Erin and Mark have just married. They are so in love and life seems to be headed in a glorious way. White lace and promises mark their future or do they? Mark suddenly loses his job, but working together they know they can surmount this obstacle. They cancel some wedding plans, downsize their ceremony, but do head off to Bora Bora for their heavenly honeymoon. While diving they discover a plane that had crashed into the water, and its dead occupants. They also discover a bag containing money, diamonds, a phone, and an USB drive. With this discovery life swerves and changes into something neither of them had planned for. Is this an opportunity or is it a brush with death? Should they keep this bag or turn it in? What would you do?

That bag and its contents will changes everything for this couple. As the couple navigates through what the contents of this bag means for them, they embark on a life not so perfect as they had planned, with its many twists and turns.

Catherine Steadman has created a novel that is fascinating to read. She takes us on a journey where we question motives, ideas, and the concept of how does one in need of money and so desiring of a perfect life, give back an opportunity to achieve it?

"There's a difference between, as I always say, the destination, the end point, and the journey. The journey has a lot of twists and turns. It isn't always pretty. (Bob Menendez) For Erin and Mark this journey is not one bit pretty. It is fraught with danger, lies, hopes and dreams that are soon to be dashed.

Thank you to Catherine Steadman, Ballantine, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this debut novel. It was well worth the read!

The book starts with a woman digging a grave for her husband. As it continues we follow the couple getting engaged, married and going to Bora Bora on their honeymoon where everything changes. After a horrendous storm they go scuba diving and find the wreckage of a downed Gulfport with not only dead people but also a lot of money and diamonds. There is no point where you can take a break because it is nonstop action from then on and since this couple is so much in love you want to find out what happens to end up where the book begins, with the wife burying her husband. I totally loved this book and its characters especially Eddie. I happily recommend this book to others and thank #NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my unbiased review. Definitely 5 stars.

Gripping and suspenseful, I could not stop reading this book and wondering what would happen next! I did not see this story playing out the way it did and for that, plus many other reasons, I loved it.

Catherine Steadman wove together a tale of love and loss with an intricate backstory of intrigue and political commentary, that I have not been able to stop thinking about. I was hooked by the first sentence and enthralled with the classic who done it thoughts going through my head by the end of the first chapter. In this story the details are important and it is not the people you think who will be the villains or the good guys...or is it? I loved how the relationships evolved throughout the story and the descriptive language used that built this world page by page. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to see what else CS has in store for us readers!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the chance to read this book and share my opinions!

Absolutely loved this book!

Not at all what I expected, but in a very good way. I was by turns surprised, intrigued, and completely shocked.

The author is an actress, and this book reads like a great movie. You can totally see this being made into a summer blockbuster! It's no surprise it has been picked up by Reese Witherspoon's book club -- it's a great beach read!

A gripping must read! This book is a page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I give this 5 stars and a strong recommendation.

I immediately requested this book after I saw it was Reese Witherspoon’s pick for June. I immediately got sucked into the story and couldn’t put it down. However, about 2/3 of the way through, I figured out the plot twist. Throughout the book, I could picture various scenes and definitely think it would translate well to a movie. It is a well written psychological thriller, and a great summer read.

Saying “there’s something in the water” typically induces panic. One expects to find a great white shark, giant squid or Loch Ness monster. But, what if that something was the answer to all of your problems?

Mark and Erin are on their honeymoon in beautiful Bora Bora and come upon something truly life changing, but to what lengths will they go to keep it secret? What mistakes are made?

I refuse to give away anything in what is my favorite thriller of 2018. Just know, I was gripped from the start as you could feel the tension rising even as characters seemed determined to repress their emotions. Something was brewing; a storm was coming.

The story is told from Erin’s perspective, and she is the perfect character - smart and personable but also flawed and deeply out of her element. Her emotions and reactions felt so natural that I forgot I was reading a book. It felt like the story was unfolding right before my eyes.

At its core, Something in the Water is about relationships. We see the strain that riches, loss and secrets can put on a couple.

I am so happy this novel came out right at the beginning of summer because it is the perfect beach read.

Steadman has a knack for building suspense beginning with her very first sentence that asks the reader “Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?” Erin is digging a grave with her husband’s body lying beside her. “I’m not a bad person. Or maybe I am. Maybe you should decide,” she says. BAM, you got my attention! This was just the beginning of a very good read and I devoured it in two days.

*will post on additional sites once published. Thank you!

