I went into The Drowning House looking for a horror-mystery novel. While it is certainly a mystery, I felt the book didn’t quite deliver on the horror elements that I was hoping for. It does successfully build up a generally creepy atmosphere but once it really starts getting somewhere with the mystery plotline, it becomes more of a fantasy story than anything else. A mystery with a bit of a fantastical twist could still be really interesting to me, but unfortunately the direction the investigation takes (and especially the way it is resolved) were very unsatisfying. I also struggled with a lot of the book’s dialogue. The way most characters in the story speak felt very stilted and unnatural at times. The strongest aspect of the book was without question its setting. By the time you get to the third act, the island almost feels like its own character, or rather a force of nature that itself is trying to prevent our heroes from completing their mission. Speaking of the characters, our two leads are strongly written. It is clear early on in the book that they are both very flawed people that seem to harbor a resentment towards their childhood home and even each other. I think the way they butt heads as they try to find their missing friend was handled very well.
The Drowning House presents a compelling mystery with a strong atmosphere and well written characters. Unfortunately, an unsatisfying resolution and some fairly weak dialogue prevented me from really getting into it. Still, I think it is pretty breezy to get through and I think it would make for a very solid read for fans of mysteries with a bit of a supernatural twist.

Simon Culpepper disappears the night that a storm washes a dark house ashore. The same night that his extremely elderly grandmother expires on the beach. Simon's two closest friends will have to set aside their petty jealousies and come together, to save the island that raised them both, and Simon with it.

Buckle up, buttercup. This one is a wild ride. I was entranced from the very beginning and couldn't wait for the revelations to leap from the page. This book is rich with atmosphere and very real characters, who are flawed in familiar ways. I was riveted, and I'm sure you will be too. Thank you to Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for the review copy.

Summary: During a storm, a mysterious and frightening housewreck washes up on the private beach of a residence on Marrowstone Island. The owner of the property, an elderly Mrs. Culpepper, drops dead on the beach at the sight. Her grandson, thirtysomething Simon Culpepper, vanishes from the same beach shortly afterward. Simon’s childhood friends, Leo and Melissa, rush to Simon’s aid and are alarmed that they cannot find him anywhere. The police don’t have the resources to do an extensive search and don’t appear overly concerned about Simon’s disappearance. The two friends put aside past differences and rivalries in a desperate attempt to find Simon and figure out the sinister mysteries surrounding the history of Mrs. Culpepper’s house before Simon is lost to them forever.

Thoughts: This chilling and atmospheric horror novel is a page-turner! When Leo and Melissa initially arrive at the island, they assume that Simon will turn up and are concerned, but not panicked. However as those hours turn into days and frightening events begin to occur at the house, Leo and Melissa are forced to face the fact that Simon did not disappear voluntarily and that the house has terrible secrets in its past that are connected to the dripping, rotting housewreck on the beach.

Marrowstone Island is an actual island located in Puget Sound, Washington State. It has a very small year-round population and is frequented by tourists in the summer months. I discovered that Nordy’s actually was the general store and did burn down, but has now been rebuilt. I love the way in which Leo and Melissa arrive at the truth with a series of flashbacks to their childhood days spent at Mrs. Culpepper’s house and an investigation of the various snippets of information they can parse through in the present.

I felt that the ending of the final chapter was satisfying, and the Epilogue was completely unnecessary, but that is a minor complaint. Overall, this was a suspenseful read and a cracking good story. Highly recommend!

I went into this book thinking mystery/thriller but it had more fantasy vibes than I expected. I never really felt connected to the main characters so it was hard to keep my interest.

The Drowning House by Cherie Priest is a haunting and atmospheric tale that blends mystery, supernatural elements, and complex relationships into a compelling narrative. The story unfolds with the sudden appearance of a mysterious house on a remote Pacific Northwest beach after a violent storm, setting off a chain of events that grips the reader from start to finish. Priest masterfully intertwines the past and present, weaving together the lives of childhood friends Melissa and Leo as they reunite to search for their missing friend, Simon. The novel's unique premise—a house with a dark history tied to the island's secrets—adds a chilling layer to the story. Despite its unconventional plot, Priest's storytelling prowess ensures that every twist and turn feels natural and engrossing. The Drowning House is a captivating read that showcases Priest's ability to blend suspense, supernatural intrigue, and rich character development into a seamless and unforgettable narrative.


Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

thank you net galley for the arc copy. so i would star off with describing this book as creepy. it sounded so so good i just did not really connect with it.the characters weren't that likable,lots of flashbacks. good scary scenes. just not for me

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was a creepy good read. The characters were very well developed and relatable. The storyline was told in multiple POV/ timeline which made it flow nicely. This book has a serious creep factor! Definitely recommending in my store!

While I was initially really intrigued with the synopsis, I've found that Cherie Priest doesn't capture my attention for long. I can't even put my finger on why I lose interest. The characters are likable, the writing is great, but somewhere along the way I stop caring.

What I loved: the boys crying in the corner, the runes

I wasn't expecting some of the things that ended up happening in the book and that was a nice surprise. Just wish it had kept my interest for longer.

Thank you to NetGalley, Cherie Priest, and Poison Pen Press for the opportunity to read The Drowning House. I have written this review voluntarily.

Hold Your Breath & Prepare to Dive Deep within the Pages of The Drowning House!

The Drowning House by Cherie Priest is a novel that captured my attention within the first couple of chapters and I found myself unable to put it down until I had read the last page! This book follows two friends Melissa and Leo as they return to their childhood town upon hearing the news that one of their friends, Simon, had gone missing in the aftermath of Simon's grandmother having a heart attack. Upon returning to Simon's home, they find a mysterious house has washed ashore. Mysteries start piling up and Melissa and Leo are forced to find answers if they ever hope to find Simon again.

I DEVOURED THIS BOOK! I truly found myself unable to put this down. It started out similarly to a classic thriller. There are missing people and a relative who has met a seemingly untimely end. However, upon deeper investigation, nothing is as it seems in their small hometown in Washington. I cannot speak highly enough of the truly beautiful language that is used to describe the atmosphere. As someone who loves the PNW, you can tell Cherie Priest also loves it too. I felt transported and right in the middle of the at times dreary and rainy setting and it just built another layer into the story.

The characters are also another great selling point for this story. Melissa and Leo are two very different people, who used to be much better friends and are forced to start rebuilding that friendship. Along that way, they are each forced to confront past demons and new ones alike as they journey to solve the ever-evolving mystery. This does take a rather surprising turn in terms of the plot and morphs from a classic thriller to truly something out of this world. The cosmic levels of horror start building and before you know it the action becomes pulse-pounding terror and action alike.

All in all, I really enjoyed this! Cherie Priest is a phenomenal writer and you absolutely need to check out this latest book of hers published by Poisoned Pen Press.

The Drowning House is an atmospheric story. Almost from the beginning, the clock is ticking for Leo and Melissa to figure out what happened to their friend Simon after he finds his grandmother scared to death. Between the flashbacks of the three friends' childhood and the dark secrets that exist on Marrowstone Island, the story kept me interested. At times the pacing felt a little slow, however, author Cherie Priest brings a dramatic and intense ending.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

🏚️ F R E A K Y F R I D A Y review 🏚️ featuring “The Drowning House” by Cherie Priest!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤/5

Simon, Melissa and Leo grew up spending their summers on an isolated island in the Pacific Northwest called Marrowstone Island. Simon’s grandmother Mrs. Culpepper always watched over them because she knew they weren’t alone on the island and she wanted to protect them from ancient evil that lurked throughout the island.

In present days, Melissa and Leo receive a message from Simon that Mrs Culpepper has (literally) been scared to DEATH by a mysterious house that washes up on the shore behind her house. After sending the message, Simon disappears and cannot be found. Melissa and Leo rush to the island to try to find their old friend and are SHOCKED to see the washed up house. Together they must fight against evil and the history that has haunted the island forever 👻!

Thank you kindly to Cherie Priest @poisonedpenpress @bookmarked @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in the exchange for my honest review! This book releases on July 23, 2024!

3.5 stars. This is a gripping thriller right from the beginning. The character, the detailed settings all add up to a great read. I did not see some of the twists coming. This is not my normal read but I would recommend this to others. The only thing that kept me from rating this higher was the lack of explanation for the magic. I wish there would have been a bit more throughout the book about Gunnar, the machine and where the magic came from.

This read was eery and unique as an environmental horror. It took things outside of the typical thriller realm. It had a steady pace, with solid character development. It was an enjoyable read.

