Looking Through Water (Revised Edition): A Novel

by Bob Rich

A father and son, long-estranged, fight to win a fishing competition together—and lose the pain that’s kept them apart.

It’s 1976, and William McKay is at the top of his game. He’s taken over the family brokerage firm. He has a stunning and accomplished fiancée. The NYC Chamber of Commerce has named him the Under 40 Executive of the Year. And yet . . . William knows something is missing.

Then he receives a phone call from his father, who disappeared eleven years earlier while William's mother was dying from Alzheimer’s. Leo's living in the Florida Keys now, and he wants William to join him in a father-son fishing competition. Stunned by this father’s audacity, suspicious of his motives, but even more desperate to leave New York, William agrees and heads south in his private jet.

The basis for the forthcoming film Blood Knot starring Oscar-winner Michael Douglas and his own son Cameron Douglas, Looking Through Water chronicles the indelible impact that long-festering pain can have on a family, and the healing that comes with forgiveness—once we learn when to reel in a big catch and when to let it all go.

255 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2024

About the author

BOB RICH was first exposed to the art of storytelling in summer camps in northern Ontario. Growing up, reading Hemingway inspired him to write. Living on the shores of Lake Erie and the Florida Keys provides him with a wealth of his own tales to tell. He is the author of three books: Fish Fights, The Fishing Club and The Right Angle and co-author of Secrets of the Delphi Cafe. LOOKING THROUGH WATER is his first novel.

Reviews

[Paige Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking Through Water Revised Edition A Novel by Bob Rich is a heartfelt and emotionally rich story about forgiveness, family, and the difficult path toward reconciliation. Set against the backdrop of a father and son fishing competition, the novel explores how unresolved pain can shape lives and how healing often begins with the courage to confront the past.

What makes the novel especially compelling is its authentic characters and its thoughtful exploration of grief, redemption, and second chances. The emotional depth of the story, combined with its vivid setting and engaging narrative, creates a memorable reading experience that lingers long after the final page.

For readers who enjoy literary fiction, family dramas, and character driven stories of healing and redemption, Looking Through Water is a deeply moving and rewarding novel.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a lovely story with interesting characters, good points to make you think about life, unexpected twist and funny moments.