Deep Cut

The Deep Series, Book 2

By: Nick Sullivan

Narrated by: Nick Sullivan

Sometimes, the brightest corners of the world can hold the darkest shadows.

Rising steeply from the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, the Dutch island of Saba is a sleepy paradise, the mountainous slopes dotted with little red-and-white cottages and the seas teeming with life. But this little oasis has a less tranquil history, many of its inhabitants having descended from smugglers and pirates.

Boone Fischer and Emily Durand are eager to explore their new home, but their peaceful lives are about to be shattered, as one of history's most powerful hurricanes begins to form - and, as if that weren't enough, a savage evil has made its way ashore. In this sequel to the best seller Deep Shadow, Nick Sullivan brings listeners to another fascinating corner of the world and sends them into a swirl of action and adventure.

©2019 Nick Sullivan and Wild Yonder Press (P)2019 Nick Sullivan and Wild Yonder Press

Critic reviews

"The first voice listeners hear is a British-accented mumble from Emily, who's bantering with Boone, her mate in love and diving. They are just two of the distinctive voices Nick Sullivan creates as narrator. He handles accents and character work smoothly, making the people in his story set on the Dutch island of Saba as interesting as the adventure. His triumph is the voice he gives to the killer, whose tone switches between rage and eerie calmness as Sullivan delivers his troubled thoughts. Sullivan mostly narrates with a gentle touch, speeding up his voice to emphasize the action, which builds to a life-or-death confrontation during Hurricane Irma." (J.A.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2019])

"With his three-dimensional action scenes, vivid characters, and his remarkably clever, page-gripping plots, Nick Sullivan joins the ranks of the best writers of Caribbean adventure." - Michael Reisig, best-selling author of The Road to Key West series.

"Finally, a story that captures the intrigue of this hard-to-explain place with just the right amount of Saba Spice. What a pleasure to read such a well-researched (or, as the locals say, "for true") book written by a real diver with attention to historical and present day details. A must read for anyone who has had the pleasure to visit. Bucket-listers, get packin'!" - Lynn Costenaro, owner of Sea Saba.

I loved it!

The adventure was entertaining and I loved the characters. I can’t wait for the next one.

Great sequel!

I actually liked this book better than his first on- maybe because I already had a good feeling for the characters. I am an avid scuba diver and have always felt Bonaire is the best place in the world to dive, Mr. Sullivan has obviously lived and dived in these waters. I listened to this one right after hearing the first in the series and they flowed well. I loved both of these books and look forward to the next in the series.

A hurricane, a machete, and plenty of danger...

DEEP CUT is a solid follow-up novel to Nick Sullivan's first book in his Deep Series. Boone and Emily are back, and their visit to the Dutch island of Saba is filled with adventure and plenty of surprises, culminating in a life-and-death struggle to survive. The authenticity of Sullivan's novels continues to impress; he's been to the places his characters travel to and knows what he's talking about. He's also a top-notch narrator. Start listening, and enjoy.

Another great adventure!

Loved this #2 with my two new friends. The author's ability to blend reality with fiction helps to draw you in just a little tighter. This book was exciting throughout the entire story.

A poor man’s trip to an island rich in tropical splendor.

Outstanding adventure both above and below the water. Wonderful character development and the author is so talented in his reading of his book. I felt like I was visiting Saba While listening. I love the fact that he bases his characters on actual people. I envy his job. Getting to go to Saber and St. Eustatia To do his research😮. At the end of the book I felt like I had weathered the storm with all of his wonderfully entertaining characters!!

Love

I Love, Love, Love Nick Sullivan as an author and as a narrator. The DEEP series is very entertaining and educational. Can't wait for the next one!

Outstanding continuation of a phenomenal storyline

Nick provides further development of Boone and Em's relationship with a crazy man following orders from .... well, just read the book! Better yet, let Nick perform ALL of the characters in perfect accent and personality - the story comes alive. I was scared, I laughed and most of all, I couldn't wait to get in the car for my commute to the airport. Note: not a fan of the 150 mile drive to the airport however, this storyline made the drive seem like an hour!

Bottom line: buy it NOW, you will not be disappointed.