This is a story of love and betrail. Was a very good story. Did not see the end coming. Had a little issue trying to follow the British dialog. But I would recommend this book.

4.5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity.

What a wild ride! I knew from the first chapter that things were going to get interesting. I will say the first half of the book is a slow burn. There is a lot of character development and a side story with Erin’s documentary. If the first half had not been so slow, this would have been a 5 star book for me.

The plot really takes off once you finally get to the something in the water part of the story. Erin and her husband, Mark, are faced with a difficult decision-do they tell the truth about what they’ve found or do they keep the secret?

I flew through the last 40% of the book, staying up until midnight to finish it. There were some great twists and turns along the way, and I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of books like The Girl on the Train or The Woman in the Window.

What first interested me in this book was the description. Enough info to get you wanting to read it but not enough to give away any of the real plot. And boy did that work out well.. This book was great.. Held my interest all the way thru. And an ending I didn't see coming! Highly recommend!

Let me start by saying I have never before liked a book so much and also been so exasperated about it at the same time. I was discussing with a friend of mine the challenge of writing this review. I said, “I got an advanced reader copy in exchange for writing a review, which is difficult in this situation. I liked the book and it was a good story except it seemed the only way to keep moving the plot forward was for the main character to keep making incredibly stupid decisions.” Her response, “Just write that.” So here we are.

A fun, yet at times infuriating read, I often found myself asking, why are these characters so dumb? At other times I found myself asking, why does the author think we are so dumb?
It has a great opening, very interesting and it pulls you right in. The storyline is unique and intriguing and I found myself asking, “They aren’t really gonna try to do this, are they?” But then there wouldn’t be a book if they didn’t!

I was very invested but I almost wanted to yell at her to stop making stupid choices. At one point I was literally shaking my head and rolling my eyes. It’s hard to explain this without giving anything away. When I was finished with the book I took a poll on my Facebook page to see how others would have reacted in the same situation the characters in the book find themselves in. It was split 50/50. Half agreed with what I would have done while half would have done exactly what happened in the book.

Although I had some issues with it, the story sticks with you and keeps you thinking about it long after you finish reading it and that make for a good book!

I really thought there was going to be an underwater monster. Or alien. Or that the honeymoon couple would accidentally unleash a killer virus from under the ocean. For some reason I thought this title was supposed to have a sci-fi slant to it. I'm not sure I would have chosen this read if I had understood the plot. Boy, am I glad I had it all wrong; this was a great book!

Cat Steadman, of Downton Abbey fame, debuts with this fantastically written novel of two London professionals faced with the decision of how far they would go to live the life of their dreams. Newlyweds Erin and Mark find something on their honeymoon that could set them on a path to easy street. Should they honestly give it up or keep quiet and reap the benefits from the shady side of the law? Documentary filmmaker Erin's current project is on prisoners nearing their release date. As she interviews both hardened criminals and folks caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, Erin has to decide what illegal activities she is willing to delve into to protect what she and her husband found in the water.

Erin reads as a true person, good hearted, but tempted by greed. What is she willing to do for a life of riches? Who is she willing to trust? What might she leave behind? Erin's thought process is so realistic – niggling doubts disrupt her excitement about the high life she now has the opportunity to share with new husband Mark. Then again, if she's taking all the risks, who's to say she has to share the payoff?


Poised to be one of this summer's sleeper hits, make sure you pre-order a copy of Something in the Water to have it ready in your beach bag. And if you find something in the water...well, maybe you should just leave it there.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Something in the Water comes out June 5, 2018 and it is going to be a sure-fire hit for those looking for a beach read this summer. Erin and Mark are newly married and are wild for each other. Erin works as a filmmaker; seeking out information through the crime doc genre, while Mark is a stereotypical banker (don't tell Erin I said that!)—handsome, smart, and calculating. The duo is very passionate (to say the least) and choose to visit Bora Bora for their honeymoon. As the twosome are vacationing, they spot a scuba diving situation gone wrong. Do they duo speak on what has transpired or will it be their little secret?

Something in the Water starts off relatively strong by speaking about Erin and her digging a hole big enough for a body—and then the story immediately takes off. Where it goes, that really is the big question. A majority of the story is slow pacing and relatively hard to binge-read; making it one of those "I'll get back to this story at another time," kind of reads. Erin and Mark are excruciatingly unrealistic and unreliable that it really toned down how I felt about this book. As the story progresses, Erin dives into a lot of unnecessary backstory while moving the story along. Thriller 101, do not add unnecessary plot holes and storylines to the central arc—we want to be on the edge of our seats. This book definitely has that UK thriller vibe where the pacing is moderately slow, but the story is vastly original. If you're looking for something different, Something in the Water might be the read for you.

I read this book in one sitting - this situation hasn’t happened to me for a long time! I won’t say too much about the story here, except that the usual tropes are avoided. Granted, the characters’ motivations weren’t entirely clear (why did Erin act the way she did? I felt there wasn’t enough backstory) but the pacing and execution of the story were great. The story is told through the point of view of one character (Erin), which really helps to build up a tense, almost claustrophobic atmosphere. If you’re looking for something to get out a reading rut, this is a good choice. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Erin & Mark have been a couple for years – finally marrying and honeymooning in Bora Bora. As the novel opens, Erin is digging a grave deep in the woods, and the grave is for her husband Mark. As she labors over the dig, she opts to let the reader decide whether she’s a good or bad person – and then the story begins.

Mask is an investment banker, and Erin is a novice filmmaker, presently working on a documentary about three individuals who are preparing to leave prison to resume normal lives, one of whom is a crime boss. As they celebrate their anniversary of meeting, and planning a wedding, Mark unexpectedly loses his job. With financial pressures now looming, they modify their wedding plans, and opt for a shortened honeymoon to Bora Bora. While enjoying the idyllic atmosphere, they spend time boating and diving – it is on one of those excursions that they find a locked duffle bag floating in the ocean – they retrieve it, intending to turn it in, but giving into temptation they open it… changing their lives completely…

There's not much more to say without spoilers...I really, really enjoyed this book – the character development and the nuances of personality change exhibited over time by the findings, are totally believable and make for a great read. I read this book in one sitting – highly recommend!!

I really enjoyed reading Something in the Water. At the beginning of this book the main character, Erin is digging a grave. That drew me into the story right from the beginning. After that the story unfolds slowly as we go back a couple of months and learn what led to the digging of the grave. I liked Erin, even though at times I thought she made some really stupid and naive choices. I was less enamored with her husband Mark though. There were other characters that were interesting, especially a couple of the prisoners that Erin is interviewing for a documentary.

There were a couple of red herrings in the book that I saw through pretty easily, and I guessed correctly about who was involved but not exactly the way they were involved, so I would say the book kept me guessing on that level. I thought the book had a pretty satisfying ending and it's one of the better mystery/thrillers I've read so far this year. I liked this enough that I would probably read another book by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for giving me a copy of this book.

Review posted at writingsofareader@blogspot.com on May 30.

This story is a rollercoaster of epic proportions!! It starts off a little humdrum as the h is monologuing in thought and goes off topic. You then spend the whole book waiting for the shoe to drop and explain what’s going on at the beginning.

Never a dull moment in this fast paced, “what’s going to happen and why?” story of intrigued and terror.

Grab a copy and find out what that Something in the Water is!

Very well done debut thriller about a couple who find riches on their honeymoon and subsequently make a lot of bad choices. Erin is a documentary film maker and she's currently working on a film about prisoners, among Eddie, a legendary bad guy, and Hollie a young woman with impulse control. If there's a fault to this novel, it's that Erin rightly fears Eddie but then confesses far more than is wise to him in a bid for his assistance. Her husband Mark has just lost his job and is at odds and ends. How they deal with their windfall comprises the plot. Some of this makes sense, some does not but the book is very readable- compulsively so. The subplot with Hollie could have been a novel on its own. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Recommend this especially for travel or the beach.

A bonanza of suspense awaits the reader in this powerfully intense and dark novel. Catherine Steadman’s debut novel SOMETHING IN THE WATER is a nerve-tingling, scintillating story in the vein of Scott B. Smith’s A Simple Plan or Mike Bond’s SNOW.

London newlyweds Erin Locke, a documentary film-maker and Mark Roberts, recently ousted investment banker are honeymooning at a five star resort in Bora Bora when they stumble upon a situation that will change their lives forever. The question is will the change be positive or negative and is the potential reward for the decisions they make worth the gamble.

Since the story opens with a frenzied Erin digging a grave, the reader can assume that things didn’t turn out well. Assistance of sorts does come from a very unusual source, so perhaps all is not lost.

Readers of this roller coaster of a novel will just have to decide for themselves if, given the same opportunity, they would have made the same decisions as Mark and Erin.