I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review "Something in the Water," by Catherine Steadman. This was a book I just didn't want to put down, but because of obligations such as work and housework, I had to. I read this book in about 3 days, during my spare time. Mark and Erin are newlyweds. The book starts with Erin's dialogue, explaining how she is burying a body - and then the reader finds out who it is. The story then back-tracks to how she came to be in such a predicament. The entire story is told from Erin's perspective. She is a documentary film maker and Mark is in the business of finance and loses his job as soon as the story begins. Money is tight, but the couple marries and goes on their planned honeymoon to Bora Bora. While on their honeymoon, the go scuba diving and the story rarely lets up after they find "something in the water" that will drastically change their lives. To say if it is for the better is for the reader to determine. I felt there would be a "double-cross" of some sort in the book and I was right but I was up in the air about which way the double cross would go. Something in the Water is somewhat of a quick read, but very thrilling and suspenseful. It reminded me very much of the book "A Simple Plan," by Scott Smith, with a little bit of the movie "Open Water" mixed in. An exciting read for the suspense/thriller genre.

Catherine Steadman's debut novel started off with a bang. Or a shovel. In the first paragraph, you learn she is digging a grave. The character, Erin, is flawed, detail oriented, but has a blind spot in her life when it comes to Mark, her husband. This is a domestic suspense book along the lines of Gone Girl.

I've read some of the other reviews and I would give it a 3.5 stars only because I did have to put it down because it got a bit outrageous for me. I gave it 4 because I did like the writing and finished it. I'm a completist, there are very few novels I have walked away from...thrown across the room because it was bad or thrown in the outside dumpster because it scared the crap out of me, but I finish them.

Back to SITW...after their honeymoon in Bora Bora, they stumble on something that changes their whole lives. I agree that the identity of who she is burying should have been hidden...then again, knowing the countdown means I need to know...why?

Erin is a documentary filmmaker with enough skill to land a legendary filmmaker's interest and have a wonderful career at it. Mark is a banker going through the hard times of losing his job and from that his identity. Erin can see the cold hard world of the prisoners she is interviewing, but the people in her personal life, she sees through rose colored glasses. As the domestic situation changes after Bora Bora, it becomes harder for Erin to see the differences between her real life and her filmmaker life. Blurring the boundaries of two, she starts to doubt herself, what she is seeing, and how she is going to get through it.

The end of the novel is a bit rushed. Too pat. Everything rolled up in a ball that makes sense but it's like eating what looks like a lovely dessert to taste like it comes out of a can. It works, but it could have been more fulfilling.

For a debut novel, however, I think Catherine Steadman does a good job of getting us interested and then showing us why. I will look forward to other books by her in the future.

This book was given to me by Netgalleys for an honest and unbiased review.

Newlywed Erin discovers it’s hard work digging a grave on your own. Readers won't know which end is up in this fast-paced novel of suspense, filled with twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the final page.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

If you found a million dollars in cash and a million dollars in diamonds and you knew it wouldn't be missed, would you turn it in to the authorities or keep it? Erin and Mark are newlyweds enjoying the tropical weather and beauty in a five star hotel in Bora Bora. Erin is a documentary film maker and Mark is an investment banker. They live in London and because Mark has some setbacks from work they are forced to skimp on their wedding.

One day on their honeymoon Erin and Mark go scuba diving and find a sunken airplane with a duffel bag. They take the duffel bag and discover their find could be the end of their money problems. Only in life things are not so simple. The story is told from Erin's point of view so we have to follow her thoughts and actions to see where the narrative takes us.

This was an original mystery that the suspense kicked in after the couple found the loot. What they decided to do with their found treasure and the consequences for their decision is what begins an addictive read. I would have liked to see more character development of Mark who is a main figure of the story as Erin's husband.

The beginning of the story was leaving me puzzled as it is quite disturbing and it is not until I was reading the conclusion was I able to tie in the relevance to the story. I would rate this as 3.5 stars rounded up as I had to suspend belief that how the story plays out could actually occur. What started out slow certainly picked up the pace for me after the discovery of this couple's windfall was found.

I did enjoy this mystery and vicariously followed along this couple's maneuvering their way towards the obstacles they faced based on their choices. I liked that this was told from a single point of view which gave the mystery some uniqueness as most writers of this genre alternate chapters using two or more point's of view. This is this author's first book and overall an enjoyable read that I will remember due to it's originality.

Thank you to Net Galley, Catherine Steadman and Ballantine Publishing for granting me access to my digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book starts off with a bang that grasps the reader from the word “Go”. Compelling, super twisty plot and just fun, fast reading altogether. It’s a look at human nature that one can’t help thinking, “what would I do if faced with the same circumstances?” If you’re looking for a book that truly entertains the reader, full of twists and turns, this may be the suspenseful gem for which you’re looking.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Ballantine Books of Penguin Random House for providing me with this enjoyable suspense.

This book pulled me in right from the first scene. At the same time, I kind of wish it hadn’t started with a spoiler for what was to come. Also, I kept waiting for something to be revealed about the protagonists childhood. I wonder if that was a storyline that got edited out?
Regardless, I thourally enjoyed this book and stayed up way past my bedtime reading it.

3.5/5 stars. I enjoyed the story but was left with more questions than answers at the end of the book. It was a slow paced book with a quicker ending.

