Into the Water: The Sunday Times Bestseller

by Paula Hawkins

‘Wondering if Into the Water could be as good as The Girl on the Train? It's better. A triumph.’ Clare Mackintosh, bestselling author of I Let You Go

The addictive No. 1 psychological thriller from the author of The Girl on the Train, the runaway Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller and global phenomenon.


*****

Just days before her sister plunged to her death, Jules ignored her call.

Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules must return to her sister's house to care for her daughter, and to face the mystery of Nel's death.

But Jules is afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of this small town that is drowning in secrecy . . .

And of knowing that Nel would never have jumped.

*****

‘Paula Hawkins does it again! Into the Water is a moody and chilling thriller that will have you madly turning the pages. A gripping, compulsive read!’ Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

‘Fans of Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train rejoice: her second novel Into the Water is even better. A brilliantly plotted and fast-paced juggernaut of a read that hurtles to a heart-stopping conclusion.’ Good Housekeeping (Book of the Month)

‘A twisting whodunnit that leaves you both gratified and surprised (also the best kind) . . . Not just a brilliant thriller but also a furious feminist howl . . .’ Stylist

‘Dark, gothic and twisty as a snake in the grass. I read it in one sitting.’ Erin Kelly, author of He Said, She Said

‘Into the Water is superb. Sinister layers, complex characters and a plot that'll keep you guessing.’ Ali Land, author of Good Me, Bad Me

***PAULA HAWKINS' ADDICTIVE NEW THRILLER, THE BLUE HOUR IS NOW AVAILABLE***

• ISBN10: 1784162248
• ISBN13: 9781784162245
• Publish Date: 17 May 2018 (first published 2 May 2017)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
• Imprint: Black Swan
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[pagesbycyndy]

Review:

As I started listening to this book I tried not to make comparisons to the author's last book and there was no comparison. This is a very slow moving story that really did not draw me in until a third of the way through. The overall theme of this book is sad depressed women that go into the river to end it all, I am not saying whether or not they go willingly but they do go. I was drawn in by the words and how well written this was. I am a sucker for a good mystery with a twist and yes this book did have that. This story is told from many points of view which was a bit confusing for me at first until I got to know each character. There is not one happy character in this story, each one is suffering from something and that was a bit much at times. I think I just wanted to keep the focus on the main event, did Nel go willingly and of course the mystery of why did Katie go into the river to end it all. I think I was most interested in the why of Katie and the how of Nel and that is what intrigued me the most and kept my interest, how it all unfolded. Towards the end of the book when all of the shocking events come together was the best part of the book, it was a great conclusion.

Final Thoughts:

While I did enjoy this book I found it hard to follow at times with too many points of view and way too many subplots. Aside from that the author delivered a good , somewhat dark, suspense story.This review was originally posted on Cindy's Book Binge

[Quirky Cat]

Another woman is dead, the second one this year; both died by apparent suicide in the same pool of water. But there's more to it than that, there's more history to this place. The truths and half-truths blur together to make an intriguing mystery about what is real and what is a lie.



Warnings first: This is a fairly heavy book on the whole, covering several intense subjects. Rape is mentioned; as one of the character's backstory. There are details included, from the perspective of the victim. There are several suicides and attempted suicides discussed, and they come up frequently. Additionally one character kills an animal – though it is “off screen” so to speak, and we only learn about it from another character's reaction to the news. The animal one is quick, though brought up a couple of times later.
Into the Water is Paula Hawkins follow up to Girl on the Train, and many fans will be happy to hear that it was not a fluke. I felt that Hawkins' writing style has grown, though there is still something to be desired for with the character development. Many of the characters have had horrible and tragic events in their past, and while I did find myself feeling sympathetic or defensive for them (as the situation called for), I feel like Hawkins could have done more to bring the characters to life; to bring their grief and anger to a whole new level.
What I loved in particular was the study of how time can distort the perception of events; how a lie told enough times can become the truth. That is where the book truly shined, in my mind. One can find a mystery or a thriller in any bookstore, or on any shelf. It is much harder to find a novel that explores subjects such as this. I'm half tempted to give it a four star rating for this fact alone.
There were many more characters in this novel; with the perspective switching about each chapter. I found the number of characters with their own point of views just a bit overwhelming, and would have been happier with even just one or two less. Additionally, I felt that there were some secondary plots introduced by a couple characters that were later left unresolved. This could have been intentional, allowing for a sequel, or it could have been an oversight. I'm unsure as to which.
I am very happy to report that while I had my theories of “who done it” I wasn't truly sure until the end; and I found the ending itself satisfactory. It held up to the promises delivered to us at the start of the book, and fully explained the why and how of what happened (for the main plot at least). We're also not thrown a mysterious killer that is only introduced at the end, so bonus there! (That's a pet peeve of mine).



For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[kimbacaffeinate]

Setting this aside. All of the POVs are making me a tad crazy. Parts are interesting, so I may attempt this again but for now, I am feeling frustrated.