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The Swimming Group
A woman’s MISSING
A friend’s LYING
AND SECRETS DON’T STAY BURIED
My name is Emma Brennan, and I never thought I’d find myself in this position — standing on a Cape Cod beach at sunrise, wondering which of my friends is a killer.
I came to the idyllic seaside town of Provincetown, to raise my young niece and figure out what to do next with my life. Eleven months ago my sister vanished off the coast of Ocracoke Island. No body, no answers. Just a teenage daughter left behind — and me. At the same time, the man I thought I was going to marry cheated on me with a cute young florist.
I joined the Tragic Wives’ Group — a tight-knit, cold-water swimming group with enough personal drama to fill a bestseller. And one of us has put it in a manuscript, spilling all our secrets.
Then she disappears . . . leaving just a pile of clothes on the sand. She’s the second person I’ve lost in twelve months.
A friend’s LYING
AND SECRETS DON’T STAY BURIED
My name is Emma Brennan, and I never thought I’d find myself in this position — standing on a Cape Cod beach at sunrise, wondering which of my friends is a killer.
I came to the idyllic seaside town of Provincetown, to raise my young niece and figure out what to do next with my life. Eleven months ago my sister vanished off the coast of Ocracoke Island. No body, no answers. Just a teenage daughter left behind — and me. At the same time, the man I thought I was going to marry cheated on me with a cute young florist.
I joined the Tragic Wives’ Group — a tight-knit, cold-water swimming group with enough personal drama to fill a bestseller. And one of us has put it in a manuscript, spilling all our secrets.
Then she disappears . . . leaving just a pile of clothes on the sand. She’s the second person I’ve lost in twelve months.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2025
170 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
Bella Ellwood-Clayton
5 books33 followersDr. Bella Ellwood-Clayton writes twisty domestic suspense about the secrets we hide from those closest to us.
Her novels include The Swimming Group (Joffe Books, 2025) and Weekend Friends (Post Hill Press/Simon & Schuster, 2023), praised as “unputdownable” by bestselling author Nicola Moriarty. The Cherry Wives is coming in March 2026.
Born in Canada, Bella now lives in Melbourne with her family and a small dog who has delusions of grandeur.
Get a free short story when you join her newsletter at www.drbella.com.au
Instagram: @BellaEllwoodClayton
Her novels include The Swimming Group (Joffe Books, 2025) and Weekend Friends (Post Hill Press/Simon & Schuster, 2023), praised as “unputdownable” by bestselling author Nicola Moriarty. The Cherry Wives is coming in March 2026.
Born in Canada, Bella now lives in Melbourne with her family and a small dog who has delusions of grandeur.
Get a free short story when you join her newsletter at www.drbella.com.au
Instagram: @BellaEllwoodClayton
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
April 26, 2025
Oh my goodness. What a book! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I did not see the plot twists coming. I am literally speechless. The premise was excellent.
The book is extremely well written and it flowed perfectly. There were no continuity issues and no unanswered questions. The writing was exquisite.
I loved the characters so much and they were all excellent. Miguel was probably my favourite. He made me giggle. Em was a great FMC. I did feel sorry for her. Guardie was a great character. He's Canadian so naturally I was drawn to him! The rest of the cast of characters all fit in well and played their parts beautifully.
The book is written in first person. Predominantly from Em's point of view. There are a couple other chapters from other characters but I won't say who! I liked that it was done like this. It kept the tension built nicely.
I cannot recommend this enough. It was a fantastic psychological thriller
The book is extremely well written and it flowed perfectly. There were no continuity issues and no unanswered questions. The writing was exquisite.
I loved the characters so much and they were all excellent. Miguel was probably my favourite. He made me giggle. Em was a great FMC. I did feel sorry for her. Guardie was a great character. He's Canadian so naturally I was drawn to him! The rest of the cast of characters all fit in well and played their parts beautifully.
The book is written in first person. Predominantly from Em's point of view. There are a couple other chapters from other characters but I won't say who! I liked that it was done like this. It kept the tension built nicely.
I cannot recommend this enough. It was a fantastic psychological thriller
May 14, 2025
A good who-don-it with twists! I loved the unique setting, and the many characters involved. A refreshing change from domestic thrillers!
April 20, 2025
Loved the premise of this one, not that I would ever agree to getting up that early to jump into freezing water, but I digress. It has the gossipy friend group trope that I find interesting for some reason. Several women, and a couple of men each having suffered some type of tragedy meet on certain mornings to jump in for a swim, sort of like their own version of therapy for friends. While they all have shared their individual tragedies, it seems they all also have major secrets they hold close. When they find out one of them has been collecting those secrets to write a tell all novel, chaos ensues. Somehow, the would-be novelist disappears one morning and everyone is suspecting each other.
Now, the twists in this one were crazy. Some things definitely surprise you and lets be honest, a couple of them seem a tad bit far fetched. But a good novel should make you think and take you into another world for a while and this one does just that. I do admit, after one of the last big twists, I was getting really pissed at the possibility of the main character being a martyr for others yet again. As an oldest child, sometimes you just get tired of feeling as if you always have to be there for everyone and they all seem to take you for granted. In the end, we still get a well rounded up story. However, I would have liked a little more detail into several of the characters. There are a lot of them and they start to blend together where you are not always clear on who is who. Short, quick read, can be done in a day if you would like.
*I received an advance review copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Now, the twists in this one were crazy. Some things definitely surprise you and lets be honest, a couple of them seem a tad bit far fetched. But a good novel should make you think and take you into another world for a while and this one does just that. I do admit, after one of the last big twists, I was getting really pissed at the possibility of the main character being a martyr for others yet again. As an oldest child, sometimes you just get tired of feeling as if you always have to be there for everyone and they all seem to take you for granted. In the end, we still get a well rounded up story. However, I would have liked a little more detail into several of the characters. There are a lot of them and they start to blend together where you are not always clear on who is who. Short, quick read, can be done in a day if you would like.
*I received an advance review copy of this book in return for an honest review.
April 18, 2025
4.5 rounded up
This book was SO good! This was my first book by this author, but I will most certainly be reading more!
Em is dealing with a lot. The man she thought she was going to marry cheated on her, and her sister tragically drowned, leaving behind her teenage daughter. She now has custody of her niece and has decided to escape to Cape Cod to find some peace, but she is staying at her ex's parents' house until it is sold. She's met a group of people who swim in the frigid Atlantic three mornings a week. The group calls itself the "Tragic Wives Club". Each member has had something bad happen to them. They find out that one of the members, Rachel, is writing a tell-all book that includes everyone's darkest secrets. When Rachel suddenly disappears, suspicions rise. What happened to Rachel? Was there a secret that someone would kill to protect?
This book was totally unputdownable! From its jaw-dropping twists to the suspense, I was completely immersed! I was seriously so shocked by the turn of events! I totally didn't see any of it coming! The swim group was unique, and each member dealing with a personal tragedy was compelling! Em's family made me so angry, but I loved her friendship with Miguel. I'm not going to lie, I do love romance in my thrillers, and Em and Guardie's was sweet and steamy! I also loved the setting! This book was extremely entertaining and kept me fully engaged. I would highly recommend this one!
This book was SO good! This was my first book by this author, but I will most certainly be reading more!
Em is dealing with a lot. The man she thought she was going to marry cheated on her, and her sister tragically drowned, leaving behind her teenage daughter. She now has custody of her niece and has decided to escape to Cape Cod to find some peace, but she is staying at her ex's parents' house until it is sold. She's met a group of people who swim in the frigid Atlantic three mornings a week. The group calls itself the "Tragic Wives Club". Each member has had something bad happen to them. They find out that one of the members, Rachel, is writing a tell-all book that includes everyone's darkest secrets. When Rachel suddenly disappears, suspicions rise. What happened to Rachel? Was there a secret that someone would kill to protect?
This book was totally unputdownable! From its jaw-dropping twists to the suspense, I was completely immersed! I was seriously so shocked by the turn of events! I totally didn't see any of it coming! The swim group was unique, and each member dealing with a personal tragedy was compelling! Em's family made me so angry, but I loved her friendship with Miguel. I'm not going to lie, I do love romance in my thrillers, and Em and Guardie's was sweet and steamy! I also loved the setting! This book was extremely entertaining and kept me fully engaged. I would highly recommend this one!
May 16, 2025
This was my first read by this author and as I also don't ever read blurbs before reading, I had no idea what to expect.
The front cover looked dark and enticing, but the title didn't give too much away.
As soon as I started reading, I knew that I was going to be hooked until the end!
With a diverse cast of characters who were, on the whole, well presented and developed throughout and a plot that kept me guessing, I raced through this trying to work out the clues and guess how things would play out in the end.
I've never been wild swimming and I loved the group dynamics from the start.
However, I really don't think I've been tempted to try it after seeing how things could go!
The writing style was nice and easy to read and the atmosphere and tension created throughout kept me on edge.
There were lots of twists which I love in a thriller like this, but there were definitely a couple of "really!?" moments.
A great start for my first read and I'll be keeping an eye out for more books by this author in the future.
The front cover looked dark and enticing, but the title didn't give too much away.
As soon as I started reading, I knew that I was going to be hooked until the end!
With a diverse cast of characters who were, on the whole, well presented and developed throughout and a plot that kept me guessing, I raced through this trying to work out the clues and guess how things would play out in the end.
I've never been wild swimming and I loved the group dynamics from the start.
However, I really don't think I've been tempted to try it after seeing how things could go!
The writing style was nice and easy to read and the atmosphere and tension created throughout kept me on edge.
There were lots of twists which I love in a thriller like this, but there were definitely a couple of "really!?" moments.
A great start for my first read and I'll be keeping an eye out for more books by this author in the future.
May 9, 2025
This was a fast, fun, twisty story. A gossipy group of friends, each one with a secret, and one (or more?) of them is a killer. I loved the beachside setting and the plot swerves that kept me on the edge of my seat.
April 25, 2025
It’s another twisty and tense psychological thriller full of characters with something to hide.
Emma has moved to Provincetown, with her niece Natalie, to recover from the tragic death of her sister, Britta. She soon joins a swimming group calling themselves the Tragic Wives, who meet every morning to swim in the cold water of the Atlantic Ocean. When one of them disappears in suspicious circumstances, everyone is a suspect.
I loved the set-up for this story, with Emma and Natalie both battling their grief after the drowning death of Britta. The Tragic Wives group provides a welcome respite for Em and she is comforted by the people she meets through this shared experience. Her closest confidant is Miguel, who was also my favourite character. His merciless wit and hilarious banter added lightness and humour to the story, even in moments that were otherwise quite dark.
I also enjoyed the developing attraction between Em and Guardie, another member of the group who has a natural healing and massage business.
With my suspicions constantly changing as more secrets were unearthed, I was not able to predict the ending of this one, even though I had fun coming up with theories. The book was a really great blend of crime and romance, something that I’m enjoying at the moment.
My only negative was that the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly for my liking and I would have liked a bit more, but otherwise it was an incredibly engaging and intriguing read.
Emma has moved to Provincetown, with her niece Natalie, to recover from the tragic death of her sister, Britta. She soon joins a swimming group calling themselves the Tragic Wives, who meet every morning to swim in the cold water of the Atlantic Ocean. When one of them disappears in suspicious circumstances, everyone is a suspect.
I loved the set-up for this story, with Emma and Natalie both battling their grief after the drowning death of Britta. The Tragic Wives group provides a welcome respite for Em and she is comforted by the people she meets through this shared experience. Her closest confidant is Miguel, who was also my favourite character. His merciless wit and hilarious banter added lightness and humour to the story, even in moments that were otherwise quite dark.
I also enjoyed the developing attraction between Em and Guardie, another member of the group who has a natural healing and massage business.
With my suspicions constantly changing as more secrets were unearthed, I was not able to predict the ending of this one, even though I had fun coming up with theories. The book was a really great blend of crime and romance, something that I’m enjoying at the moment.
My only negative was that the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly for my liking and I would have liked a bit more, but otherwise it was an incredibly engaging and intriguing read.
April 22, 2025
From the prologue I was drawn into this chilling (pardon the pun) mystery thriller straight away.
The ‘Tragic Wives Club’ meets at dawn every morning to plunge in the cold ocean for a minimum of 15 minutes. Each member of this motley bunch is unique in their own right, and has a tragic tale to share
Narrator Em, is still grieving her sister Britta who drowned a year ago. While now dealing with the breakdown of her own relationship she relishes the feeling of being in the water
Horribly, one of the group goes missing one morning before a plunge takes place. As the group try to figure out what has happened, it soon comes to light that the missing person was writing a tell all novel using ‘The Tragic Wives Club’ stories the key narrative
Is it a coincidence that this person is missing? Who has the most juiciest secret in the group?
Packed full of dirty secrets, interesting and suspicious characters I was glued to the pages! Many twists throughout had me guessing right until the end!
