Dark, enthralling, riveting, manic, and disappointing. A conundrum, right? I was immediately and totally hooked on this book from page one. Fascinated. Intrigued. But it then drags for quite a bit. I couldn't stop turning the pages, I HAD TO KNOW what was happening. Then I had to read the ending twice because I just couldn't believe that after all I read, all I devoted to this story, that THIS was how it was ending. If you want edge of the seat suspense, this is the book for you. If you're looking for a nicely resolved story, this won't do it for you.

Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3631826611

4.5 Stars

This book was super creepy! Jax comes back to the old home her gram left to her sister, the home with the healing pool. The hike where her sister died. A home she wished she stayed in with her sister. It had been a long time and now Lexie is gone. But what was she looking into before she died? Will Jax find out? Unfortunately for her, she does!



I loved the book, it had the right amount of creepiness!

*I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for a copy of this book.

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

3.5 stars

The theme of this book is "the water gives and the water takes." I'm not sure how that cannot be creepy all by itself.

The story is split between two timelines, 1929 Ethel's time and 2019 Jackie's (Jax) time. Both ladies asked the mystical water for a favor, but they have no idea what the water will take from them. They find out that the water tends to take someone's life away after the gift has been bestowed upon on the individual.

I really enjoy Jennifer McMahon's books. They are creepy, but not necessarily scary. I did struggle with repetitive this book was. The middle just didn't go anywhere besides going over the same points.

The twist at the end was not my favorite.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

The water gives and the water takes away. Be careful for what you wish for because there is always a price. What is hiding beneath the depths of its icy cold, black waters?

The book follows the two storylines of Ethel from 1929 and Jax from present day. There is something evil and chilling about the spring fed pool Jax's sister drowns in, and she discovers that her sister was frantically researching the springs and family land before she drowned. Jax begins to believe her sister and that something is haunting the black waters that her sister drowned in.

Jax's story parallels the story of Ethel, who was a country doctor's wife in 1929. Ethel is unable to conceive and there's nothing she wants more than a baby girl. Her husband takes her to visit the springs, and she learns of its miracles. She makes her wish and is pregnant soon after visiting the springs---but there's a price she soon learns, just like with all the others.

This is a page-turning, eerie and chilling tale. It chilled me to the bone. It was beautifully written and kept me intrigued. I highly recommend this haunting tale!

The Drowning Kind is set at an estate in Vermont, where there is a natural spring that is magical. But when the spring gives, the spring also takes. So spooky, right? But even if the spring wasn’t enchanted, I personally cannot imagine swimming in a “pool” that is basically bottomless black water. I would be terrified.

So already, before anything actually happens, I’m spooked. But then you have to take into account that people swimming in the pool have seen dead people. Or people anyways, that aren’t real. And that is terrifying. I don’t even like fish biting my toes.

I can’t say much, except that you can expect to devour this book. Then, when you’ve finished it, you’ll mourn the fact that you can’t go back and savor it more. It’s that good. Of course, make sure that you are the type that can read this type of book without having it keep you up all night!

Special thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this amazing gem. This one is out April 6. This review will be published on my blog, Women in Trouble Book Blog on March 10, 2021.

As the story-line of the past and present are interwoven, McHahon introduces us to Jax, present day, and Ethel Monroe-early 20th Century. Jax receives numerous missed calls from her troubled sister, Lexie, who lives on their grandmother’s estate. Jax soon discovers Lexie has drowned in the pool and when she arrives at the estate, it is apparent that Lexie has been researching the history of their family’s past.. As Jax unravels the mystery of her sister’s drowning, she realizes that maybe she was wrong about a few things…

In the early 20th Century, Ethel Monroe longs for a child. She and her Husband’s efforts to conceive haven’t come to reality-one might say. When her husband takes her on a trip to Vermont, to ease Ethel’s-stress-to a newly built Hotel, they find out that the area claims the natural springs holds a special power. Ethel’s deep longing to have a child because so strong, she succumbs to the temptation of the water’s powers. As the story unfolds, Ethel soon realizes the reality of what you wish for in this life comes with a price…

A good mystery writer needs to know how to build dramatic tension and suspense that flows evenly through their stories. McMahon certainly knows how to balance those elements and more… She shows, brilliantly, how her characters work through complex situations in their lives and has a unique way of drawing the reader in as if they were experiencing the conflicts for themselves. She most certainly holds a special place in the mystery genre.

McMahon’s stories capture the essence of the human spirit. Every single character in,”The Drowning Kind,” are complex and fascinating. She touches on how fragile relationships of family members and other people in your life or past can be and how many things tend to not be what they seem. Even though the hurt we may experience from others, regrets, and broken bonds can be healed. In short, the character development is outstanding!

The eeriness vibe of the story has you on pins and needles at times. You quickly become involed with the plot and begin to imagine all sorts of scenarios that might happen or did happen. Atmospheric, engrossing and a heck of a lot of, “Oh my word!” holding your breath moments. If you like a good mystery and a well-balanced blend of genres, this book is for you! This is a story I would definitely want to re-visit again.

