Digging Deeper by PJ Skinner
Sam strives for acceptance at a diamond mine but the rebels have other ideas
It’s 1998 and geologist Sam Harris is so desperate for money, she takes a job in a tinpot mining company working in war-torn Tamazia. The rebel ceasefire is holding, but only just, and she is horrified to be shipped out from the capital to a remote camp.
Working in Gemsite was never going to be easy with its culture of misogyny and corruption, but the project is full of landmines, both real and metaphorical. Her boss, the notorious Adrian Black, is engaged in a game of cat and mouse with the government over taxation, and her colleagues are trying to force her out.
After Sam makes a breakthrough at work, she hopes to finally get accepted by her peers. But when the situation takes a sudden turn for the worse, her lack of allies puts her in mortal danger.
Can she survive the consequences, or will she succumb to her fate?
Digging Deeper is the sixth book in the riveting Sam Harris Adventure series. If you like Indiana Jones, you'll love this exciting adventure with realistic storylines, set in an exotic location before modern technology.
About the author
PJ Skinner is geologist who has spent thirty years roaming the planet and collecting tall tales and real-life experiences. Most of her postings were in remote and dangerous sites which provide background settings for her novels. She now writes fact-based novels from the relative safety of London. She still travels worldwide collecting material for the series and having her own adventures.
Review
‘Digging Deeper’ is an extremely tense read set in an African war zone, which along with the usual misogynist colleagues, remote workplaces and lack of security gives the reader a rollercoaster of a ride! There is adventure, action, danger, brilliant characters and a local population in dire need of help. This is the 6th book in the series but it can be read as a standalone very easily, maybe more so than some of the others. I'm pretty sad that there is only one more book in the series for me to read as I have taken Sam Harris to my heart and would just continue reading any book PJ wanted to through in my direction concerning her!
Sam is heading to Tamazia, which is a currently a war zone but she has been told that the capital is safe and that is where she is going to be based. But when she meets her horrible chauvinistic despot of a boss in South Africa she is actually told she is going to be working in the field for the start to get a feel for the diamond production side of the business. However, that is in the conflict zone… When she gets there the whole management freezes her out and she doesn't have a lot to do there as she isn't allowed to see the results coming out of the deposits.
The section where Sam was taken captive by the rebels is the best writing that PJ has done over the series. Basically, with every book I say that but this time the tension radiated off the page and I was gripping my phone so tight as I was reading those passages that it began to hurt. I sincerely hope that this situation never happened to PJ as it would have been terrifying. Sam showed that she has nerves of steel, empathy and a willingness to embrace new cultures. I just love her now as a character! Her two wee friends were adorable.
Roll on the next book where we will now find Sam in London’s corporate world.
