What do you think?
Rate this book
Deep Waters
Following a family crisis, Eoin Ryan finds himself working in a soul-crushing call centre under a malevolent, bullying supervisor. It's there that he receives an unusual offer: to teach history at a remote island commune. With nothing to lose, the generally reserved academic quickly accepts.
Eoin leaves Dublin, a city in the throes of a climate emergency, and travels west, only to join a settlement cloaked in secrecy, where the inhabitants harbour dangerous ideas.
When Eoin unravels the true purpose of his calling, he begins to question his decision to join the settlement. But on a rain-soaked island in western Ireland, surrounded by society’s misfits, he’ll soon realise that a change of heart can be murder.
Eoin leaves Dublin, a city in the throes of a climate emergency, and travels west, only to join a settlement cloaked in secrecy, where the inhabitants harbour dangerous ideas.
When Eoin unravels the true purpose of his calling, he begins to question his decision to join the settlement. But on a rain-soaked island in western Ireland, surrounded by society’s misfits, he’ll soon realise that a change of heart can be murder.
- GenresHorror
372 pages, ebook
Published June 21, 2025
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
N.W. Bulfin
1 bookN.W. Bulfin recently completed a degree in mechanical engineering, part-time through TUD. However, when he’s not contemplating the natural world, he’s busy imaging the supernatural one. A native of the bustling southeast Dublin suburb of Rathmines, who loves nothing more than venturing into the countryside beyond to draw inspiration from the sacred sites scattered throughout the Irish landscape.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 11, 2025
Deep Waters by NW Bulfin is a book I was totally looking forward to reading as isolated locations with mysterious happenings are definitely my jam. Once I got into the book I found it very interesting but also found the narrative quite wordy and a lot of things that could’ve been Left out were put in which I think made the book longer than it needed to be. having said that I still was entertained by the story especially because at first I didn’t see where this was going but once I caught on I couldn’t wait to see how it ended so I would definitely say the middle I think dragged the beginning and the end is worth reading the whole book for in my opinion.#NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #NWBulfen, #DeepWaters,
October 28, 2025
⭐️ 3 Star Review — Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC.
Short Summary:
When a young couple joins what seems like a peaceful island commune, they’re promised freedom, unity, and a simpler life, but soon discover that paradise has a dark, controlling heart. Secrets simmer beneath the surface, and the idyllic retreat begins to feel like a watery prison where nobody truly leaves.
Deep Waters opens with a quiet, unsettling tension that immediately hints at something sinister beneath the island’s surface. The premise is fantastic — an isolated commune that’s equal parts utopia and nightmare and N.W. Bulfin does a great job setting that eerie, claustrophobic tone. Unfortunately, while the atmosphere drew me in, the pacing made it hard to stay fully immersed. The first half moves slowly, lingering on small details and background setup before the story truly finds its momentum.
That said, once the mystery starts unfolding, the book does reward patient readers with sharp commentary on control, belief, and manipulation. I appreciated how Bulfin explored the psychology of people drawn to isolation and how easily trust can be weaponized in the name of “community.” The writing itself is solid, crisp, and descriptive, especially during the storm scenes and tense confrontations. However, I often found myself wishing for more emotional connection to the characters. Their motivations sometimes felt distant, which made the stakes less gripping even when the tension finally spiked toward the end.
Overall, Deep Waters delivers an interesting concept and a haunting island setting, but its slow build and uneven pacing might lose some readers along the way. Still, if you enjoy quiet-burn cult thrillers and atmospheric reads that take their time unraveling, this one might be worth the journey.
Would I Recommend It?
If you love slow-burn psychological suspense and don’t mind a story that takes its time getting to the darkness, think Midsommar meets The Beach, give this one a go. But if you prefer faster pacing or more immediate danger, you might find yourself treading water a bit too long.
Triggers / Content Warnings:
Manipulation, psychological abuse, cult themes, isolation, violence, confinement.
Genres & Tropes:
Psychological Thriller, Cult Fiction, Island Setting, Found Family Gone Wrong, Atmospheric Slow Burn.
Short Summary:
When a young couple joins what seems like a peaceful island commune, they’re promised freedom, unity, and a simpler life, but soon discover that paradise has a dark, controlling heart. Secrets simmer beneath the surface, and the idyllic retreat begins to feel like a watery prison where nobody truly leaves.
