The Body Below

by Daniel Hecht

Conn Whitman’s long distance swims keep him centered and sane—until a terrifying underwater encounter in a woodland lake plunges him into the middle of a murder investigation.

Once a superstar investigative reporter, disgraced by misconduct, Conn returned to his Vermont hometown to put his life back together. Now, after ten years covering local news, he knows his community like nobody else. When he kicks a submerged object while swimming—something with the density and resilience of human flesh—he wonders if it’s connected to an unsolved murder in a nearby town.

Detective Marlene Selanski heads up the State Police investigation. She considers Conn a possible suspect, and when the case turns personal for him, she warns him against “vigilante research” that could interfere with her investigation. Defying Selanski, Conn and his fiancée Celine Gabrielli combine their talents—his decade of journalistic research, her PhD in psychology, and a wealth of knowledge about the traditional ways of Vermont’s old villages—to seek answers on their own. As layers of deception peel away, they realize too late the dangers of amateur sleuthing: murder disrupts lives in unexpected ways, sending out ripples and bring long-hidden secrets to the surface.

USA Today and Times of London bestselling author Daniel Hecht weaves evocative language with psychological complexity in a murder mystery that will have you holding your breath until the last page.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Adult, Crime, Suspense

515 pages, Hardcover

First published August 29, 2023

About the author

I was born into an artist's community founded in 1946 by my parents and their friends in the wilds of Westchester County, N.Y. Surrounded by these individualistic yet communalistic bohemians, I saw artists in every discipline working their magic, and could not help but follow in their footsteps.

I've lived all over the U.S. and have worked at every kind of job to make ends meet, and I enjoy the labor of body and hands as much as the effort of the mind. Mailman, logger, carpenter, musician, musical instrument builder, graphic designer, apple picker, farmhand, nonprofit organizational director, college administrator, educator -- the great thing about a checkered past is that you see the world from a lot of perspectives. This is the best education for a writer!

I have lived in Vermont for many years, have three kids and several cats, am active on behalf of environmental causes, and am highly reclusive.

Reviews

[megs_bookrack]

ARC received! Thank you, Blackstone Publishing!!

[TheMysteryMO (Mike O) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book by this author which turned out to be a hefty read. I see Amazon @ 468 pages while Goodreads @ 515 which seemed to be the case. I enjoyed the grind that featured chapter shifts from two different perspectives with one having a bit too much psychology for me but the dynamic was a good one for the plot and suspense. Good characters with one really standing out with her interrogation personality. Some books use weather as a character but this book used water which took some time for me to acclimate.

I didn't have the plot/perp figured out so kudos to the author for keeping me in the dark until the end. My ending was quite different but this one was definitely good. The book left me thinking about relationships.

Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

[Scott Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel Hecht keeps the reader moving along in this mystery. There are a few eccentric clues and fascinating people with character in a true sense of the word—banged up in the present and interesting stories and experiences as to how they got here. Though there’s not a lot of action, the pace seems right as you delve into small-town Vermont life as the protagonists, Conn and Celine—journalist and counselor respectively—augment law enforcement’s efforts to discover if Conn’s sister is dead and who may have killed her. You quickly learn that Conn and his sister were estranged but not the entire story until you get near the end. This has you questioning, commiserating and celebrating the ebbs and flows maneuvering through their and our individual lives’ defeats and victories.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25-4.5/5⭐️

if you’re a fan of murder mystery podcast, dateline or 48 hours this is for you!! not a thriller at all didn’t leave a creepy feeling more of a murder solving if that’s your thing with deep introspections of yourself. this left me with so much frustration for the victim. how do you reconcile the image or idea of a person you once knew and who they became after losing contact with them? then how do you deal with solving their murders and learning who they truly were. not only that, who can you trust? how well do you really know people?

this book left me frustrated and a feeling of heaviness. this was a fast read (did the audio) but slow confusing start then really moved fast and the ending….wow.

[Gatorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid, if a bit overlong, tale from Hecht about the mystery behind the disappearance of a man's estranged sister, presumed dead, and his coming to grips with the life she led while he was away. A terrific character study to go along with the investigation aspect of the book, which really helps the reader care greatly about the trials and tribulations of each. It's rather lengthy at 545 pages and could have been trimmed down and not have lost its effectiveness. Still, it kept me interested, and the ending throws in a surprising development that gelled with the story and provided a fitting denouement. Hecht knows how to write, which was evidenced by his brilliant Skull Story from years ago. It's been a while since I've read his stuff, and this one did not disappoint.

[Mady Turner · Rating 1 out of 5]

A thriller, this book is not. The only thriller portion of the book, comes when Conn is in the water by the boat trying to outlast and outsmart Mace. This book is essentially an inner lament by the main character. Conn spends the first half of this book lamenting over the lost time with his sister and how things could have turned out differently. Finally, he realizes the detectives are not going anywhere and decides he needs to know what happened to her in order to heal. Conn figures out that Laurel, Trudy, was planning to make a case against her manager for sexual harassment, the manager becoming the prime suspect. The stealing of the mail and the fire in downtown, is started by the store manager. This scenario makes sense because of Laurel's lawsuit against him. However, it could have also been Jody and/or Mace trying to keep information about Mace falling for Laurel when he is married. In a turn of events, Mace is the killer and says he killed her and hid her body so it wouldn't come out and hurt his kids and wife. Then it turns out that Jody is the one who killed Laurel, and she roped in Mace to protect the kids. Mace is a walking contradiction. He says he loves Laurel and that Jody does not give the same affection that Laurel did back. He would have kept pursing Laurel; however, she dies and he stays with Jody. When Jody tells him what she did, he stays with her to protect the kids. Although, from the beginning with his pursuit of Laurel, he was not thinking about his wife and kids. Mace also wanted a wife that was submissive, however, Laurel and Jody are both strong-willed women. Jody gave Mace kids but didn't give Mace the ability to be head of house like he wanted. Mace is a walking contradiction. Celine's only purpose in showing her point of view is to give the reader a break from Conn's lamenting. However, even Celine laments about how this is tearing Conn apart. Conn's decision to keep giving Mace the benefit of the doubt is another contradiction. Conn says he wants to find the killer and he loves his sister but then sits on critical information about Mace beating Laurel. This book is a contradiction in itself.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weird and gripping crime thriller that kept me reading and turning pages. I found the characters fascinating and was surprised by the twists
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Eric (erics_furiouslyreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Body Below by Daniel Hecht
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Conn Whitman love long distance swimming, it’s his release from everything around him. When he kicks an object while swimming in a local lake, he goes under to see what it might have been, he sees something that he believes could be a body. He’s suddenly drawn into a murder investigation that may be very personal for him.
What an amazing murder mystery/thriller! Definitely in the running for one of my favorites of the year and just what I needed! Conn is such a great character. He’s gone home to Vermont to escape a checkered past as a reporter. His fiancée, Celine, has a PhD in psychology. The ever so irritating Detective Selanski. They all come together to solve a string of murders in the small county. A must read!

[Gabbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've gotten to the point in life where I feel like men should be banned from being cops, investigators, and journalists. God forbid they use their brains for two seconds or listen to women. I won't explain any further than that for the sake of spoilers, but suffice to say it was frustrating to read about how this investigation went down.

On the other hand, Celine also drove me nuts. Not because she was incompetent, but because she's so clearly a character written by someone who didn't study psychology and someone who's never met a therapist. Celine is a smart and compassionate character for sure, and my favorite character in the book in general (not that that's saying much). But she's like a complete stereotype of a therapist who's just constantly psychoanalyzing everyone and dropping terminology into casual conversation.

The story of the missing woman/homicide itself was interesting. I figured it out fairly early on (or has my suspicions at least) but it was still pretty tense throughout. It was frustrating every time we'd come across a character who probably could have prevented this whole thing had they taken their heads out of their asses, but that unfortunately is pretty realistic, especially for a small town.

I don't think I really recommend anyone read this. If you like this genre of book then go for it I guess, but I feel like there must be better thrillers out there.

