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The Dredge
In Brendan Flaherty’s debut novel, two estranged brothers must confront the violence of the past when they find out a pond where they played as children will be dredged.
After some traumatic teenaged years in rural Connecticut, Cale and Ambrose Casey had nothing left to say to each other. Cale ran off to Hawaii to sell luxury real estate. Ambrose stayed behind and built up his construction company. Neither thought they’d be in touch again and were glad for it—until they learned of a real estate developer’s plan to drain and expand Gibbs Pond. Nearly 30 years before, the Casey brothers buried a secret in that pond, which fell somewhere between self-defense and family preservation. Lily Rowe, the contractor in charge of the dredging, can also trace her roots—and her trauma—to the banks of Gibbs Pond. After a childhood that saw her and her brother yanked across the country by her abusive father, it was here where she finally stayed put, even if they didn’t. But as ambitious as Lily is, and as much as she wants answers of her own, her family also has secrets to protect. Now, the haunted lives of Cale, Ambrose, and Lily collide once more as they reunite to unearth the devastation of the past.
After some traumatic teenaged years in rural Connecticut, Cale and Ambrose Casey had nothing left to say to each other. Cale ran off to Hawaii to sell luxury real estate. Ambrose stayed behind and built up his construction company. Neither thought they’d be in touch again and were glad for it—until they learned of a real estate developer’s plan to drain and expand Gibbs Pond. Nearly 30 years before, the Casey brothers buried a secret in that pond, which fell somewhere between self-defense and family preservation. Lily Rowe, the contractor in charge of the dredging, can also trace her roots—and her trauma—to the banks of Gibbs Pond. After a childhood that saw her and her brother yanked across the country by her abusive father, it was here where she finally stayed put, even if they didn’t. But as ambitious as Lily is, and as much as she wants answers of her own, her family also has secrets to protect. Now, the haunted lives of Cale, Ambrose, and Lily collide once more as they reunite to unearth the devastation of the past.
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2024
37 people are currently reading
5209 people want to read
About the author
Brendan Flaherty
1 book17 followersBrendan Flaherty is from outside Hartford. He lives with his wife and two sons. The Dredge is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
January 7, 2024
My rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ really enjoyable, great writing had the stressy depressy vibes from the get go!!
The Casey brothers are estranged and have been for 3 decades, so much water under the bridge and secrets they wish they could forget.
Time does not heal all wounds because now Ambrose and Cale must confront the violence of their past as they find out the pond where some unthinkable things happened is going be dredged…
Lily Rowe, the contractor in charge of the dredge has a host of her own demons that are connected to the Casey brothers, what she doesn’t know is that dredging that pond is going to bring up more than she bargained for.
Ok, debut novel done right!!! I really loved this, not quite 5 stars but it really packed a punch and in under 300 pages as well which is really a good sign of good writing. I really love that sparse prose, the nuanced meanings and ability to trust your reader is going to understand where you are headed with a story without spelling it out in a million words or more for them like a dear diary entry.
Brendan Flaherty has done a great job of all those things, he managed to develop some stories and characters that had really done it tough without using all the pages of the world to do it. I liked the heavy vibe of this book. You can feel it from the opening pages that its going to really pinch your heartstrings. What I also like is that this was a little bit different its told from mostly the brother’s perspectives and how they deal with their emotions, trauma (or not) and have built a life on top of their lies and regrets.
We do get to hear from Lily as well but she is secondary and I think its nice to have some well developed MMC’s who are trying to figure it out without taking down everyone around them. By no means are they they good guys…but I think in a story like this everyone is the good guy and the bad guy (well except for the actual bad bad guys)…. Its a story of we all have faults and how do we handle ourselves as kids and into adulthood. Its a story of loss and love and perhaps how things don’t always work out how you hoped they would, how your hero isn’t as invincible as you would have liked and dreams just sometimes do not come true.
This is not a thriller, I am not sure if it’s marketed that way but its not, its stressy and depressy and its character driven. You get multiple POV and multiple timelines but for those that like these clearly spelt out they are not… but for me I found them very easy to decipher… it was not necessary for headings of who was who because it was clear to me. But if you need that then perhaps this isn’t for you.
Overall I don’t have any complaints, I would liken this novel to Beneath Cruel Waters, similar vibes (very different story) but also that grit and grimy on the land and sad AF storyline. I really loved that book and it’s no surprise that I enjoyed this so much. I think if you like a character driven, emotion fuelled novel then give this a try it isn’t very long and it is very well done in my humble opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atlantic Monthly Press and the author for an ARC of this debut novel in exchange for my honest review.
The Casey brothers are estranged and have been for 3 decades, so much water under the bridge and secrets they wish they could forget.
Time does not heal all wounds because now Ambrose and Cale must confront the violence of their past as they find out the pond where some unthinkable things happened is going be dredged…
Lily Rowe, the contractor in charge of the dredge has a host of her own demons that are connected to the Casey brothers, what she doesn’t know is that dredging that pond is going to bring up more than she bargained for.
Ok, debut novel done right!!! I really loved this, not quite 5 stars but it really packed a punch and in under 300 pages as well which is really a good sign of good writing. I really love that sparse prose, the nuanced meanings and ability to trust your reader is going to understand where you are headed with a story without spelling it out in a million words or more for them like a dear diary entry.
Brendan Flaherty has done a great job of all those things, he managed to develop some stories and characters that had really done it tough without using all the pages of the world to do it. I liked the heavy vibe of this book. You can feel it from the opening pages that its going to really pinch your heartstrings. What I also like is that this was a little bit different its told from mostly the brother’s perspectives and how they deal with their emotions, trauma (or not) and have built a life on top of their lies and regrets.