Deep Waters opens with a quiet, unsettling tension that immediately hints at something sinister beneath the island’s surface. The premise is fantastic — an isolated commune that’s equal parts utopia and nightmare and N.W. Bulfin does a great job setting that eerie, claustrophobic tone. Unfortunately, while the atmosphere drew me in, the pacing made it hard to stay fully immersed. The first half moves slowly, lingering on small details and background setup before the story truly finds its momentum.
That said, once the mystery starts unfolding, the book does reward patient readers with sharp commentary on control, belief, and manipulation. I appreciated how Bulfin explored the psychology of people drawn to isolation and how easily trust can be weaponized in the name of “community.” The writing itself is solid, crisp, and descriptive, especially during the storm scenes and tense confrontations. However, I often found myself wishing for more emotional connection to the characters. Their motivations sometimes felt distant, which made the stakes less gripping even when the tension finally spiked toward the end.
Overall, Deep Waters delivers an interesting concept and a haunting island setting, but its slow build and uneven pacing might lose some readers along the way. Still, if you enjoy quiet-burn cult thrillers and atmospheric reads that take their time unraveling, this one might be worth the journey.
Would I Recommend It?
If you love slow-burn psychological suspense and don’t mind a story that takes its time getting to the darkness, think Midsommar meets The Beach, give this one a go. But if you prefer faster pacing or more immediate danger, you might find yourself treading water a bit too long.
Triggers / Content Warnings:
Manipulation, psychological abuse, cult themes, isolation, violence, confinement.
Genres & Tropes:
Psychological Thriller, Cult Fiction, Island Setting, Found Family Gone Wrong, Atmospheric Slow Burn.
July 17, 2025
This wasn’t my favorite read. The concept and plot had so much potential, but the pace was so slow and there was way too much unnecessary dialogue. The characters alluded to how “off” everything and everyone felt, but I just didn’t FEEL it. If that makes sense.
July 20, 2025
Eoin Ryan, once a professor of Ancient Irish History at a Dublin university, left his position after a personal tragedy. He then took a dead end job so is thrilled to receive an offer to teach at the remote island of Lough Orann. The island’s motto is “Live Independently Free from Exploitation.” This should have been a warning. It wasn’t. At first the eccentric islanders, led by benefactor Nigel, are friendly. Eoin quickly realizes that their welcoming greetings hide a twisted hierarchy. His classes are only a small part of his island duties. He is expected to help in the community garden, do basic construction, etc. After a few days, the purpose for his selection becomes clear. Nigel is obsessed with finding the healing “Waters of Life” rumored to flow somewhere on Lough Orann. While Eoin knows the waters belong to Irish legends, Nigel believes in them. And that belief becomes dangerous.
Horror should pull you in slowly. Events should seem plausible. Deep Waters begins with a believable scenario that continue until later chapters although I thought the drama with Nigel and the island residents took attention from the growing dread. Without spoilers, the final pages were implausible. 4 stars for the creep factor.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crogan and N.W. Bulfin for this ARC.
Horror should pull you in slowly. Events should seem plausible. Deep Waters begins with a believable scenario that continue until later chapters although I thought the drama with Nigel and the island residents took attention from the growing dread. Without spoilers, the final pages were implausible. 4 stars for the creep factor.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crogan and N.W. Bulfin for this ARC.
June 23, 2025
Archaeology graduate Eoin Ryan leaves his soul-crushing call centre job for a position as a teacher at a remote island commune. Mainly self-sustaining, the group sounds like the perfect solution to his problems, but if something sounds too good to be true.....
First of all, I thought the plot & setting were intriguing & having studied archaeology & history, a main character from that background was a nice change & the bits about Irish mythology were interesting. One issue for me though was that the pace was far too slow, for large parts of the book nothing much really happened, but the real problem was the frequent conversations which went something like: other character gives a bit of info to Eoin , Eoin replies "Interesting/ Fascinating/I see what you mean". For much of the time the conversation actually went nowhere in terms of plot development & it became rather tedious & made the reading experience stilted instead of naturally flowing.
I did enjoy it enough to finish reading it & parts of it were interesting. The too slow pace & stilted conversations were the only downsides. 3.25 stars (rounded down)
TWs: violence, animal death.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Croghan, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
First of all, I thought the plot & setting were intriguing & having studied archaeology & history, a main character from that background was a nice change & the bits about Irish mythology were interesting. One issue for me though was that the pace was far too slow, for large parts of the book nothing much really happened, but the real problem was the frequent conversations which went something like: other character gives a bit of info to Eoin , Eoin replies "Interesting/ Fascinating/I see what you mean". For much of the time the conversation actually went nowhere in terms of plot development & it became rather tedious & made the reading experience stilted instead of naturally flowing.
