Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman

Something In The Water Released: Jun 05, 2018
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Kiwi Rated It:
View Title On: Goodreads
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A shocking discovery on a honeymoon in paradise changes the lives of a picture-perfect couple in this taut psychological thriller debut—for readers of Ruth Ware, Paula Hawkins, and Shari Lapena.

If you could make one simple choice that would change your life forever, would you?

Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .

A shocking discovery on a honeymoon in paradise changes the lives of a picture-perfect couple in this taut psychological thriller debut—for readers of Ruth Ware, Paula Hawkins, and Shari Lapena.

If you could make one simple choice that would change your life forever, would you?

Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .

Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?

Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?

Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we’re tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves.

Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?

Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we’re tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves.

Something In The Water starts with a whopper of a chapter. Newlywed Erin asks us how long it takes to dig a grave. She knows - she’s digging her husbands. Wait. What? Yep. Can you say “hooked”?

Erin then walks us back into the not-so-distant-past and into her relationship with her fiance, Mark. When, on their honeymoon, the discovery of a bag full of illicit goodies leads them into some serious ethical and moral grey areas, the pair hatches an elaborate and dangerous plan to keep what they’ve found. Throw in some extra characters, a terrorism investigation, and a little more shadiness to muddy the waters, and Something In The Water is a pretty refreshing twist on the genre.

Actress (you may know her from Downton Abbey) Catherine Steadman is a gifted writer. Her characters, including those on the periphery, are well fleshed out, warts and all. And when I say warts, I mean it. Erin, our protagonist, made me want to strangle her. Seriously - how can one person make such reckless decisions and still end up ... wait, no. That’s a spoiler! But, as you know, I love these kinds of characters, so I felt pretty comfortable reading Erin’s voice and spent a bit of time groaning aloud at her inane antics, laughing out loud at her audacity and shaking my head at her crazy risk-taking.

The ending, even though you’ve spent time kinda guessing, is still a bit of a surprise. You may even be left feeling like you probably missed something. Don’t worry. You didn’t, because it wasn’t there. And because of that, it felt a little flat to me - but I’m jaded when it comes to my thrillers 😊

All in all, Something In The Water is a quick, easy, enjoyable read. I would say it straddles a line between contemporary fiction and psychological thriller, so fans of either shouldn’t be disappointed.

  Catherine Steadman

  Something In The Water was provided free by Ballantine Books (via NetGalley) in return for my honest opinion.


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