Water Works.

This is the fifth book I’ve read by the author and all have been hits including this one.

The Swimmer is a tour de force for psychological thriller fans with a twisted path and a trio of sneaky unbalanced main characters. Two of which are particularly diabolical as a married couple at odds with each other. Give an additional tick in the domestic suspense box as the gloves come off during their marital show downs.

Our three main characters are so despicable that it’s almost cliche. However, Ms. White works them seamlessly into the plot and I was distracted by their shenanigans to where I didn’t give it much thought beyond “these people are awful”. In the hands of a less talented writer their makeup might have appeared too contrived.

A minor detail I loved in the first few pages was a description of an elderly dog “Brodie” that sounded derogatory but was filled with endearment. Only a pet lover could infuse the affection (and a little humor) portrayed in that paragraph telling of Brodie’s bug eyes, stinkiness, and hesitation to “do his business”.

This was a fun group read with Ceecee, Marilyn, Jayme, and Mary Beth with everyone contributing to a spirited whodunnit discussion. I loved the camaraderie as it’s rare for group schedules to align.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Montlake Books for my advance review copy

The Swimmer by Loreth Anne White

Poor Chloe Cooper, always watching, always the outsider looking in. She lives her life observing and making up stories about the people she sees, the people she stalks. When she latches on to a person she is watching, she's obsessed. Now her morning dog walks take her to the beach so she can watch her obsession swim. Jemma is everything Chloe is not and Chloe is in awe.

Jemma has just moved here, into the house that her husband, Adam, has built for them. It's a concrete monstrosity, no window coverings of any kind, which allows Chloe to have a view into their home and their lives, while watching from her apartment window. It helps that Chloe has a good set of binoculars.

As a dog walker during the day and a bartender at night, Chloe has a great way to get closer to Jemma. She's been hired to take care of Jemma's little dogs. She walks them several times a day, makes sure they have food and water, and while she's at Jemma's house, she can snoop and pry to her heart's delight.

Everyone has secrets! Chloe and her mom have a big one although the fact that her mom is sheltering Chloe from the past has helped to keep Chloe from interacting with others normally. Jemma and Adam have had two heartbreaks, one long ago, another more recently and this move to the new house is Adam's idea of making a new beginning for the couple even though Jemma is giving up so much to make this move. Adam has another secret and it's going to ruin the lives of many people once the repercussions play out. We'll get snippets of a podcast that both enlighten us and confuse us as we make our way through the minefield of the lives of Chloe, Jemma, and Adam. The story is confusing in a good way, with mind spinning twists and turns.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for this ARC.

September 27, 2019-
Jerrin Beach-7 AM

Chloe Cooper is walking her mom’s elderly dog, Brodie when she witnesses a jet ski emerge from the mist and rain. There is a swimmer in its path, but the driver doesn’t appear to see her. She hears the “thuck” as the jet ski hits the swimmer. And, then watches as he turns around, not to help, but to finish the job.

“It’s Criminal: She’s Been Watching You-The Chloe Cooper Story” is the brand new season of the TV show born from the true crime podcast produced by Trinity Scott and Gio Rossi. (introduced to us in her earlier book-Beneath Devil’s Bridge”) They will cover the crime, and the involvement of its socially awkward witness, Chloe.

Turns out she was a bit of a VOYEUR and STALKER in addition to being an Artist, autodidact, bartender, dog walker and caregiver to her terminally ill mom.

Readers become privy to the events that occurred “After the Hit and Run” for one chapter - before shifting to “Before the Hit and Run” for the FIRST HALF of the book-with a few chapters of “It’s Criminal” sprinkled in.

This is when the SECRETS of Chloe’s new neighbors, Jemma, the glamorous influencer for women in their 60’s and her husband, Adam a renowned surgeon, will get exposed-many of them because they live in a house with no blinds…

Expect to return to “The HIT AND RUN” and “AFTER THE HIT AND RUN” in the second half of the book.

This is where the TWISTS and MISDIRECTION that Loreth Anne White is known for, will really start to catch you by surprise!!

And, one in particular made my jaw drop to the floor!

It’s one of my favorites by the author and it CAN be read as a stand-alone, but why not read “Beneath’s Devil’s Bridge” while you are waiting…

Expected publication date: September 10, 2024

TW: Cancer

Thank You to Montlake for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Wow just wow ! This book grabs you with suspense on the first page and escalates from there. So many characters to hate and so many surprising plot twists !

