Reese Witherspoon's June book club pick is "Something in the Water", the debut novel by British actress, Catherine Steadman. I'm often skeptical of books written by celebrities, but I didn't realize the book was written by an actress until I finished it.



Catherine Steadman appeared on "Downton Abbey", one of my favorite shows, although I have absolutely no memory of her character.



In any case, her being an actress is irrelevant to the novel.



"Something in the Water" is a psychological thriller about a couple named Erin and Mark. They live a solid life in London. He's in finance and she's a documentary filmmaker on the verge of her big break. They live in a nice house, are planning their wedding and generally have a good life ahead of them.



However, early on, Mark loses his job, leading them to adjust their expectations for their wedding. However, it's on their honeymoon when everything changes for them. On a normal scuba diving trip on their honeymoon in Bora Bora, they find something in the water. What they choose to do with it will change their lives forever.



This book reminded me very much of a Hitchcock thriller. It was a slow build-up, but with every decision Erin and Mark make, they get deeper and deeper into trouble. And further and further away from the people they thought they were and the couple they used to be.



Tension runs high through the book. As Erin - whose voice tells the story - becomes more and more paranoid, the reader is left in a constant state of suspense where even the most innocuous things (like an accidental butt dial) becomes sinister and terrifying.



The book gets off to a dramatic start, leaving the reader wondering how exactly the characters will get to the point the book starts with. This is a novel that examines what is needed to be happy and how quickly a life can fall apart in the midst of lies and deception.



"Something in the Water" kept me on the edge of my seat, reading as quickly as I could. It's the very definition of a perfect summer thriller. Don't leave it out of your vacation bag!

Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com

I have to say that for once I actually liked a book that had a not so great ending. The ending was okay but fell a little flat with no huge, or rather, unguessable, finish. That being said, we start the book with the main character, Erin, digging a grave for her husband, Mark. And then comes the story. What I really enjoyed about this book was all the little details that Catherine Steadman put into the book that were very interesting and not just gibberish like you see in so many books. She wasn't just trying to fill the word count. I especially liked the description that Erin used when telling the reader how to take apart a Glock 22 step-by-step as she learned on YouTube. Good stuff. Good details. Erin and Mark find a bag while scuba diving on their honeymoon in Bora Bora. It's contents can only be classified as trouble as Erin becomes obsessed with it. I do have a few questions for the author, however, that would mean spoiling the book for my readers so I won't. The ending nagged at me a bit so I may need to reach out and discuss this one with someone soon. Overall, a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Catherine Steadman, and Ballantine Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Something in the Water opens with a bang. A woman is frantically googling the mechanics of how to dig a grave while wielding a shovel. A mesmerizing rabbit-hole indeed. Who is she burying? The backstory might be TBD, but we’re not held in suspense too long as to the identity of the corpse—it’s her husband.

Debut author Catherine Steadman slowly unfolds the why. Time is scrambled, much like human memories, as we find out what unfolded and how the seeds of Chapter 1—entitled “The Grave”—were planted. The body is hidden under “a torn tarpaulin, its brilliant cobalt a slash of color against the brown forest floor.” Slyly, the provenance of the tarp emerges. The narrator spotted it months earlier, hanging on a branch, near a forgotten fridge.

The fridge has been here a while—I know this because I saw it from the car window as we drove past here three months ago, and nobody has come for it yet. We were on our way back to London from Norfolk, Mark and I, after celebrating our anniversary, and here the fridge still is months later. Odd to think so much has happened—to me, to us—in that time, but nothing has changed here.

Chapter 2, “Anniversary Morning,” opens like a piece in Tatler, outlining a perfect weekend getaway at “a boutique pub hotel on the Norfolk coast.” Celebrating the day when first they met, the anniversary couple hike, frolic in the sea, and linger over delicious meals, all between bouts of lovemaking. Their hotel “is a perfect country nest of fresh seafood, cold beer, and cashmere throws.” They’re the golden couple. “Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans.”

But musings leave a trail of breadcrumbs, explaining the brutal opening of the story. Erin thinks about her husband’s career. He’s a banker. His career ticked along nicely, until it didn’t.

Mark moved forward fast in the City, passed his regulation exams, became a trader, specialized in sovereigns, got poached, got promoted, and then it happened. The financial crash.

Things changed for him after that. Although his technical financial expertise ensured his continuous employment, many of his friends and colleagues were fired. Fed up with doing the work of five people, Mark went to another bank. Erin didn’t care for it.

The new bank, I don’t like. It’s not quite right. The men there manage to be fat and yet sinewy at the same time. They’re out of shape, and they smoke, which I didn’t used to mind at all, but now it has that air of nervous desperation. That worries me. It smells of bile and broken dreams.

What a palpable description of tension and unease. Erin’s professional life, like Mark’s, looks good on the surface, but there are disquieting ripples. She has been working on a documentary about prisoners, tracking them behind prison walls and after release. The jewel in the crown is Eddie Bishop, “the real coup, an absolute dream for a documentarian,” because of his deep ties to English gangs. Eddie handled everything from money laundering to murder. Like Al Capone, it is financial malfeasance that puts him away. Creepily, Eddie tweaks Erin on her upcoming marriage when they speak on the phone.

“Hello, sweetheart. Nice to hear from you. Locke, is it? Not a Roberts yet then? When’s the big day?” He asks it cheerily, off the cuff.

How could Eddie possibly know Erin’s last name, let alone Mark’s? It’s another pebble disturbing the smooth surface of a perfect relationship.

It has been an enormous struggle to move from phone interviews to being inside a prison speaking to her subjects directly. In Chapter 4, “Interview One,” Erin is interrupted by her husband—he’s been fired.

He can’t have forgotten, can he? I’m in a prison holding room. Shit! Please don’t need me there now, Mark. Please be okay.

But if he needs me, I’ll go.

Oh fucking hell. Those two constantly tugging needs: your own life and “being there.” Your relationship or your life.

It becomes increasingly clear that Erin and Mark’s relationship and their professional lives are intertwined, although that’s the furthest thing from their thoughts as they plan a wedding. Their dream honeymoon is compressed from two months to two weeks.

Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water.

Spoiler alert time—the “something in the water” is a game changer. Between feverishly reading ahead and doggedly searching for clues in the early chapters, readers are trapped on an inexorable rollercoaster. It almost feels Faustian: what bargains were made to get Erin and Mark to this place?

Catherine Steadman’s other string to her bow is acting. The English actor is perhaps most recognized for her portrayal of Mabel Lane Fox in Downton Abbey (Series 5). Doubtless, Steadman is already entertaining bids to bring her tense psychological thriller to the screen. It’s a terrific debut.

I very much liked the premise for this story; however, I think it got a little monotonous later on when it was becoming clear what had happened and who was doing what. The author went a little bit overboard in trying to hide what we all knew was coming. That said, I do still think this was an enjoyable read, and perfect for summer reading. Congrats to Ms. Steadman for having it chosen as Reese Witherspoon's June Book! I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Anyone a member of an online bookclub? I have three I try to keep up, PBS Newshour, Oprah, and Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine. Something in the Water is the Hello Sunshine pick of the month and the description sounded really interesting AND I just happened to have a digital copy provided to me by NetGalley so I dove (no pun intended) right in.



Something in the Water is about a couple on honeymoon in Bora Bora who, as the title gives away, find something in the water. Something potentially dangerous for them to have in their possession but circumstances in their lives leading up to this point make keeping what they find too tempting to pass up. There is mystery and danger and a general sense of not knowing who to trust.



Except....and I'm gonna get kind of spoilery here without completely giving anything away...it's SO blatantly obvious who not to trust. But, being spoiled by stories like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, I kept thinking I HAD to be wrong, that I would eventually be rewarded with some kind of big twist that I didn't see coming. But that never happened and I ended up feeling really let down by this one. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed Catherine Steadman's writing style, but the story itself was a disappointment.

First of all, thank you #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #SomethingintheWater!

So I really had high hopes for this book and read really good reviews... Unfortunately, for me, this book feel a little flat. I felt like there were a lot of unnecessary chapters and the "twists" were not very big or unexpected. I really enjoy books that keep you on edge until the very end and this just didn't do it for me.

The premise here is incredibly intriguing, but Steadman takes her time in getting to the titular item in the water, choosing instead to build up the backstory of protagonist Erin and her relationship with Mark. After said object is finally discovered, Erin makes a string of rash decisions that at certain points made me want to scream aloud in frustration and shake some sense into her. That being said, the story builds nicely to an exciting climax that ties up many of the plot threads in an interesting manner. I could have done without a lot of the unnecessary details that Steadman sprinkles throughout the book and Erin's narration at times strikes an odd conversational tone, but in the end this is a decent thriller that somehow manages to stick the landing.

This is an unusual narrative. It begins with the author writing quite literarily...many words, full of self importance. But finally the drama takes shape and the action moves along nicely. There are many mysteries and intriques. The story and characters were interesting but not compelling. The ending leaves room for a sequel. Three stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for providing me with a copy fir an honest review!
After surviving some trying times, a couple is finally married. They are having the times of their lives on their honeymoon in Bora, Bora. While out on a private scuba diving excursion, they come upon "something in the water." What exactly did they discover, and where is the owner? Will it be the answer to their prayers or begin a living nightmare?
Wow! What an excellent debut! I really enjoyed this book and read through it quickly! It engaged me and had me on the edge of my seat during many moments within the book! I highly recommend it and will definitely be reading Catherine Steadman's next novel!
🏝🏝🏝🏝🏝/5
#somethinginthewater #reesebookclubxhellosunshine #books #bookstagram #booksofsummer #catherinesteadman ##whattoread #ilovebooks #suspense #booklover #readersofinstagram

Let me start out by saying that I could not believe this was the author's first book-it was incredible and now she will be on my automatic read list, whenever a new book comes out.

