From the Depths [Hardcover]

Gerry Doyle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2007

Dr. Christine Myers, a forensic scientist with the CIA, has investigated some of the most heinous crimes ever committed, but nothing could prepare her for the slaughter aboard the Dragon, a defecting North Korean nuclear submarine. On board, Christine and a team of Navy SEALs find all the crew members dead, some with their bodies smashed and mutilated, others poisoned from chlorine gas inhalation. Was the gas leak an accident, or was it sabotage? As the SEALS submerge the sub and attempt a clandestine journey to land, Christine tries to piece together the forensic clues. But once the SEALs start dying one by one, the survivors must band together against an unseen enemy—before it’s too late.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After a gripping opening, Doyle's debut degenerates into a routine science fiction thriller. Early one morning, Dr. Christine Myers, a forensic scientist for the CIA, receives a call from her superior to investigate a bizarre crime: the crew members of a North Korean submarine intent on defecting to the U.S. have all been killed, some by chlorine gas, which may have formed accidentally, but others bear marks of violence that suggest they turned on each other. Accompanied by a team of navy SEALs, Myers arrives by helicopter on the sub off the Virginia coast and starts reconstructing the fatal events. What appears to be an interesting locked-room murder mystery takes a detour into X-Files territory when Myers finds evidence that the sub was transporting a powerful bioweapon that may have transformed one of the sailors into a superhuman monster. The book lapses into a less than engaging takeoff on the movie Alien, redeemed somewhat by an unconventional ending. (Nov.)
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Review

Nominated for International Thriller Writers 2008 Best Debut Novel

"Well written and fast-paced fun."  —Library Journal

"Journalist Doyle writes with a level of authenticity that will appeal to readers of forensic-based mysteries."  —Booklist

"A genre-blending mix of mystery, thriller, sea story and science fiction, the sub's claustrophobic setting intensifies the already considerable element of suspense. A terrific, rip-roaring read."  —Mystery Scene Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: McBooks Press; Complete Numbers Starting with 1, 1st Ed edition (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159013141X
• ISBN-13: 978-1590131411
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,590,983 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gerry Doyle is the author of numerous short stories published in the United States, abroad and on the Internet. His first novel, "From the Depths," will be released in November 2007 by McBooks Press. He has worked as an editor and a reporter for the Chicago Tribune since 2001. He's also pretty good at ping-pong and has had cocktails on three different continents. He doesn't put much stock in astrology but just in case: He's a Leo.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An engaging thriller!, May 16, 2008

By 

A. P. Brown (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From the Depths (Hardcover)

Although some reviewers have compared this work to Alien (probably due more to the use of a heroine than the actual plot), I thought of it more as the illegitimate offspring of a Red October and CSI tryst. In other words - a highly original story!
The intricately detailed and meticulously researched passages dealing with forensic investigation are one of the strengths of the book because even with all of the technicalities, it is imminently readable and accessable to the average reader.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it!, May 14, 2008

By 

Deborah Faust (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From the Depths (Hardcover)

Exciting blend of imagination and reality, inventive and engaging plot twists, and clever and intelligent writing make reading From the Depths a most satisfying experience. Gerry Doyle will be heard from again!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Underwater thriller, December 30, 2007

By 

K. H. Vannaman "Book worm" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From the Depths (Hardcover)

Not my usual genre of book, but "From the Depths" reminded me of the entertaining power a good thriller can have. Quite an engaging story with plot twists throughout.