Mark Edwards does it again this time with a dead body buried in the sand. They can find a name for the victim but no one seems to know who he is or where he came from let alone how come he ended up being buried in the sand. Along with Imogen starting a new life in this town and being a celebrity cop where ever she goes the new social media success of a local coffee shop starts to get linked in and as someone else goes missing it’s a race against time to find out what is going on and who is responsible. Does the truth live in somewhere in the past? Don’t miss this great read. If you haven’t read anything by this author you are in for a treat as he never disappoints.

4 stars - A rating

My first book by Mark Edwards and I absolutely loved his writing style. I look forward to reading all of his books. This was an ARC from NetGalley for my review. Publishing date: 4/30/24.

Suspenseful premise. A dead body is found. Murder? Suicide? Quirky, fully fleshed out characters. A lively cast of townspeople. A likeable town chef with his own bakery/diner. We follow his story and that of the town detective as the plot twists and turns and the clues unravel. I enjoyed being along for the ride.

I couldn't read it fast enough and was completely engaged in the story.

Thank you NetGalley.

A mysterious death. People leading double lives. The present colliding with the past. The return of a beloved character. A recipe for a great Mark Edwards book. Keep track of the characters – it will help you connect the dots. This one will keep you guessing until the very end.

The darkest Water piqued my interest with its book description. It’s twisted just the way I like my thrillers. There seemed to be a lot of characters to get my head round but the characters are well depicted and each has a unique voice. An enjoyable read but one slightly spoilt by the fact I figured out some of the twists early on in the read

I’m officially a Mark Edwards fan! This book blends elements of detective (crime) fiction with psychological suspense, which I absolutely loved.

There was a lot to like about this one:

🏞️ Atmospheric setting that adds a layer of mystery to the story

👩‍🦰 The detective, Imogen Evans (I also found out she appears in another one of Mark’s books, so now I need to read that too)!

📝 2 storylines that come together perfectly

😮 Shocking twists & turns

Overall, I found this book super easy to read. I flew through the pages (even staying up until late to read it) and really enjoyed the story.

The Darkest Water is Mark Edward’s latest thriller and features Detective Imogen Evans from The Lucky Ones, but if you haven’t read The Lucky Ones yet, don’t worry as this can ABSOLUTELY be read as a standalone.

The story is set in the Lake District and Calvin Matheson’s dreams of opening a cafe and bakery are slowly turning into a nightmare due to no customers and dwindling finances. When his wife tells him to start promoting the cafe on social media with the help of his assistant one of his posts goes viral bringing him overnight success and plenty of new customers.

However, the darker side of social media soon rears it’s ugly head and when Calvin starts getting DM’s from a female stalker claiming to be his greatest fan, suddenly his success puts him and those closest to him in real danger.

Meanwhile, the body of a local man is found buried up to his neck in the sea and Detective Imogen Evans, who has recently moved to the area, is in charge of finding out who this man is, why he was killed and to catch the killer.

The Darkest Water has two storylines running alongside each other and slowly the reader begins to find out more about Calvin and more about the man on the beach. Is there any connection between them and will Imogen catch the killer before they strike again?

Another twisty tale from the warped mind of Mark Edwards!

"The Darkest Water" by Mark Edwards is a chilling thriller that grips you from the first page. Calvin's dream bakery turns into a nightmare when a mysterious admirer emerges from the shadows, and a local recluse is found buried on the beach. Edwards masterfully weaves suspense, dark secrets, and a sense of impending danger throughout the narrative. The characters are well-developed, and the Lake District setting adds an eerie atmosphere. As Detective Imogen Evans races against time, the tension escalates, keeping readers on the edge. Edwards delivers a captivating tale of intrigue, mistrust, and the haunting consequences of one's past. An engrossing and satisfying read.

I really enjoyed this Mark Edwards novel, a gripping suspense thriller full of obsession, deception, and deadly secrets. The novel is set in the Lake District and centres on Calvin who owns a bakery and has his life take a sinister turn when he becomes the target of a mysterious and obsessive stalker.

Calvin’s life is turned upside down by a viral social media clip that changes his world immeasurably and results in overnight fame. The unexpected attention comes with the introduction of creepy messages from a stranger claiming to be his biggest fan and sets off a chain events.

