S.W. Kane's psychological suspense novel "The Drowning Place" transports readers to a disturbing and atmospheric story of secrets, deceit, and the eerie influence of the past. Kane provides a riveting and captivating book with its eerie backdrop, well-developed characters, and expert narrative.

The novel's protagonist is Alice, a lady who, after receiving a troubling message from her estranged sister, decides to visit her childhood home, a secluded island off the coast of Scotland. Alice uncovers a labyrinth of family secrets and unrecognised traumas as she investigates the riddles surrounding her sister's abduction, which threatens to engulf her. The tension increases via turns and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The colourful and evocative backdrop of a distant island, with its rocky shoreline, lonely settlement, and ominous environment, is well described, creating a sense of isolation and unease in the readers' minds. The characters in "The Drowning Place" are intricate and diverse, and each one is hiding something. The protagonist, Alice, is likeable and tenacious, whose quest for self-discovery grows more perilous. The side characters, which include Alice's family and the enigmatic villagers, provide depth and mystery and leave readers wondering about the characters' true intentions.

With thoughtfully built suspense and revelations that keep the plot moving forward, the pacing is well-balanced. By skillfully fusing past and present narratives, the author progressively reveals secrets and builds to an exciting conclusion. The novel digs into the complexities of familial connections, the results of previous deeds, and the fallibility of memory as it examines themes of guilt, trauma, and the destructive power of hidden secrets. The book provides a reflective investigation of the human psyche and the haunting ramifications of unresolved trauma through the psychological depth of the plot.

While "The Drowning Place" is a suspenseful thriller with a haunting atmosphere, some readers might feel that key plot twists or character motivations might have been deepened or explored deeper. Any slight flaws, however, are made up for by the evocative location, compelling characters, and psychological complexity. The eerie and thrilling psychological thriller "The Drowning Place" will hold readers' attention until the very last word. Fans of the genre will find this novel to be a riveting read because to S.W. Kane's expert narrative, evocative location, and well-drawn characters. "The Drowning Place" is a book that will keep you engrossed if you're looking for a spooky and atmospheric tale of dark secrets and psychological suspense.

This is the second book in the Detective Lew Kirby Series by S.W. Kane, published by Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing.
For best reading experience I recommend to read the books in order. The previous book is The Bone Jar.
The story picks up soon after the other book was left off. Set in London UK, Lew and Connie are up for the next big adventure.
Connie is looking for clues for her sister's dead, leading her to boarded up buildings where she finds a body.
Det. Lew gets assigned to this case and together they're in for the ride of their lives.
A dark and angsty read, a thriller/ mystery of its finest. An hairraising, goosbumpsgiving read full of drama, suspense, fast paced, full ot twists and turns. I recommend this outstanding read, 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.
This 2nd in the series is as good as the 1st, I loved it.
DI Lew Kirby has buried his mother, an emotional and upsetting event. Connie Darke is still trying to find out the details of her sister's death. When she shelters from the rain in a church on a crumbling disused estate, she stumbles into the hanging body of the estate's architect. Lew investigates, with Connie as a covert investigator.
The story is terrific, the estate creepy and menacing and the secondary characters very well drawn. The ending was so well done, can't wait for no. 3 in the series.
The fact that FFI is a real disease horrified me!
Highly recommended!

Kane definitely knows how to choose her settings.
The abandoned estate in my mind was creepy, derelict, all sorts of broken down... and a little bit spooky.
Because of that, the remaining tenants were all a tad odd, and I was willing to believe any or all of them guilty of murder.

Lew is a good solid dependable character, and I really like him. He works hard,and there's no nonsense .
I'm slightly horrified to discover the FFI is real though!

This book moved at a good pace, and the finale was action packed.
Everything tying together nicely at the end.
Just a really good read.