Mira Grant’s chilling oceanic thriller follows a crew of scientists, filmmakers, and big game hunters on a voyage to answer two questions: Are mermaids real, and what happened to the ship ATARGATIS, lost at sea? Narrator Christine Lakin uses varied pacing to balance the backstory against the escalating violence, capturing the thrill of discovery as well as the tension of mounting peril. Grant’s prose is richly detailed and disturbingly vivid, and Lakin’s urgent tone embraces her writing with enthusiasm. Grant's cast is large and diverse, and Lakin's characterizations aid listeners in keeping pace with the experiences of the intrepid explorers, eager filmmakers, and bloodthirsty hunters on the traveling research vessel. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

10/02/2017
There’s some solid gore and nastiness in this sequel to Grant’s novella Rolling in the Deep, but a mix of overwrought prose and questionable decisions prevent it from being much more than a 1990s horror throwback. Years after the ship Atargatis disappeared while attempting to film a fake mermaid documentary for Imagine Entertainment (a fictional company in the SyFy vein that inexplicably shares a name and nothing else with a real studio), the company finally decides to send another expedition, this time one with actual scientists. Key among the crew are marine biologist Victoria “Tory” Stewart, whose sister vanished on the Atargatis, and Dr. Jillian Toth, a sirenologist who considers herself a leading expert on mermaids. Grant’s concept—mermaids as vicious creatures—is golden (and a late revelation about their biology is pretty nifty), but the prose gets bogged down in cliché (“She would show them all” appears, unironically, as a standalone paragraph) and long and meandering passages with little payoff. The neat hook and Grant’s fan base will still prop the book up, but there’s too little depth in these depths. (Nov.)

"Grant's heady brew of visceral horror, fascinating science, and, of course, the hubris of mankind in the face of the awesome unknown is irresistible. A claustrophobic, deep-sea terror tale that will leave readers glad to be safely on dry land."—Kirkus

"Absolutely delivers on beastly terror.... Best-selling author Mira Grant is one of today's best horror authors, and Into the Drowning Deep takes its place among her best work."—Vulture

"Will unnerve and enthrall even seasoned horror fans. . . Mira Grant masterfully ratchets the tension up and down, holding readers firmly in her grip."—BookPage

"Grant's skillfully crafted story combines science, horror, and mystery into a gripping novel of terror on the sea."—Library Journal (starred review)

"Utterly terrifying."—RT Book Reviews

"Entertained and enraptured from the first page to the last."—Bookriot

"Engrossing and adrenaline-fueled"—Shelf Awareness

"A U.S. presidential campaign set in a zombie-infested future bears an eerie resemblance to the way we live now. Simply jump in and enjoy ... a whip-smart thriller overflowing with sharp ideas and social commentary."—Kirkus (starred review) on Feedback

"Astonishing ... a fascinating exploration of the future."—New York Times on Newsflesh series

"While there's plenty of zombie mayhem, political snark, and pointedly funny observations here, the heart of this book is about human relationships, which are still the most important thing in the world...even in a world where you might have to shoot the person you love most in the head, just to stop them from biting off your face."—Locus on Feed

"Feed is a proper thriller with zombies. Grant doesn't get carried away with describing her world or the virus. She's clearly thought both out brilliantly, but she doesn't let it get in the way of a taut, well written story."—SFX on Feed

"The story starts with a bang as corruption, mystery, danger and excitement abound."—RT Book Reviews (4.5 stars) on Feed

"Gripping, thrilling, and brutal... Shunning misogynistic horror tropes in favor of genuine drama and pure creepiness, McGuire has crafted a masterpiece of suspense with engaging, appealing characters who conduct a soul-shredding examination of what's true and what's reported."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on Feed

"Intelligent and intense, a thinking-person's post-apocalyptic zombie thriller set in a fully-realized future that is both fascinating and horrifying to behold."—John Joseph Adams on Feed

"I can't wait for the next book."—N.K. Jemisin on Feed

"It's a novel with as much brains as heart, and both are filling and delicious."—The A. V. Club on Feed

"OK, all of you readers who want something weighty and yet light, campy and yet smart, horror with heart, a summer beach read that will stay in your head and whisper to you "what if," Deadline is just what you are looking for."—RT Book Reviews on Deadline

"Deft cultural touches, intriguing science, and amped-up action will delight Grant's numerous fans."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on Deadline

"Intelligent and exciting...raises the bar for the genre."—Telegraph on Deadline

"Wry and entertaining."—NPR Books on Blackout

★ 10/15/2017
Seven years ago, the Atargatis sailed on a voyage to the Mariana Trench in the Pacific to film a mocumentary about the mythological mermaids said to live in the trench. Six weeks later, the ship was discovered adrift with no survivors. Now a new team sets out to seek answers. For young marine biologist Victoria Stewart, it is finally her chance to determine what happened to her sister on that previous doomed trip—and to avoid the same fate. VERDICT Grant's ("Newsflesh" series) skillfully crafted story combines science, horror, and mystery into a gripping novel of terror on the sea. Readers will never look at mermaids in the same way again. [Previewed in Marlene Harris's "Galaxy Quests" sf/fantasy preview, LJ 4/15/17.]—KC

Mira Grant’s chilling oceanic thriller follows a crew of scientists, filmmakers, and big game hunters on a voyage to answer two questions: Are mermaids real, and what happened to the ship ATARGATIS, lost at sea? Narrator Christine Lakin uses varied pacing to balance the backstory against the escalating violence, capturing the thrill of discovery as well as the tension of mounting peril. Grant’s prose is richly detailed and disturbingly vivid, and Lakin’s urgent tone embraces her writing with enthusiasm. Grant's cast is large and diverse, and Lakin's characterizations aid listeners in keeping pace with the experiences of the intrepid explorers, eager filmmakers, and bloodthirsty hunters on the traveling research vessel. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine