I really didn't know what to expect from this book. The plot sounded intriguing, and I always love to read indie authors, so it was worth a shot. Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me. The plot was extremely far-fetched, the characters were bordering on ridiculous, and the outcome was super predictable.

Josie Ashbury is a successful actress who has returned to her small hometown to take a break from Hollywood. She takes on a drama teaching job at her old high school and soon finds herself embroiled in a crime investigation. While she is not involved directly, she starts amateur sleuthing to get to the bottom of some mysterious student deaths.

Josie is extremely naive that it was hard to take her seriously. I mean, she would leave her door unlocked all the time! Come on lady! She would literally WRITE DOWN all her suspicions and theories in her journal and just leave the journal lying around for anyone to read (with an unlocked door to boot). Then there is the fact that she has insomnia, so her recollections of events aren't reliable. Mix a terrible character with a wild plot that involves a secret society of powerful people, drugs, sex trafficking, etc. It was just too much for me.

While I hate to criticize an author's writing, I really had a hard time with this one. There were so many plot holes and the writing felt super jumpy. For example, Josie sits down to brunch with her friends and within a minute of sitting down, everyone suddenly has to go. This happens all the time! It just didn't feel cohesive or realistic. Maybe an extra edit would have helped?

The other reviews of this book were decent, so this could just be a me thing. This just wasn't the right book for me.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

The mystery itself was an interesting one. The story felt like it should be in the YA category. The detailed description of who was wearing what and the conversations felt young for an adult book.

I am not and never have been a fan of amateur sleuthing. I don't buy it that if a trained professional can't find the answer, but an amateur can some how figure it out.

The short chapters helped me keep reading.

I love small town mysteries, and this one fit the bill! I also love celebrity stories, so felt right at home with this book. It also kept me guessing if Josie was a reliable narrator, and what was actually happening to her.

The Water Tower has an intriguing setup, and overall, the story kept my attention, but a few things held it back from being a standout read. The plot itself is decent, if a bit unrealistic in certain parts, which I could have forgiven if the characters had been stronger. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with most of them, especially Josie. She’s meant to be likable, and I could tell she was written to be the nice, relatable lead, but something about her personality ended up grating on me. Even though she’s supposed to be sympathetic, I just found her kind of irritating.

The dialogue didn’t help, either. It felt a bit off, like it was trying hard to capture a natural tone but didn’t quite land. A lot of the interactions came across as forced or overly scripted, which pulled me out of the story. I wanted to feel more invested in these characters and their conversations, but the fake-sounding dialogue kept that connection from happening.

All in all, The Water Tower had potential, and I enjoyed parts of the story, but it left me wanting more depth and realism from the characters and their interactions. Not a bad read, but not quite what I was hoping for, either.

This debut was a good, suspenseful, and had just enough to keep me on my toes. The premise was wonderful but a little more editing wouldn’t hurt.

I anticipated the villain but that’s ok, it was enjoyable enough. I appreciated seeing a little bit on the life of high school kids & the teacher being involved, along with her views and own issues.

Many thanks to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

This is a remarkable debut from Amy Young and was such a pleasure to read. I love a straightforward and simple mystery plot, and this served up the exact right balance of mystery and drama. The scattering of clues that you chase as a reader kept me glued to the page, and I love how it all satisfyingly comes together in the end. Really terrific summer reading material!

3.75 stars

The premise of this book was intriguing. The story itself caught my attention reasonably well, but some parts felt wildly improbable (the teacher just shows up at the house of the dead student whose body she found and is asking a bunch of questions, and the majority of people don’t think that’s intensely inappropriate?? among other pieces lol). I didn’t love everything about it, but I did like a fair bit, and I think the good probably outweighed the less-than-good. I’m glad I was finally able to go back and explore this novel.

2.5 star

First, I always struggle to rate books low because the author wrote a book!! And it got published!! And that's a great achievement. But this one did not hit the spot for me.

It started so cliche':
*of course Josie is red-headed with green eyes
*of course she's gorgeous but doesn't "see it"
*of course she is a famous Hollywood star but still a "hometown" girl
*of course Sean is a buff, blond, and gorgeous policeman
*and of course Jake is a tall, dark, and handsome teacher.

My eyes rolled so hard I thought they'd pop out of my head. Once we got out the introductions it got a bit better, but in the end, the story was predictable, there were inconsistencies throughout, and loose ends were left hanging.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

This was a decent novel but I felt that it was very straight forward and didn't give me the thrill that I look for in books.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This thriller was fast-moving and had a few twists and turns. It definitely veered into the territory of being unbelievable, but the story made sense and had good closure at the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

The Water Tower by Amy Young is a captivating and suspenseful novel that explores the secrets and mysteries of a small town. The story follows Emma, a journalist who returns to her hometown of Waterford after a decade, to investigate the disappearance of her childhood friend, Lily. As Emma digs deeper into the past, she uncovers a web of lies, corruption, and violence that surrounds the town's water tower, a sinister landmark that looms over the lives of the residents. Emma soon realizes that she is not the only one looking for answers, and that someone is willing to kill to keep the truth buried.

