I started out reading Go Back by Marissa Farrar, a free book, the prequel to this one. It really had me hooked and I was disappointed that Go Back was just a little teaser to get me all hyped up to leave me hanging . Farrar is a talented writer and I really enjoyed that first short story, so of course, I had to grab up that second book (which I actually found was available in my Scribd subscription, along with some of Farrar's other books). It's not necessary to read Go Back before you start Underlife, but you may as well because it's a freebie and it's short, giving you an extra peek into the main character, Tom's, background. In Underlife, Tom is a middle-aged man with a critically ill son. Things happen that convince Tom that he must go to the hidden underground tunnels to help find the answers to save his son. Underground, Tom must deal with his claustrophobia, a past that he can't remember, and a monster that lives in the dark caverns. With the help of the homeless people living in the tunnels, will Tom be able to find the answers in time to save his son from dying? Or will whatever is waiting in the dark get to Tom first?

This book was fast moving with lots of colorful characters that were fun to read about and follow as they made their way through the tunnels below the city. There were plenty of dangerous situations that kept my heart rate up. The author's writing is fluid, allowing me to to slip into the story as it moved along, up until the exciting twist at the end. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it. Some scary parts though not too gross. A few times I felt the story was getting a little long as the groups' journey through the tunnels seemed to drag on a bit (thus the 4 stars versus 5), but overall a really good book and I will definitely read more by Marissa Farrar. ( )