Meanwhile, Detective Imogen Evans is tasked with unravelling the mystery behind a gruesome murder that has shaken the quiet community to its core. Once the investigation intensifies, the lines between truth and deception blur, and Imogen finds herself drawn deeper into a web of lies and betrayal.

This is a very enjoyable novel with some excellent characters, each with their own secrets and ambitions. Calvin struggles with the realisation that his stalker may be dangerously close, while Imogen’s drive to search for the truth grows as she comes across small-town politics and personal vendettas.

There are lots of twists and turns along the way that kept me guessing as I frantically turned the pages.

A very good suspense novel where nothing is as it seems and danger is never far away.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been highly anticipating The Darkest Waters as I’m a big fan of Mark Edwards‘ writing and his newest story
has once again confirmed to me why he is one of my favourite thriller authors.
I was super excited to meet again with Detective Imogen Evans(featured in *The Lucky Ones*)
and maybe one day we gonna hear from her again. (I hope so).

Suspenseful, twisted and highly engaging, this story isn’t afraid to go dark
while keeping you entertained along the way.
Thank you, Mark Edwards and NetGalley for ARC!

I’ve read a few of Mark Edwards’ books at this point and have definitely come to expect consistency. His books are absolute page turners for me. They’re well written and easy to consume. There aren’t excessive amounts of characters and he does a great job of slowly revealing puzzle pieces culminating in a twisty end.

The book fell short in the way many thrillers do. Calvin was a complete moron to the point of being unbelievable. There’s many coincidences towards the end to the point of shifting past the point of implausibility.

Overall, I enjoyed the read but did feel as though the story lost points with me for lack of plausibility. I’d rather have less mystery and a well written story than a book so unpredictable it becomes a bit over the top. I still plan on reading more by Edwards but this one missed the mark a bit for me.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Calvin has opened a coffee shop and been persuaded to advertise on social media, a decision he will come to regret.
There are lots of sub plots in this duel timeline thriller and I found the story confusing at times.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

A grisly murder and his wife's disappearance lead Calvin back to a secret he had tried to keep buried....Excellent thriller with plenty of twists to keep you on edge until the end.

The author’s writing is so engaging. The plot is gripping and medium paced. I loved reading about the Therapy, Calvin’s bakery. I loved how Vicky and Tara supported him. Mel was a mysterious character, she of course had a mysterious demeanour. I loved the setting an idyllic village in the Lake District. I loved that the author has shown how social media can become addictive and it has both pros and cons.

A man was found dead on beach, he had a house in the forest, known by the name of Leo James. The most strange thing is no one knew about him. Only a woman came forward who looked alike Freya. Freya was Vicky’s sister. The mystery of Freya was deep and touching. The buried secret made its way out and turned Calvin and Vicky’s life upside down. The day he went at Mel’s place, someone abducted Vicky, he is trying to find her. The killer is on loose. Detective Imogen is trying to find the killer to ensure the safety of those who lives there. Somehow James’s death seems to have some connection with Vicky’s disappearance and Mel. There were so many mysteries in the plot with unexpected happenings, creepy DM’s and buried secret. Will Calvin’s mistakes brings his loved ones lives at stake? The twists and turns were so unpredictable. The ending was shocking and the revelation at the end was so unexpected. I loved Detective Imogen’s character.


Many Thanks to Author and Publisher

A puzzler of a book.

Just like with a puzzle, there are pieces all over the place. At the beginning, this reader wondered where Mr. Edwards could possibly be going with this story. About half way through, I started seeing some of the vision, or so I thought. As the story reached it’s climax, all the pieces of the puzzle start clicking in place. The author is very good at the red herring effect and hiding clues in plain sight all while keeping his characters just your normal everyday people. Once you know the story, you wonder how you could have missed it. This is what makes Mr. Edwards a great author and I highly recommend any of his books, including this one, as a way to get to know him.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

I read up to 50% of the book and unfortunately had to DNF. The writing was not exciting enough for me to continue and the story did not grab my attention, probably because of the writing. The plot was a little bit interesting, but the writing (boring at times, dialogue was lame, prose was weak) took away the enjoyment of continuing to find out what happened next.