I do not want to say too much but this book has everything! It is a book that captured my interest from the first page and could not put it down-no exaggeration. This book is a psychological thriller, and it had a great plot, great characters, major and minor, and was told in a unique way; the prologue being what happens at end of the story, which is told in a series of present and past chapters.

The two main characters Erin and Mark are a couple that have lived together for a long time and are the perfect couple. Mark is making his mark in the financial word, while Erin is getting ready to shoot her first documentary. which will make her famous; it is about prison inmates and the system, what happens to 3 inmates, that will be getting out of prison soon, what their plans are and how they are going to go about getting back in 'the real world'

Mark asks Erin to marry him, which they do and set out on their honeymoon They have a great time for the first few days.

While there in Bora Bora, they discover something in the water which will change both of their lives forever. This now marks the beginning of so many things. Love, lust, betrayal, feelings of remorse, terror, feelings of horror, and ultimately within a matter of days, their lives are no longer their own.

Read this book, it would be a shame if you didn't read this psychologically intense story that will keep you thinking about the story long after you have finished it! I gave this book the highest rating allowed, 5*****stars and I will reread this book many times over the next years. I have to say this book is a perfect example of why we read!

The first chapter drew me in right away. Digging a grave for your husband. What?!? I had to know how we got there. I enjoyed the story arc and the twists and turns. Even though I figured out the end before we got there I still found the ride entertaining. Highly enjoyable read that has yourself asking "What would you do?"

First I'll tell you how I read this book, then I'll tell you why, and then I'll suggest that you go ahead and read it regardless.

I have been travelling with my smallest e-reader, a tiny smart phone that isn't very smart. The screen is bigger than a business card, but not much and there isn't a lot of text on the page at one time – maybe a paragraph or two. I don't like this reader but use it anyway when I need to. I read "Something in the Water" by flipping through the pages nearly as fast as I could, slowing to read a sentence here and a whole page there, finishing the book in a remarkably short time.

The tiny screen is one reason that I could go from screen to screen so quickly. Another is that Ms Steadman has added way too much description and back story in the text. I really didn't care about most of it and skipped it entirely. Then, the story is told in the first person, a literary form I don't much care for. Finally, I felt that Erin, our hero, does some stupid stuff and takes strange risks that no real person would take, and I found her and her film project somewhat unbelievable.

All that being said, I think there are many mystery and thriller readers who will enjoy this story of a young woman and her husband who get drawn deeper and deeper into crime. Go ahead and give it a try.

I received a review copy of "Something in the Water" by Catherine Steadman (Random House – Ballantine) through NetGalley.com.

3.5 stars. I really liked most of this book, but it fell apart a little bit for me towards the end. Things didn't seem explained as well they could have been, and the climax things had been building toward wasn't as good as I think it could have been. But overall, this was a good domestic thriller. It started slow, but once we reached the part where Erin and Mark found the titular "something in the water", I was really riveted! Some of the decisions Erin made had me yelling out loud at her, but I enjoyed the ride!

Erin Locke is filming a documentary on three prisoners’ lives after they are released. Two of them are women and one is a hard gang member.

Erin’s fiancé, Mark Roberts, works in banking and they are to be married soon. Mark has just lost his job and is hoping to get another one soon. But he is worried about money and wants them to cut back on their wedding expenses. They both agree and end up having a nice wedding. They then take off for a 2-week honeymoon in Bora Bora.

Staying is in a top notch resort, they enjoy all of the amenities and take part in things they want to experience. Mark is a good diver and Erin has agreed to dive with him but it does tend to make her a bit nervous. When they see something unnerving during a dive, Erin goes back up the boat while Mark continues down to see the entire thing. It’s when they are heading back to the resort in the boat that they find something in the water. Pulling it into the boat and finally opening it, they are shocked at what they find. This could be a real lifesaver for them or it could turn out to blow up in their faces. What will they do?

Greed takes over and they end up on a quest that puts their lives in danger. Will they continue on the path they have chosen or will they back off? Whom can they trust?

I’ve tried to give some clues to this book without giving away too many spoilers. I found the book to be slow at times but it picks up toward the end and made my heart beat faster. I think readers will enjoy this book very much.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House publishing- Ballantine for a chance to read and review this book.

When I started reading this book I didn't look at any previous reviews or even the book blurb, I really expected that the something in the water was going to be an alien or something equally other worldly. This was SO much better!!

