This is my entry for the fourth installment of the Open Novella Contest. Surface Deep will be a mystery that tends towards the cozy side of the genre. My goal is for it to be a humorous and engaging ride, filled with twists and turns; hopefully, that's enough to entice you to read along to see how it all unfolds.

The story is based on Prompt #5: There's a terrible drought ravaging the land, but when the waters recede from the lake/reservoir, they reveal something no one expected to find.

Update schedule: Tuesday for the time being.

Sincerely,
Louis

* * *

Summary:
Ricardo Torres has spent most of his twenties chasing the bohemian lifestyle, right down to the paintbrush that seems permanently attached to his hand. In his quest to capture the damage wrought to his beloved Lake Fúquene on a canvas, Rico once again finds himself lakeside. However, he soon discovers that the lake has been hiding a secret beneath its waves. With the water all but gone, a stolen Botero sculpture emerges from the cracking, muddy lakebed.

Shortly after the police are called, Detective Sonia Mendoza arrives on the scene, eager to warm up this cold case. But as soon as Ricardo and Sonia are back at the police station in Bogotá, they learn that the lake was hiding more than one secret. Now this unlikely pair must team up to solve a mystery neither of them anticipated.

Massive thanks for reading!