Dead in the Water is the first book in the Welcome Back to Scrumble River series. It features the same characters from the Scrumble River series (which is different from this one). Gah! Sounds confusing right? For me, it was. Overall, I DID enjoy the book. The characters are interesting, the plot sucks you in, and the mystery was well done. However, I wish I knew that it was part of a previous series before diving into this one because apparently the characters have a ton of back story and I missed it. In cases like this I would normally go back and start from the beginning to see how everything played out up until this point BUT because the previous series has so many books (I think about 18) I wouldn't have the time.

Now, while this book may not have been exactly what I was looking for (although it did hit the spot in terms of my craving for a cozy mystery) I think those who have read the Scrumble River series would adore this one.

Rating: 3 stars

It was great joining Sky and Wally again. Wally's dad is a great guy, May is calming down. While waiting for the birth of their child, Skye and Wally n ed to solve a murder, deal with a kidnapping and a tornado.

Excellent book. Great storyline and wonderful main characters. I would recommend this book.

The Scumble River series is back and it is 2017. The lapse back in time that was sometimes confusing in previous books has been eliminated. Skye is heavily pregnant and trying to prepare for her upcoming leave from school when the baby comes. Wally is tasked with keeping the city safe in spite of mayor Dante who may be Skye's uncle, but is a real pain. Suddenly all that is going on in town takes a back seat as the sirens go off in a storm, indicating tornadoes in the area. Those of us who live in the midwest (and near Scumble River) know most of the time the warnings don't mean you are in the tornado's path, but we have learned to listen and take cover just the same. People scrambled to get to safety, including Skye, cat Bingo, and her guests, former students Justin and Frannie. As they head to the basement, Wally rushes in to make sure Skye and baby are ok, and they ride out the storm in the basement under an ancient pool table. When it is safe to come out, the world as they know it has changed. Not only are the top two floors of their house totally gone, but destruction is widespread all over the town. A total of three tornadoes struck Scumble River, and police must go into search and rescue mode.

When a casualty of the storm is discovered dead in the bathroom with bare feet and strange burns on his chest, it is obvious another murder must be solved. But before Wally can do much in that direction, he has to appease Dante and check on a property for him. When Wally never returns, his father (the wealthy Carson Boyd from Texas) comes flying in to help Skye. From providing a motor home for Skye and Wally to live in to helping provide what is needed at shelters and even the vet's shelter for animals, Carson is a godsend for Skye.

With twists and turns to keep you guessing, the author has provided a book that may be fiction, but certainly seems as real as the actual storms that have devastated the midwest. The mysteries are complex and keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The descriptions are realistic. It is truly a book you can get lost in while reading. Kudos to Ms Swanson for one of her best ever Scumble River stories!

I thoroughly enjoyed this re-launch of the Scumble River series! I have read all the books in the series and this one is as good as all the rest. Skye Dennison Boyd, 8 months pregnant, faces down a tornado, murder, a kidnapping and delivery all in this fast-paced entry in the series. The Scumble River series is a lot of fun, and I enjoy the author's sense of humor as the characters try to solve the crime. I never grow tire of this series, and that's probably the best thing to recommend it! Skye and Wally will make great parents, and I look forward to the next installment of the series!

Don't know how I missed this series, but you can be sure I'm going to start at the beginning now. Really enjoyed this book. It starts out with a bang and finishes the same. Skye is a school psychologist, married to the local police chief, and a few weeks away from delivering their first child. She's also,a part time consult to the local police department. As the story begins, a tornado plows through their town reeking destruction, one of the casualties, their home. Only one life was lost, a newly appointed/elected councilman. It's soon apparent his death was not the result of the tornado, but instead, murder. As the town attempts to come to grips with the storm devastation and murder, the chief disappears. This is kept under wraps as Skye, her father in law, and police force try and locate him. When a ransom is demanded, Skye and her father in law, a wealthy Texas oil tycoon, take action. Tons of family dynamics prevail in his exciting cozy. This is just a hard down good cozy mystery, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next installment. Thanks NetGalley for an ARC. So enjoyed this book!

This is the first book in the welcome back to Scumble River series. The Scumble River series has always been a favorite of mine so I couldn't wait to see what Wally and Skye were up to. Skye is now in the last trimester of her pregnancy, when a violent tornado sweeps through Scumble River and destroys her and Wally's home. In addition, a councilman was found dead, but he didn't die in the storm. It appears he was murdered. Wally starts investigating, but things turn bad, when he goes missing. Skye's father in law, Carson, comes to Scumble River to help find his son and to make sure Skye is okay.

I absolutely love this series. The characters are great and I look forward to reading about them in each new book that comes out. The plot and mystery were well written and was very fast paced. I read it in one sitting. It was that good. I received an advance copy from netgalley for review.

Great to see the series is going to continue on/be rebooted! Authors tend to kill of major characters (a choice I tend to hate..,looking at you, Jacqueline Winspear) or radically change the location when they revamp a series. In this case though, I really enjoyed the use of the tornado to shake things up and throw the whole town off-balance--great narrative choice on the part of the author. I look forward to continuing to follow Skye and her family as they and the rest of the community rebuild and move forward for many books to come!

Denise Swanson consistently produces well written mysteries that always leave you wanting more. This one is no different. Dead in the Water is book one in the Welcome Back to Scumble River series but it a continuation of the life of Skye Denison Boyd, School psychologist, and the 19 book series A Scumble River Mystery.

In this book Skye and her new husband, police chief Wally Boyd are excitedly awaiting the birth of their first child but then a devastating tornado hits Scumble River. Skye finds herself dealing with the loss of their home, a murder investigation and a missing husband.

All Scumble River readers will enjoy this story but it is also a great stand alone for first time Scumble River readers.

Thanks SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and netgalley for this ARC.

Mystery, fun, horror, and terror mix to make a great novel.

Good Start to a New Series
Dead in the Water is the debut book in Denise Swanson’s Welcome Back to Scumble River series. The storyline is well plotted and the well-rounded characters are relatable. There is no graphic violence or adult situations in this book; however, there is some adult language. The story moves along at a steady pace, with lots of things taking place.

Skye and Wally Boyd live in Scumble River, Illinois where Skye is a school psychologist and a consultant with the police department and Wally is the police chief, and they are expecting their first child. Scumble River and the surrounding area have been devastated by tornados but that’s not the only thing going on. Skye and Wally’s home and many others have been destroyed, Zeke Lyons was first thought to be a tornado victim but his death has been ruled a homicide, and Wally has disappeared. When Carson, Wally’s dad, receives a ransom call, he rushes from his Texas home to provide moral support to Skye and pay the $250,000 ransom demand.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Dead in the Water by Denise Swanson is another good story featuring Skye and Wally.
At 34 weeks pregnant, feeling emotional, tired and hot, the last thing Skye needs is to be caught in the middle of a twister.
Someone takes advantage of the storm and commits murder, hoping that their crime will never be discovered.

I enjoyed this book and have always liked all the characters that live in Scumble River.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.