Interesting Thriller That Falls Just a Tad Short…

Let me preface this review by stating that A.J. Waines is the author of The Girl on the Train which I truly enjoyed.

The Evil Beneath begins when psychotherapist, Juliet Grey, receives an anonymous text message instructing her to go to Hammersmith Bridge at dawn. Juliet, curious, takes a jog in that direction only to find a crowd assembled at the site. Pushing her way to the front, she discovers the reason for their interest – a dead body lying in the water. Thus begins a series of events that pull Juliet into the case of what is apparently a serial killer – a killer who she discovers has intimate knowledge of her life.

This was a good premise for a mystery novel. However, this read fell short for me for several reasons. First, the heroine. I found her whiny, unsympathetic, and irritating. At times, I almost hoped the killer would make her the next target just to be rid of her. Secondly, the romance. There was no heat – no passion – between the detective and Juliet making it a non-starter in my opinion. Thirdly, the trek through the sewers was a bit too far-fetched for me. I don’t believe that Juliet would have been able to infiltrate herself into the team of detectives and experts as easily as she did. She has no expertise in navigating sewers (who does?) and actually saves a life while she’s there. Not very realistic.

The novel is very British and I suppose if you are from Great Britain or have an affinity for the British Isles, you might have a different take on it than I did. It’s well-written, but was not my cup of tea.

https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Beneath-J-Waines-ebook/dp/B079K2927S