Date Read: 04/27/25 - 04/28/25

[Ridley Zarate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I was gifted this book via netgalley and I'm reviewing voluntarily.
While I enjoy psychological thrillers, this one wasn't what I was hoping for. The characters are complex and nuanced, which is always important. Every character has had questionable pasts in some ways, which imo humanizes them. But despite this discussion about great character depth, I feel this book fell flat. At times it tries too hard to be this mysterious, complicated story, and there are no less than 4 different suspects. It almost relies on the plot twist as a device for story telling and it's kind of extra. This book has promise but the whole idealization of mason bothered me--dudes a literal cop. Of course he's suspicious.
It also seems to stigmatize addiction quite a bit -- laurel being an addict doesn't mean her story didn't matter, and even her awful brother shamed her unconsciously for her past.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're ok with some triggers (SA, abuse, etc) then this is a great read. The writing style was amazing and the mystery/suspense aspect was superb. Definitely worth a read!

[Barbara Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a complex story involving themes of domestic and sexual violence against women, redemption, ethics and friendship which are expertly woven together by Hecht. The main characters of Conn, Céline, Mason and Selanski are fully drawn as we navigate this mystery. The question of what makes a good person when we all make mistakes is deftly explored from several different angles giving the reader plenty to think about once the story is over. This is one of the better psychological thrillers out there.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Daniel has written a fantastically engaging and atmospheric story that can be enjoyed, simply, as a beautifully written mystery or one can dive deeper into more complex concepts of justice. Thats one of the reasons I love all of Daniels books— The way he can weave important themes and concepts into his stories allowing his readers to come away having read a smashing good read as well as (if they choose) something to really think about.
Thank you, Daniel, for treating your readers like adults!!

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley.

REVIEW
The Body Below is, primarily, not interested in the mechanics of murder, but rather the effects of loss and violence on families and communities. It explores a complex web of questions: How do we fail each other? What is justice and what is right? Who and how do we decide that? Why can’t–or don’t–we just help each other? How do we mourn? What do we do with guilt?

As a result, the narrative is a slow-paced burn that focuses on building character and relationships. The two main characters, Conn and Celine, each have to grapple with their own past trauma as well as navigate the new, raw wound of loss torn into their lives and community.

That said, the book takes until the second half to really kick off. This isn’t a problem for me–I love a slow burn plot–but it means that if you’re looking for a snappy, breakneck mystery, The Body Below isn’t that.

There were, however, moments that struck me as strange or out of place. The first was the way that Celine talks about disability; she describes herself as “disfigured” after a car accident that caused her to lose two of her fingers. I am no expert, but it felt out of place for a psychologist, especially one that works with children, to use a word like “disfigured” to talk about her own body difference.

The second was that Selanski, a detective whose off-kilter, strange, somewhat acerbic personality made her my favorite character (what can I say, I love a mean woman <3) is, for some reason, referred to of the blue as “the Nazi lady detective” by several different characters. I’m really not sure if this was supposed to be a joke or what, but it didn’t make much sense in context. There’s nothing about her behavior that could be described as Nazi-like. It felt out of place and misogynistic.

Finally, the ending. Oof.

I am of two minds. On one hand, I loved the note that the book leaves off on. There’s a focus on healing and moving on and forgiveness that I found to be the perfect place to leave the characters I’d grown attached to. The way the narrative explores loss (both in mourning and betrayal) is intensely real, managing to capture the complexity of losing someone you thought you could trust. How do you heal from betrayal?

For example, my favorite quote comes from the final chapter:
“He wasn't just dead--he had retroactively excised himself from me, had redacted himself from my life, leaving a furrow going back decades.”

On the other hand, these final chapters pull a last minute twist that just doesn’t work for me. It doesn’t fit as well thematically, it’s not narratively satisfying, and it feels cheap. This is the main reason why this book sits at three stars, not four; that final twist makes the book stumble on what would otherwise be a flawless landing.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I really enjoyed The Body Below as a piece of character work, but likely won’t be re-reading it. If you liked Tana French’s In the Woods and are looking for something to scratch a similar slow-burn character driven mystery itch, The Body Below might do it for you.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing a digital ARC via Netgalley. If you are interested in The Body Below, you can find more information from the publishers. If possible, support indie bookshops by purchasing the novel from your local brick and mortar or from Bookshop.org!