Stephanie Hopkins

Thank you for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon. What a gothic, suspense-filled tale this one was!! Taking place in a fictional community in Vermont where the natural spring water may be a little more supernatural than anyone would like to admit, though they certainly don’t mind repeating the scary stories about it. This book gave me all the similar feels as the movies A Cure For Wellness and The Shape of Water did, but with a tad of Pet Sematary mixed in for just the right amount of spooky wondering—is there something in the water?? Lexie believed so. And she’s not the only one...

The Drowning Kind is an excellent eerie and chilling story covering two periods. Jackie (aka Jax) 2019 tells us the story of how she and her sister Lexie (aka Lex) were dropped off by their parents to spend every summer at their grandmother Margaret’s home, Sparrow Crest, in Brandenburg, Vermont. The house was large and there was a natural pool on the property, fed by the Brandenburg Springs, which had legendry healing powers and was known to fulfill wishes. Some would warn, however, that for every gift the Springs bestowed, it exacted a heavy toll in return. It is not surprising that those who are desperate do not heed this warning. The two sisters were thick as thieves and the best of friends. They would run wild with their friends all summer long, looking for adventure, and spending many hours in the icy black pool. Lex was the wilder of the sisters, the more imaginative and artistic of the two, but more prone to weird episodes.

Jax is now a grown woman, a psychologist, living about as far away as she can get from her sister Lex, and she has rarely spoken with her in the year since her grandmother passed away and left her house to Lexie. Lexie is bipolar, regularly goes off her meds, and flies off the deep end when doing so. In fact, all of Jackie’s descriptions of Lexie seem to indicate that she was rarely stable. Jax, who is exhausted by this, arrives home from work to ignore yet another telephone message from Lex. The manic rantings were nothing new to Jax. When the unanswered calls and messages persisted Jax eventually called back – but there was no answer. After several more attempts to ring back, Jax contacts her Aunt Diane, who lives in Brandenburg, and asks her to look in on Lexie. Her aunt informs her that Lexie was found dead floating in the pool. Jackie flies to Vermont to settle her sister’s affairs, only to find the house in complete disarray. Notes on scraps of paper strewn all over, dirty dishes and rotting food on every surface, broken fixtures….Jackie is bereft at having cut her sister out of her life and now she is sorry. As she cleans and puts Lexie’s things in order she sees that Lexie was sorting out a history of the family, Brandenburg, and the Springs.

In 1929, Dr. Will Monroe and his wife Ethel are deeply in love and devoted to each other. They would love children, but Ethel does not seem able to get pregnant after many years of hoping and praying. Will comes home one day and tells his wife that they are going to take a vacation and go to the very plush new Brandenburg Springs Hotel and Resort. Ethel learns that the Springs have special healing power and can grant wishes. Of course, she uses the Springs to make her wish for a child….be careful what you wish for – she has been warned. Once you partake of the water, you are forever bound to it.

Young children and others have died in the black acrid water of the Brandenburg Springs. Those who choose to bathe in the springs do not tell of the apparitions they see in the waters, embarrassed to give voice to their hallucinations. Some felt themselves pushed into the water; others felt themselves being pulled down into the water. Lexie was obsessed with the mystery of the Spring before she died.

The Brandenburg Springs drownings are the real story in the book, and the Springs are the main character. The Springs are creepy and spooky, and made the hair at the nape of my neck tickle. This is a super quick read since the pages flip at high speed through most of the book. I was a little confused by the ending. I wasn’t quite sure who was alive and who was dead …. I tried going back to figure it out and I guess maybe the ending is intended to be ambiguous, but if any of my GR Friends have an opinion, please shed some light.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books / Scout Press for an ARC of this book. I loved it!!!!

The Drowning Kind is a masterful display of suspenseful storytelling. Jennifer McMahon has done an amazing job of creating a story that is eery without being frightening and ghostly without being too unbelievable.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Jax, who moves into Sparrow Crest after her sister is found drowned in its pool, in the present and Ethel in 1929. From the two stories you learn the history of the springs and the house built upon them and the haunting events that occur as a result of the healing and mysterious springs.
The main character Jax is a logical thinker who dismisses any supernatural presence and is balanced by Ethel who believes in the power and horror of the springs.

This book was a fun, easy read that kept me turning the pages to learn more about the springs. While I didn't love the ending, it wouldn't deter me from suggesting this book as I definitely enjoyed reading it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

Be careful what you wish for.....

Jennifer McMahon knows how to write creepy, atmospheric and haunting reads with underlying dread and tension. You know there is something sinister going on in this book but what?

2019: Jax has received nine missed calls from her sister, Lexie. Believing her sister is manic, she goes to bed and learns the next day that her sister is dead. Lexie has drowned in a pool at their grandmothers’ estate. Prior to her death, Lexie has been researching their family history including the history of their grandmother's estate.

1929: Ethel Monroe wants a baby. When her husband takes her on a trip to Vermont where a new hotel boasts having a natural spring. Vacationers love it, while the townspeople whisper about it, they fear it, they warn others that "the springs give miracles, but they always take something in return."

