Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown

Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown is the second book in the Lies Beneath series.  The first book, Lies Beneath took readers into the world of Mermaids/Mermen/Mermonsters.  Lily is our resident not special human and Calder is the lovely merman of our nightmares.  What distinguishes this story is the fact that Calder and Merpeople in general are monsters that steal happiness and you know what? This works! Okay so the first book was all about the discovery of these creatures and of course of LOVE, involving Calder and Lily.  The ending of the book however, has us connecting the dots and realizing that the ordinary girl Lily is really quarter breed and her father is a half breed. 

Deep Betrayal picks up almost right where the first book left off.  For this book the main concentration is getting Lily’s father acclimated to the water and to his inner merman.  Calder, now cut off from his sisters and family choses to help Lily’s father.  Of course not everything is as peachy as this explanation of events.  Jack is still out looking for the mermaid that broke his heart, and he is willing to do anything to get people to listen to him about mermaids.  Death is a constant in this book and there are so many ways one could explain those deaths.  Is it Lily’s father, as a new merman can he control his need for joy?  Could it be Calder’s sisters, seeking retribution after losing so many of their family?  Is it Calder?  Perhaps it is a legend, that even Mermonsters consider legends? 

The book did a good job being jumpy and suspenseful. The mythology definitely helps, although looking back on it… why Minnesota?  I definitely enjoyed this book more than the first but at the same time there is something with Lily that I cannot quite express frustrates me.  Perhaps the next book would be less frustrating in relation to her but alas, that is never the case. 

 

I give this book a 3/5.  Thanks Net Galley.