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The Drowning Pool
Relocated to a coastal town with her young son Alfie, widowed teacher Sarah Grey is slowly rebuilding her life. But following a séance one drunken night, she begins to be plagued by horrific visions. Her attempts to explain them away are dashed when Alfie starts to see them too, and soon it seems that they are targets of a terrifying haunting.
Convinced that the ghost is that of a 19th century local witch and her own namesake, Sarah delves into local folklore and learns that the witch was thought to have been evil incarnate. When a series of old letters surface, Sarah discovers that nothing and no one is as it seems, not even the ghost of Sarah Grey…
Convinced that the ghost is that of a 19th century local witch and her own namesake, Sarah delves into local folklore and learns that the witch was thought to have been evil incarnate. When a series of old letters surface, Sarah discovers that nothing and no one is as it seems, not even the ghost of Sarah Grey…
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
219 people are currently reading
1260 people want to read
About the author
Syd Moore
16 books200 followersBefore embarking on a career in education, Syd worked extensively in the publishing industry, fronting Channel 4’s book programme, Pulp. She was the founding editor of Level 4, an arts and culture magazine, and is co-creator of Super Strumps, the game that reclaims female stereotypes.
Syd has also been a go go dancer, backing singer, subbuteo maker, children’s entertainer and performance poet, She now works for Metal Culture, an arts organisation, promoting arts and cultural events and developing literature programmes.
Syd is an out and proud Essex Girl and is lucky enough to live in that county where she spends her free time excavating old myths and listening out for things that go bump in the night.
Syd has also been a go go dancer, backing singer, subbuteo maker, children’s entertainer and performance poet, She now works for Metal Culture, an arts organisation, promoting arts and cultural events and developing literature programmes.
Syd is an out and proud Essex Girl and is lucky enough to live in that county where she spends her free time excavating old myths and listening out for things that go bump in the night.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
May 16, 2023
Enjoyed the ghost factor, but the story itself was pretty weak and pointless.
The plot sees single mum, Sarah, haunted by a woman of the same name, said to be a witch. Said haunting involves shells and pinecones and eerie visions and leads to Sarah attempting to unravel the mystery of her demise.
Overall, there's a lot of superfluous or uninteresting detail. We experience motherhood with Sarah, though Alfie is a perfect child so there's not too many issues there. We have visits from relatives and a lot of meandering through parks and along the beach. There are a gaggle of friends who all tend to blend together as there's not really any decent kind of characterisation for anyone.
I was, however, intrigued by the mystery of Sarah. Her behaviour as a ghost was a bit underwhelming - more Casper than Poltergeist - but it was enough to make me curious about what had happened to her.
I was never so bored that I skimmed, but there wasn't a huge amount of substance here. Ghost Sarah's story, while mysterious, wasn't all that interesting. It was easy to predict almost all of the twists, and even the general flow was easy enough to guess at.
It entertained me for the duration but there's nothing particularly noteworthy here.
The plot sees single mum, Sarah, haunted by a woman of the same name, said to be a witch. Said haunting involves shells and pinecones and eerie visions and leads to Sarah attempting to unravel the mystery of her demise.
Overall, there's a lot of superfluous or uninteresting detail. We experience motherhood with Sarah, though Alfie is a perfect child so there's not too many issues there. We have visits from relatives and a lot of meandering through parks and along the beach. There are a gaggle of friends who all tend to blend together as there's not really any decent kind of characterisation for anyone.
I was, however, intrigued by the mystery of Sarah. Her behaviour as a ghost was a bit underwhelming - more Casper than Poltergeist - but it was enough to make me curious about what had happened to her.
I was never so bored that I skimmed, but there wasn't a huge amount of substance here. Ghost Sarah's story, while mysterious, wasn't all that interesting. It was easy to predict almost all of the twists, and even the general flow was easy enough to guess at.
It entertained me for the duration but there's nothing particularly noteworthy here.
June 1, 2013
I thought this book had a really strong start but somewhere along the line it lost its momentum and became something a bit more average. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading it, but I certainly don't think it's anything amazing. First its strengths: What I really liked about this book was the way that it was firmly positioned in a local area. I'm not familiar with the area, but I think that if you were, it would be a real draw to this book to see your area so vividly rendered in the story. I have a friend who is from Canvey Island who has a penchant for supernatural novels and I'll certainly be recommending this story to her.
There is also some really good writing in this book - scenes are vividly brought to life - one can almost smell the hot summer streets.
However, I didn't like the characters. Some people might find these types of people (and they are definitely a "type" of woman, i.e. of a certain class) but I just found them offensive. Hard-drinking 30-somethings isn't really my thing I'm afraid. With this in view, it's kind of hard to empathise with characters you can't actually relate to. In my view, they are only ever going to appeal to other hard-drinking 30-somethings - a fairly niche market I should say.
The supernatural element is not well-developed although it starts well. It's not really a ghost story - more of a whodunnit.
