the setup…
Chloe Cooper is a 40-year old bartender living in a modest apartment, caring for her ailing mother. She’s socially awkward and her world doesn’t extend much beyond work, caretaking and daily walks of her mother’s aging dog Brodie. When new neighbors Dr. Adam and Jemma Spengler move into the “Gloom House” across the street, Chloe takes stalker-ish interest in Jemma. He’s a renowned surgeon and she’s a lifestyle influencer who just moved to Vancouver from Ontario. Jemma has an early morning swimming routine, which coincides with Chloe’s walk with Brodie. As she watches the swimmer on one foggy morning, a jet ski collides with the woman and it’s obviously intentional.

the heart of the story…
It’s just impossible to say much more without ruining the experience other than more about these characters. Chloe calls the Spengler home the Gloom House because of its ugly architectural design and predominance of glass, which allowed her to witness a lot from her own apartment window. The Spenglers have lots of secrets, individually and as a couple. Chloe unwittingly gets in the middle of all this, way over her head.

the narration…
Wow. It’s really hard to believe there was only one person giving voice to this story! Buhr’s mastery of character distinctions included an elderly British woman who I thought was a second performer. Just outstanding work!

the bottom line…
Buckle up and get ready for a bumpy, twisty roller coaster of a ride! This was brilliant characterization and plotting. Every time I thought I knew what was what, a new wrinkle would emerge. And, part of the story includes a podcast about the crime. I’m a fan of the author and this is just next level writing. Run, don’t walk or wait, to get this book, preferably on audio.

Jemma and Dr. Adam Spengler are newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. They have a beautiful new home and wonderful life. They are the envy of their neighbors. Jemma, a social media influencer, takes pride in her perfection. This move is a fresh start after the loss of their 2 children in recent years. Jemma and Adam have had a long and heartbreaking life together, but are ready to start anew Into their golden years.

Chloe Copper, a socially awkward but brilliant painter has been keeping her eyes on the Spenglers, that live across the street. They seem like the perfect couple, Chloe witnesses something that she can’t unsee. As Chloe tries to get justice and make things right, she also struggles with her mother’s sickness and to overcome a life full of fear.

Are The Spenglers as perfect as they seem? What secrets are they hiding and will Chloe be the one to dig through the muck while unravelling her own life?

☁️☁️☁️ɱყ ɬɧơųɠɧɬʂ☁️☁️☁️

I really enjoyed this psychological, domestic thriller. It was a very fast read/listen with a lot of TWISTS! I think fans of Nicole Trope and Megan Miranda will enjoy this!

🏊‍♀️Book Review🏊‍♀️
*
Summary- Socially awkward Chloe Cooper divides her time between dog walking, bartending, caring for her ailing mother, and at a safe distance, watching people and inventing the stories of their lives. Like Chloe’s new neighbors: glamorous influencer Jemma Spengler and Jemma’s husband, Adam, a renowned surgeon. They’re attractive, wealthy, and in a house of open windows, so exposed.
A move to the Pacific Northwest is supposed to be a fresh start for Jemma and Adam. It’s a renewed commitment to a marriage fractured by secrets. A chance to work through the tragic losses in their past. For Jemma, however, this new beginning also comes with an unnerving sensation that she’s being watched.
Then, on a fog-shrouded beach early in the morning, Chloe witnesses the murder of a swimmer. Her suspicions aroused, she suddenly sees her neighbors in a sinister new light. But as a detective and her partner close in, nothing is quite as it seems. Because the Spenglers are not the only ones with secrets. And Chloe isn’t the only one who’s been watching.
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
*
My thoughts- oh my gosh I loved this one so much ! This is a freebie on Kindle Unlimited but I had an audio arc of it. It blew me away how much I enjoyed this one, a super fun thriller with the most wild characters. The Spenglers will keep you on your toes and so will Chloe. This was twist after twist that I just didn’t see coming, I can’t recommend it enough !
*
QOTD- can you swim ? Are you a good swimmer? I can swim but I prefer to just lay around on the sides of the pool I’m not an ocean or long distance swimmer by any means !
*

Thank you Netgalley and Brilliance Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💫
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💫

The Swimmer is another winner from Loreth Anne White. Told through multiple POVs and timelines, it tells the story of an awkward people-watcher witnessing the murder of a swimmer and how it impacts her life and the lives of her neighbors.

I loved this book and was glued to my phone. I needed answers. I enjoyed the setting and all of the characters were well-developed and fascinating. Another excellent thriller from White.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one kept me guessing from the start to the end. Little reveals placed throughout the book kept me on my toes.

The first half of the book was split between before the hit and run, after the hit and run and a podcast called It's Criminal. The story is quite vague and kept me filling in the gaps with what I thought was facts, but alas there was a little bit of bait and switch that had me guessing wrong.

