enough depth. Is it a romance? Not really. Not enough passion.

So the characters. Is the author trying to say that people from small towns are extremely slow? I have a friend who wants a baby and a friend who wants to give up a baby, but it took Bree most of the book to put it together. My dog was almost stolen, but Bree just leaves the dog outside alone so the thieves can make a second attempt. And when do these characters ever work. There's a murder. Don't worry they're on it; they're totally focused on it during the five hours they work a week. The scientists who are working hard to make that great discovery, spend most of their time scuba diving and with their families. However, the waitress and the people at the pharmacy are always working. Yet the most insane. Denise husband dies leaving her with three small children. People sees she's suffering (to the point that her child almost drowns in a tub), but no one in this small town helps her. But let's go back even further. Her husband Phil had time to help her at home and fish all while he was completely focused on his lab. Realistically, most people in this situation would be lucky if they saw their kids an hour a day.

And then there's the plot. So one guy was responsible for kidnapping the dad for his science research, kidnapping the dog for a dogfighting ring, hiring someone to hack computers and killing multiple characters all while spending all his time working in the lab. All because his wife left him. This guy should get an award for super villain of the year. Although most super villains have a singular focus (say taking over the world). This guy did it all.

Details in this book were so random and forced. Scuba diving? Oh, she needed it later here. Bree suddenly is a dog trainer. Oh, a page later she needed those extra dogs. Each chapter of the book seemed like a random thought instead of a really thought out plot line.

So two stars for the effort. The book was readable, but lacked in any depth and substance.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main character Bree has a search and rescue dog named Samson. Samson is smart, tough and loyal. There are many, many secondary characters and thankfully I remembered most of them from the prior two books in the series.

There were a couple of different story lines in Into the Deep. The one that had my interest the most was dog fighting. Fortunately, the author didn't go into great detail, but I did learn something new about this "sport" that I'd rather not have known. The entire thread turned my stomach, but I had to know what happened.

The love triangle in this series has been making me a little crazy and I am happy where it landed. I hope to hear more about Lauri in future novels.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I have a really hard time with books that involve animal abuse and the dog-fighting ring was just too intense for me. I liked the small-town parts with Bree and the others but I did not like the mystery they had to solve.

[Katniss Everdeen 🔥 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good!!! I am really sad though, because I don’t have any books of the rest of the series, so I will have to end here. Back to the book. It was amazing. Honestly i feel like the series could have ended there. Kade and Bree got married, Niomi is married, (that was in the last book) Marika is in jail, it just works as an ending. But I can’t wait for the next books!! I would say this book is for 14+ just like all of the other ones, but if u can handle intense stuff, I would say then 13+. (I can’t really handle graphic intensity, but I can when it’s in books, so that’s y I read it. Eyes toward Annika) Parents: there is murder, miscarriage, and dog abuse. Just warning u. Thanks again guys for reading this, and if u want a fun challenge read the end of my bio!!

[Andrea Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tense, mysterious, familial, dog-snatchers, romance, social workers, and atmospheric… I loved this story.

Trigger: miscarriage

Content: replacement expletive or two, dog fights, tobacco, teen pregnancy, gambling

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Deep is book three in the Rock Harbour series by Colleen Coble. Bree Nicholls thought her life was getting back to normal after the death of her husband. However, that was not the case. Bree's beautiful K-9 dog Samson was stolen and with the help of her friend Park Ranger Kade Matthews races to find Samson before it is too late. Also, when a body found on the shore of Lake Michigan, Bree became involved in the investigation. The readers of Into the Deep will follow Bree and Kade to see if they find Samson and the identity of the dead body.

Into the Deep in another fantastic instalment in the Rock Harbour series and I enjoyed reading this book. The way the portrayal of the characters were done by Colleen Coble allow me to engage with them. Into the Deep is well written and researched by Colleen Coble. I do enjoy reading books by Colleen Coble the ways she describes her settings and plots always make me feel part of the story and Into the Deep did not disappoint me.