Incidentally, The Guardian has been quoted on the front of this book as saying of it "A stunning reinvention of the ghost story". In actual fact there was an author named Rosemary Timperley who was very prolific during the late 70s and early 80s who wrote exactly this kind of thing - whodunnits/mysteries with a supernatural twist. She was a big favourite of large print libraries and the tone in this novel was very reminiscent of Timperley's work - although I have to say Rosemary Timperley did it a lot better. It just goes to show that The Guardian know next to nothing about literature (and I'm not just saying that because they requested copies, read and then rejected my book for the shortlist of their First Book Award - that's not the reason at all...)
It didn't take me long to get to the end of this and it was a fairly enjoyable experience so don't be put off. However, I then started reading the excerpt of Moore's next novel which was featured at the end of my Kindle edition. Her next book, it seems, is about witches (again) in Essex (again) and features the characters of Sadie and Joe (not at all like Sarah and Josh from this first novel then). I'll give it a miss, I think.
There is also some really good writing in this book - scenes are vividly brought to life - one can almost smell the hot summer streets.
However, I didn't like the characters. Some people might find these types of people (and they are definitely a "type" of woman, i.e. of a certain class) but I just found them offensive. Hard-drinking 30-somethings isn't really my thing I'm afraid. With this in view, it's kind of hard to empathise with characters you can't actually relate to. In my view, they are only ever going to appeal to other hard-drinking 30-somethings - a fairly niche market I should say.
The supernatural element is not well-developed although it starts well. It's not really a ghost story - more of a whodunnit.
Incidentally, The Guardian has been quoted on the front of this book as saying of it "A stunning reinvention of the ghost story". In actual fact there was an author named Rosemary Timperley who was very prolific during the late 70s and early 80s who wrote exactly this kind of thing - whodunnits/mysteries with a supernatural twist. She was a big favourite of large print libraries and the tone in this novel was very reminiscent of Timperley's work - although I have to say Rosemary Timperley did it a lot better. It just goes to show that The Guardian know next to nothing about literature (and I'm not just saying that because they requested copies, read and then rejected my book for the shortlist of their First Book Award - that's not the reason at all...)
It didn't take me long to get to the end of this and it was a fairly enjoyable experience so don't be put off. However, I then started reading the excerpt of Moore's next novel which was featured at the end of my Kindle edition. Her next book, it seems, is about witches (again) in Essex (again) and features the characters of Sadie and Joe (not at all like Sarah and Josh from this first novel then). I'll give it a miss, I think.
September 23, 2025
✨️A mystery surrounded in the past and present. Encompassing the terrible persecution of women as witches bringing to the light a modern-day murder mystery with the past subtlety and paranormally coming together. The writing was a bit "off" in places for me. But the story was good and came to a fairly tied up conclusion.
👻🧙♀️🌲🍦
👻🧙♀️🌲🍦
July 9, 2015
This had been appearing in my Amazon recommendations for months and I kept ignoring it - mainly, I will admit, because of the horrible tacky cover, which made me think of some awful schlock-horror story, or one of those ultra-cheap ebooks that look like somone's knocked the whole thing together in an afternoon. I don't really know what made me decide to buy it: probably a combination of a) it being one of the top recommendations for readers who enjoyed Brodmaw Bay, b) the quote on said cover deeming it 'a stunning reinvention of the ghost story' - from the Guardian, no less! and c) the fact that the Kindle edition is only 99p.
The narrator is Sarah Grey, a young mother who, following the death of her husband Josh, relocates to the coastal town of Leigh-on-Sea. The beautifully depicted seaside community is a welcome escape from reminders of Sarah's past, and she quickly develops a network of close friends. During a drunken night out, Sarah learns that one of the local legends concerns a woman with the same name as her - supposedly a 'sea-witch' who attacked children and cursed a ship and its crew. After that night, Sarah begins to experience a series of visions, dreams and strange incidents, and gradually becomes convinced she is the subject of a haunting by the malevolent spirit of her 19th-century namesake. The story is given a further twist when Sarah discovers she may have a neurological condition; could what she's experiencing be down to a brain tumour? The Drowning Pool (the title relates to a local pond said to have been used for 'ducking' trials during witch-hunts) follows Sarah as, using various methods, she attempts to get to the bottom of what is really going on, and tries to understand why she is being haunted.
This is a good book: engaging, original and fast-paced, it takes some genuinely interesting and unpredictable turns. The trouble with it is that it tries to pack so much into one story. It starts as a spooky tale with a psychological twist, as Sarah wonders whether her 'ghost' could be a product of illness or grief, and struggles against her friends' doubt. Then it turns into an assessment of the horrors of witch-hunts from a feminist perspective. Then it starts diverging into Sarah's friends' lives, particularly an old family scandal that appears to have seriously affected one of her closest friends, Sharon. Then it becomes a historical mystery, with Sarah researching her namesake's past and turning up some fascinating old diaries and letters. Then it goes all swoon-worthy-romance for a couple of chapters. Then it becomes a suspense thriller - can Sarah trust the man she is falling for? Finally, it becomes a crime novel with a paranormal slant, resulting in a bloody and really rather daft climax.
