Down By The Water
The compulsive page turner you won't want to miss
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4.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
One photo. Seven friends. And a strange face, none of them recognise.
"I loved it - a classy and clever subversion of a country house mystery" Harriet Tyce
** A Sunday Times crime book of the month**
'The end, when it comes, is as unexpected and smart as it gets' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW
'I was kept up all night' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW
'I loved this book, and read the whole thing in two sittings' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW
A group of old friends gather at a remote Scottish castle, one last weekend before Georgie's wedding. Down at the loch, they take a group photo - but what they see stops them cold.
Because there's a stranger behind them.
None of them saw him, and nobody knows where he went. They're miles from the nearest town. Where did he come from, and where did he go?
As the weekend unravels and terrible secrets come to light, it soon becomes clear that their perfect weekend is turning into a perfect nightmare. They're desperate to leave - but someone won't let them.
A page-turning thriller perfect for fans of Catherine Cooper's THE CHALET and Lucy Foley's THE HUNTING PARTY.
Praise for Down By The Water:
"Down By The Water takes the reader on a weekend trip from hell... I loved the classy writing and ever-growing sense of unease in this clever subversion of a classic country house mystery" - Harriet Tyce
"A chilling drama" Sunday Times
"Sinister and atmospheric" - Chris Brookmyre
"Tense, mesmerising and heartbreaking, I was truly gripped" - Susi Holliday
"A gripping mystery." - Nathan Ripley
Customer Reviews
Not bad but too long
The author is Scottish and has published two historical thrillers under her real name, Lucy Ribchester. This is her first book under the pseudonym Elle Connel.
In brief
A group of 30 something white women, who were close at university (St Andrews) some years earlier but have drifted apart due to marriages, children, work etc, gather at a rural Scottish castle (of sorts) for a hen’s party. One of their number, the Queen Bee if you will, is finally getting herself hitched (south of France, of course). She’s already had a hen’s night for her new London friends, but has asked all the old crew to be bridesmaids. There are quite a few of them, which means pay attention or you’ll be flicking back and forth through the pages quite frequently. All protagonists have secrets, and most have agendas, some more complicated than others. Prosecco, gin, Scotch, cups of tea, and ketamine feature strongly. The bride-to-be kills a snake with a meat cleaver. Someone finds a long lost diary belonging to the now deceased twin of one of their number, a twin of which the finder and a majority of the other gals were hitherto unaware. Add verdant grounds (avec magic mushrooms), stormy weather, no wi-fi or cell phone reception, a nearby loch, a small boy of unknown provenance and a male caretaker with two large dogs. Shake well then simmer.
Writing
Third person narrative from various POVs alternating. Dream-like quality at times, for which ketamine and mushrooms are at least partially responsible. Lots of flashbacks from Tessa (the one with the dead twin) plus those old diary entries. Suspenseful with enough twists to maintain interest although the author seemed more focussed on the changing dynamic of the relationships. A hundred pages too long IMHO.
Bottom line
Likely to have stronger appeal for a younger white female audience than a grumpy old white guy whose days as a consumer of mind-altering chemicals are well behind him.