We do get to hear from Lily as well but she is secondary and I think its nice to have some well developed MMC’s who are trying to figure it out without taking down everyone around them. By no means are they they good guys…but I think in a story like this everyone is the good guy and the bad guy (well except for the actual bad bad guys)…. Its a story of we all have faults and how do we handle ourselves as kids and into adulthood. Its a story of loss and love and perhaps how things don’t always work out how you hoped they would, how your hero isn’t as invincible as you would have liked and dreams just sometimes do not come true.
This is not a thriller, I am not sure if it’s marketed that way but its not, its stressy and depressy and its character driven. You get multiple POV and multiple timelines but for those that like these clearly spelt out they are not… but for me I found them very easy to decipher… it was not necessary for headings of who was who because it was clear to me. But if you need that then perhaps this isn’t for you.
Overall I don’t have any complaints, I would liken this novel to Beneath Cruel Waters, similar vibes (very different story) but also that grit and grimy on the land and sad AF storyline. I really loved that book and it’s no surprise that I enjoyed this so much. I think if you like a character driven, emotion fuelled novel then give this a try it isn’t very long and it is very well done in my humble opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atlantic Monthly Press and the author for an ARC of this debut novel in exchange for my honest review.
May 19, 2024
TRIGGERING. Spoiler for the purpose of letting people know what the trigger is. There’s no way to say it without explaining it.
Here is a very well written book that deals with traumatic themes. I didn’t actually enjoy reading it and yet I am somewhat glad I did read it because it made me think and learn. I am recommending this book to any reader who is not very emotional and who is in the mood to read something heavy and hard hitting.
I am not recommending this book to a reader who wants a fun vacation read, or even an interesting thriller that will keep them up at night. I’m also not recommending this book to anyone who is going through a depression, because reading it will probably make them more sad.
A friendly pet dog is murdered in this book, which was extremely upsetting to read. I wish that scene had not been in the book. I think a lot of readers will not want to pick up this book specifically because of that scene. If I had been warned ahead of time, that one character was going to intentionally kill another character’s beloved family dog, I would never have requested this book from Netgalley. This book needs some kind of a warning in the blurb. So I am warning everyone now. You can’t sneak this kind of content into people who are sensitive to animal cruelty. I think it’s irresponsible to traumatize your readers.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced audio download of this novel for review consideration. The narrator was OK.
I am torn on how to rate this book. For content, I give it a one star. For the talent of the author as a skilled writer, I give it five stars. So I will leave my rating at three stars.
Here is a very well written book that deals with traumatic themes. I didn’t actually enjoy reading it and yet I am somewhat glad I did read it because it made me think and learn. I am recommending this book to any reader who is not very emotional and who is in the mood to read something heavy and hard hitting.
I am not recommending this book to a reader who wants a fun vacation read, or even an interesting thriller that will keep them up at night. I’m also not recommending this book to anyone who is going through a depression, because reading it will probably make them more sad.
A friendly pet dog is murdered in this book, which was extremely upsetting to read. I wish that scene had not been in the book. I think a lot of readers will not want to pick up this book specifically because of that scene. If I had been warned ahead of time, that one character was going to intentionally kill another character’s beloved family dog, I would never have requested this book from Netgalley. This book needs some kind of a warning in the blurb. So I am warning everyone now. You can’t sneak this kind of content into people who are sensitive to animal cruelty. I think it’s irresponsible to traumatize your readers.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced audio download of this novel for review consideration. The narrator was OK.
I am torn on how to rate this book. For content, I give it a one star. For the talent of the author as a skilled writer, I give it five stars. So I will leave my rating at three stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2024
😮 Won in a giveaway 🫨
I really enjoyed this one and wish I had read it in one sitting. It's not terribly long so it could have happened. Obligations and other things come up though. This is a pretty dark story. Family secrets and a lot of darkness in people and places. Unsolved murders. Hidden bodies and the threat of them being found by dredging a pond. I really liked the characters, the small town feel and the eeriness of this story. Definitely recommend. Thank you to the author, Brendan Flaherty, Atlantic Monthly Press and Goodreads for my free copy. Happy reading. 🏞⛏️
I really enjoyed this one and wish I had read it in one sitting. It's not terribly long so it could have happened. Obligations and other things come up though. This is a pretty dark story. Family secrets and a lot of darkness in people and places. Unsolved murders. Hidden bodies and the threat of them being found by dredging a pond. I really liked the characters, the small town feel and the eeriness of this story. Definitely recommend. Thank you to the author, Brendan Flaherty, Atlantic Monthly Press and Goodreads for my free copy. Happy reading. 🏞⛏️
February 29, 2024
Intricate, gritty, and unsettling!
The Dredge is a compelling, absorbing tale that transports you to Macoun, Connecticut, and into the lives of members of both the Rowe and Casey families as the past suddenly collides with the present when a developer decides to dredge Gibbs Pond and more than one person is on edge and threatened by the long-buried secrets it may finally bring to light.
The writing is tight and intense. The characters are vulnerable, impulsive, and scarred. And the plot, using a back-and-forth style, intertwines and unravels seamlessly into an engrossing tale full of lies, deception, abuse, desperation, manipulation, familial drama, troubled pasts, unusual friendships, troubling behaviours, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Dredge is a dark, atmospheric, promising debut by Flaherty that kept me enthralled from the very first page and left me entertained, satisfied, and eager to read whatever his deliciously sinister mind manages to come up with next.