In the second half of the book, the facts of the hit and run are apparent, but there is a little cat and mouse game with the characters and a few more surprise reveals.

None of the characters are particularly likable but I was engaged in the story and finished it quite quickly.

I am really a fan of this trend of misdirection as a new trope. The author gives me just enough facts for me run off in the wrong direction.

Reba Buhr is a new to me narrator, but she pulled off the suspense, misdirection and twists in this one. She made listening enjoyable and the story engaging. I would definitely recommend listening to this one.

This was a twisty domestic psychological who dunnit by a new to me author that has the neighborhood jack of all trades/dog walker/bartender etc witnessing the death (murder?) of a swimmer and her perception of the neighbors quickly takes on a dark new light as everyone is hiding something and even the police detectives assigned to the case find themselves stumped. Fast-paced and good on audio this was an enjoyable listen! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest feedback!

💧THE SWIMMER
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
🗓️𝙿𝚞𝚋: 𝚂𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟶, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺 𝚃𝚘𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠!!
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤! ★★★★★

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...It’s a thriller & it’s by Loreth Anne White..that’s all I had to know. Go in blind! So fun!

🌻𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢...HELLAGOOD! 🎤👌I am such a sucker for a twisty 🌀domestic thriller & this one was exactly what I needed! 🙌Okay, here is a smidge..you have Chloe..lonely awkward-ish type. She has these new neighbors who are rich & super fun to now spy on. Nothing too crazy with the peeping Tom stuff until she witnesses a murder of a swimmer on the beach. Trust me this book is SO.MUCH.MORE than that, but that’s a little since maybe you need something. It weaves from present/past & has a true crime documentary going on all at the same time. If you like to hold your breath while also gasping & having a shit ton of tension while reading then this is your book! It was unputdownable & so unique! Comes out tomorrow! 💧🎉🥳 @lorethannewhite you are such a fav!! 💜🩷

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I've enjoyed this author in the past with both series books and non-series books. The Swimmer is a standalone and very suspenseful. It's about 40 year old Chloe Cooper who is caring for her mother, who is dying of cancer, working as a bartender. She also does some dog walking in the neighborhood.

A new couple move into a big modern house with picture windows in the neighborhood and she is intrigued by them. She watches through their big easy viewing windows. The woman is lovely and Chloe notices she swims in the Bay every morning when Chloe is walking her dog. Chloe imagines her as a selkie like a story she knew as a child.

Chloe discovers when working in the bar, and watching in the neighborhood, and doing some dog walking for the woman, Jemma, that their pretty life has some rough edges and a sad past. I felt so worried for Chloe as she suffers a shock and then she tries to help Jemma. But Jemma looks down on her and uses her for her own purposes.

Thankfully, the police are very smart when the dead bodies occur. I found the ending satisfying and inspiring.

Narration:
I don't believe I have heard this narrator previously. Her performance was enjoyable and kept me in the story. I listened easily at my usual 1.5x speed.

After a VERY slow start, I ended up loving this book.

The first half moved at a snail’s pace. I almost gave up! I’m glad I powered through, though, because the second half was a fast-paced, wild ride! Full of unexpected twists and turns!

I loved the dual timelines, and the way the author used a true crime documentary as tool to propel the story forward.

This book is not well-paced but if you can get through the beginning, you’ll love second half.

4.4 rounded down to 4.

This book is AMAZING! It kept me on my toes and I did not want to put it down. Be aware of the major side effect that Loreth Anne White gives,….. you will most definitely be losing out on sleep because you won’t be able to stop reading. I loved everything about this book and that ending was chef kiss!

After reading two of her books, she is an auto-read author for me!

While I read most of my gorgeous physical copy that was signed and gifted by White, I also wanted to give the audiobook a try. WOW, the narrator, Reba Buhr, knocked it out of the park.

*****Many thanks to Loreth Anne White for the gifted ARC and thanks to Brilliance Publishing for the ALC in turn for an honest review.


4.5 stars rounding up to 5 stars on Goodreads


I will be posting my review on 9/10/24 (on Instagram - thriller_book_sisters).

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!

The audiobook is narrated by Reba Buhr and the performance is done very well. I sometimes struggle staying focused on audiobooks, and I was concerned as I had previously read this title that it wouldn’t hold my attention. Reba did a masterful job and held my attention (and breath at times!)


#NetGalley #TheSwimmer

Chloe lives with her mom and spends her days walking her dog, working, or spying on her new neighbors, Gemma and Adam. She seems obsessed with them and even watches Gemma every morning as she goes on her morning swim. However, one morning she witnesses the murder of a swimmer which shines a new light on her new neighbors.

