First, i absolutely loved the setting in this book. The plot was really good too and I really liked the social media stalker aspect. I couldn’t put this one down. Very god storyline and characters.

A Perfect Idyll..?
The bakery of his dreams in a perfectly idyllic Lake District village, Calvin thinks he has it all. When his wife helpfully suggests promoting his business on social media, Calvin becomes an overnight sensation- but things are about to turn sinister. Elsewhere in the locality, a body turns up on a beach. As events begin to spiral, threads connect and the perfect idyll may well become the perfect nightmare. A tension fuelled and compelling read, peopled with a credible and well crafted cast and a propulsive plot with a taut and ever present vein of underlying menace.

With the financial help of his wife Vicky, Calvin has finally been able to open his dream bakery in the beautiful Lake District, but trade is very slow and, not being a fan of social media, he's reluctant when Vicky and his assistant Tara suggest that he promotes it online, but soon changes his mind when the video clip goes viral and the bakery is packed out. He starts getting messages from an online fan who coincidentally turns up right after his assistant gets injured, offering her help. While all this is going on a body has been found, buried up to his neck on the beach, drowned by the incoming tide and Detective Imogen Evans is struggling to identify him and discover who killed him, can she solve it before someone else dies?

The Darkest Water is the latest thriller by Edwards and we see the return of Detective Imogen Evans who was also in The Lucky Ones, but they are both standalone thrillers so you don't have to have read them in order. This is a dual timeline story set in the present day and 1995 and, as the story progresses and the pieces of the jigsaw slot into place, it becomes obvious how these two timelines are linked. This is a fast paced read which grabbed me from the first page and did not let me escape its grasp till the very end, with some very unlikeable characters and an intriguing plot which unearthed secrets from the past and delivered some unexpected twists, also highlighting the highs and lows of the use of social media in the present day. Another fabulous thriller, which I devoured in a matter of a few hours, that showcases Edwards at his very best!

I'd like to thank the author, Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for inviting me to read this, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Messy

2.5 stars

The Darkest Water is a thriller about a social media stalker, a missing woman, and a murderer.

Struggling bakery owner Calvin heeds his wife's advice and reluctantly posts about his shop on social media. Shortly after, an innocent DM exchange introduces Calvin to a potential social media stalker.

At the same time, Detective Imogen Evans finds herself investigating the murder of a mysterious man.

Chapters alternate between Calvin and Imogen. Calvin is a clueless idiot, and I had to spend time alternating between rolling my eyes at his stupid decisions and yelling at him. Thankfully, Imogen, a main character in Edwards's The Lucky One , is intelligent, and her chapters are less chaotic than Calvin's. While I hope never to see Calvin again, I would be okay with another of Edwards' books featuring Imogene.

The plot has two timelines, one in the present and one in 1995. The chapters in 1995 provide a backstory for Calvin, but I found them boring. These chapters dragged out the plot, and their culmination in the present took the plot in a crazy direction.

One of the elements I always admire about Edwards's novels is his ability to seamlessly weave into the plot a serious theme into the midst of the events. This could have worked out better in this book. On the surface, this book appears to be a commentary on parasocial relationships and the dangers of social media. Instead, it takes a crazy, over-the-top turn and becomes a hot mess of ridiculousness. The pool scene at the end and cartoon-like villains had me rolling my eyes; however, I enjoyed the epilogue.

My main issue with The Darkest Water was that the plot tried to be two different things: a commentary on the dangers of social media and a suspenseful thriller. The two never blended, resulting in a messy read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.

I always look forward to a new Mark Edwards book and on this occasion I was lucky enough to receive an early copy via NetGalley.

Mark’s books are always a compulsive read and yet again with his latest book has that knack of keeping his readers engaged and wanting to read just one more page.

This book has flashbacks which I always enjoy and I couldn’t wait to see how these flashbacks related to the present day. Calvin owns a coffee shop in the Lake District which is feeling the pinch, so encouraged by one of his employees and his wife he sets up some social media accounts for his business. Buoyed up by going viral with one of his posts Calvin gets sucked into the heady world of social media and acquires himself an admirer (potential stalker!)