The readers of Into the Deep will learn about training and using search and rescue dogs. Also, the readers of Into the Deep will learn about the role of park ranchers in protecting our natural resources.

I recommend this book.

[Ronda Tutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book - The series is great - I couldn't put this book down. I started reading at 11:00 p.m. and read all through the night till 6:00 a.m. and finished it.

Bree and her search and rescue dog Samson have captured my heart.

Colleen Coble has a great way in weaving these mysteries through out the book. All I say is "EXCELENT!!!!"

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't love this book. The characters all fell flat to me. I also felt in the initial chapters that too many characters were introduced - I started to lose track of who was who, and even more so when all of these almost incestuous connections started developing ("that lady that's in town to protest the lab is also this kid's mom!" "I'm actually your sister and my dad is your dad!") And although there's no mention of this being Christian fiction, it definitely became that about 150 pages in when suddenly our protagonist feels the need to "share her faith" and invites another character to church. Another couple is considering adoption and has to "pray on it". Then began frequent mentions of God that went all the way to the end. If that's your thing, fine. I found it odd though that God only became important halfway through - like, the main character had never said a thing and then suddenly she feels the need to invite someone to church, and now God is mentioned every couple of pages? I didn't know she even went to church. But that's kind of this book in a nutshell, just introducing random facts as they become important. Poor character and story development. Just not for me, as it turns out.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t particularly fond of the dogfighting details in this one. We’re also introduced to a LOT of new characters and it’s difficult to keep them all sorted out.

Bree drove me crazy with her refusal to see that Nick was all wrong for her. She also annoyed me when she was pushing Cassie & Bernard away.

I have the next book ready to go. I am looking forward to seeing how Lauri’s story sorts out, and to see Bree & Kade’s relationship grow.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the rock harbor series and a must read. Bree is trying to solve another murder of a scientist, Phil, who just recently moved to town to work on growing tobacco plants in a mine that could cure diabetic disease and altimerze. There has also been dogs in the area that have gone missing...dog fighting ring? And Marika is back and she wants her kids from Donovan and Naomi... what will she do to get them back? Bree finds that she must make a choice between Kade and Nick and Kade is the one that makes the first move to reestablish their relationship by saying that he loves her. Samson is missing and someone is trying to kill Cassie by changing her ashma perscription and breaking into her house. Bree also finds out who her real father is and that she has a sister, but can she forgive him for the life she lived with her alcoholic mother even if he has altimerze and cancer? someone is getting married and it's about time.

[Rebekah M · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT:
This book contains something that may be a trigger for some. Miscarriage and Infertility are not things I enjoy reading about as that is all too real to me. I have been super sad by the stories I accidentally engross myself in, only to find this a part of the thread. While it appears the couple suffering the loss of their child will have their story be redeemed in a future book, it does not take away from the fact that the loss still happened and it’s just not something I appreciate reading about. This has been all too real for me and friends I’m close to so I wish authors would stop incorporating it into their stories.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another easy read from Colleen Coble. A local scientist is missing and when his body is found in Lake Superior, fowl play is discovered. A radial environmental group, headed by the conniving ex of one of the locals, shows up to dissuade more scientific endeavors. Also, Bree's beloved rescue dog Samson runs afoul of a dogfighting ring. A lot of subplots are here, and the author ties them up nicely while describing Michigan's Upper Peninsula in a manner so as to make you want to make reservations on Expedia after putting the book down.

[Kate Higgins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here’s the two major things that threw off of this book.
There is no plot…. A problem is presented at the start of the book but is not at all carried through. The writers thoughts are all over the place and not at all on what is presented at the beginning of this story.
The second is the misogyny present throughout this book. How women are and should be subservient to men.
The female characters, especially the lead character portrayed as someone who is looking for someone to “lead her” and is not at all likeable.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It has the same great suspense as the first two. My only real problem with this book was personal. As an animal-lover extraordinaire, I found some parts of this book very disturbing. Can't wait to go buy book four!

