The Deadly Shallows by Dani Pettrey is the third book in the Coastal Guardians series. I really didn’t know what the Coast Guard did before reading the three books, but I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for this branch of military service. The Deadly Shadows focuses on Noah Rowley and Brooke Kessler and Caleb Eason and Austin Kelly. There are two mysteries the team is working on, and both are resolved by the end of the book.

What I Liked About The Deadly Shallows

There’s a lot more romance in this installment than in the previous books, and I was very happy to see that Caleb found love. I really liked him in the last book and was sad he suffered a broken heart. Austin Kelly is a perfect match for him, and I enjoyed seeing their interactions. I wish there were more books planned in the series so that readers could see their relationship grow. Noah and Brooke’s romance developed very nicely.

I enjoyed the twists and turns as the team worked to solve the crimes. One crime involved the environment and the other the military. The bad guys are bad and I wanted them to pay for what they’d done. I’m not a fan of gratuitous violence, but I think a story should be realistic. To me that means readers should see some of the dastardly things the criminals do. Pettrey does a really good job in creating a believable story with just the right mix of criminal details.

Finally, I like that the women are strong and capable of taking care of themselves. There’s a good balance in this book in that both the male and female characters need rescuing at times.

What You’ll Like About The Deadly Shallows

If you enjoy crime stories, you’ll like this book. Because of the detail, you’ll think at times you’re right there with the team sifting through the clues.

The Deadly Shadows has a lot of action and will keep you guessing what’s going to happen next.

And, if you like multi-dimensional characters, you’ll find all the key players interesting and relatable in this series.

Final Thoughts

There’s a solid faith thread in The Deadly Shadows. The characters pray and share aspects about their Christian beliefs. I like this element in stories and while it is prominent in the book, I don’t think it’s preachy. Even if you’re not a Christian, you should enjoy the suspense and romance.

There are no cliffhangers in this book. And while it might make a bit more sense with Caleb’s story if you read the books in order, you can read them out of order and not be lost. The epilogue made me laugh and was a great way to end the book after all the intense action.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, but I also purchased the paperback. For more reviews, check out my blog.