ARC Review: The Drowning Kind

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In The Drowning Kind, readers meet Jax, a social worker who has worked hard in her own therapy sessions to draw firm boundaries between herself and her sister, Lexie. Both Lexie and their father, Ted, have had manic episodes for as long as Jax can remember, so when Lexie calls over and over again, Jax ignores her. 

Then she gets the call that Lexie is dead, found drowned outside her home in the famous natural pool-famous because for decades, people have believed the springs feeding the pool can cure ailments and grant wishes. 

But everything comes with a price.

I am a big fan of Jennifer McMahon. My collection of her books has a special space all to itself. And while Burntown and The Invited, her two most recent full-length novels, were not my favorites of hers, I still enjoyed them.

But oh how I loved her newest book. The Drowning Kind is right up there for me, giving me The Night Sister (another McMahon book) vibes in all the best ways. McMahon does a really great job of weaving in journal entries from the past, building a crucial backstory using the personal papers of a woman visiting the "miracle springs" when there was an entire hotel built around the waters. The Drowning Kind is that fabulous kind of creepy where you don't quite know what is real, because the characters don't either. There is so much eerie suspense here, I still get chills thinking about the ending paragraphs. 

When you draw the curtains to settle down at night and read this chilling tale, make sure to light a candle to keep you safe. In the world of The Drowning Kind, they can get to you in the darkness.