I did enjoy it enough to finish reading it & parts of it were interesting. The too slow pace & stilted conversations were the only downsides. 3.25 stars (rounded down)
TWs: violence, animal death.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Croghan, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
December 2, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
4.5 stars rounded up. I really enjoyed this book. It initially moved slowly, but with this underlying dread that something is very wrong. I love that feeling of a slow crawl towards disaster, but I also know the slow pace may not be for all readers. The inclusion of folklore, archeology, and geography not only moved the story forward but was also very interesting. My one criticism of the book was the speed with which it ended. When the big climax the book was been building towards was reached, there was only 40 pages left in the book. Although the ending tied together loose ends and was satisfactory, it seemed rushed. Books about cults are a favorite of mine, and our main character’s interactions with different members were so true to the environment he was in, that at times they were uncomfortable. I would highly recommend Deep Waters to anyone who enjoys books about cults, folklore, and that slow unsettling march towards an unknown (but certain) danger.
4.5 stars rounded up. I really enjoyed this book. It initially moved slowly, but with this underlying dread that something is very wrong. I love that feeling of a slow crawl towards disaster, but I also know the slow pace may not be for all readers. The inclusion of folklore, archeology, and geography not only moved the story forward but was also very interesting. My one criticism of the book was the speed with which it ended. When the big climax the book was been building towards was reached, there was only 40 pages left in the book. Although the ending tied together loose ends and was satisfactory, it seemed rushed. Books about cults are a favorite of mine, and our main character’s interactions with different members were so true to the environment he was in, that at times they were uncomfortable. I would highly recommend Deep Waters to anyone who enjoys books about cults, folklore, and that slow unsettling march towards an unknown (but certain) danger.
June 29, 2025
Thank you so much to NW Bulfin and Croghan Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Deep Waters was a gripping and atmospheric read! I’m not usually a horror reader, so this book was a great way for me to dip my toes into the genre—and I’m glad I did. I ended up reading the entire novel in one sitting, which speaks volumes about how engaging it was.
The story is packed with twists and turns that kept me on edge, constantly second-guessing every character and their motives. Towards the end, I wasn’t sure who to trust, which added to the suspense and intrigue.
There were a few slower moments, and at times the plot stretched believability a little, but overall, those moments didn’t detract from my enjoyment. If you’re a fan of horror, mystery, or thrillers, I think you’ll really enjoy Deep Waters. It's unsettling in the best way and keeps you hooked until the final page.
Deep Waters was a gripping and atmospheric read! I’m not usually a horror reader, so this book was a great way for me to dip my toes into the genre—and I’m glad I did. I ended up reading the entire novel in one sitting, which speaks volumes about how engaging it was.
The story is packed with twists and turns that kept me on edge, constantly second-guessing every character and their motives. Towards the end, I wasn’t sure who to trust, which added to the suspense and intrigue.
There were a few slower moments, and at times the plot stretched believability a little, but overall, those moments didn’t detract from my enjoyment. If you’re a fan of horror, mystery, or thrillers, I think you’ll really enjoy Deep Waters. It's unsettling in the best way and keeps you hooked until the final page.
July 24, 2025
Thank you BookSirens for free access to this advanced readers copy. I leave this review voluntarily.
Eoin is an archeologist who has had a string of bad luck, has a terrible job and a family issue which causes him to take an offer to teach at a commune on a remote island. While everyone agreed to the rules, they become less happy with having to work hard without the luxuries. They are anxious when it seems no one ever leaves.
I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters and I found the dialogue stilted. I felt the story dragged on a bit and some of the feelings of characters seemed forced. I feel the energies and the supernatural vibe could have been explored more thoroughly to propel the story forward rather than by interactions with each other. It is told in first person.
Eoin is an archeologist who has had a string of bad luck, has a terrible job and a family issue which causes him to take an offer to teach at a commune on a remote island. While everyone agreed to the rules, they become less happy with having to work hard without the luxuries. They are anxious when it seems no one ever leaves.
I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters and I found the dialogue stilted. I felt the story dragged on a bit and some of the feelings of characters seemed forced. I feel the energies and the supernatural vibe could have been explored more thoroughly to propel the story forward rather than by interactions with each other. It is told in first person.