Thank you to PGC Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Dredge is a compelling, absorbing tale that transports you to Macoun, Connecticut, and into the lives of members of both the Rowe and Casey families as the past suddenly collides with the present when a developer decides to dredge Gibbs Pond and more than one person is on edge and threatened by the long-buried secrets it may finally bring to light.
The writing is tight and intense. The characters are vulnerable, impulsive, and scarred. And the plot, using a back-and-forth style, intertwines and unravels seamlessly into an engrossing tale full of lies, deception, abuse, desperation, manipulation, familial drama, troubled pasts, unusual friendships, troubling behaviours, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Dredge is a dark, atmospheric, promising debut by Flaherty that kept me enthralled from the very first page and left me entertained, satisfied, and eager to read whatever his deliciously sinister mind manages to come up with next.
Thank you to PGC Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2024
A stunning, slow burn tale of mistakes compounded by the challenges and stupidity of youth, how generations pass their brokenness on to their children. Deftly written, with tremendous, artful dialogue and an ending you’ll be thinking about long after you close the book.
An excellent debut.
An excellent debut.
December 12, 2023
“The Dredge” is a mystery about the far-reaching, multi-generational effects of child abuse and how long-kept secrets can fester in the psyches of the secret keepers. It’s well-written with believable dialogue and clear prose that includes the occasional literary flair. The story did not have as much tension as I would have liked, and I sometimes found it confusing because of multiple characters and abrupt transitions between timelines. Nevertheless, it is a quick read with well-described settings and some interesting characters.
My thanks to NetGalley, author Brendan Flaherty, and publisher Grove Atlantic for providing me with a complimentary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.
My thanks to NetGalley, author Brendan Flaherty, and publisher Grove Atlantic for providing me with a complimentary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.
April 22, 2024
Ultimately a very frustrating book. The Big Mystery, which isn't really a mystery because you can glean what happened early on, is dangled for the first half of the novel. All of the characters have varying degrees of sympathetic-ness, but none that you really want to root for. Or care about. I was so annoyed that halfway through I jumped to the end and read the chapters in reverse order.
December 15, 2023
Well written, a well dwveloped plot and good character development. Feedback for publishier: this was difficult to physically read due to formatting not suitable for kindle, and barely suitable for NetGalley app. . Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC
March 14, 2024
First, I would like to say how impressed I am that this is the author’s debut book. He has such skill already and is able to write so eloquently! I loved his writing style and will definitely be reading more by him in the future. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was a perfect match for the storyline. Highly recommend!
March 2, 2024
3 stars
Cale and Ambrose are brothers with family secrets. Now, some of those secrets are about to be literally dredged up.
I really can't resist family drama, and sibling drama appeals to me even more. This is also a short listen (at about 5.5 hours). These combined factors make the fact that I had to stop and restart so many times even more confounding. I really struggled to get into this one and stay connected and found the overall vibes dark without the anticipated pay off and a little less mysterious than I'd have liked.
There are promising elements, and especially considering this is a debut, I'd absolutely give this author another shot (despite this one not quite working for me).
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Cale and Ambrose are brothers with family secrets. Now, some of those secrets are about to be literally dredged up.
I really can't resist family drama, and sibling drama appeals to me even more. This is also a short listen (at about 5.5 hours). These combined factors make the fact that I had to stop and restart so many times even more confounding. I really struggled to get into this one and stay connected and found the overall vibes dark without the anticipated pay off and a little less mysterious than I'd have liked.
There are promising elements, and especially considering this is a debut, I'd absolutely give this author another shot (despite this one not quite working for me).
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
December 15, 2023
Great character driven novel. Wish it had been longer because Flaherty can flat write and develop characters. Didn't want it to end.
February 24, 2024
The Dredge is a story of the gnarly, painful, ichorous tendrils that manifest from the mistakes of our past that pull us from moving forward. The title is a supremely fitting metaphor for these characters lives as they reach the precipice of the cliff they have been desperately trying to steer clear of. This is not a redemption story as all of these characters are so far past that, that now it is just about how to keep from completely coming undone.
I thought this book was very well written. The characters and their little slice of this world were incredibly created that it painted the majestic and ugly image. Everything good in you wants to look away, leaving these people with their dignity. But like with any tragedy, that horrible part of your human curiosity, keeps you looking. The writing style left so much for your imagination to play with as the story prodded at the surface. It was quite the read.
Really recommend people read this book. 3.75 stars.
I would really like to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me ARC access. All opinions and comments are my own.
Publication date March 5, 2024.
I thought this book was very well written. The characters and their little slice of this world were incredibly created that it painted the majestic and ugly image. Everything good in you wants to look away, leaving these people with their dignity. But like with any tragedy, that horrible part of your human curiosity, keeps you looking. The writing style left so much for your imagination to play with as the story prodded at the surface. It was quite the read.
Really recommend people read this book. 3.75 stars.
I would really like to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me ARC access. All opinions and comments are my own.
Publication date March 5, 2024.
March 6, 2024
I could not put down this masterfully written novel.
Debut author, Brendan Flaherty, paints a vivid image of raw winter in rural New Enlgand with poetically illustrative scenic descriptions that reminded me of the great Abraham Verghese.
Flaherty artfully maneuvers between past and present to capture a very human metamorphosis in his main characters. Each character finds themself grappling with an insidious darkening of the spirit that subconsciously haunts their adult lives until they relive the traumas of their childhood. This psychological undercurrent comes alive in Flaherty's riveting action scenes and the ensuing emotional torment of his characters.
Without giving too much away, this novel is a storytelling gem that reveals deeper levels with each reading. I am on my third read and could imagine storylines and characters from The Dredge in future works. I would put aside any spinoff snobbery I may harbor to see more from characters like Lily, the main female character. The writing is simply that good. Binge-worthy would be the word they use in the streaming world.
Debut author, Brendan Flaherty, paints a vivid image of raw winter in rural New Enlgand with poetically illustrative scenic descriptions that reminded me of the great Abraham Verghese.
Flaherty artfully maneuvers between past and present to capture a very human metamorphosis in his main characters. Each character finds themself grappling with an insidious darkening of the spirit that subconsciously haunts their adult lives until they relive the traumas of their childhood. This psychological undercurrent comes alive in Flaherty's riveting action scenes and the ensuing emotional torment of his characters.
Without giving too much away, this novel is a storytelling gem that reveals deeper levels with each reading. I am on my third read and could imagine storylines and characters from The Dredge in future works. I would put aside any spinoff snobbery I may harbor to see more from characters like Lily, the main female character. The writing is simply that good. Binge-worthy would be the word they use in the streaming world.
March 11, 2024
Wonderfully dark mystery that I couldn't put down. The characters, families, and their past traumas are patiently developed and stay with me. Concise writing and well-paced at under 300 pages. I eagerly look forward to more from the author.
March 28, 2024
I went into this book thinking it would be dark, gritty and keep me guessing or at least make me excited about listening to it, unfortunately, that is not how I felt.
I'm unsure of why the author seemed to want us to be so constantly sure of the date (March 2022), it was mentioned several times. The only thing several mentions of the main characters still being cautious of COVID and then out of the blue listening to an update on the Ukraine/Russia war on NPR just really took me out of the story..
The animal cruelty scene was way too descriptive, very upsetting and unnecessary.
I can normally find redeeming moments in any book, but this felt so choppy, I kept thinking I must have missed something, and I didn't like any of the main characters...
I'm unsure of why the author seemed to want us to be so constantly sure of the date (March 2022), it was mentioned several times. The only thing several mentions of the main characters still being cautious of COVID and then out of the blue listening to an update on the Ukraine/Russia war on NPR just really took me out of the story..
The animal cruelty scene was way too descriptive, very upsetting and unnecessary.
I can normally find redeeming moments in any book, but this felt so choppy, I kept thinking I must have missed something, and I didn't like any of the main characters...
March 18, 2024
If you’re looking for something without much substance that’s an easy read, this book is a good choice. Okay— the good: it’s a quick read, and I like how not every character knew the full story at the end—felt more real that way; the bad: the dialogue feels like you as the reader need either a Brendan Flaherty decoder ring for intent and reaction or just more exposition as to these characters relationships to understand the unsaid message; the ugly: the plot is so largely lacking— an accident that would have been accepted as an accident or self-defense tore a family apart because no one could actually say what they actually meant, and at the end, still nothing changed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2023
A very underwhelming book for me. The book is called the Dredge but only in the last 75% of the book talk of a dredge actually happened. I thought they would try everything to stop the Dredge from happening but it was more about what led up the crimes. Personally, I don't like when a book is a bit too close to reality. This book in particular mentioned the covid pandemic a few times. I read books to escape stuff like that.
June 2, 2024
This was an interesting and mysterious story. It switches characters points of view and to me all of the characters viewpoints were engaging and moved the story along well. It is a fast read that keeps the reader wondering what will come next. It is always kind of cool to me to read stories that take place in areas I'm familiar with. I think a lot of the nature and setting descriptions were well done and easy to visualize. I could feel for how difficult the situations these characters found themselves in were. They felt realistic.
April 26, 2024
2.5 Promising first novel, so will look for a future second one, but unsatisfactory, and somewhat rushed, conclusion with little to explain how the brothers arrive at their final decisions.
March 3, 2024
A story about a small town and deep family secrets. Two brothers that share a dark secret they'd like to keep hidden and a new family from somewhere else that comes to the town and brings their darkness with them. Two families trying desperately to keep their secrets hidden as the local fishing hole is scheduled to be dredged and everything unleashed from their dark pasts.
Told from many different POVs, you have to keep up with which one you're reading from, but an engrossing story that kept me turning every page wanting to see how this played out for everyone. Mistakes have been made and horrors suffered by kids that should never happen, but a very well told story about protecting your family at all costs.
I enjoyed every aspect of this book and thought it was very well told!
Told from many different POVs, you have to keep up with which one you're reading from, but an engrossing story that kept me turning every page wanting to see how this played out for everyone. Mistakes have been made and horrors suffered by kids that should never happen, but a very well told story about protecting your family at all costs.
I enjoyed every aspect of this book and thought it was very well told!
March 30, 2024
Not much to say about "The Dredge" - I decided to read it after a decent review in the NYT mystery section of the book review when I was in the market for an easy read. It IS an easy read. The action revolves around a father and two sons, and their interactions with a neighbor family lead by an abusive father and alcoholic mother. Starting out I thought there was potential, but the character development felt weak and later on unrealistic, and the storyline cried out for a satisfying conclusion but never delivered. It's hard for me to put down a book once I start. If that's the case for you, I'd say skip this one.
March 23, 2024
There's some good writing in this one, and I'll be interested to see what the author does next. But this felt needlessly dark and the ending didn't deliver for me.
With thanks to the publisher for the copy of this book for review
With thanks to the publisher for the copy of this book for review
April 11, 2024
The story grabbed me from the start. I enjoy Brendan’s writing style. He brings you into the story and the characters without overwriting his descriptions and scenes. You feel like you really know the characters
March 5, 2024
Brendan Flaherty's impressive debut is an absorbing slow burn family drama featuring two brothers, a violent past, and untold stories that will rise to the surface in THE DREDGE.