Thank you to @bellaellwoodclayton for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
The ‘Tragic Wives Club’ meets at dawn every morning to plunge in the cold ocean for a minimum of 15 minutes. Each member of this motley bunch is unique in their own right, and has a tragic tale to share
Narrator Em, is still grieving her sister Britta who drowned a year ago. While now dealing with the breakdown of her own relationship she relishes the feeling of being in the water
Horribly, one of the group goes missing one morning before a plunge takes place. As the group try to figure out what has happened, it soon comes to light that the missing person was writing a tell all novel using ‘The Tragic Wives Club’ stories the key narrative
Is it a coincidence that this person is missing? Who has the most juiciest secret in the group?
Packed full of dirty secrets, interesting and suspicious characters I was glued to the pages! Many twists throughout had me guessing right until the end!
Thank you to @bellaellwoodclayton for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
April 24, 2025
Thanks to Dr Bella for sending me a copy. And giving me a chance to read her novel.
This book makes you question everyone, their innocence, and motives.
But the truth will leave you shocked.
Its truly an amazing plot twitst, I was very addicted reading and munching to pace myself so l did not read it all 😂
Their characters were very intriguing and had their own unique story, making them very much real. This is the first book l've read by Bella Ellwood-Clayton and It started with a great one. Definitely will be looking for more by her. I loved this book and highly recommend it!!
This book makes you question everyone, their innocence, and motives.
But the truth will leave you shocked.
Its truly an amazing plot twitst, I was very addicted reading and munching to pace myself so l did not read it all 😂
Their characters were very intriguing and had their own unique story, making them very much real. This is the first book l've read by Bella Ellwood-Clayton and It started with a great one. Definitely will be looking for more by her. I loved this book and highly recommend it!!
September 24, 2025
"The Swimming Group" Bella Ellwood-Clayton is a gripping psychological thriller centering around Emma "Em" Brennan, who is also the narrator of the story.
Em has recently moved to Cape Cod in order to rebuild her life after a messy break-up and her sister's mysterious death during a family trip. While looking after her sister's teenage daughter, Em tries to heal from her past. She befriends a group of women (with the two exceptions Miguel and Guardie) calling themselves "The Tragic Wives' Group", who regularly meet early in the morning to take a swim in the cold Atlantic. Each of them has experienced some trauma in the past, now trying to come to terms with it with the help of the group.
One day one of them, Rachael, reveals that she has written a book about all of their personal secrets, some of which are quite juicy, and is about to send the manuscript to a publisher, leaving the swimming group in a state of shock. But then one morning Rachael simply disappears, leaving behind only a pile of clothes on the shore. Consequently, the tension between the group members slowly rises. Is it one of them who is responsible for Rachael's disappearance? Em finds it increasingly difficult to trust anyone, not even Guardie, a Canadian masseuse she feels drawn to.
I was drawn into this gripping story right from the start, although it takes a while before the plot finally takes off. I could relate easily to Em, whose life has turned upside down after her sister's death and the separation from her cheating fiancé. She also has to look after her sister's daughter, who is still grappling with her grief. The swimming group helps Em to get back on her feet again, so it really hits her hard when one of them seems to be a murderer and she doesn't know who to trust anymore.
Em is a very complex character, we see inside her head and get to know her hopes, fears and suspicions. Through her eyes we also become familiar with the other characters. Each of them has some distinctive trait(s) relating to their looks, their jobs or their preferences and are given nicknames like "Compost Carol" or "Guardie". After the initial chapters, when all the characters have been introduced, the plot becomes gripping and fast-paced, with lots of shocking twists and surprises, and a dash of romance (though this romantic element didn't quite convince me). But also grief and loss, as well as the power of friendship, are central topics of the story. The author successfully manages to weave an intriguing net of lies, betrayal and secrets that keeps the reader on tenterhooks. The ending was a surprise since there was an unexpected twist at the end, which I didn't see coming.
I really enjoyed reading this psychological thriller and would like to recommend it to those who like character-driven mysteries that keep you guessing until the end.
Em has recently moved to Cape Cod in order to rebuild her life after a messy break-up and her sister's mysterious death during a family trip. While looking after her sister's teenage daughter, Em tries to heal from her past. She befriends a group of women (with the two exceptions Miguel and Guardie) calling themselves "The Tragic Wives' Group", who regularly meet early in the morning to take a swim in the cold Atlantic. Each of them has experienced some trauma in the past, now trying to come to terms with it with the help of the group.
One day one of them, Rachael, reveals that she has written a book about all of their personal secrets, some of which are quite juicy, and is about to send the manuscript to a publisher, leaving the swimming group in a state of shock. But then one morning Rachael simply disappears, leaving behind only a pile of clothes on the shore. Consequently, the tension between the group members slowly rises. Is it one of them who is responsible for Rachael's disappearance? Em finds it increasingly difficult to trust anyone, not even Guardie, a Canadian masseuse she feels drawn to.
I was drawn into this gripping story right from the start, although it takes a while before the plot finally takes off. I could relate easily to Em, whose life has turned upside down after her sister's death and the separation from her cheating fiancé. She also has to look after her sister's daughter, who is still grappling with her grief. The swimming group helps Em to get back on her feet again, so it really hits her hard when one of them seems to be a murderer and she doesn't know who to trust anymore.
Em is a very complex character, we see inside her head and get to know her hopes, fears and suspicions. Through her eyes we also become familiar with the other characters. Each of them has some distinctive trait(s) relating to their looks, their jobs or their preferences and are given nicknames like "Compost Carol" or "Guardie". After the initial chapters, when all the characters have been introduced, the plot becomes gripping and fast-paced, with lots of shocking twists and surprises, and a dash of romance (though this romantic element didn't quite convince me). But also grief and loss, as well as the power of friendship, are central topics of the story. The author successfully manages to weave an intriguing net of lies, betrayal and secrets that keeps the reader on tenterhooks. The ending was a surprise since there was an unexpected twist at the end, which I didn't see coming.
I really enjoyed reading this psychological thriller and would like to recommend it to those who like character-driven mysteries that keep you guessing until the end.
April 15, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I was hooked from the start.
The book is beautifully written, slowly the tension builds along with the mystery and suspects.
The story follows Em a woman who has been through hardship. Her relationship ending in the worst possible way and her sister passing away when being overpowered by the sea.
Em finds comfort in the early morning swimming group she has found. The cold water makes Em feel again, making her feel closer to her sister and bringing her some control back into her life.
The group connects over there misfortunes. They may not share their experiences but they know they have people around them, with others story’s to tell. Making them fell less alone.
When one of the swimmers go missing, the group is accused for her disappearance as the victim held everyone’s secrets and was publishing them all.
Now the group and characters we have grown to love are under the spotlight.
Who can we trust?
Everything through out this book makes you question everyone, question their innocence, their motives.
But the truth will leave you shocked.
It is a truly amazing plot twist.
This was an honest ARC review, the book will be published the 23/04/25
Happy reading 📖🫶
I was hooked from the start.
The book is beautifully written, slowly the tension builds along with the mystery and suspects.
The story follows Em a woman who has been through hardship. Her relationship ending in the worst possible way and her sister passing away when being overpowered by the sea.
Em finds comfort in the early morning swimming group she has found. The cold water makes Em feel again, making her feel closer to her sister and bringing her some control back into her life.
The group connects over there misfortunes. They may not share their experiences but they know they have people around them, with others story’s to tell. Making them fell less alone.
When one of the swimmers go missing, the group is accused for her disappearance as the victim held everyone’s secrets and was publishing them all.
Now the group and characters we have grown to love are under the spotlight.
Who can we trust?
Everything through out this book makes you question everyone, question their innocence, their motives.
But the truth will leave you shocked.
It is a truly amazing plot twist.
This was an honest ARC review, the book will be published the 23/04/25
Happy reading 📖🫶
May 7, 2025
There's something about the ocean and thrillers that just make sense, especially in this story, where a woman who's simply striving for a break gets more than she ever asked for.
She and her friends are dropped in the middle of something dark and dangerous when a friend goes missing...a friend who had dirt on all of them...
It was such a fun read and while I couldn't deeply connect with the characters, I still liked the chemistry of the characters with each other.
This is a great spring and summer read, especially if you intend on a beach vacation.. ⛱️
She and her friends are dropped in the middle of something dark and dangerous when a friend goes missing...a friend who had dirt on all of them...
It was such a fun read and while I couldn't deeply connect with the characters, I still liked the chemistry of the characters with each other.
This is a great spring and summer read, especially if you intend on a beach vacation.. ⛱️
September 16, 2025
Originally reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)
The Swimming Group is an excellent whodunnit, primarily because it starts out so innocuously. Emma is part of a ragtag group of unique individuals who meet up regularly to cold-water swim, but beneath the surface of the group bears the need to heal from various tragedies within their lives. For Emma, her primary tragedy involves her missing sister, who had vanished after swimming off the coast of Ocracoke Island. A plotline that runs concurrently with that event is her recently failed marriage. Relocating herself to Cape Cod was done as a means of self-preservation, and to help her niece recover from losing her mother.
But then one of the swimming group members goes missing. All they have to go by is a pile of clothes and some other personal belongings, but no one knows what happened or why the person is missing. Or how it happened to her. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect, and no one is safe. The slow unraveling of trust was depicted well, without anything feeling too rushed or pushed on to the reader, allowing the opportunity to come to their own conclusions. Even still, there was a particular bombshell that hit hard and sent me reeling! I couldn’t believe the deeper issues that Emma has to face, with me feeling just as shocked as she does when the truth is finally revealed.
The various relationships between the Tragic Wives’ Group was intricate and provided a lot of background to each and every eventual suspect. Woven into the mix is the opportunity for romance, as well as forming deeper friendships and connections, but with everything going on it’s hard to know who is really in Emma’s corner. In the end, I didn’t necessarily agree with the decisions made in order to rectify what really happened to the missing Tragic Wives’ Group member, but it made sense.
The best part of the story was the gradual ramp up of raising the stakes and revealing what’s really going on behind the surface of things. Emma thinks things are the way they are and nothing can be changed, but if I learned anything from The Swimming Group, it’s that nothing is the way it seems and much like the cold waters she swims in, the landscape of the world is unpredictable and can at times become uncontrollable, too. It was a definite five-star read!
The Swimming Group is an excellent whodunnit, primarily because it starts out so innocuously. Emma is part of a ragtag group of unique individuals who meet up regularly to cold-water swim, but beneath the surface of the group bears the need to heal from various tragedies within their lives. For Emma, her primary tragedy involves her missing sister, who had vanished after swimming off the coast of Ocracoke Island. A plotline that runs concurrently with that event is her recently failed marriage. Relocating herself to Cape Cod was done as a means of self-preservation, and to help her niece recover from losing her mother.
But then one of the swimming group members goes missing. All they have to go by is a pile of clothes and some other personal belongings, but no one knows what happened or why the person is missing. Or how it happened to her. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect, and no one is safe. The slow unraveling of trust was depicted well, without anything feeling too rushed or pushed on to the reader, allowing the opportunity to come to their own conclusions. Even still, there was a particular bombshell that hit hard and sent me reeling! I couldn’t believe the deeper issues that Emma has to face, with me feeling just as shocked as she does when the truth is finally revealed.
The various relationships between the Tragic Wives’ Group was intricate and provided a lot of background to each and every eventual suspect. Woven into the mix is the opportunity for romance, as well as forming deeper friendships and connections, but with everything going on it’s hard to know who is really in Emma’s corner. In the end, I didn’t necessarily agree with the decisions made in order to rectify what really happened to the missing Tragic Wives’ Group member, but it made sense.
The best part of the story was the gradual ramp up of raising the stakes and revealing what’s really going on behind the surface of things. Emma thinks things are the way they are and nothing can be changed, but if I learned anything from The Swimming Group, it’s that nothing is the way it seems and much like the cold waters she swims in, the landscape of the world is unpredictable and can at times become uncontrollable, too. It was a definite five-star read!
May 15, 2025
Available on KU
Video review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTj5kpeKu/
Video review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTj5kpeKu/
August 24, 2025
A group meets for a morning cold water plunge and a member of the group goes missing. Several twists and turns.
May 4, 2025
WOW. I still can't get over that ending. This book had so much suspense that it was killing me. I could not figure out who the suspect was. Let me tell you, you’re not going to figure it out. It was so unexpected that my mouth dropped. I gotta say I am still pretty upset with that ending. I wish someone got what they deserved. But hey, it is what it is. You definitely do not want to miss out on this read! It's definitely a page-turner!
April 29, 2025
4.25!
This is an engaging and fun read that will have you second guessing what is happening! I loved how each member of the swim group had their own secrets which gave them their own motives to the murder. It also has a splash of romance to break up the mystery. The plot twists and the ending was great! I was definitely surprised!
⋆ Thank you Dr Bella for this advanced reader’s copy!
This is an engaging and fun read that will have you second guessing what is happening! I loved how each member of the swim group had their own secrets which gave them their own motives to the murder. It also has a splash of romance to break up the mystery. The plot twists and the ending was great! I was definitely surprised!
⋆ Thank you Dr Bella for this advanced reader’s copy!
April 22, 2025
Well the title grabbed me straight away, I love open water swimming and it’s a good contemporary backdrop for a story. The groups of swimmers are an eclectic mix of personalities all with sad backstories and also some pretty big secrets. When one of them goes missing the tension is huge and gets bigger with each passing day. When we find out that she had been keeping notes about each of the other members’ innermost secrets it suddenly becomes a who is more likely to want her dead mystery with lots of very decent suspects.
