The Drowning Kind was a solid 3.5 stars for me. Like any Jennifer McMahon book, there was a good storyline about ghosts. The story is told on 2 differing timelines - one in the past, the other in present day. It lagged a bit in the middle for me, honestly as not really much of anything interesting was happening. However, it definitely picked up in the end!

I rounded the stars down on this one because of the narration. Narration is the KEY to any audiobook. The narration in this one was painful. Too slow, too "perfect" in the annunciation of words. Just read the story! Make it natural, not this fake sing-songy nonsense! I had to speed the audio up to be able to moderately tolerate it. I wish that I had read this one rather than have listened to it. I would have definitely rated it higher!

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

.5 rounded up. Are you into ghosts? Spooky ghooooooosts?! This book is for you! The author did a great job of creating a very creepy atmosphere and layered backstory. The plot was very interesting and I did not want to stop listening, even when I had other stuff I really needed to do. The story definitely had its creepy, cold long fingernails imbedded into me, and I had to finish before it’d let me go.

There’s some room for improvement, definitely: the entire character of Lexie was incredibly annoying, the story was repetitive and in great need of a major edit to trim the fat, and in the audio edition I listened to, I could not STAND either of the narrators. The narrator for Jax sounded like she had a head cold, and Ethel had a weird, overly smooth guided meditation voice. It’s hard to explain, but I really disliked them both. And lastly, Ethel’s character - who told us the origin to the spooky springs story) was constantly stabbing and cutting herself with pins. I feel like I’ve been seeing the self-mutilation cutting trope a lot in these sorts of books, and I am just not that interested. Also the author takes lots of time to talk about the protagonist’s job as a therapist, including her work with one very troubled little boy. Those plot lines recur throughout the book and are never resolved. If they’re important enough to bring up, resolve them. I suspect that all could’ve been cut.

So, if you love a good ghost story, I would get it and put it on your “October TBR” list and prepare to be spooked.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Simon&SchusterAudio for the ARC of #TheDrowningKind! ❤️

Maybe it's just my slight aquaphobia (mental note, never EVER Google image search 'fear of drowning' again), but The Drowning Kind gave me a major case of the howling fantods. Serious willies over here. The dual narrative tells of both present and past tragedies, all centering around a spring-fed cut-out-of-the-granite pool. Now just why anyone would want to go to that much effort just for a creepy cold-water pool is beyond me. Again, see my above-referenced aquaphobia...

I kept finding myself wondering if I was reading a ghost novel or a horror novel, and the truth is, it's neither and both. Definitely there was some creepy ghost stuff going on. But there were also moments of psychological horror and terror. The truth is that there were a few holes in the plot, and some not-so-fantastic writing (especially in the past narrative thread), but I didn't even care because it kept making my hair stand on end.

I look forward to checking out more works from the author. If you enjoy a good scary story, definitely give this one a go.

Wow. I'm left speechless. This book was phenomenal.
This is the second book I've read by this author and I believe she will become an auto buy for me. Her books are always amazing! This book has all the creepy feelings, ghosts, legends and soo much more!
Jax and her sister Lexie were as thick as thieves when they were younger. But when Lexie receives her grandmother's home and inheritance when their grandmother passed away Jax started to resent Lexie and started putting boundaries and space between the two. So when one day she starts to receive several phone calls and frantic voicemails from Lexie, Jax comes to the conclusion that Lexie is off her medications and even reaches out to her aunt to check on Lexie. However, when her aunt goes to the grandmother's house she finds Lexie in the family pool drowned.
While Jax is going through the house and her sister's things she is making discoveries about Lexie that she did not know about and also that she was conducting research on the history of her grandmother's property.
Then we have flashbacks from a family in the 1920's who originally went to the spring because they had heard the stories about the healing properties of the spring and wanted help with infertility. There's just one big catch with the spring; it's like a curse. You will get what you want but, there is always a price it just depends if you are willing to pay the price.
I loved this book! This book would be great for anyone who loves creepy legends, ghost stories and even just a good creepy horror story! Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for the opportunity to read/listen to this one!

Did somebody say Hill House vibes?

Thank you Netgalley and Simon Schuster for an advanced reader copy for my honest review.

Jax spends her days avoiding her sister's manic episode fueled phone calls and working as a social worker. But everything changes when Jax learns that her estranged sister, Lexie has died in the pool they swam in as children.

In a dual time line, Ethel Monroe is living out her life in 1929 as a doctor's wife struggling to get pregnant. When a trip to a hotel near a natural spring gives her an irresistible opportunity to make a wish, her life will never be the same.

There is something lurking in the water behind the beautiful old mansion and a history of people drowning in its murky depths. Jax and Ethel, decades apart will tell you how the house and its mysterious springs have come to be and how they may never be destroyed.

This book is heartbreakingly sad but also very restorative. It is the second book by Jennifer McMahon that I have read, previously enjoying The Winter People with 3 full stars as well. I know of a lot of people who adore her writing style and I can definitely see the appeal however, this is the second book that has left me lukewarm. It is hauntingly similar to The Haunting of Hill House season 2 on netflix. So if you enjoyed that- you'll love this one as well.

This one dragged a lot for me.. I enjoyed the story, and I loved the varying perspectives, but I think it would have helped if it was read by two drastically different people because occasionally I had to think about which character I was listening to.

I loved the storyline with the flashbacks/letters. I liked the characters. I typically don't love ghost stories/super natural things but the cover and description worked for me and the story was written in such a way that it wasn't an issue. There was one weird scene where the dad jumps in the lake after saying he saw the daughter and that was a little much but again, it was written in a way that it didn't turn me off. I really liked the characters and thought they were fleshed out well with going being tedious in description.

This one wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but since some of that was likely due to the narration I would definitely try this author again.

This author is an automatic but for me. This was the first audiobook I’ve experienced from author. I enjoyed the story. If you enjoy horror/thriller check out this and any others by this author. You will not disappointed. I will definitely pick this book up to read!
Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for chance to listen to this audiobook!

Pub date 4/2021

Jennifer McMahon does it again! Not that it should be a surprise to anyone who's followed her career. McMahon has long been the queen of the thriller. From Dismantled and Promise Not to Tell through to The Invited, she creates narratives and characters that simply leap off the page with such visceral detail they seem strangely familiar.

But The Drowning Kind is something different. This is a seriously spooky ghost story that belongs in the same breath as the classics like Rebecca and Turn of the Screw. It's that good. I fear offering too many details without giving it way.

Suffice it to say, you won't see the ending coming.

I have a soft spot for stories that take place at creepy New England hotels, so I knew I would love this twisty supernatural tale by Jennifer McMahon. When Jax receives the horrible news that her sister Lexie has drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate, it sets her on the path to finding out what happened to her sister, while also discovering more about the history of the estate and the springs that feed the pool. I enjoyed alternating between the present day and back when the estate was a hotel in the 1920’s. Both narrators of the audiobook were excellent and led to me finding more chores to do around the house so I could keep listening.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator made this book very pleasant to listen to. As far as the content? Well, I wish I had known it was a ghost story and a story about them and a haunted pool. If one suspends reality and enjoys ghost stories, then you will enjoy this story as well. For me? I was hoping for a reasonable and believable conclusion. Oh well.

I had goosebumps listening to this book! It’s so atmospheric and haunting in a way that makes you feel uneasy. I loved the dual timelines and seeing how they came together. The audiobook was well done and the two narrators did a fabulous job! And the ending??? Major chills! Loved it!

Jax is living a drama free life in Washington state when she gets a call informing her that one half of the dynamic "x girls" duo, her sister Lex has drowned in the family's pool, infamous for its magical and healing abilities. When Jax returns home to the Sparrow Crest estate, she regrets the "x girls" estrangement due in part to Lex's mental illness but mostly due to Jax's jealousy of Lex's inheriting Sparrow Crest. Eager for answers on what led to her sister's death, Jax retraces her sister's final moments examining chaotic diary entries to life like paintings, which all led back to the magical pool's killing, oops, I meant healing ability. All of this was brought beautifully to life by the narrators Imani Jade Powers and Joy Osmanski.

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer Mchanon is a literary horror ghost story set in two timelines present day, where the reader follows Jax as she discovers the secrets of the Sparrow Crest estate which may have led to her sister's demise, and the early 20th century where the reader mets Ethel a distant relative of Jax and Lex, from whom we learn the origin of those Sparrow Crest secrets. Again, I must stress the importance of this books having two distinct voices for the narration. Imani Jade Powers and Joy Osmanski narration allowed me to know when I was in the present day with Jax and when I was stepping into the past with Ethal. Their wonderful narration truly helped my listening experience. Excellent narration was crucial, since Mchanon tackles moving sub-plots such as: family trauma, self-harm, a sapphic love story, and themes such as scientific logic versus the supernatural. I really enjoyed this story and audiobook, if you enjoy methodical storytelling mixed with literary horror then I suspect you will too. Hence, The Drowning Kind will leave the reader with one burning question: How far would you go to be close with the one you love? I rate 4.5 stars.

4 STARS

This book was creepy and fun! The story is about a healing pool - and when main character Jax goes back to her old harm to see her family, she finds her sister has died. It's been a long time since she's been home, and now her sister is gone. The book is a mystery to figure out why her sister died, and the mysterious healing pool. I loved this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster Audio for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

This was an atmospheric, supernatural thriller with dual time periods. A hotsprings pool with miraculous healing capabilities is center stage. But as the pool heals and grants wishes, it takes something in return and the results are deadly.

McMahon is an excellent writer and this was intense and scary at times. I’m not a huge fan of plots with supernatural elements and this was the primary focus. There wasn’t much of a mystery that needed to be solved in a conventional sense, so although I was engaged, I did not find this to be a page-turner. This will definitely appeal to readers who enjoy supernatural suspenses.

The audio version of this with alternating narrators who took on the voices and characteristics of the 2 different time periods was really well-done.

Although this book was a well written atmospheric novel,
"The Drowning Kind" was just not my "kind" of book.

The story unfolds from the POVs of two protagonists: 1) Jax (present), a mental health professional who ignores multiple calls from her mentally ill sister (HUH?) only to discover that her sister has drowned in her grandmother's pool in Vermont and 2) Ethel (1929), an infertile woman who goes to a natural healing spring in Vermont in the hope that her desperate wish to have a child will be granted. We quickly learn from both protagonists that dark secrets lurk beneath the surface of that Vermont pool, involving deaths and darkness that span a century.

The jockeying back to the past from the present with two different protagonists sometimes can work but it did not work here. When going from the past to the present, the same events were rehashed -- with repetitive dialog. There were also a few parts of the story that were not resolved when the story ended and this was disappointing. And, finally, I was seeking a "thriller" when I selected this book and this book was more a family drama/paranormal tale.

I listened to the book's audio version. I always love it when an audiobook has multiple narrators and this book's two narrators were superb.

SINK OR SWIM? Unfortunately, "The Drowning Kind" was a SINK for me.

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

I am extremely sensitive to audiobook narrators. If the voice grates and does not appeal, I can’t even get past the first few sentences.

That was my experience here. I am certain, given my past experiences with Jennifer McMahon books, that this is a superb story, but I simply could not stand to listen to the narrator. My problem, not hers.

This thriller wins the prize for creepiness among the many other thrillers and mysteries I've been reading during the past few months.

The plot follows two storylines. The first takes place in 1929 with Ethel, who is married to a doctor and finding it heartbreakingly impossible to conceive. Her husband hears of a magical “healing pool” in Vermont that grants wishes but, as it turns out, at a price.

The other, contemporary storyline follows Jax, a social worker, who returns to the rambling stone house with a spring-fed pool, that her grandmother had bequeathed to her sister, Lexie. She discovers that Lexie, who died at the house, had been investigating something before her death. Previously, the two sisters had become estranged after too many late-night calls from Lexie, who had been diagnosed as bipolar.

Of course, Jax becomes enveloped in trying to figure out the circumstances of her sister's death in the “healing waters.”

This was an excellent read if you can suspend a bit of disbelief and let yourself become immersed in the story, which is very well drawn.

What would you do if your wish was granted by a wishing well, but had deadly consequences? Would you still make a wish or would you accept life as it is?
This book was intriguing and spooky, a murderous version of Tuck Everlasting.

Lexi and Jax are sisters that were close as girls, but as adults they grew apart as Lexi inherited the family home and grew more manic and Jax worked as a therapist. Jax has distanced herself from Lexi in order to preserve her peace until she gets a series of calls that she doesn’t answer only to find out that Lexi is off her meds and in trouble. Lexi ends up drowning in the family pool, despite being an accomplished swimmer. Lexi was investigating the dark, dank spring fed pool, convinced that something was in there, but no one understands.
In another timeline, we learn of people in the 1920’s who went to the spring that fed the pool because of the stories of the waters healing and restorative powers. But there’s one catch-the spring doesn’t give without taking away.

This was a creepy and very descriptive story and the narration was well done.
Thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this arc audiobook in exchange for my review.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a ALC of this book.

The Drowning Kind is a paranormal thriller that follows Jacks as she learns that her sister has died. Lexie, who suffers from bipolar disorder, and Jacks have a disconnected relationship as Lexie, the favorite, inherited the family home that they both loved. At this home, there is a pool with a dark and secret past that revolves around the magic of the waters within. Jacks comes back to her childhood home and begins to discover what happened to her sister and learns that there may be more than just rumors about the mystery of the pool and the price of its aid.

This book had a lot of potential . I thought there were some mildly creep moments in it. The build up to the finale created tension however, the climax felt rushed and unsatisfying. I loved the alternating timelines, explaining the Brandenburg Hotel and the history of the pool. I was very invested in that aspect of the story. I wish there were more depth to that. Same about the present timeline. I thought it was intriguing but lacked depth. I wanted more paranormal, more scary scenes, and more answers.