A fitting title and cover utilizing lyrical metaphors and similes. Neither estranged brother wants to 'dredge' up dark secrets from the past, and the fear they will face when learning the pond that holds those secrets will be "dredged" for a new development in this atmospheric and unsetting domestic suspense. "Dredge: to bring to light by deep searching, to sort through, comb, dig, hunt, rifle, scour through the murk."
Brothers Cale and Ambrose Casey spent their teen years in rural Macoun, Connecticut. Now estranged, Cale ran off to Hawaii to sell luxury real estate, while Ambrose remained resentful —and started a construction company. They are estranged, but Cale must return to town due to upcoming concerns.
A prominent real estate company plans to drain and expand Gibbs Pond. However, 30 years earlier, the brothers buried a dark secret in this pond.
Lily Rowe, a bit of a recluse, remains in town and is the contractor in charge of the dredging, and she also has childhood trauma related to the banks of Gibbs Pond. Her family also has secrets to protect.
There is much dark family history going back generations. The Rowes, are known for their erratic behavior, inherited from an alcoholic father with a temper and Lily is the exception to the family’s cycle of violence. The Casey brothers are haunted by a series of family accidents and disappearances stretching back to an infamous nor’easter before they were born.
All the secrets and violence of the past will be unraveled in this dark, sinister, and unsettling debut as the three lives collide from past to present —1990s childhoods and the 2020s.
THE DREDGE is well-written, engrossing, and gritty, with flawed characters scarred from past traumas and tragedy. There is manipulation, abuse, lies, deception, friendships, violence, fear, desperation, and MURDER in this dysfunctional family drama.
Psychologically rich, it is a story of dark family secrets. Atmospheric and thought-provoking, it explores how family history can haunt you for life. Does the past shape the person, their actions, and their future? Does their past define them?
I listened to the audiobook narrated by David Bendena for a spellbinding performance, both moody and unsettling.
An author to watch. I look forward to reading more! For fans of John Hart, Tim Johnson, Michael Farris Smith, Taylor Adams, and Lou Berney.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for a gifted ALC for an honest opinion.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Mar 5, 2024
March 2024 Must-Read Books
March Newsletter
A fitting title and cover utilizing lyrical metaphors and similes. Neither estranged brother wants to 'dredge' up dark secrets from the past, and the fear they will face when learning the pond that holds those secrets will be "dredged" for a new development in this atmospheric and unsetting domestic suspense. "Dredge: to bring to light by deep searching, to sort through, comb, dig, hunt, rifle, scour through the murk."
Brothers Cale and Ambrose Casey spent their teen years in rural Macoun, Connecticut. Now estranged, Cale ran off to Hawaii to sell luxury real estate, while Ambrose remained resentful —and started a construction company. They are estranged, but Cale must return to town due to upcoming concerns.
A prominent real estate company plans to drain and expand Gibbs Pond. However, 30 years earlier, the brothers buried a dark secret in this pond.
Lily Rowe, a bit of a recluse, remains in town and is the contractor in charge of the dredging, and she also has childhood trauma related to the banks of Gibbs Pond. Her family also has secrets to protect.
There is much dark family history going back generations. The Rowes, are known for their erratic behavior, inherited from an alcoholic father with a temper and Lily is the exception to the family’s cycle of violence. The Casey brothers are haunted by a series of family accidents and disappearances stretching back to an infamous nor’easter before they were born.
All the secrets and violence of the past will be unraveled in this dark, sinister, and unsettling debut as the three lives collide from past to present —1990s childhoods and the 2020s.
THE DREDGE is well-written, engrossing, and gritty, with flawed characters scarred from past traumas and tragedy. There is manipulation, abuse, lies, deception, friendships, violence, fear, desperation, and MURDER in this dysfunctional family drama.
Psychologically rich, it is a story of dark family secrets. Atmospheric and thought-provoking, it explores how family history can haunt you for life. Does the past shape the person, their actions, and their future? Does their past define them?
I listened to the audiobook narrated by David Bendena for a spellbinding performance, both moody and unsettling.
An author to watch. I look forward to reading more! For fans of John Hart, Tim Johnson, Michael Farris Smith, Taylor Adams, and Lou Berney.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for a gifted ALC for an honest opinion.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Mar 5, 2024
March 2024 Must-Read Books
March Newsletter
July 22, 2024
Thank you to libro.fm and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC of this audiobook. I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.
CONTENT WARNING: murder of a dog (on-page and moderately graphic), murder, mention of sexual abuse of a child (off-page), violence
A small town mystery with long-buried family secrets and messy families is pretty much irresistible for me. So I couldn’t pass this one up. It’s a relatively short audiobook, but it still took me a few days to finish it. Here’s my thoughts on this one, since I had some things I liked and some things I didn’t about the story.
First of all, I was blown away by the writing in this story. The author has a wonderful way with words, and his writing is fantastic. There’s a lot of dialogue in the story and it felt natural and comfortable. His main characters are all damaged, traumatized people, and it shows. They’ve tried to move on in their own ways, but as their hidden secrets are closer to being brought to light, they realize they haven’t moved on as much as they thought. Consequently, none of the main characters are purely good or bad, but they’re firmly in the morally gray camp.
However, there’s one specific scene in the story that really turned me off on the book. To be honest, if I knew that this was going to be in the book, I wouldn’t have read it. There’s a scene in which a friendly family dog is hurt purposely and dies slowly and painfully. I don’t typically get triggered by material in books, but I don’t like reading graphic scenes involving harm to animals, and this was a particularly upsetting scene. Personally, I would have much preferred a warning about this in the beginning.