[Bronwyn Fryer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Body Below
By Daniel Hecht

Imagine going for a long solo swim in a lovely, cool Vermont lake. A few miles in, you kick something that you feel sure is a dead human body. Is it real? Is it something imaginary? Regardless, going for a long solo swim in open lake water feels much more dicey after reading this book. (As an open-water swimmer myself, I have to admit thinking about this book occasionally gives me the creeps as I plow through the Vermont lake water.)

The author, Daniel Hecht, actually experienced such a thing, from which he builds a fascinating combination of mystery, police procedural/true crime, and psychological thriller. Like most of Hecht’s beautifully-woven mystery novels, this thing is a page turner. The protagonist (Connor, or Conn for short) a reporter for a small newspaper, is an Icarus – having flown too close to the sun in a previous, cocaine-and-ego-ridden position at the vaunted Washington Post, he is brought down in infamy for violating journalistic ethics. Relegated to the reportorial backwater back home in Vermont, he recovers from the fall and finds himself happy in a lower-rung job, in his miles-long swims, and his love for a smart, forgiving school psychologist.

When Conn’s sister turns up missing and then dead, the police procedural begins – false leads, false starts, false assumptions – and when Conn and his fiancée join in the police chase, we join in too. The final scene, as occurs in most novels of this type, is at turns surprising and not (I never really understood the novelistic cliché of having the bad guy confess not only to his crime, but his metholodogy. Hecht handles the problem relatively well, but there has to be a different kind of resolution for these kinds of books, no?)

This is quibbling, however. What makes this novel different, and in line with Hecht’s other fine novels, is the way he handles psychological themes, particularly in the voice of the second narrator, Celine. As Conn’s fiancée, she brings astute observations to the problems of recovery and self-reinvention, and the constantly-flipping coin of good and evil, love and jealousy, forgiveness and bottomless anger: “Who are you going to hate?” she wonders. “Who should you blame? Who can you forgive? How much should you forgive? This twining of love and murder, lies and devotion and betrayal and loyalty – what’s it all about?”

And then there is the musicality of his writing (Hecht is a former musician), which particularly shows up in the novelist’s descriptions of place. To wit:
“I drove back slowly, in a dreamlike state: the pouring-forward headlight wash always opening a channel of summer-dense forest ahead and always sealing it dark behind me, the center line on the two-lane weaving sinuously, moonlight bursting wide and startling where farm pastures opened, then shuttering when the trees closed around again. eventually: my driveway, the cabit, a moment of post-headlight blindness and the in-rush of the sounds of insects and frogs in the summer night. Then the food-scented interior air of home, the stairs, the warm bed, and Celine’s hand reaching to find mine beneath the covers.”

Delicious stuff.

[Books syreades · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once a superstar investigative reporter, disgraced by misconduct Conn returned to his Vermont hometown to put his life back together. During one of his ritual long swims he kicks a submerged object that suspiciously has a feeling of the density and resilience of human flesh, he wonders if it’s connected to an unsolved murder in a nearby town. A few days later he discovers the real name of the missing person which later turns out to be his estranged sister.

Despite warned by law enforcement with the case being personal to him and all to avoid sleuthing Conn and his fiancée Celine combine their talents; his decade of journalistic research and her PhD in psychology to seek answers on their own.

Throughout my reading, I had two main suspects in mind, but I still wasn’t prepared for the actual reveal. That twist caught me off guard—in the best way. Looking back, the clues were definitely there, subtly woven through the story, which made the ending feel earned rather than forced.

I really enjoyed the book though I wish there had been more scenes between Conn and his nieces, I loved their dynamic and wished their relationship should have developed more.

The plot mostly kept me hooked though I occasionally had to put it down probably because I’m currently in a bit of a reading slump.

Side note: this book had quite a few challenging words. I often found myself pausing to look them up. It made me wish I had a physical copy so I could underline and annotate as I read.

