Review for Something in the Water

Blurb: 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.

Review: Erin and her new handsome husband Mark are on their honeymoon in Bora Bora when they pull a strange bag out of the ocean. If they keep what's inside, no one else will ever know... Right? Their plans spiral out of control with secrets layered upon secrets, and no one knows who to trust. Yet will these secrets eventually be the start of something wonderful or the end of Erin and her happy life?

This literary fiction book is a step away from what I usually read. It was on the recommended list for the adult summer reading challenge at my local library, and I'm so pleased I picked it up. I usually read cozy mysteries which are more light-hearted, but this psychological thriller is deep and heavy, and I wasn't even sure I could trust Erin as the narrator. (Unreliable narrators can be fun if done right.) There are long blocks of details and internal thoughts. This is not a fast-paced book, and it moves back and forth in the time line. The tension is sometimes lost in those pages, but it was still a wonderful read for me. Erin is a documentary filmmaker working on a project about prison inmates just before and after their release which I found fascinating in itself. Lots of twists and turns, and I partially guessed the end, but not to its full brilliant extent. A great contemporary thriller and just right for the summer!

Catherine Steadman is an actress, but she's also a brilliant writer. You can read a little more about her at Penguin Random House and buy the book here.