Books that throw everything but the kitchen sink at the reader are rarely successful, unless they're a) deliberately about life, the universe and everything or b) they're very, very, very well-written. The Drowning Pool does actually try and pull a coherent plot out of its melange of genres, which doesn't really work in the end, and the whole thing feels like it needs chopping up, editing and polishing to within an inch of its life. The language can be annoying, with a lot of slang shoehorned in (presumably to make it sound more casual and realistic, but actually creating the opposite effect). Sometimes the genre mash-up is an advantage - what initially felt like an extremely contrived romantic subplot turned out to have several really intriguing twists - but the climax lost me; it was just too ridiculous...
Overall, I enjoyed this, but it just went in too many different directions to be a satisfying read. I wished that it had just stuck to the original story about Sarah Grey's ghost, the local legends and the historical facts behind them, rather than branching into numerous modern-day subplots and then trying to work paranormal elements into these. There's also an extract from Moore's next book right at the end, and unfortunately, it appears to be similarly messy, so I'm not sure I'll bother with that. The Drowing Pool is a decent Kindle bargain, though, and definitely more than worth that 99p.
The narrator is Sarah Grey, a young mother who, following the death of her husband Josh, relocates to the coastal town of Leigh-on-Sea. The beautifully depicted seaside community is a welcome escape from reminders of Sarah's past, and she quickly develops a network of close friends. During a drunken night out, Sarah learns that one of the local legends concerns a woman with the same name as her - supposedly a 'sea-witch' who attacked children and cursed a ship and its crew. After that night, Sarah begins to experience a series of visions, dreams and strange incidents, and gradually becomes convinced she is the subject of a haunting by the malevolent spirit of her 19th-century namesake. The story is given a further twist when Sarah discovers she may have a neurological condition; could what she's experiencing be down to a brain tumour? The Drowning Pool (the title relates to a local pond said to have been used for 'ducking' trials during witch-hunts) follows Sarah as, using various methods, she attempts to get to the bottom of what is really going on, and tries to understand why she is being haunted.
This is a good book: engaging, original and fast-paced, it takes some genuinely interesting and unpredictable turns. The trouble with it is that it tries to pack so much into one story. It starts as a spooky tale with a psychological twist, as Sarah wonders whether her 'ghost' could be a product of illness or grief, and struggles against her friends' doubt. Then it turns into an assessment of the horrors of witch-hunts from a feminist perspective. Then it starts diverging into Sarah's friends' lives, particularly an old family scandal that appears to have seriously affected one of her closest friends, Sharon. Then it becomes a historical mystery, with Sarah researching her namesake's past and turning up some fascinating old diaries and letters. Then it goes all swoon-worthy-romance for a couple of chapters. Then it becomes a suspense thriller - can Sarah trust the man she is falling for? Finally, it becomes a crime novel with a paranormal slant, resulting in a bloody and really rather daft climax.
Books that throw everything but the kitchen sink at the reader are rarely successful, unless they're a) deliberately about life, the universe and everything or b) they're very, very, very well-written. The Drowning Pool does actually try and pull a coherent plot out of its melange of genres, which doesn't really work in the end, and the whole thing feels like it needs chopping up, editing and polishing to within an inch of its life. The language can be annoying, with a lot of slang shoehorned in (presumably to make it sound more casual and realistic, but actually creating the opposite effect). Sometimes the genre mash-up is an advantage - what initially felt like an extremely contrived romantic subplot turned out to have several really intriguing twists - but the climax lost me; it was just too ridiculous...
Overall, I enjoyed this, but it just went in too many different directions to be a satisfying read. I wished that it had just stuck to the original story about Sarah Grey's ghost, the local legends and the historical facts behind them, rather than branching into numerous modern-day subplots and then trying to work paranormal elements into these. There's also an extract from Moore's next book right at the end, and unfortunately, it appears to be similarly messy, so I'm not sure I'll bother with that. The Drowing Pool is a decent Kindle bargain, though, and definitely more than worth that 99p.
April 15, 2012
I’ve just finished reading The Drowning Pool and want to post the review while it is still fresh in my mind.
I don’t want to give away the story itself in this review, instead I want to focus more on my opinions of the book. This is, essentially, a ghost story. Not my usual genre but a book that I really enjoyed nonetheless. In fact I would say that after reading it I think I’d be more inclined to pick up a ‘ghost story’ in the future.
I was initially drawn to it as it is based in Leigh on Sea in Essex which is quite near to where I used to live so I thought I would enjoy some of the local references and folk-lore; which I did.
I liked the way that relationships were built within the story, they were believable and engaging – I found myself caring about the central characters.
I liked the way that the suspense was built too. There was one morning in particular when I was reading this book that I scared myself witless thinking I could hear noises downstairs! Yes I said morning, it was broad daylight!
Spooky and engaging – gets a thumbs up from me.
I don’t want to give away the story itself in this review, instead I want to focus more on my opinions of the book. This is, essentially, a ghost story. Not my usual genre but a book that I really enjoyed nonetheless. In fact I would say that after reading it I think I’d be more inclined to pick up a ‘ghost story’ in the future.