I give it a rating of 3.5 ⭐

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've often wondered what bodies lay beneath me as I paddle a body of water. I can't imagine swimming and bumping into one. The serendipitous, albeit a dark one, of Conn knocking his own sister's body was an interesting way to be introduced to the main storyline/characters. The perspectives of one's life lived when various people share how others felt about you, brining up past actions that have long been forgotten made for a story with great depth & emotions. Daniel Hecht intertwines past with present with several of the characters while painting a picture of scenic folksy landscapes. I'll be honest, I predicted who was the killer right from the start and was adjacently correct. I really enjoyed the relationship & conversations between Conn and Celine. Celine's take on a situation and her ability to understand where people were coming from provided her the ability to keep a calm demeanor even under tense encounters.

This a great murder-mystery that will have you turning the pages well into the night. Remember to lock your doors and close your curtains.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

When things go awry in this book, they go way off the charts. Conn Whitman had it all and was on top of the world as an investigative reporter before he fell. Conn was found to have committed "misconduct" in his reporting practices and was immediately fired. Disgraced and jobless, Conn returned back to his home in small town USA. A chance encounter while swimming one day with a submerged object leads to Conn being a suspect in a murder investigation. When Conn learns that his sister has gone missing, despite police warnings, he jumps right back unto investigative reporter mode. When another suspect's body is found close to Conn's home obsession, it sets in. Conn will get his answers with the unsolicited help of those close to him. Unaware of the cost those answers entail, he may wish he'd listened to the police after all. I enjoyed this book for the most part and the guilty party surprised me. My one dislike is how it drags in some places with entirely too much fluff or filler. A few times, I was like, is this thing ever going to end. Overall, I'm glad I stuck it out.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A standalone crime mystery, The Body Below by Daniel Hecht (2023) is enjoyable, if a long 515-page novel. Its protagonist is a former, investigative reporter for a major newspaper, who returns to his hometown in disgrace. As part of his recovery, Conn Whitman has discovered a joy in distance swimming. One morning, he kicks a submerged body in the local Lake, but fails to say anything. When a missing single mother is believed dead and possibly murdered, Conn not only follows the case but gets caught up in it. The investigation unfolds with surprising revelations and more bodies, as the local police struggle without Conn’s assistance. A fine murder mystery with a folksy small-town vibe and secrets, that make for a three and a half stars read rating. With thanks to Blackstone Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

[Katherine Stieh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I have thought about it more than I initially expected to after finishing, which is a sign of a strong book. I did feel that the build was slow, especially in the first fourth of the book. The reader is definitely hooked with the first swim that Conn goes on, but the pace seems to drift placidly for a large amount of background information. I was surprised to see a narrator switch a decent length into the novel and I felt that the pacing was inconsistent when switching from Celine to Conn and back again. The ending of the book was a surprise, although I had guessed the twist about two-thirds of the way in. The pacing of the ending and the almost resolution was perfectly in tune with the rest of the novel. I did notice that some of the secondary characters seemed to fall flat, while other secondary characters really shined. I would recommend this for anyone visiting Vermont, anyone who loves a slow burn mystery, or a general lover of a soft thriller.

[kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read. It had a good timeline, authentic feeling timeline of events and broached some hard questions - what is truth? What is doing the right thing when everything seems terrible? How much guilt should we feel? Can you be too forgiving?

Some things I think could have been done differently:
- The nicknames felt like a forced way to show familiarity. And they were all the same formula (first syllable of their name). Never in my life have I heard Conner or Mason shortened.
- It could have been shorter. Some bits and pieces that weren't at all relevant could have been cut. For example: the detailed full page on a driveway basketball game. It wasn't relevant and also I don't get or care about basketball.
- I am still unsure how I feel about the swapping of narrators. Like I get it but it often felt unnecessary (I didn't need Celine's inner monologue on how much she loved Conn) and clunky. It also often felt like a weird way to tout psych 101 knowledge.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you NetGalley for my eARC of this novel*

This story has its high points but it also has its not as stellar ones. Thought the mystery is there, the story was quite long winded and draggy for the every day reader. There is a sweet spot there that could have been more concise while conveying more without the drag.


Liekswise none of the characters and any I feel connected to, thus I do not care what happens to them. There is an art to making sure the audience is rooting for (or against) those we are reading about. If they don’t have that aspect that connects them to those reading, no matter how fun or interesting the plot line is, there is just not that buy in. Don’t overestimate the power of humanism that connect all characters in stories to its receiver.