There’s another story playing out where a dead man’s body is discovered on the local beach, buried in sand right up to his neck. Enter DI Imogen Evans (from The Lucky Ones book) who is tasked with finding another potential serial killer.

Without giving too much away, the bodies start to mount up and with the aid of the flashbacks you think you start to know ‘whodunit’, but this being a Mark Edward’s’ book there are at least two fabulous twists towards the conclusion of the book which I didn’t guess.

Another 5 star read from me!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I enjoyed this book but don't think it was one of his best. I've read most of Mark Edwards' books and this one was just lacking a little something. I didn't like the main character Calvin either which probably didn't help but I did enjoy the twists and turns along the way. A good read nonetheless and I look forward to reading future books by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Calvin owns and operates the baker of his dreams but he isn’t getting the traffic he had hoped for so when a video clip goes viral, he ends up hiring one of his social media followers on the spot to help with the unforseen crowds. But Calvin’s wife is suspicious of her motives and oh by the way a dead body was just found nearby.

I don’t have a ton to say an about this one. It was good and very readable. I had issues keeping some of the secondary characters straight but I got through the book in a day or 2. It was good, not great.

I have read everything this author has published, both solo and co-authored, and what I like best about his work, what really chills me, is that everything he writes is wholly credible.
Sadly, this book didn't quite match up to my, admittedly high, expectations as there were a few things that made my eyes roll...
So... Calvin owns a bakery in an idyllic village, he's ticking over but has not really hit the heady heights that he thinks he deserves. His wife Vicky thinks that he should be using social media more to promote himself and his business and, reluctantly, he agrees.
And she was right. A video clip goes viral and suddenly he is inundated with customers. But along with the good, comes the bad, and I will leave it to the author to spell all that out to you...
Alongside this thread we also have Det Imogen Evans (who we first met in The Lucky Ones) who is investigating the death of a local recluse, buried up to his neck and drowned on the beach when by the tide. Quite how and if this ties in with the rest of what was going on, again, leaving to the author...
The characterisation was good but they didn't always act within character. There were too many stupid things done by sensible characters just for the sake of the story. Too many coincidences. It all felt a wee bit contrived on occasion rather than flowing. I also had to suspend belief a bit too much which I wasn't expecting to have to do. I also took against Calvin from the off, something about him irked me, and that initial feeling never left as I got to know him better. As well as his present, we also delved into his past to an incident that has haunted him.
All that said, the story, flaws and all, was compelling and I did want to find out what happened, how it all panned out, and it was a relatively easy read.
All in all, disappointing for me, but then my standards for this author are very exacting. That said, it won't put me off jumping on his next book as soon as I can. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The latest gripper by Mark Edwards-

Calvin achieves his lifelong dream of owning a bakery in a quaint Lake District village. Thanks to his wife Vicky's social media push, a viral clip transforms him into an overnight sensation. But as eerie direct messages flood in from a mysterious fan, Calvin's elation turns to dread.

Meanwhile, a recluse is discovered buried alive on a nearby beach, sparking community panic. Detective Imogen Evans races against time to uncover the truth behind the murder.

As the investigation intensifies, Calvin's obsessed admirer arrives just as his assistant suffers an accident, thrusting them into a perilous game. With darkness closing in, Calvin questions whom he can truly trust in this serene locale—or if his past missteps have already sealed their fate.

I found this book immensely enjoyable, much like other works by Mark Edwards, filled with unexpected twists. The characters were well crafted, although Calvin's portrayal as a somewhat weak man stood out.
Thanks to Netgalley and Mark Edwards for my advance copy

Mark Edwards' thrillers haven't failed me yet, so of course I had to add his newest title The Darkest Water as soon as I first heard about it. I liked the sound of the premise, with the murder investigation as well as a social media/stalker angle... And I've been looking forward to dive in. While I do have to admit that it took me a little while to properly warm up to the story, in the end I was hooked and I literally read it in one sitting! Another successful psychological slash crime thriller indeed.

The Darkest Water is set in the Lake District, and the small village and sea setting made for such a great backdrop for this story. I liked how the setting actually played a role in the plot, as it offered easy opportunities for certain events to take place... The plot itself uses a multiple POV structure, and there are quite a few characters in play. There seems to be a main division between the murder investigation with Detective Imogen Evans in the lead, and the more psychological thriller focused social media/stalker angle with mainly Calvin and his wife in the spotlight... Although you will find other POVs along the way as well as flashbacks to 1995.

