Grave Descend has been reprinted by the great publisher Hard Case Crime with a fantastic cover by Gregory Manchess.
So dynamic.
It was written by Michael Crichton in 1970 under the pseudonym John Lange and was nominated for the Edgar Allen Poe award for best paperback of the year. Crichton had just won the Edgar in 1969 for A Case Of Need.
Michael Crichton is the author of thrillers such as Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, and my favourite, Sphere. which I found exciting and inventive. As much as I liked Sphere, and as much as I like Sharon Stone, the movie was pretty bad. You should read the exciting book.
Michael wrote several books under the name John Lange including Zero Cool, also published by Hard Case Crime.
Grave Descend is the weirdly named ship that mysteriously caught fire off the coast of Jamaica, where the crew and passengers had to bail as it sank under the waves. James McGregor is a professional diver called in to scuba down to the wreck to see what happened and obtain some valuable items. He soon learns that the owner is setting him up in a wily scam. They are trying to keep the sinking out of the papers for a few days and there are no straight answers to be had. Beautiful Monica Grant, who dove for her life off the burning boat provides some sexy eye candy, but that's not even her real name. As McGregor investigates, he even finds the boat, unsunk, moored off the coast. Something strange there.
Grave Descend is a fast read ~ dialogue driven with short chapters and a quick pace. It's not a classic, but a fun read for the afternoon, when all you want to do is escape the heat by sitting in the shade under your sister's large magnolia tree in a reclining zero gravity chair. The name of the boat is from Samuel Johnson, who is quoted throughout the book, a classy addition to the thriller.
This may not be the best Michael Crichton, but if you like fast paced adventure, sexy ladies, diving, and the bright Jamiaca sun, it's entertaining.
1970 / Paperback / 203 pages
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