Wow!! If this book doesn't send shivers up and down your spine, then I don't know what will!

Thanks, Netgalley, for my arc! Jennifer McMahon just keeps getting better and better. Her latest release does NOT disappoint... the ending was chilling and creepy and really the story could not have ended any other way. McMahon is a master at scaring her readers... do not pass her work up!!

After her sister Lexie has drowned in the pool at their grandmother's homestead called Sparrow Crest, Jackie tries to piece together what she missed in her sister's final days. The pool is filled by natural springs with healing properties, rumored for generations to grant wishes, but at a price. It gives, and it takes away. Jackie begins to uncover the truth, creating an intersection of the present with past history and genealogy. Jennifer McMahon's signature themes of enchanted nature and supernatural ties is as thrilling as ever in this latest book.

Jax and her older sister have a complicated relationship, especially after Lexie inherits their grandmother's estate. A series of phone calls from Lexie just seem like another manic episode, but the next day the young woman is found drowned in the pool. When Jax uncovers her sister's research into the history of their family and the property, will the unexplained occurrences be given meaning by the past?

The pool on the property started out as a natural spring, prophesized to have healing abilities. The family story surrounding that body of water is uncovered, a little at a time, though the perspective of newlywed Ethel Monroe. The historical significance of the family tragedies is interesting, but some of Ethel's story is not all that realistic given the time period in which she lived.

The ghostly aspects of the book lessen the impact of the horror, so I wish that the author had spent more time on building the spookier parts. Character development was also an issue for me, as there are many glossed over details that would have brought Jax, Lexie, and other characters to life. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend The Drowning Kind to other readers.

Disclaimer: I won a physical copy of The Drowning Kind in a Goodreads Giveaway. Additionally, I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley and the publisher, Gallery/Scout Press. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

The following review was posted on my blog (blogginboutbooks.com) on 03.25.21:

Jackie "Jax" Metcalf has always lived in the shadow of her older sister's illness. She spent her childhood caught up in Lexie's manic episodes and depressive cycles, so focused on keeping her sister's moods balanced that she hardly had a life of her own. Now a psychologist and a social worker, 28-year-old Jax knows the value of boundaries. Living in Seattle helps her keep her distance—both physically and emotionally—from Lexie's constant drama.

When Jax finds a string of missed calls from Lexie on her phone, she figures her sister's off her meds again. The truth is much worse: Lexie is dead. Although she was an excellent swimmer, Lexie drowned in the spring-fed swimming pool at Sparrow Crest, the remote Vermont estate she inherited from her grandmother. Shocked and grief-stricken, Jax returns to the place where she and Lexie spent every summer, only to find the house littered with research materials about the Metcalfs and Sparrow Crest. Tempted to dismiss the project as another one of Lexie's many flights of fancy, Jax instead starts combing through the information, which reveals strange details about Gram's unique swimming pool. The murky water always held a strange fascination for Lexie; it gives Jax the creeps. As she's increasingly drawn to its eerie edges, the pool begins to reveal its chilling secrets, secrets it's kept for a very, very long time...

Jennifer McMahon specializes in shuddery, suspenseful stories sure to send chills tingling down your spine. Her newest, The Drowning Kind (available April 6, 2021), is no exception. It offers an atmospheric Gothic setting, complex characters, and a riveting plot. I read it fast and furious, totally sucked in by McMahon's masterful storytelling. The ending surprised me and not necessarily in a good way. I didn't love it. Even though The Drowning Kind isn't my favorite of this author's novels, it's still an engrossing, entertaining read. If you like shivery ghost stories, definitely add this one to your TBR list.

(Readalikes: Reminds me of other books by Jennifer McMahon as well as those by Carol Goodman and Emily Carpenter)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language, violence, and depictions of illegal drug use (marijuana)

To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Drowning Kind from the generous folks at Simon & Schuster via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I highly recommend this book. Different than what I normally read and completely unputdownable.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me the thrill of reading early.

This was an unbelievably atmospheric, creepy novel. I had trouble putting it down when I had to go to work--I had to know what was going to happen next! I loved the dual narrative as Jackie's and Ethel's lives each careened towards their ultimate showdowns with the springs. The dread just built as the two stories mirrored each other!
The reason I didn't give it 5 out of 5 stars is because I was really bummed by the ending. I had this glimmer of hope that Jax was going to be able to move on from her sister's death right up until the last page.
Other than that, I would recommend this to fans of Simone St. James and anyone who enjoys spooky books that don't let up until the last page!

