A really enjoyable page turner of a read, full of suspense, twists & turns, you will be left guessing throughout.
A well written book I struggled to put down & would highly recommend.

A drowned man is found on a beach - but it's not just a sad drowning - it's violent as the man has been buried up to his neck in the sand. The twists and turns in this book will keep you guessing, on the edge of your seat and holding your breath. You will want to keep reading - and you will be glad that you did. This is my first Mark Edwards read - it won't be my last. Excellent

Wow! Another book read by the author that left me wanting to read everything he publishes in the future. Very well written! The main characters are captivating and the ending is surprising! I highly recommend it!

This was a great read that was hard to put down! The storyline was interesting, with lots of twists and turns, which came together at the end in an unexpected way. I also really enjoyed the character development, particularly of the female detective, Imogen Evans, who has a reputation to uphold after previously solving a serial killer case. This was my first novel by this author, but I will definitely be reading more.

Published by Thomas & Mercer on April 16, 2024

In the small village of Drigg, someone buried local resident Leo James in a hole on the beach, leaving only his head above the sand. He drowned when the tide came in. DI Imogen Evans is charged with solving the crime. Evans was first and last seen in Mark Edwards’ 2017 novel, The Lucky Ones.

As Evans is searching Leo James’ home, she sees a young woman snooping around the back yard. The woman flees but later appears at Leo’s funeral, where she tries to flee again. The woman (Billie Whitehead) and her mother (Michelle) have more knowledge of the reclusive Leo than most people, but even they don’t know much about him.

In the same village, Calvin Matheson has started a coffee shop and bakery, but the shop is losing money. Calvin has no interest in social media, but with his wife’s help, he posts some videos to Instagram, including one that features an elderly woman proclaiming his cakes to be better than sex. The video goes viral (young people, it seems, love old people who talk about sex, how cute!) and triggers a wave of new business.

Many people respond to Calvin’s video, including a woman named Mel. Calvin answers each comment because he’s polite and assumes it will be good for business to interact with potential customers. Calvin’s wife Vicky thinks Calvin’s responses to Mel’s messages are a bit too flirtatious, although Calvin thinks he’s just being kind.

Mel ends up working at the shop when Calvin’s only employee is injured by an unidentified burglar. Vicky trusts Calvin but she’s displeased, primarily because she believes something is off about Mel. While there is good reason to suspect that Mel is obsessive to the point of derangement, Calvin tries to help her out with some young hooligans who harass her. When Calvin goes home after he’s unexpectedly delayed at Mel’s home, he finds that Vicky has disappeared. Did she get fed up and leave him or is she the victim of foul play?

All of this is a bit too much for DI Evans, who must deal with Leo’s murder, Vicky’s disappearance, Michelle’s violent husband, and eventually another murder. It’s also a bit much for Calvin, who is being accused on social media of doing away with Vicky. The lesson he learns is that social media might help you build your business but it houses a subset of lunatics who will eventually make your life hell.

Intermittent flashbacks tease out the story of Calvin’s sister Freya and her involvement with a drug-addled musician. Freya’s death devastated Calvin — he blames himself for not forcing her to make better choices — but it seems to have been equally traumatic for Calvin’s best friend James. Freya’s death is tangentially related to a dark secret that Calvin and James have kept hidden for thirty years. (It isn’t entirely dark, because the reader is meant to like Calvin, but their behavior is considerably less than exemplary.) Calvin lost touch with James after their unfortunate moment.

Is there one killer or more than one? Is Vicky still alive? Is Mel deranged? The story’s reveals are followed by a final gratuitous twist that, like many ultimate plot twists, serves no real purpose and detracts from the story’s credibility. Fortunately, the twist is not particularly important to the story and can be safely ignored. The nick-of-time appearance of a life-saving character doesn’t make much sense, but such is the nature of modern thrillers. An epilogue ties up loose ends and if the knots are difficult to believe, that’s better than leaving the threads dangling.