I found the start of the book a little slow but it eventually moved up into the fast lane and really held its own. There are plenty of pleasing twists and uncertainties and a good dose of romance and humour.
Definitely edgy and different enough for me to sit up and take notice and a few tears spilled along the way.
I found the start of the book a little slow but it eventually moved up into the fast lane and really held its own. There are plenty of pleasing twists and uncertainties and a good dose of romance and humour.
Definitely edgy and different enough for me to sit up and take notice and a few tears spilled along the way.
April 19, 2025
book review coming soon
June 6, 2025
A group of friends, from various different walks of life, come together regularly to go swimming in the sea together in the early hours of the mornings. When one of them goes missing, tensions rise as they realise she was taking their secrets and using them to write a book. But who has a secret worth killing over?
Unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. I found the characters unlikeable, especially Britta. The only exception was Miguel, Emma's gay bestie. The police officers irritated me sooo badly that I was ready to give up reading purely because of them. The initial disappearance of one of the characters was great and had me intrigued. But the rest of the book just kind of fell flat. It just felt a little farfetched, especially the whole Britta storyline.
Unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. I found the characters unlikeable, especially Britta. The only exception was Miguel, Emma's gay bestie. The police officers irritated me sooo badly that I was ready to give up reading purely because of them. The initial disappearance of one of the characters was great and had me intrigued. But the rest of the book just kind of fell flat. It just felt a little farfetched, especially the whole Britta storyline.
May 12, 2025
As far as reasons for wanting to read a book go – if, indeed, you need a reason – this wasn’t the most orthodox. I longed to read The Swimming Group by Bella Elwood Clayton not because of the cover – though it is wonderful – or the blurb, though it is compelling. No, I wanted to read it because I’m a member of an outdoor swimming group, and because I loved the idea of each member of my own group having their own closely-guarded secrets, which one of them would kill to protect …
This brings me nicely to the first bit of good news. I’m guessing that Bella Elwood-Clayton must have either tried cold water swimming for herself, or spoken very closely to someone who has, because she’s well and truly captured the sensation. The initial waiting in the cold for everyone to arrive, punctured by inane small talk whilst each and every person in the group wonders why on earth they’ve got out of bed early for this. The initial gasp as the first toe touches the water and the hairs on the legs stand on end. The clenching of the fists as you slowly continue to enter the water, in defiance of your body screaming at you not to. The wonderful feeling as the initial shock turns to pleasure, even as the legs go numb. A feeling that – provided you leave the water before your core actually feels cold, wrap up warm quickly and get a warm drink inside you – stays with you afterwards. And also, the comradery that you feel with others in your group, because after all, who else is mad enough to share that magical experience?
(Admittedly, she’s missed out the point that there will inevitably be some gasping, screaming and perhaps swearing at the point that the freezing water makes its first contact with a man’s testicles, and whilst that’s understandable, I’d have liked to see Miguel illustrate the point.)
This minor, and frankly repulsive detail aside. Perhaps the description of that first swim was enough to really help me appreciate this author’s writing, but wow, she can portray a character. Within the first few chapters, each one of the key characters had their own identity – the exuberant Miguel and the psychologically-damaged teenage Hannah being ones that I particularly liked. But as the book goes on, you realise that each one of them is rather more complex than they first appear. Just as you’d most likely realise that if you were to meet those same people in real life. The result is a book that, as at least one other reviewer has said, had me laughing out loud one minute and with my heart aching the next. The scenes, too, are wonderfully described – not only the beach where the swims take place, but also the palatial house in which the narrator Emily (Em) is fortunate enough to be living, but doesn’t really feel at home.
For me, then, the concept is fantastic, the character portrayal is magnificent and the descriptions are wonderful. So far, so very good. The problem for me was the plot, which I thought was: hmm, not so much.
Unexpected twists are fine – indeed, they’re to be expected in a book like this. And I liked that each twist here proved to be significant for the main story, rather than feeling like they’d been included for the sake of it. The trouble is that for a plot twist to really work, it still has to feel believable. Here, I felt that I was having to suspend my disbelief a little too much and rather too often. I also wasn’t sure how I felt about the romantic scenes: they work in the sense that they cause the reader to doubt Em’s reliability as a narrator, but at the same time, I have to say that they sometimes felt a bit cheap, which isn’t what I want in a psychological thriller.
I think then that The Swimming Group is a book that works best as an entertaining read, mixed with an interesting character study. And if you prefer that to a tight plot, there’s every chance you’ll love this. For me, though, I was reminded a little bit about how I used to feel when I saw others taking cold water swims, before I’d tried it for myself. An overall feeling of ‘what the hell have they just done?’ That’s not a bad thing by any means, but it’s still not quite as good as ‘wow, that was wonderful’.
My thanks to Joffe Books and Zooloo’s Book Tours for including me on the blog tour. My review is also available on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com and my social media pages.
(3.5 stars rounded up)
This brings me nicely to the first bit of good news. I’m guessing that Bella Elwood-Clayton must have either tried cold water swimming for herself, or spoken very closely to someone who has, because she’s well and truly captured the sensation. The initial waiting in the cold for everyone to arrive, punctured by inane small talk whilst each and every person in the group wonders why on earth they’ve got out of bed early for this. The initial gasp as the first toe touches the water and the hairs on the legs stand on end. The clenching of the fists as you slowly continue to enter the water, in defiance of your body screaming at you not to. The wonderful feeling as the initial shock turns to pleasure, even as the legs go numb. A feeling that – provided you leave the water before your core actually feels cold, wrap up warm quickly and get a warm drink inside you – stays with you afterwards. And also, the comradery that you feel with others in your group, because after all, who else is mad enough to share that magical experience?
(Admittedly, she’s missed out the point that there will inevitably be some gasping, screaming and perhaps swearing at the point that the freezing water makes its first contact with a man’s testicles, and whilst that’s understandable, I’d have liked to see Miguel illustrate the point.)
This minor, and frankly repulsive detail aside. Perhaps the description of that first swim was enough to really help me appreciate this author’s writing, but wow, she can portray a character. Within the first few chapters, each one of the key characters had their own identity – the exuberant Miguel and the psychologically-damaged teenage Hannah being ones that I particularly liked. But as the book goes on, you realise that each one of them is rather more complex than they first appear. Just as you’d most likely realise that if you were to meet those same people in real life. The result is a book that, as at least one other reviewer has said, had me laughing out loud one minute and with my heart aching the next. The scenes, too, are wonderfully described – not only the beach where the swims take place, but also the palatial house in which the narrator Emily (Em) is fortunate enough to be living, but doesn’t really feel at home.
