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Unwritten & Underwater (2017) by Amanda M. Lee is the eleventh installment in the Avery Shaw Mystery series, a cozy-mystery that elevates reporter Avery Shaw’s personal stakes by shifting her career and home life into the cross-hairs of crime. The book matters because it places Avery in unfamiliar terrain—her dream house, a former flame stalking the edges, and a murder that drags her from journalist to suspect—deepening the series’ themes of risk, community, and the price of truth.
Setting & Author Context
The novel takes place in suburban Michigan, where Avery has recently moved into her “dream house” and is hosting a house-warming for family and friends. The setting gives the story a dual nature: familiar warmth of home and the chilling isolation when something goes very wrong. Lee’s background in journalism continues to shape the narrative: Avery’s newsroom habits, professional instincts, and investigative methods are presented with authenticity. Lee’s recurring motif of the news-desk-turned-detective-desk serves this story well—she challenges her protagonist by moving her into domestic space, showing that threats don’t just wait in the newsroom.
Plot Summary (No Spoilers)
The story follows Avery Shaw as she enters what should be a new chapter: a new house, home life with boyfriend Elliot Kane, and a more settled rhythm. But when ex-boyfriend Sheriff Jake Farrell’s stalker shows up at a high-profile event, and that stalker turns up dead, Avery and Elliot immediately become entwined. The Michigan State Police take over the investigation, turning Avery from reporter to suspect. Simultaneously, Avery’s grandfather’s antics (yes, his pool visits) and family drama intrude, giving her personal demands at the same time as her professional life implodes. As Avery digs in, she realises that home can be the most dangerous beat of all—and that sometimes the “safe space” is where you least expect risk.
Characters & Themes
- Avery Shaw: A reporter whose world is shifting; moving to a dream house seems like victory, but the novel shows that triumph doesn’t immunise her from threat. She represents the vulnerability behind the byline.
- Elliot Kane: Avery’s partner and boyfriend, who supports her while juggling his own loyalty and concern. He symbolizes the personal side of professional risk.
- Sheriff Jake Farrell: Avery’s old peer in law enforcement; his presence here reminds us that professional crossover complicates personal boundaries.
- Former flame / Stalker character (Cara Carpenter): This character gives voice to themes of obsession, history, and the way past relationships can scar present lives.
- The house / pool / backyard setting: The domestic setting becomes its own character—home isn’t always a refuge, and the story explores the façade of safety and the cost of unsettled peace.
Key themes include home versus hazard, the cost of complacency, and truth when the target is you. Lee uses the title’s metaphor—“Unwritten & Underwater”—to suggest stories hidden beneath the surface and the risk of drowning beneath one’s own assumptions.
Tropes & Reader Experience
The novel uses classic cozy-mystery tropes—quirky side characters, small-town setting, a journalist heroine—but turned inside-out by placing the protagonist in a domestic setting with career ramifications. The familiar trope of “amateur sleuth in everyday life” becomes “professional reporter under suspicion,” giving fans both comfort and surprise. The emotional tone is still witty and lively, but the stakes feel higher: Avery isn’t just chasing the story, she’s part of it. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with heart, humour, and credible danger will find this book absorbing.
Series Placement / Reading Order
Unwritten & Underwater is Book #11 in the Avery Shaw Mystery series.
Here’s a brief excerpt of the reading order around this title:
- #10: Off The Record (2017)
- #11: Unwritten & Underwater (2017)
- #12: Extra! Extra! Dead All About It (2018)
Though each book stands reasonably on its own, reading in order enhances the relationships, recurring jokes, and professional-life context that build across the series.
Reader Suitability / Why Read It
If you enjoy cozy mysteries that blend humour, workplace savvy, and personal stakes—this novel fits the bill. It’s ideal for readers who like protagonists with careers (rather than just hobbies), domestic scenes that turn dangerous, and the interplay of everyday life with danger lurking just behind the door. The emotional impact comes from seeing Avery redefine home and work simultaneously when both become surprising battlegrounds. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the series or a first-time reader drawn to smart, character-driven mysteries, this entry delivers.
Verified Book Facts
- Release year: 2017. The audiobook lists November 27, 2017.
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
- ISBN-10: 1548738670; ISBN-13: 9781548738679.
- Reader consensus: Goodreads average ~4.61/5 with 1,376 ratings.
- Format availability: Paperback, eBook, audiobook narrated by Angel Clark.
Continue the Avery Shaw Mystery Series
Read other books in the Avery Shaw Mystery Series.