Love the way it wraps up with one of the main character’s past coming to light and the ending was the perfect bow for this wonderful gift of a Book !

I will for sure be recommending this book to friends and will be reading others by this author.

I'm grateful to NetGalley for the chance to review "The Swimmer" by Loreth Anne White.

This suspenseful novel grips readers with its fast-paced narrative and twists that keep you guessing until the very end. Chloe Cooper, caring for her ailing mother, finds solace in painting, creating evocative pieces that reflect a sense of isolation and yearning. Her fascination with her new neighbors, especially Jemma's enigmatic swims in Jerrin Bay, unravels into a captivating obsession.

One of the strengths of this book lies in its mature characters dealing with complex issues like aging, caregiving, relationships, and companionship. The depiction of friendships and the various life challenges adds depth to the narrative. The inclusion of a true crime element and the presence of adorable puppies further enrich the storytelling.

With a publication date set for September 10, 2024, "The Swimmer" is a compelling and engaging read that I wholeheartedly recommend to fans of suspenseful fiction.

The Swimmer was my favorite book from Loreth Anne White. Kept me turning page after page to find out what happened.

WOW! This book was a thrilling and very captivating read! Chloe is a watcher of her neighbors and doesn't trust her neighbor's husband Adam. Did he attempt to kill his wife, or is something very sinister going on between this married couple? So many twists and turns. I absolutely loved this book . Read it!!! You will love it if your looking for a great page turner!

Loreth Anne White didn’t disappoint with this one! The Swimmer had me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. I always love an unreliable narrator, multiple points of views, and twists in the end. Well done!

The Swimmer by Loreth Anne White is a great read! This psychological thriller is suspenseful keeping you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. The reader is quickly drawn into the world of Chloe, who witnesses a horrific incident and then into the lives of Jemma and her husband Adam. This is a must read for lovers of psychological suspense.

A suspenseful thriller that contains detailed expositions of the characters and sub-characters. It’s fast-moving with multiple, unexpected turns and gets more intense with each chapter then culminating with the shocking bombshells!! The ending was perfect. This book is fantastic and now my favorite Loreth Anne White book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is my second book by Loreth Anne White and I have really enjoyed her work. While I didn't love this quite as much as The Maid's Diary, it was still really good! I found it fast-paced, unique, and an all-around great domestic thriller (my favorite genre). I enjoyed the twist in the middle of the book, but felt like I would have LOVED a big twist at the end. The story wraps up pretty well, but it was just lacking a little something to finish things out. All in all, it was a good read and one that I recommend! 4 stars!

THANK YOU NETGALLEY AND LORETH ANNE WHITE FOR THE ARC!! IT WAS A PLESURE :)

This book was really good and very well written. I expected nothing less from Ms. White. Although it was kind of different vibe from her previous books, I still very much enjoyed the story. It kept you engaged and not wanting to put it down! I wanted to see what the next twist was going to be. My only gripe is that a couple times she mentions that the characters called for an uber then paid cash so they can stay anonymous. One time the MC asked the uber driver to make a stop in between his destination and the driver said, "it's your money". LOL. That is not how uber works. Unless something has changed, Ubers and other types of services are prepaid. But all in all, I definitely recommend.

As a long time fan of Loreth Anne White I was very excited to get early access to The Swimmer.

I found The Swimmer to be slow to start but once that story builds… OH MAN! I could not put it down and I was so grateful for a day off to read it uninterrupted.

The story centers on three characters. Chloe, an introverted single woman who lives and cares for her ailing mother. Jemma- a wife and mother of two deceased children (their deaths are off the page if this is a trigger for you), and Adam - a successful and well to do oncological surgeon.

I will caution you, the story is not what it seems so try to refrain from making assumptions! I truly thought I knew what the plot twist was and found myself pleasantly surprised that I was wrong. Not only that, but there were multiple plot twists! Perhaps that’s the beauty of a story that intersects with three main characters?

I don’t want to give spoilers, but I do want to encourage you to read this one. It is well worth it. Mystery, Romance, Heartache, Suspense, Murder, it checks all the boxes. I found Chloe’s character relatable, which may or not be concerning but I’m okay with it!

