Official Review: Deathly Cold by A G D Hayes

[ritah]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Deathly Cold" by A G D Hayes.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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What happens when a sophisticated, state-of-the-art warship with a unique source of power and propulsion is launched for trials? You get conspiracies, espionage, terrorist attacks, and multiple murders. This is indeed the unfortunate case of what surrounds her majesty, the powerful HMS Virago.

Lieutenant Commander David Livingston, captain of Virago, experiences anxiety over the sea trials of his ship, as attempts at sabotage threaten to derail the trials and safety of his crew. He receives stern orders from higher-ups to stay on course. The Admiralty, in response to the captain’s worries, dispatches Lt. Cdr. Philip Cassidy, a specialist in weaponry and an expert in special operations, to work undercover while he attempts to uncover and halt those behind the sabotage. Except, the road to discovery is not smooth sailing. When Cassidy captures the attention of the big fish responsible for the murky waters, it is not long before he finds himself fighting to stay alive. Will Cassidy be able to identify and expose the perpetrators, or will he be made to sleep with the fishes? Finally, will Virago complete her trials at sea successfully?

Deathly Cold by Anthony G. D. Hayes is a suspense-filled, thrilling, mystery novel that sets readers on an unforgettable shakedown cruise aboard Virago. The novel works as a stand-alone, but the ending is so explosive that it allows room for a sequel should the author choose to expand the narrative. I, for one, like the idea of a second book; in my mind, there are certain aspects of the story, especially the ending, worth further exploration.

Written in the third-person point of view, we mainly get to follow Cassidy in his thoughts and actions as he tries to unravel the mystery that is the ship’s saboteurs. Aboard Virago, we meet other characters such as the Fleet Chief, Clarke Coxswain; First Lieutenant, Rory Bannulph; and the Gunnery Officer, Blake-Smith, just to name a few. The author’s writing style allows us to get to know each of these characters intimately. Moreso, just when I thought I had figured it all out, the author introduced a backstory that added even more depth to the characters, and some of these backstories surprised me as they shone a new light on the characters. There were also adequate character descriptions, and the world-building was satisfactory, which are all pluses in my books.

I highly appreciated how the chapter titles brilliantly set the tone for what to expect without giving anything away. As the plot intensified, I had my suspicions, but I never felt sure. It was not until the last chapters that those behind the sabotage were unveiled, and it was then that I realized how way-off my suspicions were. I especially like that the author did not play it safe with the ending; I was still trying to come to terms with who the saboteur was on the ship when something unexpected happened. Without a doubt, the plot twists and shock factor elevated my experience with the novel. The narrative also had elements of rivalry, murder-mystery, and romance, which complemented the main themes. I also relished the moments of humor in the dialogues.

Overall, the setting and plot work well in weaving a believable and intriguing tale. The book appears to be professionally edited; in all the pages I read, I only found less than a handful of errors. This is a novel I would highly recommend to fans of the genre. Thus, I am happy to rate Deathly Cold 4 out of 4 Stars.

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Deathly Cold
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Like ritah's review? Post a comment saying so!

[NL Hartje]

If it isn't too much of a giveaway, do you mind my asking what the unique power source is for the ship? I always enjoy reading about new technologies. Loved your review!

[kandscreeley]

I'm glad you enjoyed this one. It just isn't striking me as something I would like. But it does sound like it moves at a good clip. Thanks for the information.

[Licious_liccy]

Great book, I love it, new discoveries

[DancingLady]

Naval drama, conspiracy, new technology. This sounds really exciting. It reminds me a little bit of a Clive Cussler novel, and a little bit of The Last Ship. I love how the isolation of a ship at sea really ups the tension and creates a high stakes environment.

[ebembrybond1]

Sounds good, what a good suspense over the sea. I would give it a 4 out of five stars.

[Sahani Nimandra]

I like the intimacy that the author provided through characters, it helps to have a direct involvement in the current flow of the book. A good suspenseful read is certainly my cup of tea. Thank you for sharing!

[Cristina Chifane]

I love the fact that suspense is kept at the very most up to the end of the novel. Since the suspects of sabotage are all aboard Virago, I imagine the level of adrenalin is always high. Thank you for sharing all the information with us!

[Jkhorner]

Naval drama, conspiracy, new technology. This sounds really exciting. It reminds me a little bit of a Clive Cussler novel, and a little bit of The Last Ship. I love how the isolation of a ship at sea really ups the tension and creates a high stakes environment.

Exactly! I was thinking Clive Cussler or early Tom Clancy. The premise certainly sounds fascinating!
Thanks for the great review!

[Moha+]

the book sounds awesome

[Butterflybookworm]

While reading that worships is not usually something I would do this book definitely sounds interesting. The little twist about new technology gives it a sci-fi feel that I might like.

[ritah]

If it isn't too much of a giveaway, do you mind my asking what the unique power source is for the ship? I always enjoy reading about new technologies. Loved your review!

Thanks!!! You'll be intrigued when you find out, powerful and unique yet it seemed plausible

Naval drama, conspiracy, new technology. This sounds really exciting. It reminds me a little bit of a Clive Cussler novel, and a little bit of The Last Ship. I love how the isolation of a ship at sea really ups the tension and creates a high stakes environment.

It was captivating, had me hooked all the way to the end.

Sounds good, what a good suspense over the sea. I would give it a 4 out of five stars.

Have you read it?

I like the intimacy that the author provided through characters, it helps to have a direct involvement in the current flow of the book. A good suspenseful read is certainly my cup of tea. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks! Me too, that's one of the aspects I really appreciated in this novel.

I love the fact that suspense is kept at the very most up to the end of the novel. Since the suspects of sabotage are all aboard Virago, I imagine the level of adrenalin is always high. Thank you for sharing all the information with us!

Yea, the suspense level was crazy, in a good way, the funny thing is even at the end when those responsible are revealed, you are left questioning if they really were the ones behind it all. This is a must read!

Naval drama, conspiracy, new technology. This sounds really exciting. It reminds me a little bit of a Clive Cussler novel, and a little bit of The Last Ship. I love how the isolation of a ship at sea really ups the tension and creates a high stakes environment.

Exactly! I was thinking Clive Cussler or early Tom Clancy. The premise certainly sounds fascinating!
Thanks for the great review!

Thanks!!! It certainly was.

While reading that worships is not usually something I would do this book definitely sounds interesting. The little twist about new technology gives it a sci-fi feel that I might like.

You might end up loving it, definitely give it a try.