I'm going to keep this review short to avoid spoilers, because this is one of those stories where it's best to go in blind. The various plot twists and new angles will just hit better this way, and especially the second half is extremely fast-paced. Things can be said about the credibility of certain aspects of the plot and you definitely have to suspend your disbelief, but it sure made for an extremely engaging read. A true pageturner! I do confess that the beginning was a bit slower than expected, but it is more than worth it to keep going and once the ball starts rolling it is very hard to put The Darkest Water down.

I hadn't realized that Detective Imogen Evans actually appeared in one of his previous books, The Lucky Ones, which I still have to read myself. This story works perfectly as a stand-alone though! I quite liked her character, so I will definitely be going back myself to see what the references to her past work were about. I wasn't too charmed by Calvin though, both because he made some very stupid mistakes and because he was way too gullible. I also wasn't too sure how credible his whole 'instant social media addiction' was... But since there are quite a lot of characters to distract you, and things soon start spinning out of control, you don't exactly have a lot of time to stand still by all this.

If you are looking for a lightning fast psychological thriller with a stalker/social media angle that also includes a murder investigation along the way, The Darkest Water is a more than solid choice. The plot maybe isn't 100% credible, but there is no denying its entertainment level!

Absolutely brilliant book again by Mark!

It was good to read a book that delved into the past a bit whilst focusing on the future to understand how it ending the way it did. Great to see Imogen Evans feature again!

The book starts off with a murder on Drigg Beach of a local homeless man, then we meet Calvin who runs a quiet coffee shop nearby with his assistant Tara. Things take a turn when Tara sets up a social media page to boost business at the Therapy cafe.

Would definitely recommend this book and by the other reviews you’ll see why!

If you are a fan of Mark Edwards you know what to expect - twists and turns a plenty and never quite knowing what is going to happen!
As someone who isn’t a massive fan of social media, I really liked how this was portrayed throughout the book. Should you really share so much? Can you really remain professional and business like when you use things like Facebook to communicate with customers and employees.
I have found the odd book of Mark’s to be a little too over the top with the gruesome side of things but not this one. As ever this is a fast paced read, you will want to keep reading to see if your suspicions are confirmed or not!
All in all another great read from the king of suspense!

Yet another brilliant story by this author. This is one of those books that grabs you at the beginning and doesn't let go until the end. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Calvin finally owns the bakery of his dreams, in an idyllic village in the Lake District. After reluctantly following his wife Vicky's advice to promote it on social media, he's thrilled when a viral clip makes him a legend overnight. But then the creepy DM's start flooding in - all from a stranger who claims she's his biggest fan. Meanwhile, a local recluse in found on a nearby beach, buried to his neck and left to drown, and the community goes into shock. Why would anyone want him dead? And who exactly was he? Detective Imogen Evans, new to the Lake District, is under pressure to find out before the killer strikes again.

To me, there's not much better than getting stuck into a Mark Edwards book, and this one doesn't disappoint. The story has a dual timeline - the present day and flashbacks to 1995. As a new businessman, Calvin is a bit naive. He employs someone to help him without checking reference. There are a few threads to this story, but they are all tied up neatly at the end. Calvin has a secret he's been hiding for years, even his wife Vicky doesn't know about it. There's the murder of a recluse for Detective Imogen Evans, but that's not the only case she will need to investigate. This is a quick and easy book to read.

Published 16th April

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer and the author #MarkEdwards for my ARC of #TheDarkestWater in exchange for an honest review.