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a couple of issues with this book. First, I really struggled with Bree’s wishy washy attitude. It seemed out of character in the other books. Also, I am not thrilled with the narrator. She sounds too cheerful when she should sound worried, upset etc.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two-haiku review:

Sampson finds body
New business suspicious
Then Sampson kidnapped

Clean Christian story
Upsetting with dog fighting
At least ends up good

[Sheri Smart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoy reading the rock harbour series. This is book 3 of 4
It is hard to say which book I enjoyed more. This one was a little upsetting with the dog fights I am a huge animal person so I was a little nervous getting to those parts but Bree came through again !

[Joleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to laugh at myself on this one. At first I gave it a two-star rating because I was so confused about all the different couples and who related to who, or how they all know each other. I read the first book in the series months earlier and I thought this was the next in the series (clearly I didn't look at the cover 🙄, pfffft!) Anyway, my frustration was all for naught when I realized just now I skipped a book.
Anyway.....
This was a pretty good book...not as good as the first one. I felt a lot more explanation or detail was needed on a few storylines. Marika's story was a blur. More detail rather than a rush ending would have helped.
Loved the Kade/Bree story growth. Loved the Altzheimers addition. Hated the dog fighting and how that related to the murders, and how Marika had anything to do with all of it. Just too jumbled for my taste. But it was fairly well written.

[Dawn Jordan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not for me. I was upset about some parts of this book. I also wasn't happy about how the main character kept getting side tracked and totally put aside what should have been her main concern. Like for instance, She was on her way out to go search... And oh lets go shopping! It was a difficult read and I also didn't feel satisfied with how she handled things after solving the mystery. I wish there was more done for the injured character and felt there should of at least been mention that (HE) got medical help.

[Jean Doane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read only about 20% of this book. I quit reading when I realized it was a "Christian" book. The author has the characters speak about their Christian faith, admonishing one another to pray, for example. The Christianity portrayed is too fundamentalist to be palatable to me. It's too bad because I liked the idea of reading about a woman and her rescue dog.

[Shirley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too many subplots and interconnected characters made it frustrating to keep track of what was happening in this book - but just intriguing enough that I wanted to get to the end. This could appeal to a religious reader, but I found the frequent mentions that God and prayer will solve everything a bit cloying.

[joyce lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

w/ each book i read of her's, she just keeps getting better and better and ... !!!

ya know, for some authors, we need a negative number up there, but for some, like Colleen Coble, we need more than 5 stars!!!

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! It is certainly a one day book for me, I didn't want to put it down!

I am hoping this is not a final installment, because I dont feel like the story has been told completely, here's hoping for number 4...and 5...and 6...and...

[Jen Watkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

I chose this book because it was set in Michigan, but somehow it didn't seem like it was really set in the the Michigan I am familiar with. It was also definitely a romance writer doing murder mystery. I just wasn't compelled enough by the writing or the plot to keep reading.

[TaylorZuv · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing!! Into the Deep really kept you wanting to read, the author even left certain people known as "he" or "she". This book once again brought through the powers of friendship and perseverance.

[Sarah Hansel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series! I'm so blessed I found this great series and new found author.

[Gerri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I went against my better judgement after reading book two and read this book. I've found the books that pass the 300-325 page mark become long, drawn out and boring and this book hit on all three. At 80% I started skimming the storyline.

I have read many book series where the female is the lead and they have been really good. Unfortunately Bree's character is not strong enough to carry this series. At one point she's talking to Anu and Naomi about Kade and her feelings. During this conversation she states that she's not sure what her feelings are for Kade. Davey doesn't like Kade but likes Nick so should she go with Nick. Then she says she loves Kade. This woman was sucking the life out of me.

Bree is a Search and Rescue Handler yet she acts more like a detective and has her nose in everything. The author should have made her a law enforcement character to justify all that she does. Like I said in my last review, if she ever questioned me there is no way I would answer any of her questions. The author has tried to make Bree a Super Woman and she is not cutting it.