For me, then, the concept is fantastic, the character portrayal is magnificent and the descriptions are wonderful. So far, so very good. The problem for me was the plot, which I thought was: hmm, not so much.
Unexpected twists are fine – indeed, they’re to be expected in a book like this. And I liked that each twist here proved to be significant for the main story, rather than feeling like they’d been included for the sake of it. The trouble is that for a plot twist to really work, it still has to feel believable. Here, I felt that I was having to suspend my disbelief a little too much and rather too often. I also wasn’t sure how I felt about the romantic scenes: they work in the sense that they cause the reader to doubt Em’s reliability as a narrator, but at the same time, I have to say that they sometimes felt a bit cheap, which isn’t what I want in a psychological thriller.
I think then that The Swimming Group is a book that works best as an entertaining read, mixed with an interesting character study. And if you prefer that to a tight plot, there’s every chance you’ll love this. For me, though, I was reminded a little bit about how I used to feel when I saw others taking cold water swims, before I’d tried it for myself. An overall feeling of ‘what the hell have they just done?’ That’s not a bad thing by any means, but it’s still not quite as good as ‘wow, that was wonderful’.
My thanks to Joffe Books and Zooloo’s Book Tours for including me on the blog tour. My review is also available on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com and my social media pages.
(3.5 stars rounded up)
April 23, 2025
Here is my review for The Swimming Group by Bella Ellwood-Clayton
This was an interesting psychological read centred around a swimming group where two people went missing with no trace and no bodies turned up in the water. Emma Brennan lost the two people closest to her almost a year apart and a man she thought she was going to marry had cheated on her too, making her feel very alone. The story was well written and drew you in. The characters had been well thought out and planned ahead of the story so they were written into the story well. It was a thrilling read with suspense and tension in places. It was very detailed and descriptive. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Blurb :
My name is Emma Brennan, and I never thought I’d find myself in this position — standing on a Cape Cod beach at sunrise, wondering which of my friends is a killer.
I came to the idyllic seaside town of Provincetown, to raise my young niece and figure out what to do next with my life. Eleven months ago my sister vanished off the coast of Ocracoke Island. No body, no answers. Just a teenage daughter left behind — and me. At the same time, the man I thought I was going to marry cheated on me with a cute young florist.
I joined the Tragic Wives’ Group — a tight-knit, cold-water swimming group with enough personal drama to fill a bestseller. And one of us has put it in a manuscript, spilling all our secrets.
Then she disappears . . . leaving just a pile of clothes on the sand. She’s the second person I’ve lost in twelve months.
A SEXY BLEND OF TENSION AND SUSPENSE WITH AN ENDING YOU WON’T SEE COMING.
This was an interesting psychological read centred around a swimming group where two people went missing with no trace and no bodies turned up in the water. Emma Brennan lost the two people closest to her almost a year apart and a man she thought she was going to marry had cheated on her too, making her feel very alone. The story was well written and drew you in. The characters had been well thought out and planned ahead of the story so they were written into the story well. It was a thrilling read with suspense and tension in places. It was very detailed and descriptive. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Blurb :
My name is Emma Brennan, and I never thought I’d find myself in this position — standing on a Cape Cod beach at sunrise, wondering which of my friends is a killer.
I came to the idyllic seaside town of Provincetown, to raise my young niece and figure out what to do next with my life. Eleven months ago my sister vanished off the coast of Ocracoke Island. No body, no answers. Just a teenage daughter left behind — and me. At the same time, the man I thought I was going to marry cheated on me with a cute young florist.
I joined the Tragic Wives’ Group — a tight-knit, cold-water swimming group with enough personal drama to fill a bestseller. And one of us has put it in a manuscript, spilling all our secrets.
Then she disappears . . . leaving just a pile of clothes on the sand. She’s the second person I’ve lost in twelve months.
A SEXY BLEND OF TENSION AND SUSPENSE WITH AN ENDING YOU WON’T SEE COMING.
April 25, 2025
The Swimming Group by Bella Ellwood-Clayton is an engaging thriller about the secrets we hide from those around us.
Em has had her fair share of bad luck. Her fiance cheated on her and then not long after her sister drowned, leaving behind her teenage daughter to Em to take care of. After all that turmoil Em decides to escape to Cape Cod for a little peace and quiet. When she meets a group of women that swim in the freezing Atlantic three mornings a week, she thinks that she has found some new friends. They call themselves The Tragic Wives Swimming Club because each woman has had their life touched by tragedy in some way. Soon Em and the other women find out that Rachael, another member, has been writing down all of the groups darkest secrets and is planning to write a tell all book that could expose everyone. But when Rachael disappears just a few days later everyone is suspicious. What exactly did Rachael write about all the women? And did she stumble up on a secret that somebody would do anything to keep hidden?
This was a really unique premise with the idea of the swim group and all the women bonding over their tragedies in this unique way. The tension builds slowly and then towards the second half of the book things start picking up more. I definitely questioned every characters motives and while a couple of plot twists I had figured out beforehand, there were still plenty of twisty moments that crept up on me! Definitely recommend this book for fans of thrillers with dark secrets, questionable characters and twists right up until the end!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bella Ellwood-Clayton, and Joffe Books for this ARC!! Publication date is April 22nd 2025.
Em has had her fair share of bad luck. Her fiance cheated on her and then not long after her sister drowned, leaving behind her teenage daughter to Em to take care of. After all that turmoil Em decides to escape to Cape Cod for a little peace and quiet. When she meets a group of women that swim in the freezing Atlantic three mornings a week, she thinks that she has found some new friends. They call themselves The Tragic Wives Swimming Club because each woman has had their life touched by tragedy in some way. Soon Em and the other women find out that Rachael, another member, has been writing down all of the groups darkest secrets and is planning to write a tell all book that could expose everyone. But when Rachael disappears just a few days later everyone is suspicious. What exactly did Rachael write about all the women? And did she stumble up on a secret that somebody would do anything to keep hidden?
This was a really unique premise with the idea of the swim group and all the women bonding over their tragedies in this unique way. The tension builds slowly and then towards the second half of the book things start picking up more. I definitely questioned every characters motives and while a couple of plot twists I had figured out beforehand, there were still plenty of twisty moments that crept up on me! Definitely recommend this book for fans of thrillers with dark secrets, questionable characters and twists right up until the end!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bella Ellwood-Clayton, and Joffe Books for this ARC!! Publication date is April 22nd 2025.