DNF 🫣

Ugh, man, I wanted to love this book. I mean, I tried really hard - I got 80% in and I just could NOT do it. The premise sounded great, so I was excited. I went into this book thinking horror, but it definitely leaned more into fantasy. Which is fine, but not what I was expecting so maybe that’s why it fell so flat for me?

There was one ghost in the whole 80% I read. The rest of the time the MCs were researching and driving around. The MCs were kind of annoying as well. All in all, this book was just too slow for me and the plot was lacking. I hate leaving bad reviews, y’all know that, but I also want to be honest. These are my thoughts and opinions, and if this book has been on your tbr, please still give it a try - just because it wasn’t for me, doesn’t mean it isn’t for you.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Publishing for the arc of The Drowning House by Cherie Priest. I jumped on this on because I love all things creepy and this had an overall unsettling feeling. I was hoping it was a bit more interesting in the beginning but the slow burn is done to help execute the second half. This would make a great read around spooky season but also a great beach read.

If creepy and atmospheric slow burns are your thing...then you NEED this book!

Unfortunately, that's not really my thing. I felt there was too much relationship focus and not enough creepy house focus.

I was a fan of Priest's steampunk series and have enjoyed her recent foray into the comedic supernatural, but had never read a horror story by her so I was excited to get The Drowning House. I enjoyed the creepy mystery of Mrs. Culpepper's death after a mysterious house washes ashore and the disappearance of her grandson, Simon, though when Simon's two friends Leo and Melissa arrive to try and find Simon, I wasn't so fond of Leo as he "helped" Melissa figure it out. The alternating POV with the current mystery and the flashbacks to the three friends were smooth and eventually you see why Leo is such a pill, but it is a bit annoying getting to that point. Good mystery, great atmosphere, supernatural more than super scary, and I look forward to recommending it this summer! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book has me on the edge of my seat. I really loved the pacing in of the plot and the characters were interesting without being overly complicated. It was an easy read which I love and I'll definitely read more by this author.

I want to thank NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for this advance readers copy.

The Drowning House, by Cherie Priest, is a dual perspective, dual timeline story about happenings on a remote island in the north west. The story follows Simon, a well-to-do pre-teen, living with his grandmother after a tragic accident killed his parents. Simon is one of three kids growing up among the few residents in this town not even big enough for a real fire department. Melissa, the second child is a summertime visitor that spends all her time on the island with Simon and at his grandmothers house. Leo, a few years younger, is the third to join the crew and stays with his aunt and uncle. In typical 80’s fashion, they’re a bunch of unsupervised kids roaming around doing whatever comes to mind.

In present day, Melissa receives a voicemail and text from Simon informing her his grandmother, Mrs. Culpepper died suddenly. Simon asks for her help and Melissa and Leo return to the island they spent so many childhood summers. When they arrive, Simon is missing and there is, quite literally, a battered house washed up on the shoreline. It is up to Melissa and Leo to figure out what happened to Simon before it’s too late.

First of all, I’d like to say I went into this book blind and had no idea about any of it. I didn’t so much as read the authors blurb. While I’m not typically a paranormal or fantasy girl, this book kept me glued to the pages. It starts off simple enough, drifting back and forth between time periods, building each character as the years went by. There’s little hints of something supernatural going on, but nothing overtly obvious. As the present day story takes over, you can see how well the author prepared the reader for the quirks and mannerisms each person developed, and why. The character development was absolutely flawless and played out so smoothly.

The only con to this story that I had, was imagining the scenes in the basement. I found this author used such vivid imagery from page one, but I still struggled through that part. Maybe it’s just me? Overall, I highly recommend this novel- even if it isn’t usually your cup of tea! I can absolutely see this book being adapted into a movie!

An atmospheric horror novel that jumps back and forth in time, showing the development of the friendship between Simon, Melissa, and Leo, as well as some of the mysterious events that culminate in the happenings of the book after Simon’s disappearance.

The dynamics of the relationship between the three are well-developed, including after Simon’s disappearance, as he seems to be the fulcrum of the friend group. The setting was perfect and almost became another character, but I would like for there to have been more exploration of the horror aspect of the story, I think there was potential for a bit more “plot” here. That aside this was a really enjoyable read and I highly recommend it!