Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of The Surfacing by Claire Ackroyd, published by Lake Union Publishing
I really enjoyed this novel, I found the characters to be compelling, the plot and setting equally so. I liked how the story was told both past and present. The secrets kept unfolding with every turn of the page. Loved the mystery and twists that kept happening
I would absolutely recommend this book and look forward to reading more novels by this author

A very nice interesting read . Good twists and turns. Well written and nice interesting characters.
A good summer holiday read.

When Stephanie was young, her family were camping at Loch Ness, when Peter, a local boy, went missing. Stephanie, her father, her mother and sister Aurelie all have secrets from that night, and want to keep them hidden.
All the people involved are going to Aurelie's wedding, so Stephanie goes along, at her mother's request, to try and stop anything coming out.
The story is told by Stephanie, going from the wedding weekend, back to her childhood and family history.
Stephanie had a difficult childhood with an absent father, alcoholic mother, and was bullied at school.
The writing is quite sharp, Stephanie is very critical of everyone, and refuses to behave in a conventional way, and some of this is quite funny, but she is also quite nasty, so I didn't warm to her.
The ending seemed a bit rushed.

Before I start off with my review I'd like to thank Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author Claire Ackroyd for this ARC.

When I first read the blurb for The Surfacing, I was hooked.

A long-buried family tragedy, a tense reunion, and the ominous undercurrent of Loch Ness?

Well, Sign me up.

Claire Ackroyd sets the stage for a slow-burning psychological thriller that promises dark secrets, family dysfunction, and a mystery waiting to bubble to the surface.

And while the book delivers on atmosphere and tension, it doesn’t fully capitalize on its potential.

The story follows Stephanie, who returns to her estranged family for her sister Aurelie’s wedding—an event that stirs up painful memories of the night Peter Ferguson drowned.

As whispers and long-held grudges resurface, Stephanie digs for the truth, only to find herself tangled in something far more sinister than she expected. The premise is solid, and Ackroyd’s writing effectively builds suspense, but the pacing occasionally drags, and some of the character development feels frustratingly incomplete.

Thematically, The Surfacing explores grief, guilt, and the corrosive nature of secrets. The problem? the characters lack the depth needed to truly bring the story to life. The tension fizzles in places where it should have snapped.

I appreciate the ARC and Ackroyd’s skill in crafting an eerie, moody read. However, with sharper pacing and stronger emotional payoffs, this could have been great rather than just good.

A solid 3.25/5—worth a read, but I wanted more.

I thought I would be more hooked on this one,

Not what I thought it would be but with an overall story that was good.

Stephanie has lost two people in the past: Jennifer, who was her best and only friend at school; and Peter, a boy who disappeared at Loch Ness while Stephanie and her dysfunctional family were camping there. These loses led Stephanie to curtail her relationship with her alcoholic mother, unfaithful father and bullying sister.
Now, 12 years on, her sister is getting married, and Stephanie has been cajoled by her mother to attend. However, this summons is not intended to bring about a fond family reunion. Instead her now seriously ill mother needs Stephanie to be there to stop a truth about Peter surfacing. Stephanie agrees, but her own motive for attending is to find answers about Jennifer.
Stephanie was a compelling protagonist – abrupt, secretive and possibly neurodiverse. The writing was tight and controlled, yet pacy. This literary suspense story had me hooked.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

On publication, I will post my review on my blog, Amazon and GoodReads.

Excellent twisty storyline.
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

The Surfacing by Claire Ackroyd is a tense, atmospheric psychological thriller that unravels the dark secrets of a family torn apart by tragedy. Twelve years after the drowning of Peter Ferguson in Loch Ness, Stephanie is forced to confront her past when her estranged sister Aurelie’s wedding brings the family back together. What begins as a reunion soon becomes a dangerous exploration of buried truths, with dangerous whispers and long-held suspicions bubbling to the surface. Ackroyd expertly builds suspense, creating a gripping narrative filled with secrets, lies, and betrayal. As the past and present collide, Stephanie’s quest for answers threatens to expose far more than she expected. A chilling and compelling read for fans of family dramas with a dark edge.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my copy of The Surfacing by Claire Ackroyd.
WOW!!!! What a debut novel.
Stephanie is leaving the north of Scotland and going down to the south of England for her sisters wedding.
The sister she hasn’t spoken to for years, to the family she’s left behind. But some things are never left behind and all of these surface now.
A gripping, engaging story that will hook you in and keep you reading late into the night.
I’m hoping for plenty more tales from this talented author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5* Wasn't expecting the final chapter. Tbh, I wasn't expecting much of what transpired in this tale.

So, this wasn't particularly true to the blurb, but it was a tale full of secrets, selfishness, flawed characters, and lies. I didn't like the narrator, Stephanie, and couldn't figure out if she was damaged or neurodivergent or just plain and simple unpleasant. I couldn't warm to her and the other characters were so unpleasant, too, that it actually didn't matter what was truth and not. I couldn't care about any of them, but the clever blurb drew me in.

It delved in and out of the past from Stephanie's POV, and it was only at the very end, with the triple shocking events (Stephanie's doing), and the reveal from Aunt Jane, that I was stunned and a bit in awe of the author's somewhat crazed ending that I'd not seen coming. Was it believable? Unfortunately, not, but it did tie ends up. And showed what a horrible, horrible character Stephanie was.

ARC courtesy of Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for my reading pleasure.