As for the plot, it felt like there was a lot packed into such a short book. The mystery wasn’t so much of a mystery, since it was pretty easy to figure out what was going on. I appreciated the way the author didn’t delve into the gorier details of what was happening to the kids in the story, since it avoided feeling like trauma porn, but I would have liked it more if the author did the same for the harm to the dog in the story as well. This was more of a low-stakes mystery, since everything had occurred so far in the past, even though none of the characters were really able to move on. I struggled to really stay invested after the scene with the dog, so the scenes that wrapped everything up kind of escaped me, but overall, this wasn’t one that really worked for me, even though the author has great potential.
CONTENT WARNING: murder of a dog (on-page and moderately graphic), murder, mention of sexual abuse of a child (off-page), violence
A small town mystery with long-buried family secrets and messy families is pretty much irresistible for me. So I couldn’t pass this one up. It’s a relatively short audiobook, but it still took me a few days to finish it. Here’s my thoughts on this one, since I had some things I liked and some things I didn’t about the story.
First of all, I was blown away by the writing in this story. The author has a wonderful way with words, and his writing is fantastic. There’s a lot of dialogue in the story and it felt natural and comfortable. His main characters are all damaged, traumatized people, and it shows. They’ve tried to move on in their own ways, but as their hidden secrets are closer to being brought to light, they realize they haven’t moved on as much as they thought. Consequently, none of the main characters are purely good or bad, but they’re firmly in the morally gray camp.
However, there’s one specific scene in the story that really turned me off on the book. To be honest, if I knew that this was going to be in the book, I wouldn’t have read it. There’s a scene in which a friendly family dog is hurt purposely and dies slowly and painfully. I don’t typically get triggered by material in books, but I don’t like reading graphic scenes involving harm to animals, and this was a particularly upsetting scene. Personally, I would have much preferred a warning about this in the beginning.
As for the plot, it felt like there was a lot packed into such a short book. The mystery wasn’t so much of a mystery, since it was pretty easy to figure out what was going on. I appreciated the way the author didn’t delve into the gorier details of what was happening to the kids in the story, since it avoided feeling like trauma porn, but I would have liked it more if the author did the same for the harm to the dog in the story as well. This was more of a low-stakes mystery, since everything had occurred so far in the past, even though none of the characters were really able to move on. I struggled to really stay invested after the scene with the dog, so the scenes that wrapped everything up kind of escaped me, but overall, this wasn’t one that really worked for me, even though the author has great potential.
March 29, 2024
Flaherty's debut is a tightly written suspenseful character-driven novel that feels like Southern noir despite taking place mainly in Connecticut. At only 240 pages, it comes in well below average length, but this is due to the clarity of the writing rather than a lack of detail. Without superfluous verbosity, the language recedes to the background as the characters come forward in vivid detail. THE DREDGE could easily be read in one sitting partly because of its length but also because the author immerses the reader in the small-town atmosphere at the same time that he introduces the background to the plot and develops the inter-related characters who are impacted by the eponymous dredge. Having accomplished all of this simultaneously, Flaherty's prose then adds layer after layer of depth to the plot.
The book moves between two timelines, with the more distant past converging ever more quickly upon the present. Brothers Cale and Ambrose Casey, decades ago, found themselves entangled in the lives of the Rowes, a nearby impoverished family with a legacy of mental illness and violence. That violence spilled over to deeply affect the Casey family, with death, disappearance, secrets, and more mental illness. The book is as much about the devastating effects of that violence as it is about the search for answers centered around those deaths and disappearances. As the past spirals toward the present, Cale and Ambrose reunite in a desperate attempt to keep their secrets and uncover those of the Rowes. The perspective moves between Cale, Ambrose, and Lily Rowe, the only remaining member of that family living in town in the present. The believably flawed characters add perspective, as well as darkness, to the search for truth. In the end, there is some redemption for those characters who are willing to accept it, but the book is darker than it is hopeful, and the reader is left to decide who emerges relatively whole from their actions.
Flaherty, through the development of his characters, presents a world of squalor in contrast with a world of privilege. He also presents a life where children are not loved and cared for, suffering from neglect and violence. Untamed greed plays a role, as does unmitigated sorrow. The kindness of strangers is contrasted with ingratitude. The author does not, however, lecture the reader with social justice issues; rather, the straightforward presentation of the reality of the book's world as a context for the mystery allows the reader to pass their own judgments. There is a great deal of depth in the story writing, and I think this would make an excellent book club book as it extends beyond the mystery aspects.
This review first appeared at reviewingtheevidence.com.
The book moves between two timelines, with the more distant past converging ever more quickly upon the present. Brothers Cale and Ambrose Casey, decades ago, found themselves entangled in the lives of the Rowes, a nearby impoverished family with a legacy of mental illness and violence. That violence spilled over to deeply affect the Casey family, with death, disappearance, secrets, and more mental illness. The book is as much about the devastating effects of that violence as it is about the search for answers centered around those deaths and disappearances. As the past spirals toward the present, Cale and Ambrose reunite in a desperate attempt to keep their secrets and uncover those of the Rowes. The perspective moves between Cale, Ambrose, and Lily Rowe, the only remaining member of that family living in town in the present. The believably flawed characters add perspective, as well as darkness, to the search for truth. In the end, there is some redemption for those characters who are willing to accept it, but the book is darker than it is hopeful, and the reader is left to decide who emerges relatively whole from their actions.
Flaherty, through the development of his characters, presents a world of squalor in contrast with a world of privilege. He also presents a life where children are not loved and cared for, suffering from neglect and violence. Untamed greed plays a role, as does unmitigated sorrow. The kindness of strangers is contrasted with ingratitude. The author does not, however, lecture the reader with social justice issues; rather, the straightforward presentation of the reality of the book's world as a context for the mystery allows the reader to pass their own judgments. There is a great deal of depth in the story writing, and I think this would make an excellent book club book as it extends beyond the mystery aspects.