Overall, the story had a good ending with the twists and turns it takes us. So on that note I would say there is a good core to the storyline just those places that could make this okay story into a great one.

[Alan Rosenbaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and engaging story, but overly long and repetitive prose. Could have been at least 50 pages shorter. Like so many authors, Hecht has trouble writing main characters, and relationships between them, that are realistically flawed. It gets annoying and detracts from the credibility of the story. In this one, the main character enjoys taking frequent 6 mile solo swims in Vermont's lakes, AT NIGHT. Yeah, give that a try. While he has a history of having done "bad things" related to his job as a journalist, and a terrible relation ship with his younger sister who is missing, those are merely props for the story and totally inconsistent with the persona Hecht creates for him. We are also treated to his fiance who is a super psychologist, incredibly understanding, fabulous employee, beautiful, courageous, and loving. Despite its shortcomings, I did like the book well enough. A good vacation read, anyway.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Body Below by Daniel Hecht took me on a rollercoaster of twists and turns. With a well-developed cast of characters and a story that delves into the depths of human nature, it captivated my attention throughout. While the ending may have been somewhat predictable, the psychological exploration kept me engaged and eager to uncover the truth.

However, my one gripe was the book's length. At times, it felt like the story was dragging due to excessive filler material. I appreciate long books, but when the pacing falters, it can make even a thrilling mystery lose its grip. Despite this, the psychological depth and the journey it took my mind on made the read worthwhile. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this eARC.

[Kim Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Body Below by Daniel Hecht was outstanding,! It is a slow burn mystery that leaves you with a feeling of dread. The Vermont setting was described so beautifully that I feel like I have actually been there. I really liked both characters, Conn and Celine and how the chapters go between the two and their point of view. This was definitely not a fast paced book but the payoff was worth it to me. I would say this is more of a literary mystery than a thriller. Do yourself a favor and read this book and the author’s previous works. You will not be disappointed! Thank you to NerGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

[Jenpertgen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. I don’t usually catch on to the killer but i definitely did early on in this book. I got about halfway through it and then it kind of ground to a complete stop. I just couldn’t keep believing the premise of these two random people investigating the murder. And i really couldn’t believe how often the detectives invited the randos in to kindly tell them every possible detail of their investigation. It seemed pretty forced and flimsy to me.

I skimmed MANY pages to get to the climax which I knew was coming. The author kind of did a good job on spoiling the outcome of the climax as well. Just meh.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read, very well narrated. This was tight, followed a path that made sense to me, good character development. Before the conclusion I had rather suspected the the killer, but author kept most indications very close. I prefer this style of writing that follows a logical, somewhat narration one would read in a report, a newspaper. Since I'm not a swimmer, am uncomfortable in the water I still began to see the descriptions. Towards the ending I felt the need to compact, edit, maybe 'lighten the load' of dialog. So many character flaws and baggage we all carry.

[stephanie cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Body Below by Daniel Hecht is an ideal choice for anyone seeking a thrilling mystery and suspense read this spooky season. Hecht masterfully maintains a captivating pace and flow, skillfully balancing suspense and action throughout the novel. The intricate plot and well-crafted mysteries keep readers engaged, while the complex characters add depth and richness to the storyline. Their detailed development and presence enhance the overall experience, making The Body Below a standout in the genre.

[Hazel Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hecht's most recent novel retains all of the elements I enjoy in a work by this author - a twisty mystery and interesting, well-defined characters, ornamented with Hecht's fascinating views on the world given his origins in rural Vermont and his life experiences as a classical guitarist once signed to Wyndham Hill. Though his life as a musician is not directly addressed, he writes like a musician, weaving elements together in new and interesting patterns. The swimming descriptions were particularly evocative and musical. One of my favorite authors.

[Caitlyn Gallenstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this story and because of the length of the book, the characters were well-developed. I did feel like the end was mostly predictable and that this story was much too long to keep the pace going, but I actually loved that the way this book was written was thought-provoking and really explored human nature. It was more psychological-based than thriller but I liked the journey it took my mind on.