It's the newest, most thrilling sightseeing cruise in the Alien Safari brochure.

For ranger Jan Corbija, ferrying rich tourists around the aquatic wonders of Hesperidia's islands helps to fund her important scientific research. But her final 'White Water' tour of the season might just be one sail too many when passengers steal her equipment for a dive into uncharted depths, triggering a tragic series of events. A leisurely cruise becomes a race against time when a young girl is swept overboard during a storm, and Jan's beloved dog, Stopper, jumps in to rescue her. Jan will stop at nothing to find them, even if it means risking the safety of everyone on board.

As the deep-sea salvage operation grows into an invasion force, she must contend with hostile humans and alien creatures alike in her quest to retrieve her brave canine companion and the girl in his charge. Help arrives in the shape of her famous detective boyfriend, Ferrix Vaughn, who's left a crucial bombing investigation to come to her aid. But he soon realizes something unprecedented has been lost on Hesperidia. A secret from long ago. A secret that could change the course of human history.

 It's past the point of no return for adventure and excitement in this white-knuckle sequel to the acclaimed Alien Safari.

Jan is shepherding tourists on a sea tour when some of them mutiny and go diving for some unspecified item, awakening creatures from the deep. As the creatures attack the boat and a storm rages, a child goes overboard and Stopper, Jan’s dog companion, leaps over the side to rescue her. As the search goes on it becomes apparent that there are forces at work that Jan may block her from finding the dog and child before the child dies. Meanwhile Vaughn is on the verge of capturing a bomber who disappears, literally, just as he and his fellow law enforcement officer close in on him. Leaving that investigation when he is informed that Stopper is missing and Jan is in trouble, Vaughn arrives on Hesperidia just in time to pull Jan out of trouble between two opposing factions searching for something they are willing to kill for.  As the search for Stopper and the child goes on it seems that there may be links between the bomber and what is happening on Hesperidia.

The actions is pretty much non-stop from page one. As if the planet and its inhabitants are not hostile enough to humans we have two sisters leading opposing factions searching for a missing artifact that their great-great-grandfather had developed.  Probably the first half of the books alternates between Jan and Vaughn’s search for Stopper and Stopper’s trek to bring the girl to safety.  Things take an interesting turn when they find Stopper and the girl but too much detail here will spoil the suspense for the reader. These are quick reads with interesting characters and intriguing world building. I look forward to the next two books to see what more we learn of our characters and the war that looms over their lives.

Recommended ~~ Stephanie L Bannon

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