This book had way to much going on and a lot of it added nothing to the story except boredom. Examples: The pharmaceutical storyline was way out there. Little Rock Harbor has this big company hidden in a mine doing research. People are being killed and kidnapped while others are criminals.

Cassie goes missing and Bree and Salome realize that she's diving alone. Bree hasn't dived in years so Salome gives her a five minute refresher and Bree dives. Really?

Then Bree and Kade find Samson who is being used in a dogfighting ring. They bust in on the fight just before Samson is going to fight. That whole situation was ridiculous. Bree and Kade are going to take down a barn full of men and pit bulls without any law enforcement. Another really?

Then as side bars we have all the drama going on with Donovan's ex wife and then there's the Lauri storyline. Oh, and let's not forget Hillary.

I have read many Christian faith books that are very good. This author is heavy on the faith and I don't feel she introduces it well.

I've always believed that less is better. I'm done with this series and not sure about reading this author again.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I just say YAY!!!! (Of course I can, it's my review).

I really like how relatable Colleen Coble's characters are. They seem human in their struggles and flaws. Bree is really struggling with trust and opening up her heart after she's been hurt so many times. Trust is a huge thing for me too.

I did it! I finally guessed right! I didn't figure it all out, but I did think, "it's probably this person because you'd not expect it to be them," and they were one of the bad guys (and saying guys doesn't mean it's a guy. I'm not saying one way or the other).

This book is a little heavier on the relationship between Bree and Kade (great names!). They are broken-up at the beginning because of Nick Fletcher. It's hard on both of them and Kade finally decides he's not going down without a fight.

More relationship drama: Bree's father shows up and also her half-sister! It's really hard for Bree at first; there is a lot of anger and hurt towards her father, but with God's help she gives them a chance. Her dad walks her down the aisle and her sister, Cassie, is one of her bridesmaids.

Let's get to the mystery. There are a bunch of scientists in town doing top-secret scientisty things and one day, one of them turns up dead in Lake Superior. Cassie has been getting threatening phone calls and they assume it's from their rival company, but then Phil is murdered. Cassie has a few close calls herself and another member of the team dies in an explosion in the mine where they're working.

Meanwhile, Donovan's ex-wife, Marika, shows up and is making life a nightmare for Naomi and Donovan. Also, dogs are going missing; after a failed attempt, the dog-nappers get Samson too.

What, if any, of this is related?

The great thing is that in books, a good book, that is, the bad guys always get justice and the good guys have a good ending. Like Kade and Bree getting married. Hooray!

[Criket333 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that Colleen Coble is a good writer. She can tell an interesting tale & has deep character development. I have read many of her series- Smitten, Lavender tides & have been reading the Rock Harbor ones too. As I said, I like the characters, which is why I couldn't keep reading this book. I have grown to love Sampson & to even think of what they had planned for him was too much. I'm not religious but could take the religious nature of these books but why put your readers through these scenarios???? Dog fighting!!! Another of her books was human trafficking. I don't enjoy reading about these topics for my pleasure reading!!! Yes she shines a light on these horrible situations but not what I'd expect in a romance/mystery/christian book. As another reviewer said, I don't get what genre these books are in!!! When you read a certain genre you have an agreement with the author. You know what you're getting into. A cozy- there will be a murder. A romance-love & maybe depending on author sex. A thriller-more graphics violence. I didn't think from her other series she was leaning more towards thriller. It feels like torture porn or getting off on putting good people into these horrible situations. My Mom used to love melodramas. The heroine would be terribly mistreated but if it worked out in the end, it was all worth it. I NEVER liked that. I didn't want to watch that angst!! Also I was getting tired of Bree & Cade's relationship or lack thereof. If they would just talk to each other they could work through their issues. Bree was married. She knows communication was vital to a good relationship. But she did believe a random person on the phone that her husband was cheating rather than talking to him. Well, I'm out. I don't need this in my life. Reality is bad enough. I don't like my fiction to be disturbing.