Girl Under Water: An absolutely unputdownable and gripping crime thriller (Detective Charlotte Winters, #2)

by L T Vargus and Tim McBain

Her numb fingers scrabble over upholstery, over metal, over glass, searching for a way out. Water stings her eyes as she’s dragged downward, clinging to her last breath as she’s absorbed into the cold dark below…

When Gloria Carmichael’s body is found broken and bleeding on the sidewalk just days after knocking on Detective Charlie Winters’ door begging for help to locate her father’s will, Charlie’s instinct is confirmed: her latest case is about more than just a simple family feud.

The Carmichaels are famous in Salem Island for their large family and charitable work, but, moments before she died, beautiful, trustworthy eldest daughter Gloria called Charlie to say she had uncovered a terrible secret that would break the mystery of her father’s death wide open.

With the voice of her murdered sister ringing in her ears—pushing her to risk everything to bring justice to the innocent—Charlie takes matters into her own hands. She won’t let another family break apart like her own, and she knows the answers she needs are hidden somewhere inside the Carmichael home.

But as Charlie races to confront her main suspect—a file containing evidence that will devastate the Carmichael family on the car seat beside her—she’s rammed off the road and over the edge of a nearby cliff. Fighting for breath in a sinking car, Charlie has to survive or other innocent lives will be taken. Everyone involved is keeping secrets, but only one twisted soul is prepared to kill to keep theirs…

• ISBN10: 1838888357
• ISBN13: 9781838888350
• Publish Date: 17 December 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Bookouture
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 394
• Language: English

Reviews

[Emma (SCR)]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. This is the second book in this series but they could be read as standalones. I really enjoyed the first book so I was excited to see where Charlotte went next.

This book was less personal than the first one. I found the case was for me less interesting. I didn't really care who killed Daddy and took all his money. It just seemed like spoilt rich kids fighting over who got the most money.

I did however really like Charlotte. She is very good at her job and has that gut feeling. I am very excited to see where the series takes her next. She has now had 2 big successes as a private detective so she is definitely going to be getting some really juicy cases coming her way. Charlie also puts her life quite literally on the line. I was very very nervous for her during the book. She gets herself into some really scary situations that I just did not see a way out of.

Charlie's friend Zoe is a favourite character of mine so I hope we see more of her as the series progresses. I also really hope that we eventually find out what happened to Allie.

The book was well written and pulled me in despite not actually caring who did it. The authors have a way of making you forget your surroundings and really feel like you are right there next to the characters. The book is full of suspense and action and I can't wait for more!