I found this slow going for three quarters of the story and it picked up pace towards the end. I found Calvin to be a someone idiotic character and was amazed by some of the choices he made throughout. I was really hoping for more from this story unfortunately it was lacking in something for me; but at this time I’m not sure what!

Overall enjoyable easy to read as this authors books typically are. Lots of characters to suspects, lots of times the characters act in a way that normal people would not but hey thats the beauty of fiction!

I had nor read the previous book with detective Imogen Evans nor did it matter as this book could be read as a stand alone.
Calvin is a talented baker and his wife is besotted with rescuing animals. So why has their lives suddenly become in danger. Could it be Mel the new also talented baker who comes to rescue Calvin when his waitress breaks her arm or Louise who also has a love of cats. And what and how is this all related to the man found buried and drowned on the beach. Set from both Imogen’s and Calvin’s lives both past and present. The story has plenty of twists and turns that I could not put the book down. Really enjoyed this latest book from a talented author.

Once again Mark writes a book that keeps you turning pages. A great, easy read with a superb plot. Adam has to make some decisions and at times I was rolling my eyes, others my hand was over my mouth! Thank you.

Many thanks for NetGalley and Mark Edwards for this ARC in exchange my review.

This book is yet another triumph for Mark Edwards, showcasing his ability to blend unsettling mystery with profound human emotion. The novel not only keeps me engrossed with its suspenseful plot but also leaves a lingering impact as it deftly examines the nature of fear, trust, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth. As a fan of psychological thrillers, I'm definitely seek a well-crafted narrative. This is the one that pricks at the veneer of normalcy to reveal the darkness beneath. "The Darkest Water" is a must-read. With its unsettling atmosphere, intricate plot, and compelling characters, I highly recommend this book for all fans.

A good twisty book
With good characters
A great storyline
And a book you won’t want to put down
Thanks NetGalley

Gripping, surprising, and well plotted.
A more extensive review will follow
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I have read several of this authors books and always find them page turners. This one is set in Cumbria and we follow Calvin and Vicky who are married. Calvin owns a coffee shop and is persuaded to go on social media to promote his business. Meanwhile a body has been found and it seems to be murder. We then are introduced to Imogen a famous detective. What follows is a page turning story about past secrets which come to the surface. We also learn the negatives of social media when Calvin is practically stalked by Mel who comes to work at the shop. Vicky goes missing . Has Mel got something to do with it ? How is everything connected ? I found this an easy read which all pieced together at the end .

We take a visit to the Lake District for this book to meet Detective Imogen Evans, who is investigating the murder of a local recluse. In a separate storyline we also meet Calvin who runs the local cafe/bakery and finds himself the object of desire for a new employee, causing problems between him and his wife. When Calvin's wife goes missing, he finds himself caught up in a mystery which goes back years!

This was an enjoyable dual storyline thriller which was cleverly written and the author did a great job of keeping the mystery of what was going on until well into the book! I found Calvin's story did take precedence over the two, although the other story of the murder was particularly chilling, especially with how the person died. Calvin seemed a likeable character, but I did find him very naive in dealing with his "stalker"! His storyline was gripping though and when his wife goes missing it does keep you wondering what was happening. I also liked Dectective Imogen Evans but would have liked to have seen more of her throughout the book. I can't see that this book is part of a series, but would love to see more of Imogen as she was a strong lead character.

The book was very atmospheric and the location created a great backdrop for the story. It was full of tension and suspense and had plenty of twists and turns as the story moved on. It was easy to read, with no complicated plots and held my attention throughout with some mysteries to sort out along the way. This was a great police procedural read which I would definitely recommend.

This is my 2nd book by this author. I've enjoyed them both immensely.
His books always have wonderful twists and turns.
The deviousness with the protagonists are interesting, and the storyline keeps you engaged right up to the last page.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Wow this was so good! I loved the twists and the dual timelines!

