Book Review: FROM BELOW by Darcy Coates

FROM BELOW by Darcy Coates (Poisoned Pen Press, June 2022) Trade paperback, 480 pages ISBN # 9781728220239  

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . . 

No light. No air. No escape.

Hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface, a graveyard waits...

Years ago, the SS Arcadia vanished without a trace during a routine voyage. Though a strange, garbled emergency message was broadcast, neither the ship nor any of its crew could be found. Sixty years later, its wreck has finally been discovered more than three hundred miles from its intended course...a silent graveyard deep beneath the ocean's surface, eagerly waiting for the first sign of life.

Cove and her dive team have been granted permission to explore the Arcadia's rusting hull. Their purpose is straightforward: examine the wreck, film everything, and, if possible, uncover how and why the supposedly unsinkable ship vanished.

But the Arcadia has not yet had its fill of death, and something dark and hungry watches from below. With limited oxygen and the ship slowly closing in around them, Cove and her team will have to fight their way free of the unspeakable horror now desperate to claim them.

Because once they're trapped beneath the ocean's waves, there's no going back.

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

      This was my introduction to the work of Darcy Coates and was an excellent starting point. I'm eager to find out what else she has in store for horror readers. The best summation/elevator pitch I can think of to describe this is extreme claustrophobia creepiness under the deep sea.

   

     There's just enough development of the cast of characters to keep them all likable. The ones who get the most page space are the most interesting: Cove, Vanna, Aiden. The character development of Vanna appealed the most to me. Big points for intensity in this story. 

Notes:

Nov. 08: Started reading last night. Now at Chapter 8 (page 53).This had my attention from the beginning. Coates has a nice easy style to her writing and knows how to build atmosphere.

Nov. 10:  Now at Chapter 21, page 158. Just finished the chapters related to the first dive and the aftermath. Loved them, as well as the flashback chapters to scenes from 1928 prior to the sinking of the Arcadia. Coates really builds the creepiness into every scene, and I'm starting to worry about these characters. Had to come up for a breather, but I'm ready for Dive #2.

Nov. 12: Just finished reading about the second dive. The creep factor is turned up and this is getting intense. Even weirder is the strange happenings on the ship in 1928.

Nov. 14: At Page 350, Chapter 48, 75% complete. That third dive is nerve-wracking. Those explorers must feel like they've entered the gauntlet from hell and are running for their lives.

Nov. 15: As some things are better left unexplained and are often even scarier that way, I found the ending to be very satisfactory - especially the final resolution. Those last two dives are edge-of-your-seat. I won't forget those images for a long time.