April 26, 2025
Emma and her friends called themselves the Tragic Wives’ Swimming Group, because they’ve all had something bad happen to them. Emma’s ex cheated on her, and her sister drowned on a family trip. One sunrise, they find out that Rachael, one of them, has written a tell-all book exposing their darkest secrets. A few days later, she disappears… leaving just a pile of clothes on the sand.
I buddy read this book with my reading group (fortunately no one from our group went missing 😄), and I quite enjoyed it. Sometimes when a book has many characters to introduce, it can be a bit slow at the beginning, but this didn’t feel that way at all because all the characters were interesting individually. Miguel immediately stole the show!
The character interactions were definitely the strong point for me. I loved the idea of the swimming group, the bond between Emma and Natalie, and Emma’s relationship with her dad. I didn’t expect the romance aspect in the middle of the suspense, but I didn’t mind it too much.
Plot wise, I managed to guess some of the twists. To be honest, the possibilities that played in my mind were crazier than what the plot ended up being! Not all of the secrets were that shocking to me, but I kept guessing what Emma’s would be (and that was part of the fun).
Overall, this was a great mystery suspense with a tinge of romance. Would highly recommend to fans of romantic suspense!
(Thanks to the author for a gifted review copy)
See my bookstagram review.
I buddy read this book with my reading group (fortunately no one from our group went missing 😄), and I quite enjoyed it. Sometimes when a book has many characters to introduce, it can be a bit slow at the beginning, but this didn’t feel that way at all because all the characters were interesting individually. Miguel immediately stole the show!
The character interactions were definitely the strong point for me. I loved the idea of the swimming group, the bond between Emma and Natalie, and Emma’s relationship with her dad. I didn’t expect the romance aspect in the middle of the suspense, but I didn’t mind it too much.
Plot wise, I managed to guess some of the twists. To be honest, the possibilities that played in my mind were crazier than what the plot ended up being! Not all of the secrets were that shocking to me, but I kept guessing what Emma’s would be (and that was part of the fun).
Overall, this was a great mystery suspense with a tinge of romance. Would highly recommend to fans of romantic suspense!
(Thanks to the author for a gifted review copy)
See my bookstagram review.
May 9, 2025
I was attracted to this book by the title. I love swimming and the idea of a group of friends swimming was intriguing. The initial mystery that centres the book is well done, and so is the description of grief over a devastating personal loss experienced by the main character, Em. I felt Em and most of the other characters were more a bunch of characteristics than real characters, the exception being Em's gay bestie Miguel, who's peripheral to the story but lights up the page when he appears. Miguel even gets the last word! The love interest, Guardie, a hot Canadian hippie, was lovely but I really don't believe a man as perfect as him exists! There's also a number of characters described simply as "blonde" so it's impossible to tell them apart. Em tells us how clever she is, and how put upon by her "loving" family, but mostly acts stupidly throughout the book, and pops way too much Valium. At 33, it's high time she grew up instead of caving in to her toxic family members. And there's an obvious murder towards the end that goes uninvestigated and unpunished, which I found completely unrealistic. The ending was wrapped up very quickly, and rather unrealistically, especially the treatment of Em's mother. Let's just say, the author displayed no knowledge of how police procedure and the legal system actually work or what would really happen to those characters. It was an enjoyable weekend read and would make a good TV movie because the characters have real potential if they were written with more detail.
April 1, 2025
📖 Book Review 📖
𝕋𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖: The Swimming Group
𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣: Bella Elwood-Clayton
𝕄𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕦𝕞 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕚𝕟: eReader (@kobobooks )
𝕊𝕪𝕟𝕠𝕡𝕤𝕚𝕤: Can cold water heal broken hearts? The Swimming Group follows a group of women who take solace in their icy morning swims, each carrying their own burdens of heartbreak and loss. But when one of them, Rachael, writes a tell-all book revealing their deepest secrets and then mysteriously disappears, the group’s world is turned upside down. What was she planning to expose? And could someone have wanted to silence her before the truth came out? This novel is a gripping blend of suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists that will keep you hooked until the very last page.
𝕄𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤: This book had me completely absorbed! The tension builds beautifully, and I loved the way the cold water swims became both a source of healing and a backdrop for the unraveling mystery. The characters felt raw and real, each dealing with their own heartbreak while navigating the shocking disappearance of one of their own. And that ending? I definitely didn’t see it coming! If you enjoy suspenseful, character-driven stories with plenty of secrets and emotional depth, The Swimming Group is a must-read.
I received a free copy of The Swimming Group from @bellaellwoodclayton in exchange for an honest review.
This is an ARC copy, and it will be released on 23/04/2025.
Happy reading! x
#TheSwimmingGroup #BellaElwoodClayton #ThrillerReads #SuspenseBooks #ARCReview
𝕋𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖: The Swimming Group
𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣: Bella Elwood-Clayton
𝕄𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕦𝕞 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕚𝕟: eReader (@kobobooks )
𝕊𝕪𝕟𝕠𝕡𝕤𝕚𝕤: Can cold water heal broken hearts? The Swimming Group follows a group of women who take solace in their icy morning swims, each carrying their own burdens of heartbreak and loss. But when one of them, Rachael, writes a tell-all book revealing their deepest secrets and then mysteriously disappears, the group’s world is turned upside down. What was she planning to expose? And could someone have wanted to silence her before the truth came out? This novel is a gripping blend of suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists that will keep you hooked until the very last page.
𝕄𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤: This book had me completely absorbed! The tension builds beautifully, and I loved the way the cold water swims became both a source of healing and a backdrop for the unraveling mystery. The characters felt raw and real, each dealing with their own heartbreak while navigating the shocking disappearance of one of their own. And that ending? I definitely didn’t see it coming! If you enjoy suspenseful, character-driven stories with plenty of secrets and emotional depth, The Swimming Group is a must-read.
I received a free copy of The Swimming Group from @bellaellwoodclayton in exchange for an honest review.
This is an ARC copy, and it will be released on 23/04/2025.
Happy reading! x
#TheSwimmingGroup #BellaElwoodClayton #ThrillerReads #SuspenseBooks #ARCReview
April 14, 2025
THE SWIMMING GROUP: The Very Definition of a Page Turner
From the opening scene, where a frantic teen-age girl is begging for help as she watches her mother washed out to sea, you’ll be hooked on this wild ride of a book.
The author does a terrific job of setting up a sense of place (most of the action happens in Cape Cod and Boston). You can hear the seagulls and taste the salt air.
There is a varied cast of characters that make up the early-morning, cold-water Swimming Group of the title— foremost is Em, the narrator who is grieving, not only her sister’s death, but the breakup of her relationship due to her boyfriend’s infidelity. She’s attempting to rebuild some sort of life in Cape Cod, while trying to be a surrogate mom to her late sister’s daughter, Natalie.