In the first chapter of this book, you find out that a very particular someone is dead. Then the following chapters tell the story of how it got to that point. I loved that there was almost no predictability to the plot. At 80% of the book, I was still unsure of where it was going! And I feel that's a very rare characteristic in books these days!

There were a few moments when I wanted to reach into the book and strangle the main character. Erin does lots of things that make you want to yell "WTF??? Are you Stupid??" I'm not sure that any actual human would've made the decisions she did, but then again, I've never been (and hope to never be) in her situation.

I'd definitely recommend this read. Very captivating and fresh!

Something in the Water was such an amazing read! I will be purchasing copies to give to my fellow thriller readers. Catherine did a great job developing characters as well as a captivating page turner.

This was ok for me. I liked the premise. Though it did keep me on my toes after a certain point (after “it” happened) I felt like the story was very long winded. There were a lot of details and back story that didn’t feel necessary. That being said, the twist towards the end was a true surprise and totally caught me off guard. I love a good unexpected twist! While I didn’t love this book, I did like it and would read this author again.

This book begins with someone telling us how to dig a grave. Right off the bat, you know someone is going to die and it's not accidental.

Then the story starts at the beginning of this couple's relationship. I found myself rooting for this couple all along the way until after the honeymoon. Then I definitely changed my mind. Of course, it went back and forth for a while. I couldn't figure out who was the actual bad guy.

There were many suspects and this was definitely a gripping read. Towards the end my pulse was racing, I couldn't read the book fast enough. And then the spiel about the Glock? Come on, get with the book. HA!!!

Excellent read. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Thanks to Random House Ballantine and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

This book was a delicious, addictive read! What would happen if your honeymoon turned into your worst nightmare? This thriller takes the a couple on their idyllic honeymoon in Bora Bora, and turns their lives completely upside down when they discover something floating in the water. This discovery leads you on an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride, and I will say that the ending was surprising. Did I want more? Yes! I truly hope there is more from this author in the future!

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave? Right off the bat, Catherine Steadman sucks you into her suspenseful thriller, Something in the Water, and brilliantly answers this question.


And the story goes...


Erin, a documentary filmmaker, is working on a film following the lives of several inmates who are about to be released from prison, including an alleged mob boss with considerable ties to the seedy underworld. Mark is an investment banker who was downsized from his job right before he and Erin were about to be married. Despite the demands from her documentary and Mark hunting for a new job, they decide to take a once in a lifetime honeymoon to Bora Bora. While scuba diving off a remote island, Mark and Erin come across something in the water that could change their lives drastically, but setting off a butterfly effect that could cost each of them their lives.
This twisty, turning tale hit the shelves on June 5th and is definitely one to grab! Trust me, you won't want to miss what happens!


Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Ballantine Books for the advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!!


#somethinginthewater #netgalley

Something In The Water starts with a whopper of a chapter. Newlywed Erin asks us how long it takes to dig a grave. She knows - she's digging her husbands. Wait. What? Yep. Can you say "hooked"?

Erin then walks us back into the not-so-distant-past and into her relationship with her fiance, Mark. When, on their honeymoon, the discovery of a bag full of illicit goodies leads them into some serious ethical and moral grey areas, the pair hatches an elaborate and dangerous plan to keep what they've found. Throw in some extra characters, a terrorism investigation, and a little more shadiness to muddy the waters, and Something In The Water is a pretty refreshing twist on the genre.

Catherine Steadman is a gifted writer. Her characters, including those on the periphery, are well well fleshed out, flaws and all. Erin, our protagonist, made me want to strangle her. Seriously - how can one person make such reckless decisions and still end up ... wait, no. That's a spoiler! But, I love these kinds of characters, so I felt pretty comfy reading Erin's voice and spent my time groaning aloud, laughing and shaking my head.

The ending, even though you've spent time kinda guessing, is still a bit of a surprise. You may even be left feeling like you probably missed something. You didn't, because it wasn't there. And because of that, it felt a little flat to me - but I'm jaded when it comes to my thrillers :)

All in all, Something In The Water is a quick, easy, enjoyable read. I would say it straddles a line between contemporary fiction and psychological thriller, so fans of either shouldn't be disappointed.

Book was a decent read but had a lot of really unrealistic and overly dramatic scenes. It just didn’t seem real to me. It was entertaining but definitely not one of my favorites.

I was given an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This book was so very well written. It captivated me the entire time!

I think this is one of the best psychological thrillers I've read in years. Without giving anything away I will say I felt very anxious or stressed while reading so if you ask me that's the sign of a well written story. I was truly invested in the story until the very end.
Great summer read!

This was an amazing book! Full of twists and turns. A newly married couple finds something on their honeymoon that quickly spirals out of control. Very suspenseful. Will be watching for her next book!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a propulsive thriller that kept me turning the pages and wondering what would happen next. I would have loved a little bit more insight into Mark and why he behaved the way he did, as well as Holli, but I found Erin to be a sympathetic protagonist and would love to read more by this author.

Choices and consequences are the theme of Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman. When a couple on their honeymoon finds something valuable in the waters of Bora Bora, their choice to bring it home starts an avalanche of consequences they were not prepared for. This book will leave you thinking "What would I have done??" Excellent thriller!