Book Review: Currents Deep and Deadly by Arleen Alleman

Nov. 20, 2010 - PRLog -- Currents Deep and Deadly
Arleen Alleman
Xlibris, Corp. (August 23, 2010)
978-1453539286 (print)
304 pages

Find adventure, romance, mystery, bizarre interconnected coincidences, brutal murders and a journey of self discovery on a luxury cruise ship in Currents Deep and Deadly.

Author Arleen Alleman introduces her main characters with plenty of description and back story while showing the events that brought each on the month-long South American cruise. Darcy Farthing, the heroine, boards the Sea Nymph, an enormous floating city, with her current love, Dr. Peterson. Darcy is a self-described atheist and non-believer of coincidence. While boarding, Darcy overhears a conversation that may suggest the planning of foul play. Mick Clayton is a recent widower who chose the cruise last minute, more to keep an eye on Sidney, an old acquaintance, and her problems with her dangerous husband, Paul Denezza, a Vegas casino boss with old school mob connections. Captain Epsten is as proud of his Viking heritage as he is to be the Captain of the Sea Nymph. Rounding out the principals is the exotic beauty Suzanne Moretti, the Captain’s wife.

When a crew member is killed it is first considered an accident. A second death has ship security and Mick investigating two possible homicides. Meanwhile the romance between Darcy and Mick increases, with their love scenes adding some needed sizzle. The coincidences continue as Darcy begins to believe someone is pulling the strings when she is reunited with an old friend. The finger of guilt is pointed at several of the primaries including the suspicious Denezza, the jealous Captain, his mysterious wife, and others as the author successfully keeps the reader guessing who-dun-it. When the killer turns on Darcy, it’s a life-and-death struggle that could destroy all that she has built with Mick. In the end, the author wraps up the loose ends while nicely setting up the sequel.  
   
Arleen Alleman has done her homework. I came away with a clear picture of the shore excursion tour stops thanks to the well researched details of the villages, townspeople, and scenery. Alleman knows her way around a cruise ship as well, cleverly inserting the ship’s specs and dimensions to make me feel as though I was onboard. Darcy is an interesting, realistic protagonist and she has immediate chemistry with Mick as her side-kick love interest.  

I would have liked to have seen an impact event in the opening chapter to hook interest earlier, and then a gradual increase in tension until the climax. Unfortunately, the author waits more than a dozen chapters until Part 2 to turn up the emotional ante with the first murder. No sooner had conflict arisen did the author switch to romantic scenes. Frequent head hopping point-of-view changes were distracting and slowed down an already sluggish plot. If the author had stayed in Darcy’s first person POV, I believe it would have improved flow and allowed readers to form a stronger bond with her and her plight.
Overall, Currents Deep and Deadly is a good attempt at a mystery/thriller and I would recommend it as a holiday read.

By William Potter for Reader’s Choice Book Reviews

Available at Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Currents-Deep-Deadly-Arleen-Alleman...-

Arleen Alleman is a former analyst with the Government Accountability Office where she wrote extensively on many diverse topics including satellite systems, senior health care, postal operations, endangered species, and plant biodiversity.  Despite an education in biology, she is a self-described generalist who also worked as an insurance adjuster, fashion model, and jewelry designer.  Her current interests include travel, health and fitness, religious history, and running her own home décor shop and boutique.  Born in England and raised in New Hampshire and Las Vegas, she now lives in Colorado with her husband, Tim and their cat, Xena.  Currents Deep and Deadly is her first novel.

http://www.currentsdeepanddeadly.com/