Swimming Group members also include a hilarious, gay best friend; a hunky, Canadian masseuse; a murder podcast addict; and a former Olympic standout turned media influencer, among others. And they all have their secrets.
When one of the group goes missing under mysterious circumstances, on the heels of the revelation she’s writing a tell-all book about the Swimming Group, everyone is a suspect. But who has the most to lose?
Add in some spicy sex, plus a look at the inner workings of a highly dysfunctional family, and this tale is elevated way beyond the traditional whodunit. I flew through it!
From the opening scene, where a frantic teen-age girl is begging for help as she watches her mother washed out to sea, you’ll be hooked on this wild ride of a book.
The author does a terrific job of setting up a sense of place (most of the action happens in Cape Cod and Boston). You can hear the seagulls and taste the salt air.
There is a varied cast of characters that make up the early-morning, cold-water Swimming Group of the title— foremost is Em, the narrator who is grieving, not only her sister’s death, but the breakup of her relationship due to her boyfriend’s infidelity. She’s attempting to rebuild some sort of life in Cape Cod, while trying to be a surrogate mom to her late sister’s daughter, Natalie.
Swimming Group members also include a hilarious, gay best friend; a hunky, Canadian masseuse; a murder podcast addict; and a former Olympic standout turned media influencer, among others. And they all have their secrets.
When one of the group goes missing under mysterious circumstances, on the heels of the revelation she’s writing a tell-all book about the Swimming Group, everyone is a suspect. But who has the most to lose?
Add in some spicy sex, plus a look at the inner workings of a highly dysfunctional family, and this tale is elevated way beyond the traditional whodunit. I flew through it!
April 24, 2025
Such an addictive read, I found myself completely pulled into its world of secrets, grief, and unexpected twists. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Cape Cod, the novel creates a striking contrast between the peaceful setting and the turbulent lives of its characters.
At the heart of the story is Em, who is grappling with the loss of her sister while trying to build a new life and care for her niece. She finds solace in a group of women who meet every morning for cold-water swims, calling themselves the "Tragic Wives Club." Each of them carries their own past trauma, and what starts as a routine gathering soon takes a dark turn when one of them vanishes, leaving behind unanswered questions and brewing suspicions.
The characters in this novel are vibrant and deeply layered, each bringing their own complexities to the story. I found myself invested in their relationships, their struggles, and the secrets they were so desperate to keep hidden. The mystery unfolds beautifully, keeping me on edge and making me question everyone’s motives.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was its pacing. It’s not just about the suspense, it’s about the characters and the way their lives intertwine.
I loved how unpredictable it was, I truly couldn’t guess what was going to happen next, and that’s what made it so enjoyable.
At the heart of the story is Em, who is grappling with the loss of her sister while trying to build a new life and care for her niece. She finds solace in a group of women who meet every morning for cold-water swims, calling themselves the "Tragic Wives Club." Each of them carries their own past trauma, and what starts as a routine gathering soon takes a dark turn when one of them vanishes, leaving behind unanswered questions and brewing suspicions.
The characters in this novel are vibrant and deeply layered, each bringing their own complexities to the story. I found myself invested in their relationships, their struggles, and the secrets they were so desperate to keep hidden. The mystery unfolds beautifully, keeping me on edge and making me question everyone’s motives.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was its pacing. It’s not just about the suspense, it’s about the characters and the way their lives intertwine.
I loved how unpredictable it was, I truly couldn’t guess what was going to happen next, and that’s what made it so enjoyable.
March 28, 2025
The Swimming Group by Bella Ellwood-Clayton was such a fun and engaging read. I was totally addicted to it and had to pace myself so I did not read it all in a matter of hours. Set on the beautiful and tranquil island of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, one of the most beautiful places in the world, I was immediately drawn in and lost myself in this captivating story.
Em joins a group that calls themselves the Tragic Wives. Each of them brings with them a tragedy that occurred in their past. Each morning they meet at the beach and do a timed plunge. One morning, one member of the group disappears after leaving her beach bag on the sand. Turns out she was writing a tell all book about the group. As they try to figure out what happened to their friend, all their tucked away secrets start to spill out. Could one of them have done something to keep their secret from being exposed?
The cast of characters were intriguing and each had their own unique story, making them real. This is the first book I've read by Bella Ellwood-Clayton and I started with a great one. I will definitely be looking for more by her. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for the advanced copy
Em joins a group that calls themselves the Tragic Wives. Each of them brings with them a tragedy that occurred in their past. Each morning they meet at the beach and do a timed plunge. One morning, one member of the group disappears after leaving her beach bag on the sand. Turns out she was writing a tell all book about the group. As they try to figure out what happened to their friend, all their tucked away secrets start to spill out. Could one of them have done something to keep their secret from being exposed?
The cast of characters were intriguing and each had their own unique story, making them real. This is the first book I've read by Bella Ellwood-Clayton and I started with a great one. I will definitely be looking for more by her. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for the advanced copy
April 24, 2025
The swimming group
‘The Swimming Group’ is a gripping and compelling read that hooked me in from the first page! Maybe it is because I desperately want to live by the sea again and dive into its cold depths on a daily basis like this group in the story. Hopefully, with less murder! This is the first book I have read of this author but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for further releases.
We are introduced to a group of wild swimmers at Cape Cod who have in some cases become close friends with each other. Emma is the main protagonist and when her fellow swimmer Rachel is declared missing after her bag and personal items have been found abandoned on the beach, Emma and the rest of the group are determined to figure out what has happened.
This book whilst being a fun read is also packed full of tension, suspense and plenty of twists and turns. I devoured it and despite it being a book where you need to just suspend your disbelief at times it was a compelling read. Some of the characters in the group could have been fleshed out a bit more but they were all diverse personalities that I really enjoyed getting to know. Give me a whole book just centred on Miguel and I would be happy!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
‘The Swimming Group’ is a gripping and compelling read that hooked me in from the first page! Maybe it is because I desperately want to live by the sea again and dive into its cold depths on a daily basis like this group in the story. Hopefully, with less murder! This is the first book I have read of this author but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for further releases.
We are introduced to a group of wild swimmers at Cape Cod who have in some cases become close friends with each other. Emma is the main protagonist and when her fellow swimmer Rachel is declared missing after her bag and personal items have been found abandoned on the beach, Emma and the rest of the group are determined to figure out what has happened.
This book whilst being a fun read is also packed full of tension, suspense and plenty of twists and turns. I devoured it and despite it being a book where you need to just suspend your disbelief at times it was a compelling read. Some of the characters in the group could have been fleshed out a bit more but they were all diverse personalities that I really enjoyed getting to know. Give me a whole book just centred on Miguel and I would be happy!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
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