Book Review: Rising Tides

Reviewed by Tavleen Kaur

A thriller with a touch of humor and an intricate mystery storyline

Phil, a journalist, is living happily and expectantly with his pregnant girlfriend when Slatter shows up, asking Phil to help his ex-wife Matty. With the world of crime in his rear-view and a baby on the way, Phil is reluctant to get involved. But can he really refuse his persuasive friend?

Phil gets sucked into figuring out what Matty has gotten herself into. While the book starts with this simple premise with a single event, it goes down many paths. Phil is soon grudgingly involved in the dangerous world of The Lucky Seven. This unpredictable sleuth thriller has multiple threads to unravel.

The hints of humor in the narration make this already mysterious thriller even more enjoyable. It sets itself apart from the oftentimes straightforward tone of other detective thrillers. Phil is a refreshing protagonist and an interesting guy to follow around.

I’m used to seeing a fearless and at-times reckless main character in these stories, but Phil isn’t quite like that. He’s afraid and apprehensive about getting deeper into the case and very realistically so, as he genuinely does not want to put his family at risk. It’s nice to read a lead character who feels so human and not too much like a hero with superhuman bravado.

This book is more than just a mystery. We see Phil dealing with his anxieties and past traumas while working on the case. Such vulnerability from a character who is putting on a brave face—all while investigating a complicated case—is bound to make readers root for this realistic hero to come out on top. The characters and mystery hold this novel above other thrillers. 

As good as Phil is as a protagonist, the book’s various side characters such as Wendy, Slattery, and Matty make the story even more engaging. While these characters and the mystery help it stand above other thrillers, I admit to hoping for just a bit more action from it. The latter half of the book does pick up the pace as the plot gets more and more complex, but it takes some time to get going.

The complete unpredictability of the plot makes this book well worth a read. A classic thriller mystery with unconventional characters, Rising Tides takes readers on a thrilling ride with a great investigation.

Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Print Length: 309 pages

ISBN: 978-1739953904

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