I was initially drawn to it as it is based in Leigh on Sea in Essex which is quite near to where I used to live so I thought I would enjoy some of the local references and folk-lore; which I did.
I liked the way that relationships were built within the story, they were believable and engaging – I found myself caring about the central characters.
I liked the way that the suspense was built too. There was one morning in particular when I was reading this book that I scared myself witless thinking I could hear noises downstairs! Yes I said morning, it was broad daylight!
Spooky and engaging – gets a thumbs up from me.
October 15, 2024
Started off well, but became confused with a lot of characters and what felt like a rushed ending to tie together too many tangents. Enjoyable up until the final third, unsatisfying ending that somehow felt drawn out and rushed at the same time.
September 27, 2024
I picked this up under the new title The Witching Hour, but it was originally The Drowning Pool. Honestly, the new title doesn’t fit… it suggests a horror, which this is not.
There are too many characters with little development, making it hard to follow their subplots and figure out who’s important. The story turns into a “whodunnit” mystery, not horror, with maybe five spooky pages total. I was expecting a ghostly spooky thriller but disappointed by long drawn out chapters of mystery solving.
The chapters drag on with not much happening, and the ending is rushed and pretty ridiculous. Overall, it’s slow, underwhelming, and not the spooky story I was expecting.
There are too many characters with little development, making it hard to follow their subplots and figure out who’s important. The story turns into a “whodunnit” mystery, not horror, with maybe five spooky pages total. I was expecting a ghostly spooky thriller but disappointed by long drawn out chapters of mystery solving.
The chapters drag on with not much happening, and the ending is rushed and pretty ridiculous. Overall, it’s slow, underwhelming, and not the spooky story I was expecting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2012
I would give this 4.5 if I could. It was recommended by a friend and I have really enjoyed it. It is a bit spooky, with a ghostly haunting, which the main character tries to get to the bottom of. She has the same name as an accused witch from over a hundred years before, and starts to be haunted by her. However, are the hauntings real, an overactive imagination or a symptom of an illness? And are the people around her on her side or do they have their own agendas?
I found myself second guessing a few times, which kept the story interesting. It's not a work of literary genius but that's not really the kind of book I like anyway. It was a good story, enough intrigue to keep it flowing and a really good first novel. Looking forward to the next one.
I found myself second guessing a few times, which kept the story interesting. It's not a work of literary genius but that's not really the kind of book I like anyway. It was a good story, enough intrigue to keep it flowing and a really good first novel. Looking forward to the next one.
September 28, 2024
I really didn’t want to give this 1 star and feel guilty for doing it but I can’t give it any more than that.
I finished the book but struggled all the way through it hoping it would get better, and at some points skim reading because I was so bored.
Too many characters, too many historical dates and details which felt unnecessary, the “ghostly” aspect of it felt too pre-teen, and I have never read a book with such an unlikeable main character.
To add, I believe in ghosts and spirits and feel like this book had so much potential but just felt really weak and a bit childish.
I finished the book but struggled all the way through it hoping it would get better, and at some points skim reading because I was so bored.
Too many characters, too many historical dates and details which felt unnecessary, the “ghostly” aspect of it felt too pre-teen, and I have never read a book with such an unlikeable main character.
To add, I believe in ghosts and spirits and feel like this book had so much potential but just felt really weak and a bit childish.
October 20, 2024
I brought this book thinking it was a ghost story. It started that way but quickly changed. It was such a struggle to get through that I didn’t finish it in the end.
I don’t like giving low reviews but I really didn’t like this. If you are reading this review please remember that reading is subjective and just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean you won’t like it.
I don’t like giving low reviews but I really didn’t like this. If you are reading this review please remember that reading is subjective and just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean you won’t like it.
December 15, 2024
I really wanted to like this book and it is one of the few that I just can’t face any more reading of it because it’s just torturous. I’ve got to page 180 and we’re now at the bit where the protagonist meets the manager who she’s obviously going to have an affair with of some kind and he’s just splurged out his entire life story over coffee. As if! It’s so predictable that now we know that conveniently his wife and child have died that he is going to get with her. And the research! Making a character do the research when clearly the author did the research is mindnumbing . couldn’t the author have made it into a story instead of having the character do the research which is absolutely boring? I’ve just read the synopsis in some of the other reviews and I’m really glad that I’m not going to read any more of it because it sounds as if it gets even more ridiculous. I know that we’re all different people we all have different views but I really don’t know where people who love the book are looking .The characters are like cardboard, dialogue is so unrealistic it’s untrue. Doesn’t the author ever listen to anybody speaking? I don’t know where the protagonist shoves the child all the time while she’s a leaping around doing all of these things. What’s the point of having a child as a character if they are hardly in it apart from being shoved off to the babysitter. There is no sense of place AA roadmap descriptions of towns doesn’t cut it. I don’t like giving up on a book but I’m not wasting any more time on this.
