Lying in the Deep

Lying in the Deep

A juicy mystery of jealousy, love, and betrayal set on a Semester at Sea-inspired cruise ship, with a diverse cast of delightfully suspicious characters who'll leave you guessing with every jaw-dropping twist. After being jilted by her ex-boyfriend and best friend, Jade couldn't be more ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime—11 countries in 4 months, all from the luxurious Campus on Board ship—and to wedge an entire globe between her and the people who broke her heart. But when Jade discovers the backstabbing couple are also setting sail, her obsession with them grows and festers, leading to a shocking murder. And as their friends begin to drop like flies, Jade and her new crush must race to clear her name and find the killer they're trapped at sea with....before anyone else winds up in body bags.   Perfect for readers of Natasha Preston, E. Lockhart, and Karen McManus! Gr 9 Up—Jade Miller can't wait to put an entire ocean between her and her past. She's embarking on her semester of Campus on Board, fulfilling her dreams of traveling the world while escaping two bad break-ups: one with her boyfriend, Silas, the other with her best friend and former Stanford roommate, Lainey. She and Lainey had been planning to room together aboard the Sea Voyager, but that plan came to a screeching halt over the summer, when Silas unceremoniously dumped her (via text, no less) for Lainey. So, Jade is understandably shocked when she spots Lainey and Silas together in the embarkation line. Thus, the stage is set for this clever revamp of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. As the ship sets sail, the tension mounts, but Jade does her best to move on. She befriends her new roommates, twin sisters Navya and Divya; burgeoning influencer Miguel; and cute, brooding Felix. In the chaos of a stormy night, the first murder occurs, and everyone's a suspect. As the bodies pile up, so do Urban's trademark twists, and readers will surely be shocked by the novel's final reveal. VERDICT A fun, twisty thriller with a diverse cast and a dash of romance, this book is perfect for readers who love Urban's first two thrillers, as well as fans of Jessica Goodman and Karen M. McManus.—Dana West “Great chemistry and entertaining, nonstop turns of plot steer the ship.” — Booklist “Psychologically and emotionally stirring.” — Kirkus Reviews "This cleverly plotted mystery and its earned, complex solution....boast numerous exhilarating twists and red herrings." — Publishers Weekly " A twisted tale of betrayal, heartbreak, and revenge , Lying in the Deep is shocking from the very first page. As gory as a slasher and as fun as a comedy, this book is a must-read for thriller fans." —Jessica Goodman, bestselling author of The Counselors "Diana Urban is the Agatha Christie of today’s YA audience. Lying in the Deep had me utterly engrossed from the jaw-dropping prologue to the final murderous twist. An absolutely thrilling and romantic read all the way through, and I can’t recommend it highly enough." —Jessica S. Olson, author of A Forgery of Roses “Whatever your age, this twisty and surprising thriller —with gorgeous settings, swoon-worthy romance, toxic friendships, and a surprise around every corner—will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can. This is storytelling at its best !” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today Bestselling Author of Her Perfect Life Diana Urban is an author of dark, twisty thrillers, including All Your Twisted Secrets (HarperTeen) and These Deadly Games (Wednesday Books). Her novels have been published internationally, and she’ll be featured in the Firsts and Lasts anthology (Penguin Workshop, 2023). When she’s not torturing fictional characters, she freelances in content writing and digital marketing. She lives with her husband and cat in Boston and enjoys reading, playing video games, fawning over cute animals, and looking at the beach from a safe distance. Visit her online at dianaurban.com. Prologue Now   I didn’t realize there’d be this much blood. Yeah, he’d said there was blood all over the room. But I thought of how my mother would always huff and say things like “Oh, Jade, you got ice cream all over yourself.” I’d glance down, expecting to be covered in chocolate goo, and there’d be this one lone dribble trailing down my shirt. Everyone always exaggerated these kinds of things. But nope. Not this time. This time, there was literally blood all over the room . A sea breeze rustled the curtains hanging from the wide--open French balcony doors, and even though I’d just been out on the top deck, I shivered, goose bumps coating my arms like a rash. I took another step into the suite to get a closer look, still gripping the cabin doorframe as though it could anchor me to a reality in which my best friend was still alive. Well, ex–-best friend. That ship had sailed months ago. Red slashed the ruffled white sheets, most of the blood pooled on the left side of the b