This review first appeared at reviewingtheevidence.com.
March 30, 2024
Actual Rating 3.5
TW: Domestic Abuse, Animal Cruelty (plot relevant), Mental Health Disorder
Cale and Ambrose are brothers who have been estranged for years, Cale selling luxury real estate in Hawaii and Ambrose staying behind in Connecticut, starting a construction company. They never expected to have to interact again, but news of a construction project in their hometown with plans to dredge a pond they grew up near reaches both of them. They know that they must take quick action to protect a family secret before it’s brought into the light for all to see, but they’re not the only ones interested in secrets buried in the past.
This story was told from multiple POVs in an intriguing way. There are almost stream-of-consciousness slips into the past, which at times can be hard to follow at first. However, I liked how this approach was used as a representation of what the characters were experiencing. While it took some getting used to, it was incorporated well, and added much into the atmosphere of the read and the haunting aspect of the past.
There are many darker themes in this story, and the pasts of the characters are all quite difficult. I enjoyed how well these aspects were incorporated into the plot and characters, adding to their depth and helping them feel more alive. The atmosphere was also quite strong and added much to the book. Despite the somewhat slower pace, I was never bored and felt that the pacing was consistent even with the constant flashbacks.
This was a slower, character-driven short mystery that I recommend. POV swaps and swaps between past and present aren’t especially clear, so be aware of that going in. Especially strong for a debut work, I look forward to reading more from this author. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
TW: Domestic Abuse, Animal Cruelty (plot relevant), Mental Health Disorder
Cale and Ambrose are brothers who have been estranged for years, Cale selling luxury real estate in Hawaii and Ambrose staying behind in Connecticut, starting a construction company. They never expected to have to interact again, but news of a construction project in their hometown with plans to dredge a pond they grew up near reaches both of them. They know that they must take quick action to protect a family secret before it’s brought into the light for all to see, but they’re not the only ones interested in secrets buried in the past.
This story was told from multiple POVs in an intriguing way. There are almost stream-of-consciousness slips into the past, which at times can be hard to follow at first. However, I liked how this approach was used as a representation of what the characters were experiencing. While it took some getting used to, it was incorporated well, and added much into the atmosphere of the read and the haunting aspect of the past.
There are many darker themes in this story, and the pasts of the characters are all quite difficult. I enjoyed how well these aspects were incorporated into the plot and characters, adding to their depth and helping them feel more alive. The atmosphere was also quite strong and added much to the book. Despite the somewhat slower pace, I was never bored and felt that the pacing was consistent even with the constant flashbacks.
This was a slower, character-driven short mystery that I recommend. POV swaps and swaps between past and present aren’t especially clear, so be aware of that going in. Especially strong for a debut work, I look forward to reading more from this author. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 27, 2024
I read a free digital advance review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
As the novel begins, Macoun is a Connecticut town with possibilities of becoming a haven for wealthy people looking to move out of cities during the Covid-19 pandemic—or at least so thinks the big local developer. The developer has the chance to snap up a large landholding on Gibbs Pond, but it will need to be dredged to restore its depth and clarity. That brings the past back to life for three people.
Lily Rowe is the workhorse at the developer’s company and lives very near to Gibbs Pond, as does Ambrose Casey. Years earlier, when Ambrose and his brother Cale were kids, their father tried to help out the Rowe family. Abe Rowe was an abusive drunk, his wife was often out of it herself, and Lily and her brother Roy were troubled—especially Roy, who seemed to be growing up to be violent himself. Clashes between members of the two families turned deadly, and now Cale has left and been living in Hawaii for a couple of decades, trying to blot out everything about his childhood in Macoun. But after the news of the proposed dredge, he must return, confronting memories that he’s tried so hard to put behind him.
I liked the idea of this book more than the execution. Characterization is a little light, but more problematic is the overwrought flashback plot. If I told you who did what to whom, you might almost be tempted to laugh at how wildly tangled and implausible it all is. It’s just too much. Flaherty’s writing has promise, and I hope to see another book with more time spent on character development and a plot that’s less outlandish.
Trigger warning: There is an episode of animal cruelty. While it serves the plot, the same point could have been reached by a different route.
As the novel begins, Macoun is a Connecticut town with possibilities of becoming a haven for wealthy people looking to move out of cities during the Covid-19 pandemic—or at least so thinks the big local developer. The developer has the chance to snap up a large landholding on Gibbs Pond, but it will need to be dredged to restore its depth and clarity. That brings the past back to life for three people.
Lily Rowe is the workhorse at the developer’s company and lives very near to Gibbs Pond, as does Ambrose Casey. Years earlier, when Ambrose and his brother Cale were kids, their father tried to help out the Rowe family. Abe Rowe was an abusive drunk, his wife was often out of it herself, and Lily and her brother Roy were troubled—especially Roy, who seemed to be growing up to be violent himself. Clashes between members of the two families turned deadly, and now Cale has left and been living in Hawaii for a couple of decades, trying to blot out everything about his childhood in Macoun. But after the news of the proposed dredge, he must return, confronting memories that he’s tried so hard to put behind him.
I liked the idea of this book more than the execution. Characterization is a little light, but more problematic is the overwrought flashback plot. If I told you who did what to whom, you might almost be tempted to laugh at how wildly tangled and implausible it all is. It’s just too much. Flaherty’s writing has promise, and I hope to see another book with more time spent on character development and a plot that’s less outlandish.