What do you wish for? If you thought your wish would be granted, would you make that wish? Would you care if there were consequences? Do you believe the warnings? Is there truth to the warnings or would you think someone was trying to mess with your head? Is your imagination getting the best of you? Would you swim in the springs?

Both storylines are enjoyable and as each plot line provides history on the hotel, the estate and Jax and Lexie's family. As the story unfolds, the book gets creepier, atmospheric and has a supernatural haunting vibe to it. I enjoyed how both storylines unfold.

Do not swim in a pool of water where you cannot see the bottom. End of story. That and Jennifer McMahon's books are awesome. :The Winter People by McMahon is my favorite but this one was another solid, creepy read. Ever notice her books are always perfect for reading on dark fall and winter nights???

Fans of McMahon and atmospheric creepy tales will enjoy this one. It is not graphic or overly scary, but it is chilling, dark and haunting.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Drowning Kind is a bone-chilling, multigenerational story about a body of water that grants wishes but does so at a great cost. In 1929, Ethel Monroe desperately wants a baby and calls upon the springs to bring her greatest wish to life. Ethel soon learns that the springs may be cursed and she worries that tragedy will soon befall her family like so many others before her. Nearly a century later, Jax inherits the home that once belonged to her grandmother and sister. The home, called Sparrow Crest, has a spring-fed pool that is thought to be haunted as it has taken many victims over the years, including Jax’s aunt and her estranged and mentally ill sister, Lexie. When she returns to Sparrow Crest, Jax embarks on a journey to discovery the truth behind the pool and her sister’s death. This story drew me in from the very first page and kept me on the edge of my seat until the shocking conclusion. The plot is expertly crafted, the mystery is intriguing, and the characters are flawed but relatable. Although it is a ghost story, I didn’t find it particularly terrifying but instead tense and foreboding. This type of atmosphere worked perfectly for the story and kept me engaged as a reader. The author also delivers a satisfying twist in the final pages. I highly recommend this book and I look forward to reading more of this author’s work. Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review!

Jennifer McMahon is one of my absolute favorite authors for spooky reading and The Drowning Kind did not disappoint.

Jax is a character I can relate to in an almost scary personal level. We both have a deceased sibling that suffered from bipolar disorder, and we come from a family that prefers to keep things in the dark and in the past. I immediately understood the frustration of handling someone with erratic behaviors, the highs and lows of mania and the subsequent depression. I won’t even get into my other family issues, but already knowing where Jax was coming from made this story hit a little bit different.

McMahon’s method of storytelling takes the reader back and forth from the present and the past in a way that slowly peels back the layers of mystery and reveals the frightening conclusion. Even if you think you have predicted the ending, there are still a few unforeseen surprises. Each character brings a necessary component and is fully and expertly developed.

I enjoyed this story from beginning to end and I will agonizingly await for McMahon’s next creation.

Thank you, Gallery Books, for the advanced copy. The opinions are my own.

Excellent, excellent, excellent novel. Honestly I was really blown away by how beautifully written this was and how amazing the plot was. It definitely is on my top reads for this year. Go and read it!

I have to admit it, but when I had my daughter, I wanted to make sure that she was MY DAUGHTER. At that time (80's) there was alot of who's baby is this.. I really enjoyed this book. Kept me puzzled.

Y'all, this book is CREEPY!!! I am not always a fan of scary, ghost type stories, but I am ALWAYS a fan of Jennifer McMahon. Her books are not my normal genre of choice, but they are spine tingling spooky and for some reason, I love them EVERY TIME!!
The Drowning Kind, which releases on April 6, 2021, is about a spring fed pool with healing waters and wish granting capabilities. But for every wish granted, something is taken in return. How much is your greatest desire worth? What are you willing to give up to make your wishes come true? Are you willing to turn dreams into nightmares?

Jennifer McMahon is the master at weaving together stories of old and new. Her stories are always full of small details that seem unimportant in the beginning and ultimately tie the whole book together. I feel like a detective reading her work trying to put together clues and solve the mystery. The Drowning Kind was no different and kept me engaged from the first page to last. Find this book, you will not be disappointed!

McMahon's books always send chills down my spine. She knows how to write psychological thrillers! Happily, this book was no different!

I read this during the month of October and let me tell you.. that was the perfect time to read it. The season was right for it. It was spooky and chilling.

McMahon's books are always well-paced.

Definitely recommend!

A deeply layered gothic narrative told between past and present. The story leans toward hauntings and supernatural mythology. Unfortunately, the character development was stunted and plot pace slow, making the overall feel of the novel that of general fiction opposed to anything suspenseful, especially for those familiar with the genre. A good starter novel.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheDrowningKind which was read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Brilliant creepy book. Everything Jennifer writes turns out excellent. This one was right up there with her best work. Highly recommend.

I preferred McMahon’s Winter People to this one but I didn’t like the ending of either. In present day, Jax returns to her grandmother’s house in Vermont after the death of her mentally ill sister. In 1929, a woman named Ethel is desperate to have a baby. Connecting the two stories is a natural spring said to cure ailments and perform miracles… But many say the spring is haunted and takes something from those it gives to. It was a good story and easy to read but very predictable - no twists or unexpected surprises. And I hated the ending!