#DeepBlueTrouble #StephBroadribb #BlogTour #Review


 

DEEP BLUE TROUBLE
by STEPH BROADRIBB

*My thanks to Anne Cater and Orenda for the advance copy of this novel and for inviting me to join the Blog Tour* 

This is the second instalment in the Lori Anderson series and it is as gripping, as fresh and as action packed as Deep Down Dead. I like the titles and covers for these books- they're as punchy and sharp as the writing inside. If you haven't discovered Lori Anderson and Steph Broadribb already, then now is the time! It's possible to read Deep Blue Trouble as a stand alone but as the story is a continuation from book one, you'll definitely get more from it if you've been part of Lori's journey from the beginning. As these are such pacy reads it won't take you long to catch up! 

In Deep Blue Trouble we join Lori, single mother, Florida based bounty hunter, as she tries to save JT. JT is the father of her daughter, Dakota, and he is currently in jail, heading for Death Row. So, what's the best way to save him? Throw Lori headlong into a dangerous and threatening situation and pull the reader straight into a plot full of risk and adventure? Yes, of course it is! Lori takes an off-the-books job to bring back Gibson "The Fish" Fletcher and in return JT will walk free. 

That's all I'm saying. You have to read the book yourself to find out what happens, how Lori has to travel across state, team up with another bounty hunter who has a different way of working, put herself under more pressure, in more danger and all the while, the clock is ticking loudly in the background as JT waits in prison. It's tense, I can tell you! 

The thing that is most compelling about Broadribb's novels is the main character. It's great to see more independent, strong and feisty women taking control of the story lines and Broadribb's character does this while always feeling authentic and believable. She is different but nothing is contrived. I like the emotional depth we get with Lori because of the relationship she has with her daughter and the dilemmas this creates for her when she is working. 

'Coffee can be a cure for many things, but it couldn't change the distance between me, JT and Dakota."

It's really great to see that even a bounty hunter feels guilty for not being on the end of a phone and the juggle between her role as a mother as well as a someone with a career is well depicted. I think her core values are also important in grounding her and making her more realistic and they add an important angle. Just as her relationship with JT also reveals more about her character and emotional complexity. 

The other thing that is compelling about Deep Blue Trouble is the immediacy of the language, the informality of the prose and the authenticity of the dialogue. The reader feels very at ease with Broadribb's writing and the Lori's narrative. Most of the story is told from Lori's point of view and it's very easy to engage with her. I like her upfront, honest and frank way of talking and they way this transfers to the whole style of the book.

This is a fast paced, action packed thriller. The setting and location are very clearly evoked and the reader is able to imagine and picture each scene and each character. It's great fun to step into Lori's world even though it is dangerous and full of threat. Deep Blue Trouble is an edge of your seat read and one that you want to be part of each step of the way. I enjoyed it because it stands out; it's fresh, bold and it's great that everything I loved about Deep Down Dead is also here in Deep Blue Trouble.  

If you like Angela Clarke, Corrie Jackson and strong, believable female leads then you will love Steph Broadribb's Lori Anderson. One of the reasons I enjoyed this novel is because it doesn't really compare with any other detective series I have read recently. There are almost no comparisons between Lori's life and mine, but I have empathy, admiration and respect for her and I love to be taken on the nail biting ride as she fights for what she know needs to be done and what she knows is right. As they said in the story, "People like us don't like to be bored...lack of adventure, that's what kills you in the end." I'm pretty sure we are going to be seeing a lot more adventures from Lori Anderson!

Deep Blue Trouble is published by Orenda on 5th January 2018. 

Don't miss the rest of the stops on this epic Blog Tour! 



STEPH BROADRIBB


Steph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. Most of her working life has been spent between the UK and USA. As her alter ego - Crime Thriller Girl - she indulges her love of all things crime fiction by blogging at  www.crimethrillergirl.com where she interviews authors and reviews the latest releases.

Steph is an alumni of the MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at City University London, and she trained as a bounty hunter in California. She lives in Buckinghamshire surrounded by horses, cows and chickens.


You can follow Steph on Twitter @CrimeThrillGirl

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