Sisters Jax and Lexie grew up spending summers at their grandmother's home, Sparrow Crest. But the two have grown apart over the last year, with Jax upset that Lexie inherited Sparrow Crest. When she receives a series of calls from her sister one night, she assumes they are part of Lexie's bipolar illness. But Jax learns the next day that Lexie is dead, having drowned in the pool at Sparrow Crest. Once there, Jax realizes Lexie was researching the property's dark history, much of it tied to the springs that feed Sparrow Crest's pool. She picks up her sister's research, but soon stumbles on a terrible history tied to the water. Meanwhile, back in 1929, Ethel Monroe is newly married and hoping for a baby. She and her husband head to the Brandenburg Springs Hotel and Resort. There, the owner's wife tells Ethel the springs can grant wishes. Ethel makes her wish, never knowing the spring takes for everything it gives.

I really enjoy Jennifer McMahon's books and while this probably wasn't up there with THE INVITED or BURNTOWN for me, it's certainly an eerie and atmospheric read. I can tell you one thing: I would not set a foot anywhere near those creepy, black springs. Wishes or not!

"There are very old stories about the springs. Some say it's a door between worlds."

THE DROWNING KIND alternates between present day, as Jax tries to figure out what happened to Lexie, and the 1920s/1930s, as Ethel and her husband, Will, visit the Brandenburg Springs Hotel and Resort and grapple with the aftermath of their trip. I liked the back and forth, which slowly revealed important plot pieces. This isn't a fast-moving book and not a lot really happens, per se. Setting aside Ethel's portion, it takes place over only a few days. If you're looking for a fast moving thriller, this one probably isn't for you. But it's spooky and tense and honestly chilling at times. The water (springs) becomes its own living, breathing, creepy character.

This one is like a puzzle, moving between the past and present, and a bit of mild horror film, trying to figure out what on earth is going on with the water. (No baths for me while reading this.) It grapples with the decisions we must make as parents--and sisters. The bond between Jax and Lexie is strong, even with Lexie drowned and the sisters estranged.

Overall, this is a very haunting, eerie read, steeped in history and familial tension. It's certainly scary, but it's also packs emotional depth. (Trigger warning for self-harm.)

Looking for a spooky read? Try Jennifer McMahon's The Drowning Kind. It's the story of Jax and Lexie, sisters who visit an old family estate as children and again as adults when it brings tragedy into their lives.

When she was younger, Lexie, the older sister, was drawn to a seemingly bottomless pool on the estate. It's filled with dark, murky water, but Lexie insists it grants wishes and is the final resting place for several missing and presumed dead girls. She winds up drowning in that very same pool. Lexie suffers from mania at times, so did that cause her death--or is something else going on? The ending could've been a bit stronger, but it's deliciously creepy.

"What's the difference, I wondered, between a ghost and a memory?"

I have been a fan of Jennifer McMahon since reading The Winter People oh so many years ago and whenever anyone asks for a spooky book rec, The Winter People is always my first choice. The Drowning Kind was one of my most anticipated book releases this Spring and it did not disappoint. There were some great creepy elements and it would make another great read for the spooky connoisseur.

Jax feels like she has lived in the shadow of her older sister Lexie all her life. And nowhere was that more apparent than the summers they spent as children at their grandmother's house. Sparrow Crest is an old family estate, bordered by woods and with a very unique feature--a natural, bottomless pool said to have healing powers. Lexie was fascinated by this pool as a child. She told Jax the water granted wishes and housed dead girls. Years later as an adult Lexie has inherited Sparrow Crest and subsequently ends up drowning in that very pool. Is Lexie's death the result of her manic behavior--or is there something more?

The atmosphere here is incredible--an old estate (from which we learn the backstory in alternating timelines), and a pool full of murky, black water that could be hiding anything underneath. This one definitely gave me some delicious chills. And while I did think the ending could have been just a touch stronger, just a touch more scary, I thoroughly enjoyed this ride and could scarcely put my book down to attend to real life. This is a must-read for McMahon fans and fans of spooky reads in general.

“’There was someone there, in the water.’ Her hand trembled as she held her teacup. ‘Ethel, if I tell you what I saw, you mustn’t think me mad.’”

You bring the hot dogs and marshmallows; I’ll bring the matches and a real good story. It’s time to head for the campfire, and—hey, look! It’s getting dark already. Do you scare easily?

