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A review by themermaddie
Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
5.0
this was fucking incredible???? talk about a surprise 5 stars. i'm blown away, this was just so much fun.
there was so much tension and suspense in this book and it was SO well executed. that first chapter reeeeally hooks you in!!
tbh the synopsis seemed a bit tame to me, but everything felt so fresh and high-stakes and intense. i also think this story would not have worked with a less talented writer; the way erin's voice gets so confused and suspicious is amazingly done, it feels like getting gaslit from all ends, the tension builds and builds so nicely. erin is a fantastically unreliable narrator, and there are just so many people to distrust. her relationship with mark is nuanced and conflicting, there are so many open questions that are frustratingly unanswered, but in a quit-while-you're-ahead kinda way, so in that way it's actually satisfying that the story leaves off where it does.
erin gets so morally grey and you just end up rooting for her to get away with everything, it's all so fucked up and her reactions felt appropriately panicked but also very reasonable; i probably would have tried something similar. she's a smart, relatable protagonist, and the first pov worked really well. i also loved her relationship with eddie, who is so endearing despite it all. i kinda feel like she's going to accidentally end up in a life of crime 10 years down the line and not realise it, but that sure would be funny after all she did to not end up there, hehe.
this really does feel like an intense character study in erin and mark, and it's fucking FASCINATING. this could have been a flop but god it was just so character driven. erin is a great protagonist.
also the audiobook narrator was amazing, she did a fantastic job with erin's nervous rambling and scattered thoughts as the story got progressively more fucked up. i was super tense the whole time, felt like i should be looking over my shoulder while reading. it was great.
there was so much tension and suspense in this book and it was SO well executed. that first chapter reeeeally hooks you in!!
tbh the synopsis seemed a bit tame to me, but everything felt so fresh and high-stakes and intense. i also think this story would not have worked with a less talented writer; the way erin's voice gets so confused and suspicious is amazingly done, it feels like getting gaslit from all ends, the tension builds and builds so nicely. erin is a fantastically unreliable narrator, and there are just so many people to distrust. her relationship with mark is nuanced and conflicting, there are so many open questions that are frustratingly unanswered, but in a quit-while-you're-ahead kinda way, so in that way it's actually satisfying that the story leaves off where it does.
erin gets so morally grey and you just end up rooting for her to get away with everything, it's all so fucked up and her reactions felt appropriately panicked but also very reasonable; i probably would have tried something similar. she's a smart, relatable protagonist, and the first pov worked really well. i also loved her relationship with eddie, who is so endearing despite it all. i kinda feel like she's going to accidentally end up in a life of crime 10 years down the line and not realise it, but that sure would be funny after all she did to not end up there, hehe.
this really does feel like an intense character study in erin and mark, and it's fucking FASCINATING. this could have been a flop but god it was just so character driven. erin is a great protagonist.
also the audiobook narrator was amazing, she did a fantastic job with erin's nervous rambling and scattered thoughts as the story got progressively more fucked up. i was super tense the whole time, felt like i should be looking over my shoulder while reading. it was great.