Jennifer McMahon is one of the best authors I’ve read in a while. I devoured this book in a sitting. It spooked me until the very end. The book had of lot of mental health aspects mixed with a good ole ghost story! I can’t wait to see what she releases next! If you haven’t read a book by this author I encourage you to do it. you will not regret it

I found this book to be laborious and repetitive. I read all the 4 and 5 star reviews. I do not agree. Perhaps, one reason is, I could not plug into the supernatural phenomenon. Granted, that’s a prejudice right there, that I bring to the table. But the repetitive dialogue, describing Lexie and Jaks’s relationship, was agonizing. The characters were lack luster. Jaks is a psychologist with more issues than her patients. Aunt Diane and Ted ( Lexie and Jaks’s dad) add nothing to the story. The way the author wove the past and present was, however, clever, but not enough for me. Thank you Netgalley and Gallery/Scout Press for this opportunity.

Do you love a thriller with some horror? A book that you shouldn’t read in the dark? Look no further! The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon is it.

The Drowning Kind follows Jax, a social worker, in 2019 as she goes back to her family’s old property after her older sister is found floating dead in the pool, but here’s the thing...she isn’t the first one to be found dead in those waters.

In 1929, Ethel Monroe is newly married and is desperate for a baby. But how far will her desperation go? Enough to make a wish in the Vermont waters despite the warnings?You know what they say.... be careful what you wish for.

I absolutely loved this book. It gave me goosebumps with how creepy it got. It was so creepy that I had to stop reading it when it got too dark and I had to put the chain on the door. The author does an excellent job creating And developing a plot and characters, while having
two timelines occurring in the novel. I, especially, loved Jax. Being a social worker, I thought her character and how she navigated situations was accurate and relatable.

The only critique I would have is that the ending seemed a little rushed and I wished it was more suspenseful in those last moments of the book. However, overall, I think this was a great novel. I loved the plot. The characters. The unraveling of the mystery. Everything.

Another excellent book by Jennifer McMahon! Its wonderfully subtle and creepy. It builds slowly and you never really know what is going on until you get to the very end. Lots of twists and turns as you learn the story in the past (1930s) and the present.

Jennifer McMahon's books are the best type of ghost story: slow-building, atmospheric, and lots of twists. The Drowning Kind does not disappoint!

The ghost stories Jennifer McMahon writes are nothing short of fascinating. This book is just as good as The Winter People which was my all time favorite ghost story and also by the same author. This story takes place back around the 1920's and 1930's as well as present day. It hops back and forth between two stories that end up intersecting as the story progresses. I won't share more on that so as not to spoil anything.

Jackie and Lexie are sisters that grew up together in their eerie mansion of a house with their parents in New Hampshire. The house belonged to their grandmother. In the backyard of this house "lives" a pool that some believe isn't just a pool to swim and play in. It has a mind and soul of its own at times. The pool is almost a character in the story! Jackie and Lexie have a complicated relationship as adults but grew up as close sisters who spent countless times in their younger years, swimming and playing games in the pool. Lexie ended up living in the house after their grandmother passed away and left it to her.

As events continue in their lives, Jackie ends up back at the house at some point and has contact with the pool and all that comes with it. As the story goes back to the 1920's and 1930's we learn of a cute married couple; Will and Ethel. They take off to Vermont to visit a hotel with a natural spring that seems to offer good wishes to those who ask. Ethel desperately wants a child and is willing to do most anything to have one, but at a cost.

I highly recommend this book to those who love good old-fashioned ghost stories that have great storylines that are easy to follow. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC of this work of art.

Jennifer McMahon is one of my favorite authors ever. She is one of the few people who I will drop whatever I'm reading for - so as soon as I was approved, I dove in. Of course, it's phenomenal! Just spooky enough, atmospheric AF, with well drawn out characters that are far from perfect but you can still root for. Well done!

Jax, now a psychologist, remembers the "old days" when her sister, Lexi and her swam at Gram's pool. Lexi took like a fish to water and was truly peaceful while in the water. Now, Jax and her sister are estranged. Yet, Lexi calls and leaves 9 "manic" messages. Quite gibberish, Jax thinks... or are her words "clues" to something? Jaxs' Aunt Diane calls her to let her know that Lexie passed away. What link does this have to Brandenburg Springs that their grandparents had visited so long ago;;; Many Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for an interesting read.

Jennifer McMahon is an author I always look forward to reading. The Winter People and The Invited were two of my favorite reads the past year, and I couldn't wait to jump into The Drowning King. That cover is stunning, haunting, and ethereal, much like McMahon's writing, and I was not disappointed.