#NetGalley #TheSwimmer

Loreth Anne White has outdone herself with The Swimmer! This twisty, whiplash inducing read kept me glued to the pages. Chloe and the Spenglers were the perfect storm. Must read for psychological suspense lovers!

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Wow! What an intense ride The Swimmer was. It's a novel where you have to trust the process and file every tidbit Loreth offers aside for later. You'll need it! As avid suspense readers, you always think you have the plot figured but so rarely do and this one is no different! My mind was swirling, mouth agape during many parts of this. Chloe the reclusive neighborhood snoop, Adam and Jemma, the rich couple who move into the neighborhood and Gloria... an art gallery owner are the players in this absolute masterpiece! Well done, Loreth! A phenomenal read full of betrayal, narcissism and obsession
Thank you NetGalley and Loreth for the ARC

Here’s another tale of a couple being watched by someone who soon isn’t content with just watching. Chloe is obsessed with the new neighbors – Jemma and Adam Spengler. They are wealthier, more successful, and in her opinion, much more attractive and glamorous than she is. I did find it odd that they are a generation older than she is, yet she still compares herself to them, especially Jemma. They are about sixty and she’s about forty, to be clear.

Not only does she watch them while she’s out and about, but also from inside the apartment she shares with her sick mother. The Spenglers have no blinds on their massive house that’s full of huge windows. Sorry, but no matter the mix-up with the manufacturer, I don’t see someone moving in when it’s still weeks before the blinds are ready. And then they complain about feeling watched? Turn your lights off and it won’t be as bad! But I know it’s for the sake of the plot.

The narrative is from both Chloe’s point of view and that of Jemma’s as they tell much of the same tale but from clearly different angles. What sets everything off is when Chloe sees a swimmer murdered out in the water. After that, the narratives also split into ‘Before the Murder’ and ‘After the Murder.’ If you pay close attention, you won’t be as surprised by some of the twists but they are great, none the less. Things go a bit off the rails later in the story, with Chloe being overly desperate and naïve and others being lackadaisical with evidence.

Basically, if you can suspend your disbelief for much of the second half of the story, you won’t take it too seriously and you’ll have fun wondering what crazy thing is going to happen next. And sometimes, that’s all it takes to make a book awesome and enjoyable like this one is!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I usually love this author, but this book was not a favorite. It has a very odd and unlikable cast of characters in it. None of them were at all relatable or really likable. The story itself I did like and there were plenty of twists and turns and surprises I was not expecting. A few things were predictable but most were not. I did also like the ending as well. I always like when we find out everything that has happened instead of being left to wonder and guess.
While not a favorite of mine by this author, it was still a solid job and a good read.

Loreth Anne White's "The Swimmer" is a suspenseful delight that will have you questioning everything you think you know. We meet Chloe Cooper, a woman who observes the world from a safe distance, crafting elaborate narratives about those around her. This voyeuristic behavior takes a chilling turn when she witnesses a murder on the beach, one that casts a dark shadow on her seemingly perfect new neighbors, Jemma and Adam.

Jemma, a glamorous influencer, and Adam, a renowned surgeon, have moved to the Pacific Northwest for a fresh start. But beneath their picture-perfect facade lie secrets and past tragedies that threaten to unravel their carefully constructed lives. As Chloe becomes obsessed with the murder, she starts to suspect the couple, but the truth is far more twisted than she could have ever imagined.

White masterfully weaves a web of suspense, keeping you guessing until the very last page. The seemingly ordinary world of Chloe and her neighbors transforms into a landscape of hidden desires and dangerous secrets. The twists are unexpected and keep the story constantly evolving, making it impossible to put down.

If you're a fan of character-driven thrillers with a touch of voyeuristic intrigue, "The Swimmer" is a must-read. This is the perfect introduction to Loreth Anne White's captivating style. I will definitely be picking up more from this author!

Wow! I knew nothing about this story going in and I would highly recommend reading this way. Without giving away any spoilers, the story kicks off with a woman witnessing a swimmer killed in a hit and run jet ski accident. This was a super fast paced, twist filled story that was never boring and caught me by surprise multiple times. Would highly recommend and I am excited to check out other books by this author. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

Holy whizz, this was WILD! It kept me guessing until the very end of the book. Loreth Anne is a brilliant storyteller who weaves together a diabolical tale that will leave you picking up your jaw off the floor. This was an insanely fantastic book. I can't wait to read more from this Author.