Death Dive (Depth Force #2) (1984)

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by Irving A. Greenfield



After Captain Jack Boxer and the crew of the high-tech U.S. submarine Shark rescue survivors from a downed commercial airliner, one of the passengers is murdered, raising the possibility of a traitor in the crew. 



At the same time, the Shark has to salvage a fortune in gold from an ancient wreck before a Soviet killer sub closes in. This is the best of the first four books, mostly because it stays focused on a solid structure—rescue at sea + murderer/traitor onboard + race for a wreck’s gold + Soviet sub closing in—without the less interesting land lubber digressions and awkward romances that figure so prominently in some of the other volumes. The story builds to an exciting and satisfying action climax, even if some of the developments feel implausible. I’m willing to believe Irving A. Greenfield knows more about subs than I do, but there still seems to be a lot of handwaving, the ending is abrupt, and we never learn who the murderer is. 


Irving A. Greenfield


Still, if you’re here for the series’ pulpy promise, Death Dive delivers for the most part, and the covers remain a selling point in their own right.

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