Theodore Blackwell is an Imagine representative who begins recruiting interested parties for a second voyage to the Mariana Trench aboard the Melusine.

As the ship's safety systems fail, Dr. Toth works to unravel the mysteries of mermaid physiology and save the remaining crew.

Hallie Wilson learns to communicate with the captive mermaid via sign language, which saves several crew members from being eaten.

Gerry Paige Smith of BookPage gave the novel a positive review, calling it original and stating it "will unnerve and enthrall even seasoned horror fans.

They positively compared the work to Jurassic Park and also praised Grant's smart commentary about climate change and the exploitation of sea creatures.

[2] Publishers Weekly gave a mixed review, praising the novel's concept and gore, while criticizing the writing style as clichéd and meandering.