This has an interesting premise; a body is found on the beach, it’s that of a man who appears to have been buried up to his shoulders and then left to drown. Alongside this detective story is that of a young couple starting up a struggling cafe business when the wife persuades her husband to engage in social media to attract customers.

It started well, but, for me, lost its way as there was too much going on to keep track. The detective was a well rounded, interesting character but many of the others seemed one dimensional and the lead character of Calvin, the husband, was frustrating.

I struggled to maintain interest and so, I’m afraid I found it to be a 2*, ok read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview and I think there will be many who enjoy this, particularly the end with a decent twist.

Calvin’s cake shop is struggling until he unexpectedly goes viral on social media and suddenly finds that business is booming and that he has loads of new online fans. One of those fans steps in to help out when his assistant has an accident — but is Mel simply a helpful stranger or is there something more sinister going on? Meanwhile, the cops are investigating after a local recluse, who apparently had no enemies, is found drowned on the beach. Cue lots of dark secrets from the past rising to the surface… I raced through this book in two days. Twists, a sprinkling of humour and an explosive ending made for an enjoyable read. I especially loved the chapters set in the 90s. Oh, the nostalgia!

Mark Edwards sure knows how to write about events that can identify to anyone in todays society.
This read highlights the sometimes not so welcoming parts of social media,he writes in such away that you can relate to what is happening.,and he leads you down a path where you question everyone even though you don't want to.
A psychological thriller that will grip and hold you till the twisted ending.
It you haven't read any of this authors work, I really recommend you do.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Mercer for the ARC.

Name of Book: The Darkest Water
Author: Mark Edwards
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pub Date: April 16, 2024
My Rating: 3.5 rounded up
Pages: 355

The story is told from the POV of DI Imogen Evans and Calvin Matheson.

Calvin Matheson’s dream has been to become a baker. He and his wife Vicky finally act on his dream and open a café and bakery in Elderbridge a quaint English town in the Lake District.
However, ‘Peggy’s’ a cafe with the bottomless cups of tea as well as the buy-one-get-one-free was popular with the locals. So Calvin’s business is not doing great!
Tara a twenty-three year old, of the digital age suggestion is to do something on Social Media. Follows with - “I thought all old people were on Facebook.”
My personal comment- I did laugh and said ` Yes so true!
In other words Calvin needs to use Social Media. She mentions that he is good looking and that in itself does appeal to female customers.

The new plan worked as business is so much better; only it attracts a stalker as well.
With business going so much better Calvin needs additional help.
He hires someone without giving a review of her references.
Things get dicey. We now have a better idea as to how Calvin connects with DI Imogen Evans.
There are several things going on and they do connect.
Things do get resolved in the end, so the ended was satisfying.

This was my first Mark Edwards. Now I am looking forward to another.

In ‘About The Author’ it states that
Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen
to ordinary people.
Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 16, 2024.

When I get notified that there is a new book from Mark Edwards and I first open it, I do so with a degree of trepidation. There are two reasons for this. First, Mark is my favourite author so there is always a part of me (as a natural worrier) that worries that the next one won’t hit the… well… mark. Second, I know how challenging some of Mark’s books can be. I tend to look for ways that I can relate to characters when I read any book, but with Mark’s books this tends to be particularly easy and then he goes and puts these characters in awful situations.

In relation to ‘The Darkest Waters’, on the first point the book didn’t disappoint at all. On the second point, masochistically, I can also say that it didn’t disappoint. I really could imagine myself being sucked into similar situations to the protagonist. I have written before about the notion of ‘confliction’ with Mark’s (and other’s) books – that conflict between wanting to know what happens next, but also not wanting the book to actually finish as you are enjoying it so much and want it to go on. This book had that element, but there was also a degree to which I felt the need to get through certain chapters as I needed to know what was going to happen to me… sorry, I mean the protagonist. It was painful at times, but I couldn’t just leave the book not knowing.

While there were many lines that I highlighted as they particularly stood out for me either because I could relate to them or how well they explained what was happening to the character, the one that I enjoyed the most as I could certainly relate to it was,

Spontaneous human combustion was a fear he and Freya had shared when they were little. That, and drowning in quicksand.

Overall, this book is another to add to the ‘classic Mark Edwards’ collection and I highly recommend it.