I really liked the characters even though Calvin drove me crazy for a bit since he failed to see that he had a stalker on his hands. So that was definitely no surprise that things would go awry from that situation.

This book kept me very engaged and I had a hard time putting it down.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Having read some of Mark Edward’s books previously, I knew that it would be a novel full of plot twists, suspense, and thrilling moments. When a chap is found buried on the beach near a small close-knit community, the new detective in charge (who’s reputation precedes her) is under immense pressure to solve the crime quickly.

Alongside the investigation, the book follows Calvin a struggling café owner trying to get his new business to take off. It is only through using social media that the café starts to get footfall, however this comes at a cost. Calvin’s past comes back to haunt him putting various people at risk, and the added complication of his new hire Mel who seems to have a more than professional interest in him. As he struggles to unravel all the events seemingly happening around him, he is forced to confront his past.

There are various sub-plots that all come together at the end. Overall, an engaging read, with plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars.

The Darkest Water Mark Edwards

I had intended to read this book, but then spotted the wonderful Simon Mattacks was the audiobook narrator so I held off and bought it.
I really enjoyed the dual storyline, for a while it felt like there was two separate stories, but knowing Marks work, I knew it would all come together at some point. I finished this book in a day, just happily listening along.
5 stars, 4 for the book and rounded up to 5 because of the narrator, more like this please!

This was a gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

4.5 stars

You have to hand it to Mark Edwards. He comes up with the goods every, single time. And always with something different. And this, his latest, is no exception, combining elements of police procedural with his trademark bent for a dark psychological thriller. I read it in two sittings.

As always, the plot is superbly constructed, following two apparently distinct storylines, both equally chilling and compelling.

The prologue hooks you in immediately. Picture a Lake District beach in the early morning. A strange shape amongst the usual detritus on the tideline. It’s the head of a man, buried up to his neck in the sand and left to drown as the waves came in. Someone wanted him to suffer a slow, terrifying death.

Now meet Calvin Matheson, local baker and café owner, who’s struggling to make his new business a success. Spurred on by his young assistant, he’s persuaded to try and create a buzz on social media. And when an early post goes viral, attracting a flood of customers, Calvin couldn’t be more thrilled.

Until, that is, he attracts a stalker, his wife disappears, and events take a very dark turn.

What follows is relentlessly gripping, from the brooding, atmospheric setting, to the inscrutable peripheral characters. From the minutiae of the murder investigation to Calvin’s spiraling desperation. And all of it propelled along by short, snappy chapters that jump between the two storylines, urging you to keep reading.

When the two strand finally come together, it’s in an explosive, edge-of-the-seat finale that blew one of my ‘dead-cert’ predictions out of the water. Kudos to Mr Edwards for a very deft and credible piece of misdirection.

Readers, If sneakily disguised revenge tropes are your thing, then this one’s for you.

This is a brilliant dark and twisty read! Loved the concept behind the book and the darker side of being 'online'. Mark Edwards is a master story teller and this book is no exception.

Loved this book. It paints a very accurate and eye opening picture of the damage that can be done by social media when you are no longer their darling, scary stuff.
Definitely recommend this.

I enjoyed this book on the whole, though it is flawed . The plot is quite mixed up and the social media aspect was perhaps overdone and dramatic. The crime was quite a good premise though and the plot was told in two different time periods which gradually came together. The investigation and police team were OK, though as this is the first book I have read by this author, I was not aware of the famous Imogen and I do not feel as if I have got to know her here . I did like the pace of the book and the twists in the plot. The setting on the Cumbrian coast is also good.
I will definately look into reading more by this author. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

Mark Edwards, once again, delivers a tense psychological thriller. It’s the type of book I really enjoy. You know the kind, one with enough twists and turns to set your mind spinning. One with well defined characters, motives, plots and possibilities. One that doesn’t let you go but keeps you in suspense, page turning and questioning. Could not put this atmospheric thriller down.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

What can i say about this book it was brilliant.
A must read it kept me turning the pages and lots of twists.