My thanks go to Net Galley and Gallery Press for the invitation to read and review. This is a fun one! I was able to access both the print and audio versions, and I moved back and forth between them. I would give a slight edge to the print version here, but the audio isn’t bad, either.

Our story takes place in Vermont, mostly, and the time period and point of view alternate. We begin and end with the present day; our protagonist is Lexie, a social worker. Jax grew up very close to her older sister, Lexie. As they grew older, however, bipolar disorder gripped her elder sister, and Jax has been forced to set boundaries with regard to her sister’s obsessions, lest she be pulled under herself. And so, when she finds nine missed calls on her voice mail, all from Lexie, Jax figures she’s off her meds again, and she chooses not to respond. She has work to do. But the next call comes to tell her that Jax is dead. She drowned in her backyard pool.

Our alternate protagonist is Ethel Monroe, and the year is 1929. Ethel is nearly too old to conceive; she and her husband desperately want a baby. The doctors are stumped; then she hears of a resort whose springs are said to have healing powers. With nothing to lose, she and her spouse hop in the car and make their way to the magic waters. In time, they are told that the water should be avoided. Whenever it grants a wish, it takes something else back for itself, often something that devastates those it has aided. But Ethel is pregnant now, and there is nothing, nothing, nothing more important than her baby.

Of course, there are all kinds of connections between Lexie and Ethel; after all, they are using the same waters, nearly 100 years apart from one another.

McMahon has a well established writing career, but the first time I read her work was when the last book, The Invited, was published. Both stories have certain elements in common, and perhaps because of this, I enjoyed the last one a wee bit more than this one, because it was completely new to me then. Both stories take a sensible, modern-day female character that doesn’t believe in spooks at the outset, and then spin them around every which way until they do. And in both, I see classic elements that include urban legends, but the story McMahon tells is fleshier, updated, and original.

In listening to the audio version, I was at first taken aback, because when the reader shifts from Jax’s story to Ethel’s, no mention is made that we are changing protagonists. The print version captions the new chapter, and since I had both versions, I grabbed the print version once I became confused and saw what had happened. However, it would have taken me longer if I had simply purchased the audio book and been forced to figure it out. The two characters are voiced (in the first person), and Ethel is given a very distinctive speaking style; I found the style to be annoying at first, a bit contrived, but once I got used to it, I was all in. Ethel’s odd speaking style does make it easier to tell when we have switched characters, and perhaps that’s why the reader chose to do it this way.

The pacing never flags. I believe Jax from the first page, and eventually I believe Ethel as well. I successfully predicted the ending, but we are eighty percent of the way in by the time I make my prediction, so I am not disappointed.

For those looking for a deliciously creepy tale, look no farther. This book becomes available to the public Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

Jennifer McMahon is one of my favorite authors, which shocks even me because I am a huge scaredy-cat and paranormal thrillers aren't my thing. McMahon does a phenomenal job telling a story and getting a reader hooked on the mystery aspect and then sneaking in the paranormal scenes. The genres blend seamlessly. I started my journey with the author when I read and loved "The Winter People" (not reviewed on my blog) and then got swept up in "The Invited". I was so excited to read her latest!

This novel has been my favorite so far! I loved the alternating timelines. We start out in the life of Jax, a woman who has a complicated past and has moved across the country to get away from it all. She was once very close with her sister, Lexie, but since Lexie's mental illness diagnosis they have grown apart. Lexie inherited their grandmother's sprawling estate and living off a trust while she battles a mental illness. Jax is a social worker with tons of student loan debt and barely making ends meet. In a way she resents the life Lexie is living, but all her frustration and jealousy changes when she gets a call that Lexie is dead. She has drowned in the pool.

Meanwhile, in 1929, Ethel is trying everything under the sun to conceive a child with her husband. She married late in life and fears they are too old and will never have the family they dream of. She is a busy woman of her time- the doctor's wife, community committees and sewing circles fill her time. But she feels the emptiness of her womb and becomes obsessed with becoming a mother.

Lexie was a busy woman prior to her death. She seems to have been carrying out experiments and investigating the natural swimming pool on the estate. The pool is filled with water from a natural spring and the spring has a dark history. Locals have wild and crazy stories about the magic of the water. The water in the pool can grant wishes, it can miraculously heal the dying and wounded, it can make anyone's life worthwhile, but it always comes with a price. Sometimes a deadly price.