October 24, 2024
Rating: 3.5/5
The Witching Hour by Syd Moore is the perfect spooky read for autumn. The suspense and creepy atmosphere pulled me in right away, and there were definitely moments where I had to stop reading at night because it freaked me out! The way the story slowly builds tension is spot on.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the historical aspect. The book does a great job highlighting the injustices women faced, and I loved how the different storylines all tied together, whether through shared experiences, history repeating itself, or family connections. It made everything feel really connected and gave the story a deeper meaning.
That said, while I was fully invested in the buildup, the climax came a bit late for me, and then it all wrapped up pretty quickly. I would’ve loved a bit more time spent on the ending after all that tension.
Overall, The Witching Hour is a solid read if you’re looking for something eerie and atmospheric with a bit of history mixed in. It’s great for spooky season, but the quick resolution might leave you wanting more.
The Witching Hour by Syd Moore is the perfect spooky read for autumn. The suspense and creepy atmosphere pulled me in right away, and there were definitely moments where I had to stop reading at night because it freaked me out! The way the story slowly builds tension is spot on.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the historical aspect. The book does a great job highlighting the injustices women faced, and I loved how the different storylines all tied together, whether through shared experiences, history repeating itself, or family connections. It made everything feel really connected and gave the story a deeper meaning.
That said, while I was fully invested in the buildup, the climax came a bit late for me, and then it all wrapped up pretty quickly. I would’ve loved a bit more time spent on the ending after all that tension.
Overall, The Witching Hour is a solid read if you’re looking for something eerie and atmospheric with a bit of history mixed in. It’s great for spooky season, but the quick resolution might leave you wanting more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2025
The ending! Oh my goodness 🥹 This story follows Sarah Grey, a widowed mum to her 4 year old son, Alfie. Sarah, who's moving through the motions of grief, having lost her husband to a sudden and tragic accident 3 years prior, is finding some sort of normally settling back into her home town of Leigh in Essex.
Having reconnected with her friendship group and made some new friends, they find themselves rather pissed while sitting up on the hill in the old castle ruins telling ghost stories around a fire. Little does Sarah know they have called a séance by telling a story about the old sea witch, Sarah Grey. A wicked, cruel old woman who used to burn children, curse sailors, and practice witchcraft.
With visions, nightmares, and deep dives in history, Sarah has accepted her mission in finding out the true story of Sarah Grey uncovering more than she imagined possible.
With the feels of history, reincarnation, love, murder, heartbreak, and womanhood, this is a story to settle down with a blanket and let Sarah take you on her journey.
Having reconnected with her friendship group and made some new friends, they find themselves rather pissed while sitting up on the hill in the old castle ruins telling ghost stories around a fire. Little does Sarah know they have called a séance by telling a story about the old sea witch, Sarah Grey. A wicked, cruel old woman who used to burn children, curse sailors, and practice witchcraft.
With visions, nightmares, and deep dives in history, Sarah has accepted her mission in finding out the true story of Sarah Grey uncovering more than she imagined possible.
With the feels of history, reincarnation, love, murder, heartbreak, and womanhood, this is a story to settle down with a blanket and let Sarah take you on her journey.
February 18, 2025
I loved this book. The story gripped me from start to end. I thought the characters were easy to understand and the story developed in a natural way. I also thought the ending was perfect.
October 15, 2016
I'm probably too tired to write a proper review, but here goes: Sarah Grey, a young English widow with an annoying son starts to have visions of a murdered woman from yesteryear who was unjustly accused of witchcraft, goes in search of the truth, finds romance, encounters danger and multiple ghosts on the way to a hokey ending, and drinks vats full of alcohol. Am I the only person who found the real horror of this story concerned the tribulations of Sarah's liver? Well, it's the season for ghost stories, and at 99 cents for the ebook I'm not complaining, but I think this was definitely aimed more at the chick lit reader than the horror fan. Although, in all fairness, I have to admit there was one mildly creepy scene.
July 28, 2018
My top three thoughts on 'The Drowning Pool':
1. I didn't like any of the characters in this book, especially Sarah Grey the protagonist. There were pages and pages written about her and her feelings (especially her need for baths!) But she was still too underdeveloped for me. Her emotions and reactions were random and sudden, almost bordering on absurd.
2. The book started off well. The descriptions and some of the situations in the first few chapters were spooky. There were also scenes and landscapes brought to life that built a momentum.
3. 'The Drowning Pool' didn't work for me at all. I expected a ghost story but instead had to sit through a whodunit mystery that was actually really boring. By the time the mystery was revealed I really didn't care what happened in which era.
1. I didn't like any of the characters in this book, especially Sarah Grey the protagonist. There were pages and pages written about her and her feelings (especially her need for baths!) But she was still too underdeveloped for me. Her emotions and reactions were random and sudden, almost bordering on absurd.
2. The book started off well. The descriptions and some of the situations in the first few chapters were spooky. There were also scenes and landscapes brought to life that built a momentum.
3. 'The Drowning Pool' didn't work for me at all. I expected a ghost story but instead had to sit through a whodunit mystery that was actually really boring. By the time the mystery was revealed I really didn't care what happened in which era.