Jax is doing everything she can to live a normal life when she receives word that her sister, Lexie, has been found dead at her family home. Drowned, they said, and unfortunately for Jax, the house comes with a history of mysterious deaths, all linked to a natural springs pool on the outskirts of the property. As she cleans house, Jax dives deeper into her sister's inner workings in the days leading up to her death, she begins to question whether there's more to what happened to Lexie than her manic episodes.

I loved this book so much.

Let me start by saying, it's extremely difficult to do a haunted house story. They've been done a million times over, and not many people can fit the delicate balance between stereotype and originality. McMahon, however, does this beautifully. The house is not the sole focus of Jax's story, but it is always in our peripheral, lurking in our thoughts in a creepy, suspenseful way that is hard to shake.

This is strengthened by the alternating timelines, almost like the past is hurrying to catch up to the present, and this structure added to the overall uneasiness. Ethel's voice is interesting and strong, and while Jax was my favorite, both POVs were well-executed, well-paced, and purposeful. You can't have one without the other, and Ethel added nuance and depth to the current timeline.

Additionally, I loved the subject matter. Having grown up in the capital district, I've spent pretty much every summer in Saratoga that I can remember. My husband and I got married at the Canfield Casino, and as soon as I read about the springs, I pictured the stately, historic hotels that make up a sizable portion of Saratoga Springs. There is a note of history in McMahon's version, too, as people flocked from near and far to visit Saratoga and Gideon Putnam's famous springs for health and wellness. It's interesting in its own right, but having the connection resonated in a different way for me, and I know I won't be able to shake this story any time soon.

Overall, The Drowning Kind is an emotional, taut, haunting. McMahon proves once again to be a master of timeless ghost stories, and I definitely put this on my must read 2021 list This is one you don't want to miss.

Big thanks to Gallery and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange of honest review consideration.

I don't believe in ghost and I though this book was just weird. I do like stories within a story, so I liked the history of the great grandmother. The present girls. Lexie and Jax, I had a hard time following. Not my favorite

I love the creepy atmospheric style of Jennifer McMahon’s novels. The alternating timelines in this novel helped build the suspense as the reader could see bad things happening with the springs in the past and Jax dealing with her sister’s death in the present.
There were a few things that made it not great for me, a character dealing with migraines drinking wine with a migraine.... not going to happen. Any migraine sufferers knows to stay away from alcohol. But I’m being picky.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I always love Jennifer McMahon, and The Drowning Kind was no exception. Creepy and haunting, with the perfect setting. This is a great read for a rainy night! 4.5 stars.

Jennifer McMahon is a master at this type of novel. Having read all of her books, I think this was my favorite. I absolutely loved the setting and how the story was told through multigenerations. The ending still has me thinking and I'm not sure what to make of it. Overall, a quick read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

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

Wow! What a deep eerie story. This is one of those can’t put it down, stay up all night books. The characters are richly woven and we get to follow their past and present.
The Springs are a mystical place, cold deep dark water that can supposedly grant wishes and heal what ails you. Sisters Lexi and Jax have grown up on the ground of this magical but eerie pool. The swam In its bottomless waters scaring each other with legends of a girl living in its depths. Sometimes legends are true... when one sister is found drowned in these waters the other needs to separate fact from legend to discover the truth...
but one thing is for sure the springs can give but they also take. And what they take could be your life.
This fast paced thrilled is a must read! This is one of my favourite authors and this book did not disappoint. I’m sad I’ve finished it.

I LOVE this novel! It's my first by this author and now I want to read ALL the books by Jennifer McMahon. I am calling it one of my top reads for 2021.
The story is captivating, enthralling and breathtaking! The story of two sisters and a dark pool fed by springs believed to have magical, healing powers. But beware- the springs give an the springs take as well. When you make a wish at the spring-fed pool at Sparrow Crest (where the sisters grandmother grew up and they visited often) you will get your wish- at a terrible cost.
There are two stories here being woven together beautifully. The story of Jax and the devastating loss of her sister Lexie, who drowns in the pool. The very same pool claimed the lives of many relatives and more before her. At the same, we read the story of Ethel Monroe and her desperate wish for a child, that comes true with a trip to the magical waters.
The writing is excellent, it drew me in. The sisters' relationship is captured expertly, with love and jealousy that is common in sisterhood. Loved the other characters such as Aunt Diane and Eliza Harding.
This is a five star read that can NOT be missed! Pick it up and fall into the reading hole that will keep you holding your breath and dying to know what the pool has in store!
Thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher.

I really enjoyed this novel which intertwines myths, family secrets, and generational mental illness.