Claire Ackroyd does a fantastic job in writing this book, it had that suspenseful atmosphere that I was wanting and was invested in what was happening. The characters were everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed getting to read this. I hope to read more from Claire Ackroyd as this was everything that I wanted.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This is a slow burn of a mystery. The writing was superb! I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Outstanding in all aspects: plot, characters and situations, writing style, and even the title name. When the concept
of Unavoidable symmetries was introduced, I became totally immersed in the novel until the elusive ending.
This is a Must Read.

Thank you Netgaaley and the publisher Lake Union Publishing for the eARC to review.

I really enjoyed this book. The plot twist at the end was so unexpected, yet also so satisfying and I am glad that, although not everyone had a happy ending, that some closure was found. I found myself really sympathising with Stephanie in a lot of way that it was difficult to dislike her even though she was, initially, an unreliable narrator.

Stephanie attends her estranged sister's wedding at the request of her mother.
There are questions she needs answered from the past - but the answers aren't quite what she was expecting.

Stephanie is quite an odd character - I suspect she is on the spectrum. It seems that she is unable to 'feel' love or a connection with most people.
There are many players in this book, and many suspects.
Enjoyable, suspenseful and different.
I loved the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the DRC.

This was an intriguing tale. I found it a bit slow to get going, but once it did, it was a real page turner.

The story of Stephanie, and what happened at Loch Ness a number of years ago was gripping and unpredictable. I didn't anticipate the twists or the ending at all!

Getting to find out more about the various family members and friends, while trying to piece together exactly what happened, why, and who was involved was entertaining and I enjoyed reading this book.

The Surfacing is a slow burning mystery that will keep you flipping pages! Gorgeous setting (Scottish loch/English countryside.) Intriguing storyline and characters. I appreciated the queer and neurodiverse representation. I can't wait to see what Claire Ackroyd comes out with next!

I absolutely loved this book! The writing style is distinct, cleverly crafted, and impeccably balanced. From the gripping introduction, I was hooked. This isn’t just a “whodunnit” but a fascinating exploration of what led to the central event, and that premise kept me riveted throughout.

The opening is especially strong – there’s no unnecessary preamble, which can often weigh a story down. Starting with Stephanie leaving for the wedding is the perfect point to draw us in. The pacing is masterfully handled, with time moving both quickly and slowly as the story unfolds over just a few days. The use of flashbacks to weave in backstory is seamless and adds depth, while the steady breadcrumb trail of revelations kept me guessing and turning pages eagerly.

Stephanie is, without a doubt, the highlight of this novel. Her narration is sharp, deadpan, and shrewdly observant, often scientific in her assessments. The climax, particularly the scene on the boat, solidified her as one of the most memorable protagonists I’ve encountered recently. Her character’s depth and the subtle nods to neurodiversity add another layer of richness to the narrative – it’s refreshing and beautifully done.

The novel feels like a modern take on Agatha Christie, with a healthy dose of humour woven into the high-society setting and manor-house intrigue. The dialogue drives the story forward with precision, and the characters are vividly memorable. While it leans into the murder mystery/detective genre, it also incorporates psychological elements in Stephanie’s observations of others, giving it a unique edge.

At moments, the novel reminded me of the “Comedy of Manners” genre, with its sharp social commentary and unsentimental tone. This layer of satire adds extra dimension, making it as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

Overall, this is a tightly plotted, thoroughly enjoyable read. The clever twists, engaging characters, and genre-blending approach make it an absolute standout. Highly recommended!

Stephanie is reluctantly attending her estranged sister Aurelie's wedding, although she has ulterior motives for being there. She cut off their relationship years ago after the death of a teenager on Loch Ness where her family was camping. That tragedy has followed them for the past twelve years and she's decided the wedding is the perfect chance to get some questions answered. There's not much to describe without giving away key elements of the plot, but there was a lot of untruth surrounding the night Peter drowned.

Shortly before the wedding, Stephanie's mother wrote to her and begged her to attend because she also had unfinished business. Her mother is dying from cancer and Stephanie can't deny her wishes. Her father will also be there, albeit with his new family, and Stephanie's certainly not looking forward to that. She's never forgiven him for leaving them, or in her eyes, abandoning them, when she and her sister were teenagers. So there's already quite a bit of family drama before adding in the questions she has about the past. But can she handle any truth she uncovers or will it finally break her for good?

It ends up being quite an intricate mystery with many players. There are a plethora of secrets, some that may surprise you and some you may see coming. Stephanie's character is odd, almost like she's on the autism spectrum, as she takes everything literally and says things like she's 'studied enough emotion charts to know that's not a typical reaction.' But it's never mentioned that she's different in a clinical way, she's just laughed off as if she merely has a dry personality. And you'd expect her sister to be terrible but she's really not. Aurelie was the one who kept reaching out to Stephanie and getting ignored, not vice versa.

Maybe after everything that's revealed were supposed to think Stephanie was just traumatized and unable to handle reality but I don't know. It just didn't quite work. And I wasn't a big fan of the ending and her idea of justice. I'd probably read more by this author though, I was compelled to keep turning pages and see how it was all going to come together. It's a solid dark mystery, I'd say. A bit unsettling and unresolved, but hey, that's life.

The secrets you bury don’t disappear. They rot… It’s twelve years since teenager Peter Ferguson drowned in Loch Ness on the same night that Stephanie, her mother and her sister, Aurelie, were camping on its shores. In the shocking aftermath, their family and life as they knew it fell apart, and the sisters no longer speak. But now Aurelie is getting married, and Stephanie realises that a reunion might finally bring the truth about that fateful night to the surface…. Good book! This book had suspense, intriguing, murder, mystery, a sort of who done it and a few crazy twists and turns! The story was interesting, it wasn't one of my top favorite but still worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!