Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Everyone will tell you that opening lines need to hook the reader, and Steadman certainly manages to do that with this entry, dated Saturday, October 1: “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.”
The story is narrated by Erin, a documentary filmmaker whose first major project will follow three different prisoners before and after incarceration. She’s also engaged to be married/gets married to Mark, who was living large until he lost his job in finance. Despite that, they jet off to Bora Bora for their honeymoon…and that’s when everything begins to change.
As Erin guides readers through her life from July 8 to October 3, her first person narrative has the cadence of everyday conversation. You can almost imagine sitting with her over a cup of tea as she says, “And then xxx happened,” and you find yourself on the edge of your seat, waiting for more.
A psychological thriller that’s as much a study in human nature as it is gritty suspense, Something in the Water will have you reading late into the night, Netflix abandoned. A stunning debut.
GOODREADS RATING SYSTEM:
5: It was amazing
4: really liked it
3: liked it
2: It was okay
1: didn’t like it