FIVE BRILLIANT SHINING STARS

I absolutely LOVED this audiobook. Having listened to the first book, Deep Shadow, I am familiar with the main character(s) and the theme of this series. I love that it takes place in the Caribbean. The witty banter between Boone and Emily. They have great chemistry and their side-romance does add to the story.
Nick Sullivan both writes and narrates his books. That's amazing. I find his narration very vibrant and realistic. If anyone else narrated this book, I don't think it would be the same experience. Because he is the author, I can tell he is giving the characters the voice he wants them to have, and what he wants readers/listeners to hear. And he does a bang-on job of it.
The audio was crystal clear. No choppy scenes or "too-long" periods of silence. Transitions from one scene to another were smooth and flawless. Amazing book. Highly recommend. FIVE BRILLIANT SHINING STARS. I wonder where Boone will go next.

Very descriptive

Good vocal casting . The islands sound inviting. Loved the accents . The underwater aquatic landscape was beautiful and makes me want to dive.

Exciting way to kick-off your summer reading

HALL WAYS REVIEW: 4.5 STARS. Audio book review. In DEEP CUT, as in DEEP SHADOW, readers get to live vicariously through the adventures of main characters Boone Fischer and Emily Durand, this time with the stunning setting of the island of Saba in the Caribbean Ocean. Ahhhhhh. With the threats of the last book left behind, the bad guys beaten back, and a relationship that’s gone from flirty to full bloom, Boone and Emily have nothing to do but spend time between the sheets, or scuba diving, or at the beach bars enjoying adult beverages, right? WRONG. While all of the above do happen, there’s something sinister lurking, and it will affect the lovers more than they can imagine.

DEEP CUT picks up a week or so after their last adventure ended, and Emily and Boone have advanced their relationship a bit. What started in the DEEP SHADOW as a friendship with mutual admiration and some flirty business morphed quickly, but it’s especially clear that they are in love and committed, and they complement and balance each other. It feels natural and it works. While the book isn’t focused on the romance, it is integral to the primary plot, and author Nick Sullivan brings these two characters to life.

“You about to get maudlin? Shut your pie hole.”

Sullivan makes his characters feel familiar and authentic, and their personalities are clearly defined. Boone is mostly the practical, predictable guy, who has some extra sensory perception for when things are off. His internal monologue sheds light on this and shows his sometimes-humorous side. Emily is more spontaneous, carefree, and charismatic, and her character brings much levity to the story. She and Boone both have sharp wits and are quick thinking and clever, and it serves each of them well whether the situations they find themselves in are on land or in the water.

DEEP CUT rolls along casually most of the time with interesting island tidbits and a laid-back island vibe without a lot of action. Then, BAM! High drama, and the action kicks-in to high gear with threats from beast and man and even acts of God.

BEAST. Anyone who knows me knows I have a love/hate relationship with sharks. I’m terrified but fascinated, and so at the first mention of sharks – which of course are mentioned since the divers are IN THE SHARKS’ HOUSE – my heart rate quickened. The scenes in the water are nerve-racking enough (um, sharks’ house) by definition, but Sullivan brings in his own diving knowledge and (possibly shark-y experience) to vividly describe the scenes. It is intense! As a side note, Sullivan also does a great job of slipping in the public service announcement of reminding readers that sharks aren’t evil and what generally motivates their behavior.

MAN. Ooooh, here is another place where Sullivan excels, both in his writing and narration. While the island of Saba does have a history of pirates and smugglers, the danger of the man-made kind is truly evil – the messed-up, off-balance, psychotic kind of evil that is riveting. Readers get to go inside the mind of The Servant, and that is a scary place to be especially when you listen to Sullivan’s narration of this character. His calm and controlled delivery is chilling and totally creepy.

GOD. Okay, maybe that’s too dramatic, but the backdrop of Hurricane Irma drawing ever closer to the island really ramped up the tension. Readers feel it coming and likely know the path of destruction the real Hurricane Irma left in the Caribbean. The dread of Irma’s arrival is palpable in the writing, and it perfectly parallels the dread of what’s surely coming when The Servant makes his next move.

ABOUT THE NARRATION: Nick Sullivan’s narration is on point in this second book of the series. He’s tamed the voice of Emily so that she sounds female (and not like a man voicing a female), and he’s captured her wry sense of humor and zest for life. He does a great job voicing all the characters and their unique accents and personalities and as mentioned, he nails the creepy factor in the voice of The Servant. There are no audio/technology glitches and the pacing and delivery are even, though a bit slow for me, so I listened at 1.25x.

I recommend readers – wait for it – dive right in with DEEP CUT. It stands alone and is a quick and exciting way to kick-off your summer reading and ignite your wanderlust. Don’t miss it! Meanwhile, I will anxiously await the next installment in the Caribbean Dive Adventures. After all, I am still waiting for Boone to find those dolphins.

Thank you to the author and Audiobookworm Productions for providing me an Audible download code in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give.