On the whole, The Darkest Water is nicely constructed. The reader will need to depend more on guesswork rather than clues to solve the mysteries, but the story moves quickly and the plot is always coherent.

RECOMMENDED

Chilling and layered psychological crime thriller, where not everyone is who they seem.

Detective Imogen Evans has only just moved to the Lake District when she finds herself investigating the murder of a mysterious local recluse who has been buried on the beach and left to drown. The pressure is on following the high profile case she recently solved.

Calvin has dreamed of opening a cafe and bakery, but with the business struggling he ventures into the world of social media and soon gains lots of new interest. Business is booming but his wife has a bad feeling about some of the attention, especially when an over-friendly admirer turns up just as Calvin's assistant is injured. Stepping in to help out she shows no signs of moving on.

I really enjoyed this book! It was an awesome read! Talk about a crazy story. You just can’t figure out who is behind what! That’s the best kind in my opinion! There could be a whole book just on the “super fan” and I’d read that too! Loved it! Thank you for the opportunity to get to read this book!

Calvin has always wanted to run his own bakery & cafe & with the encouragement & help from wife Vicky he has 'Therapy' located in the Lake District, but business is slow & Cal is worried. Although he has never been a fan of Social Media, Vicky & assistant persuade him to post & before long he has become a bit of an internet sensation. BlondiMel sends him direct messages & being a bit naïve & not wanting to cause offence Cal replies- often. when his assistant is injured in a break in, who steps in but Mel of BlondiMel fame. She is a very good worker but Vicky is suspicious. Especially when she seems to be taking up Cal's time sorting problems out for her.

Meanwhile a body has been found on a local beach, buried up to the neck in sand. What is the connection.

This was an enjoyable read- even if I did think Cal was an idiot & I did guess whodunnit. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I ended up skim reading this book from about the 60% read mark. It was perhaps the fairly unlikely social media element that just didn’t hold my interest. So this time Mark Edwards didn’t entertain me with his plot but as he usually does I will still look out for his books.

An amazing thriller and page turner. Following a gruesome murder on a beach, the characters and plot evolve with ease creating a book that I simply couldn’t put down.

Maybe wrong book to start with?

After reading a few reviews once I was done, it seems like this wasn't the author’s best work. While the premise and beginning was intriguing, it really started to drag at one point and it really took a while to get through. Everything got messed up near the end and while it seemed like it was tied off, I just wasn't able to enjoy the story unfortunately.

Thanks to the publisher for this ARC!

The note from the publisher states "Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people." - Isn't that the truth !!! I thin khis books are some of the few that genuinely have me on the edge my seat and jumping at shadows. Another incredible piece of work from him that i will not hesitate to reccomend.

This book was great! Very suspenseful and had me holding my breath a few times during some intense scenes. I love how things were revealed as you go so you never know what to expect. Plenty of twists and surprises. I would give anything for a sequel on Mel. She's the best kind of crazy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eARC.

A brilliant page turning thriller, The Darkest Water keeps you guessing and wanting more. How far would you go?

So Mark Edwards does it again, I just love the twists and turns in his books. Mark Edwards is one of those authors that I don't need to read the back page I just go straight in and I have never been let down. The story starts off with a murder on the beach the rest of the book un ravels the who and why, I didn't see it coming.
I would recommend this book especially if you haven't read a Mark Edwards book yet and I will guarantee you will be reading his back catalogue after.

Another stunning read by Mark Edwards. I was gripped from the first page to the last. Well written and already craving my next reading fix from him

Another dark and thrilling read from author Mark Edwards.

Told in a dual timeline the book focuses on Calvin as a young man who tragically loses his younger sister sister in a road accident and in present day as an owner of a new cafe, starting to promote his fledgling business on social media. In the present day wife Vicky encourages Calvin to stay safe and when he replies to a fan online he sees this as engaging with customers but she fears the follower may have different intentions. Murder, kidnap, memories of dark deeds in the past and the future for Calvin and his business look bleak as his online presence turns against him.