October 5, 2016
Just as there are "cozy" mysteries, there are "cozy" ghost stories: a haunting; a dash of romance; a smidgen of terror, a plucky heroine...All the ingredients are present here but they are handled so well that instead of being irritated, as I normally am by romantic novels, I was pleased. The Victorian background is well researched and historically authentic; the protagonist manages to sound sympathetic rather than coy (it helps that she consumes more alcohol in the course of this book than most people do in a lifetime); and the pace is impeccable. A great read if you are on a plane or recovering from flu.
January 3, 2016
Awful.
September 13, 2020
The Drowning Pool by Syd Moore
Widowed, single mother Sarah Grey moves to Leigh in an attempt to rebuild her life following the death of her husband.
One night following a "seance" with her friends she starts seeing things which are hard to explain. When her son also starts seeing and hearing things she realises that she is being haunted by the ghost of a suspected 19th century witch. If Sarah wants to move on with her life she will have to listen carefully to the ghosts of the past.
I enjoyed following the journey of Sarah and her investigation into the life of a woman wrongfully accused of witchcraft in the 19th century. The characters were well developed and Sarah was likeable and dealt with her situation quite well, no hysterics or over reactions which makes a change.
The ghost story elements of this novel are neither scary nor chilling but intriguing. The past and present are intertwined skillfully, you know where you are and there aren't so many characters that you find yourself lost.
The only thing that put me off at times slightly is the persistent "if only I knew now what i knew then" type of sentences. Sarah keeps making references like that and it was a bit jarring as it made you expect what was to come later. Typically of me i had guessed the ending but it may have taken a bit longer without certain suggestions of what may happen to a character at the end.
Overall i enjoyed the book, the characters are well rounded, the story was interesting and the end tied everything up nicely. I would definitely read another book by Syd Moore.
I recommend reading this book if you like a good ghost story without the horror element and if you like a mystery with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure.
7/10 👻 👻👻👻👻👻👻
Widowed, single mother Sarah Grey moves to Leigh in an attempt to rebuild her life following the death of her husband.
One night following a "seance" with her friends she starts seeing things which are hard to explain. When her son also starts seeing and hearing things she realises that she is being haunted by the ghost of a suspected 19th century witch. If Sarah wants to move on with her life she will have to listen carefully to the ghosts of the past.
I enjoyed following the journey of Sarah and her investigation into the life of a woman wrongfully accused of witchcraft in the 19th century. The characters were well developed and Sarah was likeable and dealt with her situation quite well, no hysterics or over reactions which makes a change.
The ghost story elements of this novel are neither scary nor chilling but intriguing. The past and present are intertwined skillfully, you know where you are and there aren't so many characters that you find yourself lost.
The only thing that put me off at times slightly is the persistent "if only I knew now what i knew then" type of sentences. Sarah keeps making references like that and it was a bit jarring as it made you expect what was to come later. Typically of me i had guessed the ending but it may have taken a bit longer without certain suggestions of what may happen to a character at the end.
Overall i enjoyed the book, the characters are well rounded, the story was interesting and the end tied everything up nicely. I would definitely read another book by Syd Moore.
I recommend reading this book if you like a good ghost story without the horror element and if you like a mystery with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure.
7/10 👻 👻👻👻👻👻👻
October 28, 2017
Ugh. yes, ugh. I am completely incapable of writing a book, therefore, I have a hard time giving a poor critique of someone else's writing ability, especially when they have gotten as far as having a published, tangible book. So with that said, it has to be pretty poor writing for me to be able to recognize it as so. The Drowning Pool is, well...pretty poor.
The plot is actually pretty well thought out. It's a ghost story, told through they eyes of Sarah in current day and flashes back to a local "witch" legend in the town of Leigh. Sarah is haunted by a ghost of the same name, asking her to solve a centuries old mystery and clear the ghost's name.
As far as the ancient story, it's actually good. I enjoyed that part of the book quite a lot. My problem with the book Roots itself squarely with the protagonist, the modern Sarah Grey and her group of ridiculously written friends. Her character is unlikeable, schitzophenic, and undeveloped, in spite of the numerous, unnecessary pages upon pages to unravel her story. And her friends are even more ridiculous!
The dialogue is terrible too. The mood and pace of the book literally change at times within sentences. It was nearly impossible to get your footing as a reader, and not in a good way. There were too many characters, too many confusing conversations, and too many inconsistencies in the characters, mood and pace.
The story was ok and I could have enjoyed it had the poor writing not gotten in the way. I hate being negative to this extreme, but it just wasn't good.
The plot is actually pretty well thought out. It's a ghost story, told through they eyes of Sarah in current day and flashes back to a local "witch" legend in the town of Leigh. Sarah is haunted by a ghost of the same name, asking her to solve a centuries old mystery and clear the ghost's name.
As far as the ancient story, it's actually good. I enjoyed that part of the book quite a lot. My problem with the book Roots itself squarely with the protagonist, the modern Sarah Grey and her group of ridiculously written friends. Her character is unlikeable, schitzophenic, and undeveloped, in spite of the numerous, unnecessary pages upon pages to unravel her story. And her friends are even more ridiculous!