Erin is on her honeymoon with the love of her life Mark, when they find a duffel bag floating in the water. Ask yourself, what would you do? I found myself having to walk around the house trying to clean and such with the book plastered in front of my face, at one point I became so anxious for Erin that I could feel my heart pounding. I loved the progression of the story and the ending was awesome.

If you like a good suspense story that will keep you glued to your chair with a book in your hand, then this is the story for you!

The opening chapter of Something in the Water employs in media res, hooking the reader with a tantalizing chapter from much later in the book. However, only this chapter is not in chronological order as the rest of the book takes the story from beginning to end with a slight mention of this opening chapter when it is chronologically appropriate. While reading the opening chapter, I knew the story would need to update the reader of the events that led to the opening situation; however, I expected a more creative use of time than what was delivered. Don't get me wrong...there's nothing wrong with the straight forward beginning-middle-end sequence of a story, even in a thriller, but honestly, that opening set me up for a format that just wasn't delivered.
Other than the structure, I liked the story--it was suspenseful and kept me engaged, wanting to know what happened next.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Something in the Water.

There are no bones about it, in addition to an actress, Catherine Steadman is a writer. Her debut novel, Something in the Water, is proof positive of this.
Something in the Water starts off with an intriguing discussion of the time and effort involved in digging a grave. Apparently it is not as easy as it appears in the movies and on tv, although no one should think it is. This was fascinating to me, and really grabbed my attention. It jumped to another level when you find out that she is digging a grave for her husband. The book then is the events leading up to the point that she digs the grave for the love of her life.
Erin, a documentary filmmaker and Mark, an investment banker are totally and madly in love with each other. They complete each other. They have the fairytale "love at first sight" story. Just prior to their wedding the market crashes which is a hardship for anyone working in banking, Mark included. During their shortened honeymoon to Bora Bora Mark & Erin come across an eerie sight of papers floating on the ocean and also discover a random duffle bag floating and bumping into their boat. Naturally they pull the bag onboard, mark the spot on the GPS, and return to their bungalow.
From this point the story takes the journey along the "what would you do" or "where are your moral limits" path. It is an entertaining read. At times I had to shake my head at the choices the characters made, some of which seem ridiculous. Their occupations put them in positions to make many of the choices that ensue throughout the book, and while convenient, that is definitely a liberty we as readers must accept when a writer uses it. All in all, I was entertained with the book, and loved to sit back and think about what I might do in the similar situation. Be careful in life what you wish for, you may just bump into a life changing duffle bag.
Through many twists and turns, the adventure and mystery in the book held my attention. It was slow after the digging graves scene as we got some back story on Erin and Mark, but it builds up well into many different scenes that had me engaged and held me with rapt attention. This being a debut novel really has me looking forward to future books from Steadman. She has a great story telling ability and style.

I close with my new favorite quote, and a great outlook on life: "Sometimes you're the lamp post, and sometimes you're the dog."

Thanks to #NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

I've included this title in my weekly roundup, and will provide more details for the publisher as the month progresses. I will also leave feedback for the publisher.

5 Tension Filled Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Well HOT damn this book was just... brilliant! Full disclosure I was running behind on my reviews so I purchased this on audio on release day and I was even a little hesitant because I saw the author was narrating.... not always a good thing, but I had no idea that Catherine Steadman is an actress.... and after finishing this book I now know she is also a fantastic author and audiobook narrator!!! Simply amazing! Seriously if I could I would give her narration six stars, it was really exceptional! And this book kept me on the edge of my seat from about 30% on...

Erin and Mark are a happy newly married couple on their honeymoon in Bora Bora... they are having a wonderful time in this tropical paradise until...thunk thunk... there is something in the water.... and what it is will alter this couple’s lives.... from this point on the tension is ramped up and I felt as though I was on the edge of my seat throughout... so many thoughts... what would I do in this situation? What is the ethical thing to do?

Erin and Mark were both fabulous characters... they both handled the situation so differently and I found that part so compelling and true....Erin was very bold about it all and didn’t always think things through, in fact sometimes she did some really stupid things... Mark on the other hand was more cautious, not much of a risk taker, although he was usually fine with his wife taking a risk.... I have to say I was both surprised and a little disappointed by both of these characters at points in this book....

There is also a very fascinating side story in this book... Erin is filming a documentary about prisoners about to be released.... Eddie, Holly, and Alexa were all strong, interesting, and well-developed characters.... I found each of their storys compelling and unique.... definitely added another layer to this already wonderful book.... and the voice of eddie is absolutely the best in this audio!

This really was a book unlike any other I have read before... it was very refreshing.... absolutely recommend to everybody regardless of your reading preferences!

*** thank you to the publisher for my copy of this brilliant book ***

This was an amazing read! It's been a while since I felt emotionally invested in a book, but this one had me going! I was constantly thinking "What's gonna happen next??", and talking out loud about the characters actions. This was just a roller coaster of suspense and I loved it!! Highly recommended!