Jackie Metcalf hasn’t seen her sister in over a year. After resentment building regarding a will, Jackie breaks off contact with Lexie. Lexie has bipolar disorder with psychotic features, and she often goes off her medication. One night, Jackie receives dozens of voicemails from Lexie, but ignores them. The next day, her sister is dead from a drowning, presumed suicide.

Jackie travels back to their family castle, once owned by her grandmother, to find out what happened to Lexie in her last days. Was Lexie psychotic, and is that what led her to leave strange notes everywhere? Was it suicide, or an accident?

This was really well-written and I loved the bond between the two sisters: that person that always drives you crazy, and sometimes to an unhealthy extent, but you love her anyway. Flashbacks also feature a few woman named Ethel, but her part in the story doesn’t really become clear until towards the end of the book. I can’t wait to read more from Ms. McMahon!

I knew it was coming buuut did we like the ending? I still haven't decided. This was well-written and atmospheric, and I liked how the author connected the generations of families and their connection to the springs.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Jax,a social worker, received nine increasingly manic and incoherent messages from her estranged sister , Lexie, she chalked it up to Lexie being off her medication and on another one of her manic episodes. But then she receives a call from her aunt. Lexie was found floating face down in the pool of the family home. When Jax goes home for the memorial and to deal with the estate, she discovers that Lexie had been delving into the history of the home, and what she had uncovered may have been what killed her.
Back in 1929, newlywed Ethel Monroe desperately longed for a baby. So much so that she and her husband went to a weekend getaway at a new hotel where there was a natural spring that was rumored to grant wishes. What Ethel didn't know at the time was...whenever it grants a wish, it takes something you love in return.
I am a huge fan of this author's books and this may be my new favorite. I could not put it down. It went back and forth between past and present, tying the two stories together. It had a great "creepy factor" going for it. Ms. McMahon really knows how to tell a good ghost/entity story. This book is definitely one you are not going to want to miss!

Thank you NetGalley publisher and author for this gifted ebook!

Summary
Be careful what you wish for.

When social worker Jax receives nine missed calls from her older sister, Lexie, she assumes that it’s just another one of her sister’s episodes. Manic and increasingly out of touch with reality, Lexie has pushed Jax away for over a year. But the next day, Lexie is dead: drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate. When Jax arrives at the house to go through her sister’s things, she learns that Lexie was researching the history of their family and the property.

Review
What a haunting edge of your seat ride this book was.
This was such a great book.... I can't put into words.
Such a dark, twisted read that will have holding your breath till the last page!

Pretty good, but also gets repetitive at times.

I liked the premise and the story was downright creepy at times.

But, as much as I usually enjoy past and present tense narratives, it didn’t work as well for me here.

We knew something was off about the springs. I truly didn’t need old journal entries to solidify it. It honestly detracted from the current mystery. And also the creepy factor.

I think I’d have to go back to truly figure out WHEN one part of the ending took place. Because I couldn’t remember certain things about Jax. However, it’s not an unguessable conclusion. I felt it was easy to “get” when you read the clues.

It’s readable, but unfortunately for me, not spectacular.

When it's clear from the jump that a horror or thriller novel might be using bipolar disorder as a plot twist, I stay away. (Looking beyond the fact that using mental illness this way is lazy and overdone, it also adds to stigma in a harmful way.) That said, I've read everything Jennifer McMahon has ever written, so I decided to plunge forward with The Drowning Kind to give an author I generally trust a fair shake. While I didn't love that the premise is that our narrator wasn't sure if her sister was having an episode or if indeed true evil was afoot, I'll settle here: the actual representation was thoughtful and nuanced. (According to McMahon's bio on her website, she worked in mental health, so perhaps that's why.) I'm done lecturing... I promise.

Despite myself, I loved this novel. While the idea of a haunted swimming pool might not seem chilling, the author is masterful enough at her craft that she could write about damn near anything and it would raise the hairs on the back of my neck. Here are some things that worked for me:
-No one writes a setting and transports the readers there like McMahon. As Ethel and her husband drove through the 1920's countryside to the new hotel known for its healing waters, I could picture perfectly the sprawling estate with its pristine gardens and deep, dark pools. I could feel the buzz and excitement as the owners greeted guests, the shock of cold as Ethel submerged herself into the water, the unsettling sense of something sinister. Both timelines were deliciously atmospheric.
-McMahon made me feel deeply for the characters. Ethel's despair over her struggles with infertility, Lex's guilt over abandoning her sister, and even the loss felt by some of the side characters all pulled me in and made it impossible to put the book down. I find that the most effective horror weaves in realistic nightmares (grief, loss, family dysfunction) alongside supernatural frights, and that was definitely true here.

What I didn't care for as much was some of the mystery around how certain families' fates were tied together. That part didn't feel like it needed to be as cryptic as it was.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.