Ethel's husband surprises her with a weekend away at a brand new grand hotel that boasts of a beautiful natural spring. It is the prefect romantic getaway Ethel needs. Upon arrival there are whispers of wishes being granted. Other guests whose lives have changed for the better simply by telling the water their what they most wish for in life. Ethel whispers her desire to become a mother into the pool and later find out she is pregnant! Full of blissfulness she can't wait for the day her daughter comes into the world. But after her daughter, Margaret, is born the couple learns she has a dire heart issue. She won't live long.

Meanwhile, Jax starts looking into all the papers and notes that Lexie has left behind. The pool has taken many of lives. So many people have been drowned in the water under mysterious circumstances, not just her sister, but her aunt as well. There was also always a rule their grandmother made them follow- NO SWIMMING AT NIGHT! As Jax investigates the mysterious past of the the pool she starts to believe that the pool and the water flowing into it may just have supernatural powers.

The way the two storylines slowly flowed and gave more clues was seamless. We start to see how each main character share a similar story and it all surrounds the mystery of the pool. THE WATER DOES NOT GIVE WITHOUT TAKING!

This was a 5 star read for me and left me swept up even after finishing this chilling, mysterious and satisfying novel. Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Scout Press for allowing me a digital copy to read and give my honest review.

"The Drowning Kind" is set to be released here in the U.S. on April 6, 2021 so preorder now! You won't be disappointed!

Happy Reading!

Jennifer McMahon is the queen of supernatural suspense!!! This book is atmospheric and spooky and I had to turn to the lights on when I was reading this in the dark!!
So grateful that I got an early copy & she is now officially an auto-buy author for me!

A perfectly gothic and creepy ghost story! When Jackie's sister, Lexie, drowns in the family pool, Jax returns to her grandmother's house to confront the past. Sparrow Creek was built on the site of an old hotel which burned to the ground, and the pool is fed from springs which are said to have healing powers. People would come from miles around to drink or bathe in the water. But the springs have a dark side. Natives warned that the springs can bring great misfortune and should be left alone. Told in alternating chapters between Jax's story and the story of Ethel Monroe, who uses the springs to keep her ailing baby alive, the story is engaging and creepy and comes together perfectly at the end. Another winner from Jennifer MacMahon - don't pass this one up! 5 stars for a fantastic spooky read!

I just finished The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon last night. For some reason I didn't realize that the genre is Horror Fiction. I don't usually read horror but, I have to admit this book was really good. I spent the whole day reading because my allergies were bothering me and this book held my interests and entertained me. Can't ask for better than that!

The characters were flawed and believable. There were so many good ones in this story. I especially liked the Dr and his wife who grew to believe in the healing power of the springs.

It does cover a couple different time periods which I loved. The current time period takes place over the week Jax was home for the death of her sister Lexie. It wasn't so much of a horror it scared you out of your wits but it was believable. I liked that and I could fall into the folk lore about the swimming pool fed by a natural spring.

If you like horror stories (or not) that can make you believe, you might want to take a chance on this one. I recommend stepping into the unknown with The Drowning Kind.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher and Netgalley for a fair and honest review. Thank you for the experience.

What did I just read?

"The pool gives and the pool takes" oh my! What are the lengths that you would go to to get your most wished for "thing"? Do you believe in healing waters or the fountain of youth? Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Jax and Lex. The X sisters. Coming from a family of sisters, I totally get it. They are fun and feisty and love to love and hate each other depending on the day.

I had to read the last couple of chapters twice and then the very ending a third time. This is not my usual genre of book but I think I may need to pick up more of them and give it a go. I read this one in one sitting. Wow! I can't stop thinking about it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my favorite kind of book for the weekend: a fast-paced, supernatural thriller with both modern and historical narratives woven together. I'm in awe of the way Jennifer McMahon always creates well-crafted characters and atmospheric settings without bogging down the pace of her stories. In The Drowning Kind, Jax and Lexie grow up swimming in their Grandmother's monstrous swimming pool, which is filled with water from the natural spring near their family estate in Vermont. The pool has always been spooky, and the girls' aunt Rita even drowned in it when she was young. Jax moves far away from her sister as an adult and establishes a career as a child therapist in Seattle. When Lexie drowns in their Grandmother's pool, Jax is forced to return to Vermont and confront the mysteries that have haunted their family for decades. Is mental illness to blame for Lexi's death, or is there truly something sinister in the water? Jax's search for answers in the present is balanced by Ethel's narrative from 1929, which begins when she and her husband stay at a hotel in Vermont with "healing waters." I can't say any more about the plot without spoilers, but I highly recommend you add this to your summer or spooky reading list! Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the librarian preview!

