Crikey! I didn't think claustrophobia could be written so effectively into a book but my goodness, Betsy Reavley managed it in Pressure. A super-fast paced thriller that I felt I had to read just as fast, as if my own reading-oxygen was in short supply.

I think it was a very novel idea to not just set the book on a submarine, but for the characters to be actors and film crew rather than sailors. It added to the tension when things went wrong and the sub became trapped at the bottom of the sea because nobody knows how to fix it. Add to the already tense mix that there's a killer on board and I could barely breathe with an equal mix of excitement and terror. As characters begin to be killed off, I was both looking for the killer and wondering who would be next.

With so many characters, books tend to get confusing and although I couldn't remember exactly who everybody was at times, some of the characters stuck in my mind due to the amazing back-stories that Betsy Reavley has created. Everyone is on the submarine for a different reason, some to make a name for themselves and some to get revenge. With so many reasons for a person to become unhinged, it makes Pressure totally unpredictable as even down to the last few chapters, I didn't know who to suspect.

Unusual and thrilling, Pressure kept me guessing right to the very end. It certainly showed how appearances can be deceptive and the danger lurking beneath the masks that so many people wear. Beneath the surface certainly has a double meaning in Pressure; beware what lies beneath...

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion. ( )

The Pica Explorer, a submerged submarine, has lost power and has sunk to the ocean floor. With ten people on the sub, time is of the essence because oxygen will run out – and soon. As if that alone isn’t terrifying enough, murders are being committed, one by one. I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie’s work, and immediately sensed a parallel to her book And Then There Were None.

Here the story is told in two different ways, from several first-person points of view to a mysterious telling from one of their pasts. This allows the reader to get into the minds of those aboard. However, despite all of the individual stories, I was consistently kept guessing. From beginning to end, the story runs at breakneck speed. You just know someone else will be next, but who, and why? Equally thrilling and horrifying, Pressure was an excellent read.

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. ( )

An interesting look at what lies beneath the surface. Trapped in a disabled submarine with a killer on the loose, air running out and the lights flickering, the characters must find a way to stop the killer and return to the surface. If only they knew just who the killer was.

It starts off a bit slowly but hang in there, it's worth it! I read this in a day because i just had to know how it ended. I recommend this to thriller readers. ( )

So first off, there are two storylines in this book that flip back and forth from chapter to chapter. One is the story of an unnamed child's adolescence and the other is about what's happening in real time on the sub and how those characters met the producer, Frank Holden who is a first class a-hole, and acquired their spot on the sub.

The structure of this story is what stood out the most to me. It was laid out beautifully-designed to build the suspense and keep you guessing. The whole time you're wondering which one of the crew members had this horrific childhood and could be causing the havoc on the sub. I guessed and guessed and guessed but never did pick the right person. Lol

The only thing I didn't really care for was how fast the story jumped from- departing in the sub, to a malfunctioning sub with a crazy killer on board. It felt like they crashed before they even had a chance to set sail and then the murders happened almost too fast to be realistic. So it would have been nice if their time on the sub was drawn out a little more.

It was still an enjoyable psychological thriller though and it will keep you guessing to the very end! ( )

An excellent book.

The writer manages to create a foreboding atmosphere, and the characters are all interesting and fully developed, each one with their own characteristics and personality.

The plot is tight and the writing superb. A fantastic choice for those who love suspense and a little bit of horror. ( )