Really well written and very atmospheric. The characters and locations are so well described it was a joy to read. The plot is very tense and the timelines weave together so the reader can see how the past is influencing the present, leading to the tragic events at the end. I found all the characters, even those in the periphery, were vital to the narrative and integral to the story.

Highly recommend if you enjoy a tense thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

In "The Darkest Water', Mark Edwards takes readers on a chilling journey through the idyllic village of the Lake District, where secrets fester and danger lurks beneath the surface. Calvin, the proud owner of a dream bakery, finds himself thrust into the spotlight after a viral social media clip turns him into an overnight legend. But fame comes at a price, and the creepy direct messages (DMs) from an obsessed stranger soon flood his inbox.

As the community reels from the discovery of a local recluse buried alive on a nearby beach, Detective Imogen Evans races against time to unravel the mystery. Why would anyone want the recluse dead, and who was he really? The suspense builds as Calvin's obsessive admirer arrives, seemingly connected to a series of disturbing events. With danger closing in, Calvin must navigate a web of secrets and betrayal, questioning whom he can trust.

Edwards masterfully captures the eerie beauty of the Lake District, juxtaposing its scenic landscapes with the darkness that lies beneath.

Calvin's vulnerability and Imogen's determination make them relatable protagonists. Their flaws and fears add depth to the story.

Just when you think you've figured it out, Edwards throws another curveball. The plot keeps you guessing...

What Doesn't Work:
The novel attempts to blend social media commentary with suspense, but the two themes never fully harmonize. The result is a somewhat messy narrative.

In summary, "The Darkest Water' is a rollercoaster ride of suspense, obsession, and hidden truths. While it occasionally stumbles, its relentless pace and unexpected twists make it a compelling read. Edwards continues to prove that scary things can happen to ordinary people, even in the most picturesque settings.

Calvin opens a bakery in the Lake District as has been his dream and it’s struggling despite him doing all he can and if he can’t turn things around his dream is dead in the water. His wife encourages him to try to promote it on social media and he reluctantly does so and is surprised when a chip they post goes viral and brings in lots of new business, as well as lots of DMs to Calvin. Most of them are innocent, but some not so much, confirming Calvin’s suspicions of social media.
Meanwhile, DI Imogene Evans is in town to investigate a buddy that’s found buried up to its neck on Driggs beach. She hopes it’s a one time incident, but something tells her that it isn’t. Imogene is under pressure to get the case closed and quickly but who is this man and why would someone do this to him?
The story is told from the POV of Calvin and Imogene as well as current and past timelines, so there’s a bit to keep up with but it all blends together well. There’s a sense of foreboding hanging over the setting and when things go from bad to worse, it leaves the reader unsettled and wondering what actually is the truth in all this.
Overall, this was a one sitting read that had an over the top ending but I still very much enjoyed!
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars! I explained this to my husband like: picture a cartoon train driving down some train tracks, normal as can be. The train is approaching a bridge over a deep canyon. The conductor is chug, chug, chugging along like nothing is amiss. We -- as readers/ outside viewers -- can see that the tracks over the canyon are broken and the train is most certainly going to fall to the depths. We know disaster is imminent but the train (a.k.a. the book characters) are none the wiser.

This was wild! I pretty much had several of the twists figured out pretty early on, maybe with a few details still questionable. There were definitely some that were surprising though and that was great! This was very fast paced and well-written to the point I was feeling real feelings towards the characters. (like anger, annoyance and pure dumbfoundedness [<that isn't even a word but you get the idea] at how freaking blindly trusting Calvin was being). I liked Imogen's character but what was the big deal with her past with the serial killer? Was it just to make it so she was "famous" and would be easily recognized in this small town?

Overall I liked this and it was a super quick read. Out now & free on KU!