From the prologue to the very last page this is a perfect thriller. At the beginning you'd be forgiven for thinking there are 2 different storylines but it becomes apparent that the stories are linked in a chilling way. From past buried secrets to stalking to the power and negative side of social media.
I've read a few of Mark Edwards books and this is my favourite so far. Fast paced and tense this is everything I look for in my favourite genre

Calvin’s dream is to open a Bakery/Coffee shop, so with the help with his wife’s Vicky’s savings he does just that in a small town called Elderbridge in the Lake district. But business is not going as well as he hopes. So, he turns to social media and opens account and shows everyone the delicious things he bakes to drum up some business. But as soon as he does that, he is bombarded with messages especially from one woman. Vicky warns him not to devolve personal details about himself, or he will get himself a stalker. Which just so happens a woman walks into the café and reveals herself to be Mel that he has been messaging on the internet.
In the meantime, a body has been found on the beach and the Police are finding it hard to identify him. The man has been living off gird thirty years in a cottage in a remote part of town. Who is he and why was he murdered?
I can confess that I have not read many books from this author. But I found this to dark gripping thriller. Or have I read the previous book in this series, but it was okay as you can read this without no problem.
The story involving Calvin set in two timelines present day and 1995 where an incident happened that change Calvin’s life and played on his mind ever since and connects his time with his stalker and the body on the beach.
This is a twisty thriller that I mostly enjoyed except for me personally got overwhelmed with all the different characters near the ending of the story. 4 stars

Calvin finally owns the bakery he has dreamed about. He lives in a small village in the lake district with his wife Vicky, who runs the local animal shelter and has recent became a viral sensation overnight. All seems to be going well for the quiet and well liked couple. Nearby a reclusive man has been found murder on a local beach and sudden strange things start to occur in Calvin's life. Is his with Vicky right, does he have a stalker or is something much more sinister going on. As things continue to get worse Calvin begins to wonder is there anyone he can trust and more importantly has someone discovered has past mistakes placing him and Vicky in terrible danger?

I loved this story so many twists and turns and completely kept me guessing right up until the end. 100% recommend.

Early one morning, near the small town of Elderbridge, a walker discovers a body buried up to his neck on a lonely beach. He drowned, of course, but slowly, agonizingly slowly. Now DI Imogen Edwards and her team have to discover his identity and find who wanted him dead in such a cruel way.

On a main street in Elderbridge, baker Calvin Matheson is worried that his bakery is not doing well. His supportive wife Vicki financed Therapy for him but he needs more regular customers. When a video featuring his cakes at a local nursing home goes viral, Calvin realizes that an internet presence is the key to sales. Soon he is coping with long lines, great reviews and realizes he needs more help. Enter Mel. She seems to be the perfect employee. She also seems to have an unusual interest in Calvin.

In 1995, Calvin’s younger sister Freya falls for Milo, a charismatic singer in a club band with his brother Simeon and sister Piper. Although Calvin tries to warn Freya about Milo’s dangerous habits, she will not listen. This will be life changing for Calvin.

Slowly and deliberately, Mark Edwards weaves these three unrelated plot lines together. Not until the final pages do we realize exactly what happened and why. With an atmospheric location and well described characters, The Darkest Water is hard to put down. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Mark Edwards for this ARC.

Ok, where do I start with this book? I have to say this is one of those books that you need to suspend belief while reading. There are so many "Really?!?" Moments and coincidences that are questionable in real life. But, this is fiction so just go with it and enjoy.

Let's talk about Calvin our main male character in Darkest Water. I didn't like him. To me he came across as a drip, but that's my opinion and it didn't stop me reading about him. There were times that I thought he deserved what was coming to him for being so slow off the mark.

There's no let up in action, mystery and deaths in this story. It will have you suspecting everyone and there are curve balls in there to send you in a tizz.

Prepare to be bamboozled with all the characters and their connections. See if you can work out what is going on in this sleepy town. A place where apparently nothing happens. But, when it does then it'll happen to Calvin.

I love Mark Edwards' books. He's an auto buy author for me.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

Calvin and his wife Vicky have moved to a quiet little village in the Lake District and Calvin finally has the job of his dreams running his own bakery. With not much business around wife Vicky gets some on line advertising going which then opens a whole can of worms.

Calvin appears to get a stalker, a man is found dead in horrific circumstances on the beach and Vicky goes missing. Are all the events connected and just what does Calvin have hidden in his past that someone would want revenge for.

Detective Imogen Evans is new to the Lake district after leaving the bright lights after catching an infamous serial killer. Has she jumped out of the frying pan into the fire and can she work with the twists along the way to save Vicky?

A really good read. Recommended 5 stars.