Something in the Water: The Gripping Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick!

by Catherine Steadman

*** THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER AND REESE WITHERSPOON BOOKCLUB 2018 PICK! ***
The perfect couple.
The perfect crime? 
 
‘Deftly paced, elegantly chilly thriller… Steadman brings similar qualities of wit, timing and intelligence to this novel… a proper page-turner’ New York Times
 
Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough; Mark a handsome investment banker with a bright future. They seem to have it all. But do they?

On a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, Mark takes Erin scuba diving. Everything is perfect. Until they find something in the water. Something that will change their lives forever. 

Erin and Mark decide to keep their discovery a secret. No one else need know; they trust each other implicitly.
 
But someone else does know. And in situations like these, it is far better to trust no one, not even those closest to you … 

Set to be the blockbuster read of the summer, this is an unmissable, fast-paced, jaw-dropping thriller from a debut writer destined for great things.
 
‘A wild, page-turning ride! It’s the perfect beach read!’ Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine book pick)

 ‘Worthy of Hitchcock’ Sunday Times
 
‘Pure adrenaline: I swallowed this book whole’ Erin Kelly, author of He Said, She Said
 
‘A thriller for our times’ Louise Candlish, author of Our House
 
‘A stunning debut. Superbly written, clever and gripping’ BA Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors
 
‘A fascinating moral dilemma’ Gillian McAllister, author of Everything but the Truth
 
‘It was the relatability of Erin's voice that set it apart from so many other thrillers as it automatically got me thinking ‘What would I do in her position?’ Caz Frear, author of Sweet Little Lies
 
‘This debut’s opening hook, which jumps ahead in the story to reveal a shocking outcome, teamed with Erin’s spunk and the threat of Russian mobsters, creates irresistible suspense—of both the what-will-happen and the how-did-that-happen varieties’ Booklist 
‘A delicious page-turner’ New York Post
‘Catherine Steadman bursts onto the thriller scene with this exceptional debut psychological thriller, written in the vein of Paula Hawkins and Gillian Flynn... Deftly plotted and told with lightning-quick pacing... Something in the Water is psychological suspense at its absolute finest, and Steadman has all the makings of a writer poised to shoot straight to the top of the genre' Book Spy
‘I loved this. It was so addictive… What follows is a twisty adventure that is a whole lot of fun and does actually beg the question ‘what would YOU do?’ Highly recommended' Liz Loves Books
'A terrific debut’ Criminal Element
‘Bombshell thriller… Drawing you in from the very first sentence ... and becomes a nice twist on the typical psychological thriller’ Book Tribe 
‘If you like thrillers with a huge twist and great plot this is for you’ Fiction Obsession
‘Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel’  Dwell in Possibility
'A taut, relentless read. Written in the early stages to the beat of a steady drum, once the ‘something’ in the water appears, it sets off a chain of events that build to a Bourne-like intensity, delivering a shocking discovery at the very end' Better Reading AU
‘A sumptuous read, packed with numerous cinematic scenes and a plot that will make your head spin. It is brilliantly written' Year of Reading Selfishly Blog

• ISBN10: 1471167216
• ISBN13: 9781471167218
• Publish Date: 16 May 2019 (first published 5 June 2018)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster Ltd
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[mrs_mander_reads]

I had high hopes for this one, and ended up being disappointed. The plot felt really contrived to me.

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

Goodreads Progress

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave? Wonder no longer. It takes an age. However long you think it takes, double that.

That opening line had me at hello and grabbed my attention as to learn not only who she was burying but why.



I couldn't help but roll my eyes while Mark and, particularly Erin were planning their wedding. Their theme being "We can't afford this but it's our special day and we want to feel like a Prince and Princess before we go bankrupt". Sadly, that is not an exaggeration.

I feel like this is just stating the obvious. With every turn I questioned their judgement, starting with picking up the damn bag in the first place until the very last sentence it was stupid decision after stupid decision. Was there something in the water that was making them stupid?


This mainly surrounded the USB and getting rid of the diamonds that were both found in the bag.  The attempts to dispose of these items came across as a flounder and I felt the author stumbled on how to go about it.  However, she had great pacing that kept my interest and for the most part was able to overlook it.



Mark is creepy and clearly secretive.  I wanted to yell at Erin to run as far away as possible and don't look back.  I could see the wheels turning in his brain that something evil was afoot, I just didn't know when the other shoe was going to drop.



The ending of Something in the Water had me on the edge of my seat.  However, I would have really liked to have known what was on the USB.  Sure it was bad but, was it Russians hacking the 2016 election bad or Erin Brockovich winning Best Picture bad?  Inquireing minds want to know.  Overall, I found it an entertaining, satisfying read.

This review was originally posted on First Impressions Reviews

[A Darker Shade of Rosie]

✨ A Darker Shade of Rosie + Twitter ✨

→ LIKED: The beginning of the book opened up with the main character digging a grave for her spouse. • Lots of suspense and mystery. Also, you have a constant question nagging you throughout the entire novel: why she was digging a grave for her spouse in the first place? • I was always wondering how her husband was going to die. • The couple's honeymoon takes place in Bora Bora - on my list of dream destinations! • The author did a fantastic job of making me not want to put down the book because of her building suspense.

→ DISLIKED: I wasn't really satisfied with the end result. • The end literally made me upset. It just ended so abruptly. • I wish the author could have just dragged the book on longer than she did because she was really good at keeping me on the edge of my seat (metaphorically) and I honestly just didn't want it to end.

I listened to this book and the audiobook was great, narrated by the author. The story kept me interested because I kept wanting to know how Erin would get out of the mess she and her husband had found themselves in. There were some parts that were a bit “convenient” and seemed way too simple. Did I enjoy it? Yes.

[pagesbycyndy]

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.I became engrossed with this story pretty much from the beginning. I was not a huge fan of Erin and Mark as a couple, I liked Erin way more than Mark but at times I wanted to shake some sense into her as she made blunder after blunder. I am being very vague because it is not easy to review without giving away anything. Suffice it to say, this story is an edge of your seat thrill ride. I could not put this book down. There were so many twists and turns and as I mentioned my issue with Erin was that she was a bit naive at times,.

If you like thriller with a huge twist and great plot this is for you.This review was originally posted on My Fiction Obsession