The dialogue is terrible too. The mood and pace of the book literally change at times within sentences. It was nearly impossible to get your footing as a reader, and not in a good way. There were too many characters, too many confusing conversations, and too many inconsistencies in the characters, mood and pace.
The story was ok and I could have enjoyed it had the poor writing not gotten in the way. I hate being negative to this extreme, but it just wasn't good.
February 9, 2019
This was overall a bit disappointing, although it started well. The manager coming into a school and showing disrespect for teachers and teaching was extremely relateable and I don't know why she eroded that to let all the good things in her plot be taken over by a problematic romance with a control freak. There was literally nothing I liked about the romance aspect, I think it was a mistake to have it in there at all. Similarly I would have liked some more character development from any of the friends who were supposedly such a big part of life (it began with descriptions of four of them that made it sound like it would be about these slightly boozy but solid girls).
The historical stuff was the best, although some of it was just red herrings. The journals were written in a (to me) convincing voice, and there was a genuine sense of mystery in the story which was resolved well. Even so there were some bald patches as far as motivation was concerned, characters could have been better filled in here or there. The plot was also cluttered with so many things going on (ditch the romance, but also does everyone have to be bereaved?) that it was a bit hard to follow...the stuff with Sharon's mum kind of came out of nowhere and it shouldn't have.
The book made some feminist points (though could have carried them across to the modern day a tad better) and mostly built its mood well. I wasn't terrified but it was a bit spooky. Probably worth a look if you are bored.
The historical stuff was the best, although some of it was just red herrings. The journals were written in a (to me) convincing voice, and there was a genuine sense of mystery in the story which was resolved well. Even so there were some bald patches as far as motivation was concerned, characters could have been better filled in here or there. The plot was also cluttered with so many things going on (ditch the romance, but also does everyone have to be bereaved?) that it was a bit hard to follow...the stuff with Sharon's mum kind of came out of nowhere and it shouldn't have.
The book made some feminist points (though could have carried them across to the modern day a tad better) and mostly built its mood well. I wasn't terrified but it was a bit spooky. Probably worth a look if you are bored.
February 21, 2025
Modern day, widowed Sarah Grey and her young son Alfie move to Leigh to rebuild their lives. 19th century in Leigh and another Sarah Grey is known as a witch.
This is a ghost story that I have to say has been told many times but with different scenarios. In this tale Sarah Grey has visions, dreams and ghostly sightings of the past Sarah Grey. So to lay her soul to rest she has to uncover her story.
For me I would have enjoyed the story more had it have been told from the point of view of the two Sarahs. The present Sarah narrates the story, and past Sarah is presented from the visions, dreams and trances of present Sarah. I liked the narrative of Sarah and found her quite chatty but did find her grabbing the bottle quite a lot to say she had a young child.
The reasons why at the end of the book for me was so so. I would have preferred for the perp to have been someone else to give the story that darker edge to it and a better twist. I also would've liked to have seen more of the witchcraft side in the story being as past Sarah was accused of being a witch and based on the true Sarah Moore, Sea witch of Leigh.
Overall an ok read that did pass an afternoon, but needed a little darker edge to it.
This is a ghost story that I have to say has been told many times but with different scenarios. In this tale Sarah Grey has visions, dreams and ghostly sightings of the past Sarah Grey. So to lay her soul to rest she has to uncover her story.
For me I would have enjoyed the story more had it have been told from the point of view of the two Sarahs. The present Sarah narrates the story, and past Sarah is presented from the visions, dreams and trances of present Sarah. I liked the narrative of Sarah and found her quite chatty but did find her grabbing the bottle quite a lot to say she had a young child.
The reasons why at the end of the book for me was so so. I would have preferred for the perp to have been someone else to give the story that darker edge to it and a better twist. I also would've liked to have seen more of the witchcraft side in the story being as past Sarah was accused of being a witch and based on the true Sarah Moore, Sea witch of Leigh.
Overall an ok read that did pass an afternoon, but needed a little darker edge to it.
October 2, 2017
Syd Moore's debut novel reads like an odd amalgamation of pulpy chicklit and horror - and I'm not sure it's a combination that works awfully well. I found the novel to have an odd pace with the focus directed at a group of Essex girls and their friendship, as well as a budding romance with the rather cliché arsehole-turned-misunderstood good guy rather than the more horror-orientated parts of the novel.
The lack of balance made me wonder whether the book would be better suited if it were reclassified, as the focus seemed more well-suited to chicklit with a paranormal slant rather than outright horror. But then again, how would you classify that? Chick-Horror? Romance-Horror?
Unfortunately the direction just didn't sit well with me at all and I feel like all atmosphere was killed by the light and frivolous nature of the writing. It just lacked excitement and suspense, leaving it a flat read that felt like two books that should never have been blended.
The lack of balance made me wonder whether the book would be better suited if it were reclassified, as the focus seemed more well-suited to chicklit with a paranormal slant rather than outright horror. But then again, how would you classify that? Chick-Horror? Romance-Horror?