July 21, 2025
Deep Waters has a premise with a lot going for it.
A commune/ maybe cult, a power hungry leader, weird members and a supernatural aspect that seems realer and realer with every page.
The plot is fast placed and interesting, the cast surprisingly lovable and the commune described with a refreshing respect for alternative life styles.
The reason I didn’t rate this higher is simply because frequently you see characters make baffling choices that feel inorganic to further the plot. I wasn’t quite able to suspend disbelief.
Its still a fun story and would make a great vacation read. More of a mystery/thriller than horror
Recommended for fans of Ghost Wall, midsommer and Adam Nevill
A commune/ maybe cult, a power hungry leader, weird members and a supernatural aspect that seems realer and realer with every page.
The plot is fast placed and interesting, the cast surprisingly lovable and the commune described with a refreshing respect for alternative life styles.
The reason I didn’t rate this higher is simply because frequently you see characters make baffling choices that feel inorganic to further the plot. I wasn’t quite able to suspend disbelief.
Its still a fun story and would make a great vacation read. More of a mystery/thriller than horror
Recommended for fans of Ghost Wall, midsommer and Adam Nevill
July 29, 2025
Deep Waters by N.W Bulfin. This book screamed creepy culty stuff so I was so excited to read it. Eion gets offered a job (of sorts) teaching history on an isolated island commune, no phone coverage, completely back to basics, homesteader style living. Of course things take a mysterious sinister turn, and he’s trapped with some pretty odd people who have some pretty odd ways 🫣
I really enjoyed this one, I didn’t expect his living conditions to be SO basic (I would’ve been out of there!) and I loved how bit by bit the weirdness of the commune was outed.
Thankyou to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I really enjoyed this one, I didn’t expect his living conditions to be SO basic (I would’ve been out of there!) and I loved how bit by bit the weirdness of the commune was outed.
Thankyou to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
December 21, 2025
I received this book as an ARC from BookSirens. This review is my own. Eoin Ryan is a young Irishman with a difficult past. His sister has been missing for some time, and he is working in a dead end job that he hates. When he receives an offer of a teaching position on an island commune, he accepts to start something new. When he reaches the island, he discovers a bizarre group of people living in seeming harmony with the land. Soon the cracks begin to show. The leader, Nigel, is searching the island for “healing waters,” and he won’t let anything or anyone stand in his way. Eoin eventually discovers dark secrets about Nigel and the others and has to try to survive long enough to escape.
August 5, 2025
I love the writing style and the plot was engaging and captivating for me. Sometimes I had a hard time putting my kindle away. I finished the book while I was on vacation and had a fun mysterious beach time with it.
Not directly 5 stars but 4 instead because sometimes the plot was too stretched out in situations that could have been smaller but other than that I enjoy the author and would definitely read another book
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Not directly 5 stars but 4 instead because sometimes the plot was too stretched out in situations that could have been smaller but other than that I enjoy the author and would definitely read another book
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 29, 2025
Deep Waters is a thriller that takes place in near-future Ireland, which delves into ancient Irish mythology and the supernatural, and is set in the wilds of a remote island to the west of Ireland. I took a chance on this, as I hadn't heard of the author before, and found it a really satisfying read. It's a real page-turner that sustained my interest to the last page. This is a must read for anyone fascinated by folk-horror, mysterious cults and the supernatural realm. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 23, 2025
It was an interesting read but it was wordy a lot of unneeded dialogue but still a good read.
On an isolated island where no phones are allowed there is no connection to the outside world but a boat ride for supplies.Only the boat seems to be mysteriously broke down.
This book gives you a feeling of unsettled tension and the feeling that someone more sinister is lurking beneath the surface than just this peaceful island community way of life.
On an isolated island where no phones are allowed there is no connection to the outside world but a boat ride for supplies.Only the boat seems to be mysteriously broke down.
This book gives you a feeling of unsettled tension and the feeling that someone more sinister is lurking beneath the surface than just this peaceful island community way of life.
October 24, 2025
If you like "slow burners" this is something you might be interested in.
The story was good but it took a long time to get there.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story was good but it took a long time to get there.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 13, 2025
Horror stories set in Ireland are always full of intrigue and folklore. This book is no different . The fleshed out storyline was easy to follow, and the characters strong and developed.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews