I loved this audiobook! Esther Wane’s masterful narration brings the characters to life while adding emotion and intensity. Although this story is labeled as a mystery, I feel that it comes across as more of an intense, emotional family drama. Secrets, lies, long-held resentments, and bitterness come to the surface during a family holiday that will be soon forgotten. This audiobook was entertaining and kept me engaged from start to finish. Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my audiobook.

The only mystery here is why these two families, though related, chose to stay on holiday when there was a body in the pool, they hated each other, and they had too much going on. The mystery should have been about the body, not about the daddy issues of the sisters.
Also, why would you let a small boy wander around a crime scene? And be nonchalant about his torturing bugs?
The son that didn't go on vacation burned down part of the house, but nobody needs to go deal with that? I hate all of them

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my copy of this audiobook

This was my first time reading a book by Sarah Edgehill and I am sure it will not be my last!
In this stiry we meet Hannah and Lizzie who have never been close but, following the recent death of their mother, the sisters have agreed to put their differences to one side and go on holiday together. Along they take their respective families and lots of luggage...emotional luggage!
At the beginning I had to struggle because I didn't like any of the family members! But this certainly changed!
Esther Wane did a perfect job narrating this book!!
Thabj you #NetGalley #Dreamscape Media for this audiobook

This is not the thriller I was expecting and wanting. While there was a discovery of a dead body in the pool of their summer rental (which I thought was a great start to the story) there was no real focus on the mystery or resolution. Every character in this story was awful. It didn’t help that the narrator did better with some voices than others (her Jimmy voice drove me crazy). This book was non-stop family drama, but because all of the characters were so unlikeable and awful I didn’t care to be honest. And I was annoyed when the main character worked to make amends since everyone else had been awful and participated. Everyone sucked in this story. And to be fair the 7 year old was awful in the same way, but clearly something was going on with the boy who poked the body with a pool skimmer to play with it before the police arrived. And the ending wasn’t funny it was ridiculous. Overall the narrator did a good job overall and most of the characters were well done by them. But I have to say all considered I was fairly disappointed by this one. If you’re looking for a family drama full of unspoken frustrations and years of resentment this book may be for you.

This was a five star book for me because I felt the characters were real and relevant. It was a real look inside families. Family can be ugly and love all at once. When we are under great stress is often the most honest we can be and sometimes family takes the brunt of that. Forgiveness can sometimes take a while.

I received an advance review copy for free (thank you NetGalley), and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah and her family have had a rough go at it for a while and are in desperate need of a holiday. Her mother recently passed but in her will she set aside some money for Hannah and her sister, Lizzie to take their families on a joint vacation. Hannah has booked a luxury mansion in a secluded village in the south of France. Upon arrival Hannah's seven year old son makes a shocking announcement there is a dead man floating in the pool. When their lovely holiday home turns into a crime scene the feuding families must try to keep their cool as tensions run high.

I went into this story thinking it was a thriller and despite a dead body a thriller it is not; it is more domestic drama. The entire story is about the relationship and history of the two sisters. The title is apropos since most of the action is centered around the pool. I liked the idea of a family vacation being interrupted by mysterious murder but there is no real action around it. The characters were hard to connect with most of them whining about not being able to use the pool. The ending is pretty open ended and I felt like more side stories could have been resolved.

I had the audio version read by Esther Wane who is an enjoyable narrator. She was good at switching up the voices of each character even though a couple of them (Jimmy) became a bit grating. Overall I enjoyed her performance and would listen to more of her work.

The Pool by Sarah Edgehill was a lovely read ina vacation setting with likeable characters. The narrator was great.

Sarah Edghill's "The Pool" is a masterfully crafted novel that seamlessly blends suspense, family drama, and psychological intrigue. The discovery of a dead body in the pool of a French holiday home sets the stage for a tension-filled narrative that captivates from the first page to the last.
The story revolves around two sisters who have never been close but decide to go on holiday together following the recent death of their mother. Along with their families, they rent a remote house in the south of France, only to find a dead body in the swimming pool upon arrival. This shocking discovery quickly escalates into a full-blown crisis as the property is swarmed by police, followed by reporters and photographers. This leads to an online media frenzy that puts them at the centre of an intense public spotlight.
Edghill excels at exploring the complexities of familial relationships. As the families find themselves trapped at the crime scene, long-buried anger and resentments bubble to the surface, threatening any hope of reconciliation.
The author's skilful character development ensures each family member's perspective is richly detailed and authentic, making their struggles and conflicts deeply relatable. The interplay between personal secrets and the overarching mystery of the dead body keeps readers on edge, constantly guessing how the intricate web of relationships and hidden truths will unravel.
"The Pool" is not just a story about a crime; it is a profound exploration of how past grievances and unresolved issues can resurface under pressure, revealing the fragile nature of family bonds. Edghill's narrative is intense and thought-provoking, with well-paced twists and turns that maintain suspense throughout. I rated this book three out of five stars.

"The Pool" by Sarah Edghill is a family drama novel, not the thriller it seems to be when one starts reading it.

Two sisters and their families are bequeathed money from their mother to go on a family vacation together. None of them really get along very well.

When Hannah's family arrives at their rental house in the south of France, her young son, Jimmy, runs out back to check out the pool, and he discovers a dead body floating in the pool. Between the cops and the press, it certainly messes up their vacation. The story does not follow the investigation, however. In fact, we never find out much about the victim at all.

Esther Wane provided the narration. She seemed to have such similar voices for Lizzy, Susie, and Jimmy that It was hard to follow who was talking at times.

If you like family drama and go into it knowing that's what it is, you may really enjoy this book.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 2/5
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 26/8 = 3 2/8 rounded to 3 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Sarah Edghill for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This book was unfortunately a little underwhelming to me. From the blurb, I thought this would turn into a murder mystery/ drama, but I have yet to figure out what genre this could be. The only reason I was on the edge of my seat throughout the read is that I figured something strange would happen or there would be a horror/thriller plot twist – but no – I’m still at the edge of my seat and nothing actually happened.

There is some family drama, but the drama in itself is not juicy enough or told entertainingly enough to be interesting. Rather, I felt like this family could be anyone and the story could have happened to anyone, and they would have probably done a better job of making the story sound exciting.

I unfortunately did not like the protagonist either. It felt like she was quite immature – that, and her behavior hindered me from sympathizing with her greatly.

If this book still appeals to you, I recommend the audio production.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review.

Rounding up from 1.5 stars. I received the ARC book through Netgalley, unfortunately, I was not impressed with the story. Definitely NOT a mystery/thriller and am struggling with the point the book is trying to make. The book that had a lot going on, but not much happened. It had a lot of potential, but it fell flat.

This book was categorized as a Mystery/Thriller. And it is not that. Those who picked it up because they enjoy that genre, will be disappointed. Otherwise, the book was ok although nothing much happens (again maybe this is because I was expecting a mystery). The narrator is great! Other than when she does a child's voice. Adults should not try to speak like children, it is always very annoying.

The Pool by Sarah Edghill and narrated by Esther Wane is a family drama with a mystery at the centre. Not quite my usual type of thriller, but certainly an enjoyable listen for the dichotomies between the cousins, the sisters and the husbands if nothing else.

Hannah and Lizzie are the classic chalk and cheese/ oil and water type of sisters. Different personalities, lifestyles, priorities. But following the death of their mother, they decide to go n a holiday to the South of the France with their respective families, to honor their mother's wishes and to maybe heal the rifts for the sake of their daughters (who are the best of friends) There is a lot of envy between the dynamics of the sisters and cousins, but what really sets things off, is the discovery of a body boobbing about in their pool by Hannah's youngest (who is great comedy relief throughout)

A tense situation made even more so when the gendarmes arrive as the family cannot leave, a situation made worse by media arrivals, escalating resentment and jealousy

Not quite what I thought it would be, but still an enjoyable listen and Esther Wane did a wonderful job of narrating

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape MEdia, Sarah Edghill and the narrator Esther Wane for this ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a lot going on and at times it was difficult to follow. There were so many secrets and I thought this novel would play out differently than it did. The theme of secrets we keep was interesting as was the thought that we don’t always have to get along or agree with family just because they are family.

Pros: quick read, captivating story

Cons: so few of the characters were likeable- basically none of them. The children were so annoying! The ending was a bit boring and unexciting

3 stars/C

For a book that had a lot going on, not much happened. It had so much potential but it fell flat. Story lines didn’t tie together and resolutions felt rushed.

Book Review - The Pool by Sarah Edghill
Narrated by Esther Wane


When Hannah and Lizzie’s mom passes away after a long battle with cancer, Hannah finds herself researching vacation destinations and properties in order to fulfill her mother’s last wishes…for her daughters and their families to go on holiday/vacation together. Although at first she dreads the idea of going away with her sister and her family, as the planning unfolds and begins to take shape, Hannah cannot help but feel excited and hopeful that perhaps this is just what was needed to unify their family. The stage is set; the idyllic setting in the south of France is one that dreams are made of…except when everything goes so terribly wrong…

Hannah and her family are the first to arrive at the magnificent villa and everything seems to be going as planned until her youngest, Jimmy, reveals what he has found in the pool outside. Hannah and her husband NIck, along with their teenage daughter, scramble to contact the authorities and put the pieces together but not before Hannah’s sister, Lizzie, and her husband, Marcus arrive with their teenage daughter, Susie. Both families are instantly thrust into a whirlwind of publicity, police presence, and lots of interrogation. As this story unfolds, the listener is taken on a journey into the inner workings of families, including all of their secrets and heartaches.

As Hannah and Lizzie struggle to navigate their lives in the midst of chaos, heartbreak and conflict seem to continuously unfold and family secrets are unraveled. All family dynamics are complicated and this family is no different. For me, this story read more like a family relationship novel rather than a thriller, but the storyline was solid and I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Sarah Edghill, and Dreamscape Media for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the narrator, for the most part. I did not like her speaking in other characters voices though. I thought this story was going to be most of a murder mystery to solve, but it was really more about family dynamics and drama. The families are more the main plot point than the dead body found in the pool. It's definitely not much of a thriller. I feel like I would have enjoyed this better if it was categorized and described correctly. It was just a bit misleading.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sarah Edghill and Dreamscape Media for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to get into the plot of ’The Pool’. Based on the description, I was concerned it would be similar to previous books I’ve read. I’m so glad I was wrong! If you are on the fence about this book, READ IT!! The only criticism I have- I wanted one more chapter!!

Unfortunately, I only gave this audiobook three stars. I enjoyed most of the story, but just when I felt like we were going to get some answers, the book suddenly ended and I was left with a lot of questions. The big mystery was never solved.