The Drowning Kind - April 6th

If you could wish for anything, what would you wish for?

Be careful what you wish for...

“The Drowning Kind”, my third Jennifer McMahon novel, has me thinking. Will you go into the pool if you cannot see the bottom? McMahon was able to take a common childhood fear and weave an atmospheric creepy story.

“The Drowning Kind” switches between two timelines, the present and the late 1920’s, between narrators Jax and Ethel, respectively. The main theme in the book, in this case natural springs, are in both timelines. In the 1920’s the springs are located at the most exquisite hotel. In the present day, they belong to the Jax’s family. The author uses her writing to really show the history, family tree and tragedies in great detail.

McMahon’s attention to detail is one of the things I enjoy about her writing. She really creates a spooky atmosphere.

“The Drowning Kind” slowly builds into a creepy story, which I loved, with the switching of timelines being well developed. I found myself wondering when the two timelines would intersect. As the timelines switched, the reader gets a sense for the characters. I was able to really sense their emotions and tension since McMahon really touched on family relationships and their fragility.

Do yourself a favor and do not read it next to a pool.

4 stars

The Queen of Creep strikes again! I've long been a fan of Jennifer McMahon's books, and this one was just as fantastic as all the others. I love how she expertly manages to weave supernatural elements into all her stories in a way that's JUST realistic enough that you 100% believe they could really, truly be real . This believability factor is what makes her books so phenomenal- they're scary because you fully believe they could happen. I will continue to blindly read ANYTHING this woman writes- bring on the next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sisters Jax and Lexie grew up spending their summers at their grandmother’s home in Vermont, Sparrow Crest. The beautiful old house and sprawling gardens provided many opportunities for games and adventures, but the highlight was the pool. Fed by natural springs, the water of the pool was always ice-cold, but it was popular with more than just the girls. Many of the locals believed it had healing powers. But there were also more sinister rumors about the pool. As an adult, it’s easy for Jax to dismiss those old stories, as well as certain memories she has of the pool. Until Lexie drowns. Back at Sparrow Crest, Jax has to uncover family secrets and unlock the mysteries of the pool—not just to discover the truth about what happened to Lexie, but to save herself.

Sisterly relationships are a major theme in McMahon’s work, whether it’s biological sisters or friends so close they might as well be. I liked the complex relationship she gave Jax and Lexie here. They haven’t always gotten along, and they’ve both made mistakes that damaged their bond at times, but when push comes to shove, they’re family and they do care about each other.

Another hallmark of McMahon’s storytelling is the interplay between present and past. In The Drowning Kind, she switches back and forth between Jax and Lexie’s story and that of a woman who visited the pool before Sparrow Crest was built. She did an excellent job of interweaving the two stories such that my engagement with both was maintained. Whenever a past chapter ended, I wanted it to keep going. But as I read into the next present chapter, I got engrossed in that storyline and wanted it to keep going when the switch happened!

The only criticism I have of this book relates to the Declan story thread. It wasn’t clear to me why he would have an insight into the entities of the pool, since he’d never been there, and his affinity seems to be for all animals rather than just aquatic ones. Also, if his intuitions were valid (and the narrative seems to suggest they were), I’m not clear on why the trout would be “not what they say they are,” since the pool’s influence appears to be limited to that one specific body of water. This is a small quibble in a book I greatly enjoyed, though.

"For everyone out there who has the good sense to be a little afraid when swimming in the deep, dark water. You tell yourself there's nothing down there, but there is. There always is."

The Drowning Kind was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and it did not disappoint!
Jennifer McMahon is officially an auto-buy author for me now. The Drowning Kind was my third book I've read by her and I enjoyed it as much as the other two...maybe more.

The biggest reason why I love Jennifer McMahon is her writing style. I adore the way she uses dual timelines. It feels insanely effortless to read and switch between the two time periods. In this book she switches between 1929 and 2019, which is a lovely contrast. As you read Ethel's story you feel a deep sense of impending doom based on the revelations that slowly unwind with Jax's story in the present. I loved the way it gave me a hint of what was to come, but didn't ruin any surprises. Knowing where we were headed didn't feel predictable to me because it only added to the suspense.

Most of the characters were flawed and struggled. The strained family relationships felt realistic and made me emotional. I can't speak to the authenticity of the representation, but addiction and mental illness play a huge role in the plot and character development.

Per usual, Jennifer McMahon gave me a creepy thriller that actually gave me goosebumps. I hope she continues to write more books with creative paranormal elements because I'm officially addicted.