Young's writing is crisp and engaging, creating a vivid sense of place and atmosphere. She skillfully balances the elements of mystery, thriller, and drama, keeping the reader hooked until the end. The characters are well-developed and realistic, each with their own flaws and motivations. The Water Tower is a gripping and satisfying read that will appeal to fans of Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, and Ruth Ware.

Wow... I didn't know what to expect with this novel but wow. I am so glad I was able to read this because it was such a great thrill! Absolutely loved the suspense of it and definitely kept you intrigued the whole way!

Thank you Netgalley and level best books for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The water tower is a story of an young Hollywood actress Josie who after a breakdown is on break from an acting career and starts talking acting lessons in her hometown school. The first death that takes place at the start of the book is the central mystery.

It was pretty obvious "who was responsible for everything" because I had figured it out pretty early. The suspense of Josie's life was something that I had predicted way before it was revealed. There were just subtle clues to it but even then it was obvious for me.

It is an interesting read but it lacks shocking factor as well as the urgency that keeps a reader on the edge. Although I was curious for the reveal and kept reading, upon final reveal I felt like disappointed. Enjoyable but not my favorite thriller.

Josie Asbury is the main character and is returning to her hometown after a breakdown caused her to step away from a successful career as an actress in Hollywood. She starts to pick-up past friendships and teaches acting in her high school. Then the tragic death of two students and Josie finds the first body. This leads to the investigation if they are related and opens up the appearance of many more characters and a love interest for Josie. A nice read for a weekend afternoon.

"The Water Tower" by Amy Young presents a compelling blend of mystery and personal redemption as Hollywood actress Josie Ashbury returns to her small Ohio hometown to heal from an on-set breakdown. While the novel weaves a narrative that is both suspenseful and introspective, it falls short of reaching the heights of a standout thriller.

The premise is intriguing, with Josie Ashbury attempting to rebuild her life after a breakdown leads her back to her roots. Young skillfully captures the challenges faced by a former Hollywood star readjusting to small-town life and, simultaneously, dealing with personal demons. Josie's journey of self-discovery is engaging, and the author effectively portrays her struggle with insomnia and memory gaps.

The central mystery involving the suspicious death of one of Josie's students adds a layer of suspense to the plot. However, the resolution of the mystery, when it finally arrives, lacks the impact and surprise that one might expect from a psychological thriller. The pacing, while steady, does not always maintain a sense of urgency, leading to moments where the narrative loses its grip on the reader's attention.

Josie's determination to uncover the truth is a driving force in the story, and her personal battles mirror the broader theme of confronting secrets. The small-town setting enhances the sense of community and interconnectedness, contributing to the novel's atmosphere.

While the unraveling of secrets and the discovery of the truth bring closure to the plot, the execution feels somewhat predictable. The connections between characters and the final revelations lack the complexity and depth that could elevate the story to a more gripping level.

In conclusion, "The Water Tower" is a three-star read that offers a mix of mystery, self-discovery, and small-town drama. Amy Young's exploration of Josie Ashbury's journey is commendable, but the novel falls short of delivering the intense thrills and unexpected twists that define top-tier psychological mysteries. Despite its shortcomings, the book provides an engaging reading experience for those who appreciate a slower-paced mystery with a focus on personal redemption.

Thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Josie returns to her hometown near Cleveland after an on set meltdown puts her acting career in LA on hold. She is teaching an acting class at the local high school. On her morning run, she finds one of her students lying dead near the town's water tower. The dead girl, Amber, is the daughter of a wealthy state senator and the investigation is quickly stopped and the death is ruled a suicide. But Amber had lots of fentanyl in her system and she was pregnant, so Josie finds herself carrying on the investigation.

Overall, this was a pretty good book. I liked the characters. It was an easy enough read, although the number of times the students used "like" in their conversation waned on me. I was interested in knowing who was guilty and why, and we obviously got that answer. I still had a few minor questions at the end, but this was good for a first novel.

Josie Ashbury has returned home to Ohio after a nervous breakdown in Hollywood. She is now teaching at the local high school, when one of her students takes a plunge off of the water tower. Was it an accident, was it suicide, or was it something more sinister? Josie investigates while dealing with her insomnia. A suspenseful psychological thriller. Enjoy.

I thought this was a good book but not one of my favorites. I had an interesting story line and was filled with questions and suspense. But I also thought at moments it was quite boring and I didnt know if I would finish it honestly. I thought the parts that were good were really good and had me questioning if I really knew what happend.

The Water Tower was a great mystery read that will keep you guessing until the very end. I loved Josie's character and really felt for her with her parent's death and then becoming invested in the death of one of her students. The twists and turns in this book will definitely keep you hooked.

The writing get juvenile and flat and I didn’t get pulled in at all. The story was fine but not great.