Something in the Water
by Catherine Steadman
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.
“A psychological thriller that captivated me from page one. What unfolds makes for a wild, page-turning ride! It’s the perfect beach read!”—Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine book pick)
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.
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Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐
Something in the Water had me from the first chapter. Well, more accurately, from the first line. I have to say that the opening line is one of the strongest that I've come across in the genre. Catherine Steadman doesn't ease us into this tale, she pulls us in head first. From there our narrator, Erin, takes us back a few months to give a bit of context to where she is when the story opens. The pace does slow down some during the next few chapters and I'll admit that at times I was tempted to skim. Thankfully, I resisted that temptation because there are some important things revealed even though I didn't realize that until later. Once Erin and Mark find what is in the water, the pacing picks up and it's a mix of twists, doubt, and frustration. Yes, frustration. Erin frustrated me to no end with her actions. There were points in this book that I seriously wanted to shake some sense into this woman. In fact, if it were a movie, I would've been talking to her - What are you doing? That's not going to end well! Stop! Don't do that! Then we have her husband, Mark, who comes across as a controlling jerk almost from the very beginning. For two people who are seemingly so much in love, these two spend a crazy amount of time keeping secrets from each other. Oddly enough, the most open person in the story is Eddie, who happens to be in prison. Yes, he's a criminal. Yes, he does favors, but he also expects a return on that investment.Yes, I absolutely loved Eddie!
My advice - read this one. Read every word and pay attention. Then when you get to the conclusion, look back and count up how many aha moments you missed. And when you're done with that, take a few and really think about how it all played out and ask yourself if given the same set of circumstances, would you make the same decisions as Erin.
I was a bit disappointed that some questions don't really get answered. At least not completely, but everything considered, I'm not sure I'd want all of those answers if I were in Erin's shoes.
❃❃ARC provided by NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
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