by Louise Candlish
Published by Michael Joseph Penguin UK: May 5th 2016
Hardcover: 400 pages
Star Rating: 5/5
Synopsis from Goodreads:
'I can't take my eyes of the water. Can you?'
It's summer when Elm Hill lido opens, having stood empty for years. For Natalie Steele - wife, mother, teacher - it offers freedom from the tightly controlled routines of work and family. Especially when it leads her to Lara Channing, a charismatic former actress with a lavish bohemian lifestyle, who seems all too happy to invite Natalie into her elite circle.
Soon Natalie is spending long days at the pool, socializing with new friends and basking in a popularity she didn't know she'd been missing. Real life, and the person she used to be, begins to feel very far away.
But is such a change in fortunes too good to be true? Why are dark memories of a summer long ago now threatening to surface? And, without realizing, could Natalie have been swept dangerously out of her depth?
My review:
Before I get started, you should know that I read The Disappearance of Emily Marr by Louise Candlish in July last year and adored it. That book was a contemporary with a touch of mystery in it. So when I found out that Louise Candlish also writes psychological suspense thrillers, I was astounded and then unsure if I would love it as much. Well, no worries there because I adored it! This book is amazing and in my eyes Candlish can do no wrong.
This book follows Natalie and Ed Steele, both teachers, who work and live within a wonderful, if slightly distant neighbourhood. Natalie feels a bit left behind and not sure of herself. She is working in a public school whereas her husband is doing private tutoring and she feels judged by the people around her. However, she soon meets Lara Channing, an incredibly sophisticated and charismatic childhood actress and model and although Natalie has nothing in common with her, she soon starts to fall for her charms. But something is not quite right.
You might be forgiven for thinking from this description that this book is a contemporary-style book about friendship between different women but that is not the case at all. This book's third main character is the swimming pool itself. Lara helps to open the lido that has been closed for a long time which is where Natalie's anxieties start; her daughter Molly suffers from severe aquaphobia due to something that happened in her childhood and she wants nothing to do with the water.
There are so many elements and surprises in this book that just when you think you know where it's heading, it changes course again and becomes something completely different. It has twists and turns and so much suspense and foreboding. You don't quite know where to turn but it all makes sense everytime you get there.
My favourite part of this story was that the first chapter hints of something that will happen at the end without names, places or a clear understanding of what that thing is. So throughout the book as you read it, you start to think you know who the people involved are or what it means, but trust me, you will be very sorely mistaken!
My review:
Before I get started, you should know that I read The Disappearance of Emily Marr by Louise Candlish in July last year and adored it. That book was a contemporary with a touch of mystery in it. So when I found out that Louise Candlish also writes psychological suspense thrillers, I was astounded and then unsure if I would love it as much. Well, no worries there because I adored it! This book is amazing and in my eyes Candlish can do no wrong.
This book follows Natalie and Ed Steele, both teachers, who work and live within a wonderful, if slightly distant neighbourhood. Natalie feels a bit left behind and not sure of herself. She is working in a public school whereas her husband is doing private tutoring and she feels judged by the people around her. However, she soon meets Lara Channing, an incredibly sophisticated and charismatic childhood actress and model and although Natalie has nothing in common with her, she soon starts to fall for her charms. But something is not quite right.
You might be forgiven for thinking from this description that this book is a contemporary-style book about friendship between different women but that is not the case at all. This book's third main character is the swimming pool itself. Lara helps to open the lido that has been closed for a long time which is where Natalie's anxieties start; her daughter Molly suffers from severe aquaphobia due to something that happened in her childhood and she wants nothing to do with the water.
There are so many elements and surprises in this book that just when you think you know where it's heading, it changes course again and becomes something completely different. It has twists and turns and so much suspense and foreboding. You don't quite know where to turn but it all makes sense everytime you get there.
My favourite part of this story was that the first chapter hints of something that will happen at the end without names, places or a clear understanding of what that thing is. So throughout the book as you read it, you start to think you know who the people involved are or what it means, but trust me, you will be very sorely mistaken!
This is a truly wonderful thriller that deserves so much more hype than it has.
Until next time, happy reading!
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