Trigger warning: There is an episode of animal cruelty. While it serves the plot, the same point could have been reached by a different route.
February 21, 2024
The Dredge by Brendan Flaherty is a recommended debut character-driven mystery featuring secrets from the past that may emerge.
Cale and Ambrose Casey are estranged brothers who grew up in rural Connecticut. Ambrose still lives in the area and has a construction company while Cale moved to Hawaii and sells high-end real estate. The two brothers are forced to talk to each other when they learned of a real estate developer’s plan for Gibbs Pond and the land it is on. Lily Rowe ended up living near Gibbs pond when that was the last place her abusive father moved her and her brother Roy too. Now Lily is the only one left and she is working for the development company that plans to dredge the pond. Lily also has secrets to protect.
The narrative is mainly told through flashbacks and through multiple points-of-view and differing timelines with abrupt shifts between them. It all leads up to the secrets both families have that are tied to Gibbs Pond. The tone is somber and depressing throughout. While the secrets are revealed later in the novel, the title sort of gives away the direction the plot will take. It really is a bit too predictable and my attention flagged early on while reading.
The family secrets plot is a well-tread avenue so any venture down this road needs to be especially outstanding. Although The Dredge didn't meet my high expectations for the plot, there is a lot of promise in the portrayal of the characters. They were all complicated, troubled, realistic individuals although, as a reader who appreciates character-driven novels, I would have liked to see a bit more in-depth character development of these three. Thanks to Grove/Atlantic for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/0...
Cale and Ambrose Casey are estranged brothers who grew up in rural Connecticut. Ambrose still lives in the area and has a construction company while Cale moved to Hawaii and sells high-end real estate. The two brothers are forced to talk to each other when they learned of a real estate developer’s plan for Gibbs Pond and the land it is on. Lily Rowe ended up living near Gibbs pond when that was the last place her abusive father moved her and her brother Roy too. Now Lily is the only one left and she is working for the development company that plans to dredge the pond. Lily also has secrets to protect.
The narrative is mainly told through flashbacks and through multiple points-of-view and differing timelines with abrupt shifts between them. It all leads up to the secrets both families have that are tied to Gibbs Pond. The tone is somber and depressing throughout. While the secrets are revealed later in the novel, the title sort of gives away the direction the plot will take. It really is a bit too predictable and my attention flagged early on while reading.
The family secrets plot is a well-tread avenue so any venture down this road needs to be especially outstanding. Although The Dredge didn't meet my high expectations for the plot, there is a lot of promise in the portrayal of the characters. They were all complicated, troubled, realistic individuals although, as a reader who appreciates character-driven novels, I would have liked to see a bit more in-depth character development of these three. Thanks to Grove/Atlantic for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/0...
March 5, 2024
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
•
The Dredge was a great debut novel, it is very character driven. This story is very character driven, centered around the main characters, two brothers Cale and Ambrose, and the lone survivor of a dysfunctional family, Lily Rowe, as they attempt to keep long hidden secrets buried. This was such a fast paced and gripping read right from the start.
•
In this multi POV and dual timeline story, we really get to see the tragic past of each of these characters and how their past ultimately shaped them. This is a mystery of sorts with some thrilling/suspenseful parts but for the most part I think this is more an exploration of grief and coming to terms with your actions. Flaherty lets the reader in on the secrets being kept slowly throughout the book, giving just enough insight at times to keep you hooked throughout the story.
•
There is something that happens in this one that made me want to absolutely vom (I think it was for shock value and honestly, it’s the one thing I hate the most). Otherwise this was a great read. I wanted to know each characters secrets and just want happened. I think that this was a tad confusing at times, but nothing too difficult to figure out. My last beef, the story isn’t necessarily wrapped up in a nice little bow like how some (myself included prefer) though, I think that the authors intended ending is pretty obvious.
•
I listened to this one via audiobook from Libro.fm’s influencer program and it was super fast paced and it was a quick listen. It was narrated by David Brendena and I think that he did such a great job!
•
Overall, this is definitely worth taking the time to read/listen to. I look forward to seeing what else Flaherty comes up with! The Dredge releases today 3/5. Check it out! Huge thank you to Libro.fm, Brendan Flaherty and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
•
The Dredge was a great debut novel, it is very character driven. This story is very character driven, centered around the main characters, two brothers Cale and Ambrose, and the lone survivor of a dysfunctional family, Lily Rowe, as they attempt to keep long hidden secrets buried. This was such a fast paced and gripping read right from the start.
•
In this multi POV and dual timeline story, we really get to see the tragic past of each of these characters and how their past ultimately shaped them. This is a mystery of sorts with some thrilling/suspenseful parts but for the most part I think this is more an exploration of grief and coming to terms with your actions. Flaherty lets the reader in on the secrets being kept slowly throughout the book, giving just enough insight at times to keep you hooked throughout the story.
•
There is something that happens in this one that made me want to absolutely vom (I think it was for shock value and honestly, it’s the one thing I hate the most). Otherwise this was a great read. I wanted to know each characters secrets and just want happened. I think that this was a tad confusing at times, but nothing too difficult to figure out. My last beef, the story isn’t necessarily wrapped up in a nice little bow like how some (myself included prefer) though, I think that the authors intended ending is pretty obvious.
•
I listened to this one via audiobook from Libro.fm’s influencer program and it was super fast paced and it was a quick listen. It was narrated by David Brendena and I think that he did such a great job!
•
Overall, this is definitely worth taking the time to read/listen to. I look forward to seeing what else Flaherty comes up with! The Dredge releases today 3/5. Check it out! Huge thank you to Libro.fm, Brendan Flaherty and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
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