Unfortunately the direction just didn't sit well with me at all and I feel like all atmosphere was killed by the light and frivolous nature of the writing. It just lacked excitement and suspense, leaving it a flat read that felt like two books that should never have been blended.
October 20, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, the plot is about Sarah Grey, moving to a seaside town with her son after her husband dies, and is then haunted by what is meant to be a sea witch of the same name. The book has a catchy story in present day, that of Sarah and her friends and also a love interest, however the rally interesting part of it is of Sarah Grey from olden times and the history of her and her family. Overall I really enjoyed this however the end got a bit carried away with itself. The sea witch story was fine and it could have ended there, however another story reared its head, and was the main part of the ending but the plot for this one was barely mentioned in the book, so much so I didn't pay much attention to it so don't know why it took over in the end. Its like the author was trying to fit everything she possibly could into the ending and it just wasn't needed. A good book though.
May 7, 2022
This book is hyped up as a ghost story, so I would have expected it to be at least mildly scary.....sadly it is not. It is more like something somewhere between trashy chick-lit and a badly written whodunit. Even the parts which I assume were intended to be the "scary" parts, where just so dull and faintly comedic. Most of time the story is concentrating more on the woes of the main character and her awful friends than on what is supposed to be the main subject. The characters are so unlikeable; these are 30 somethings who spend all their time boozing, smoking and bemoaning how they used to enjoy recreational drugs at raves. I almost gave up halfway through, but kept going until I just couldn't stand it any longer and finally gave up two chapters before the end. Boring, tedious, convoluted and dull.
October 24, 2025
It really was a great ghost story but I struggled getting through. It seemed so confusing and jumbled at parts. She was writing down the story and kept having present thoughts but then it never really discussed why she was writing it all down or why she was struggling or why she blamed herself for Sharon’s death, even saying she killed her at one point. An entire lineage of covered up murders focused around a long ago suspected witch now haunting the woman with her same name. Sarah accepts the haunting (except is then still in shock when the ghost appears half the time 🤦🏼♀️) and ends up discovering not only the ghost’s story of her true death and the misconceptions and scheming that were done behind her back but also uncovered current day murders , almost including her own, by the town doctor, lineage of who killed the first Sarah Grey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2019
This is billed as a "modern ghost story" but it's more of a whodunnit/mystery surrounding a crime that happened in the past with a bit of haunting thrown in. There are a couple of hauntings thrown in, but the way it's written is more chicklit than horror - there's an awful lot of the protagonist getting drunk (at one point she wasn't sure whether she'd drank 2 or 3 bottles of wine while home alone, and she also talks about being on antidepressants... was she really being haunted or hallucinating from the effects of mixing alcohol with medication every single night? Overall it was an interesting story, but not all that gripping. I especially enjoyed the parts about the original Sarah Grey - modern-day Sarah Grey was slightly too annoying! 3.5 stars.
October 18, 2022
Whilst this novel was enjoyable to read, I must echo the comments of a few other people that have written reviews and said that ‘it starts very well but loses its momentum’. By the end I found it quite a task to read, but I was intrigued enough by the plot to persist.
Whilst there are ghosts within the story, it really is more a ‘murder mystery’ than a ‘ghost story’. I certainly disagree with catch line on the cover taken from a review by The Guardian which states that it’s “a stunning reinvention of the ghost story”. If anyone wants to read a ‘stunning reinvention’’ then do yourself a favour and read some Joe Hill novels or short stories, in particular The Heart Shaped Box.
Overall, this is a good novel and interestingly it rekindled my interest in genealogy. So thank you Syd Moore.
Whilst there are ghosts within the story, it really is more a ‘murder mystery’ than a ‘ghost story’. I certainly disagree with catch line on the cover taken from a review by The Guardian which states that it’s “a stunning reinvention of the ghost story”. If anyone wants to read a ‘stunning reinvention’’ then do yourself a favour and read some Joe Hill novels or short stories, in particular The Heart Shaped Box.
Overall, this is a good novel and interestingly it rekindled my interest in genealogy. So thank you Syd Moore.
July 19, 2017
'The Drowning Pool' by Syd Moore got me in because I love history and mystery. Yes, it was a ghost story which is not my favourite genre but it was set firmly against a background of normality that made it seem more realistic. The plot was rather convoluted and there was quite a bit of letters and journals explaining the past, but I enjoyed the historical aspect of researching a 19th century sea-witch and the folklore that went with it. A few too many coincidences and far too many sub-plots but a satisfying romp.
July 24, 2018
It actually pains me to give this book such a low rating, because I enjoyed her Witch Hunt book quite a lot. I'm sorry Syd! But having already read the very enjoyable Witch Hunt I was left majorly disappointed by this quite slow and uneventful story. I do of course appreciate that I believe this was her first book (I apologise if that is factually incorrect).
I would like to point out however that Syd Moore is a more than capable writer, and I would recommend reading her Witch Hunt book if this is the kind of genre you enjoy. Perhaps just give this one a miss.
I would like to point out however that Syd Moore is a more than capable writer, and I would recommend reading her Witch Hunt book if this is the kind of genre you enjoy. Perhaps just give this one a miss.
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