This one is FULL of surprises and they are throughout the entire book. We get a dual timeline in this one. Before the murder, during the murder, and after the murder. We also get clips from a documentary about Chloe's life. This makes more sense in the end during the final twist. There aren't a lot of clues about the documentary so I was guessing why Chloe had a documentary about her life.

Overall, a fast-paced book that will keep you guessing. I was still questioning the ending after I finished.

4.25/5
My first Loreth Anne White book but it won’t be my last!
It was very fast paced and it kept me wanting to know what was going to happen.
I found some of it predictable but I found the ending very satisfying.

My favorite by this author is Beneath Devil’s Bridge and I recommend it often. In fact, I’ve enjoyed all of her books and always look forward to a new one. There are quite a few unlikeable characters here which I love. There are a lot of twists, some I anticipated and some were surprises. While a lot of this may not be plausible, it certainly is entertaining and I finished it in a day! The narration by Reba Burh is Excellent.

From the very start, the audio experience was captivating and immersive. The narration kept me on the edge of my seat, with every word and sound effect contributing to a tense, thrilling atmosphere. The pacing was spot-on, making it easy to stay engaged throughout the entire journey.

However, the ending didn’t quite live up to the build-up. It felt a bit underwhelming compared to the excitement and suspense of the earlier parts. While the resolution wasn’t as impactful as I hoped, the overall production quality and performance were excellent. The experience was still worth it, despite the ending not fully satisfying my expectations.

In summary, the audio version delivered a gripping and well-executed ride, even if the conclusion didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Chloe is a woman in her 40s, socially awkward with a self-contained life of caring for her elderly mother, dog walking, and bartending. Chloe’s secret pleasure is watching other people – from a distance, without their knowledge. Every morning, Chloe watches a woman swimming in the bay, until the morning she witnesses the swimmer’s death, revealing many things that aren’t what they seem.

THIS is what a thriller should be! Fast-paced, tightly plotted, and fantastically twisty! Short, suspenseful chapters and a creepy stalker vibe had me racing through the pages. The drama and misdirection kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. When I say I couldn’t put this addictive book down, I mean I DEVOURED it in less than a day. I was so engrossed in the story that I was at 52% on the audiobook before I even came up for air, and then I switched to the ebook and finished it that same night!

Speaking of the audiobook, it’s excellent! Reba Buhr does an outstanding job of narrating, especially switching in a British accent for Chloe’s mom Raven. You really can’t go wrong with either format!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advance copies.

I am truly in the minority for this one, after seeing all the rave reviews I was sure I would love it. It started off strong I was really interested in the story and where it was going, unfortunately somewhere it just felt so repetitive, it just felt a little over the top for me. It was still enjoyable and a good popcorn thriller and I do believe that it will appeal to a lot of new thriller readers and seasoned ones !!

So i actually got the arc for the book as well as the audiobook. I followed along with the ebook and this audiobook was amazing. I already felt the book was an addictive hard to put down novel but the narrator did a great job with her mom’s British accent and switching back and forth. I loved it and look forward to more from this author. The only thing, like I said in my ebook review I just didn’t care for the ending. I feel some people should have gotten more done to them. Other than that this was my favorite read of the month.

When Chloe witnesses the hit and run of a swimmer via a jetski, she knows who did it. She is quick to call the police and report her findings. But things don't always go as planned and soon Chloe herself is in hot water. 

Now this folks, is a psychological thriller done right! Short chapters with so many twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat as I binged through the second half of the book. This started out as a buddy read but it was such a failure on my end as I HAD to know what was happening and I zoomed ahead to finish the book 3 days earlier than planned. If all her books are as good as this one, you can be sure I'll be diving into the author's backlist!

4.6 ⭐️
A fast, twisty, addictive domestic thriller - I loved this book!

Chloe is an oddball. She’s had a lonely upbringing, has no friends and likes to watch people - with binoculars!

When a glamorous, wealthy couple move next door, Chloe becomes infatuated with wife Jemma and feels a strong dislike for her husband Adam

This is full of thrills, drama, stalkers, stabbing and unlikeable characters that I loved!

A thriller with a fast pace is always going to get better ratings than a slow burn from me. And from the very beginning, until the very end, this book is fast AF!

I’m also a sucker for a great twist and misdirection- check and check! Through the multiple timelines and documentary format, we learn so much, and the misdirection is perfection

There are a few things I would have liked, that didn’t happen, which is why I didn’t give this a five star - however, it came pretty darn close

I listened to the audiobook and the American narrator does an excellent job, especially as British mum Raven. So good!

I didn’t realize that the documentary filmmaker Trinity has actually been in another of the author’s books. From what I can tell, there is little overlap and it’s unnecessary to read it before this. However, on the basis of this book, I’ll definitely be reading it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review