Down by the Water

Stevie Diaz #2

by Sam Evans

Stevie Diaz has a husband who won’t speak to her and no clue how to fix the mess she’s made of her life. When a jury duty summons arrives, it’s just one more thing she doesn’t want to deal with.

In the midst of trying to repair her marriage, Stevie is selected for a high-profile case where the details don’t quite add up—a case that dredges up memories of her dad’s death. Stevie can never leave well enough alone, despite knowing better, and her need to uncover the truth before condemning a woman to life in prison drives her to break every rule and shatters her understanding of the past.

Down by the Water is a neo-noir story about the lengths women go to for personal safety—and what happens when buried secrets rise to the surface.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Romance

436 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

Sam Evans has lived all over the US but currently resides in the upper midwest. She’s a software engineer by day, but letting her imagination run wild is her full-time occupation. She lives with her partner, a high-strung border collie, and an insane kelpie. She routinely drinks too much coffee and gets too little sleep.

Reviews

[Rhiannon Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down by the Water - Sam Evans

I very much missed reading this universe and these characters. I am obsessed with Stevie and I find her so fun and entertaining to read. I love reading about her relationship dynamics with Troy and Brad. And of course, I love the mystery in this novel. I adore this author’s writing and I can read thousands of their books, especially if some of them are in the Stevie Diaz universe because I just can’t get enough of her. I honestly can’t wait to see what else Stevie gets up to.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️

🌶️ / Spice Rating ☀️

# of Pages 🌙 417 pages

Release Date 🌟 9/30/2025

Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy

Series 🌙 Stevie Diaz Mystery, #2

Genre/Tropes ✨ morally grey FMC, crime and punishment, justice served, good for her, romantic tension, suspense, mystery, love triangles

Favorite Character ☀️ Stevie

Favorite Line 🌟 “Marie, question for you. Do you think it’s kind of creepy how alike we look Yeah. Me too. I think you can do better, Marie.”

“I know you love me, Stevie. Sure, I’d like to have you all to myself, but only if you decide that’s what you want. It’s like you said. I don’t want there to be questions. I knew what I was getting into, and if you end up with just me, I want it to be because you’re sure.”

‘I’ve just started a group chat with Brad and Troy, and I kind of hate myself for it.’

“Me. Being an idiot, I decided now was the appropriate time to ask Frank if he killed my dad.”

“Say one thing for me. Say I make good decisions.”

“You were attacked less than twenty-four hours ago, and you’re telling me you don’t want to talk about it because you have more pressing concerns?”

“Whatever. If you want me to show up here some other time and ‘process my feelings’ with you, or whatever it is you think I should do, I will. But right now, I have an agenda.”

“Everyone is so damn interested in my love life, Troy is my husband and Brad is my… OSO. Other significant other. Anyway. How are you?”

[NIKKI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down by the water is book ✌🏼 in the 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝘇 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 so if you haven’t read the first one, In the woods somewhere.. I highly recommend it, and check out my review on that one too!

I 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 🔥 through this book pretty fast because it was addicting. I needed 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 constantly. From book one to book two you really get wrapped up in these characters and their stories and lives and build such an attachment to them. Stevie’s character development was great to see but 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗬. He came SO FAR. He is such a well loved character of mine! Stevie and Brad are so lucky to have him 🖤

This book gave intense and fast paced, edge of your seat, page turn after page turn type of energy. My heart was beating so fast 🫀 and I had to stay up way past my bedtime to finish this! (Im more of a go to bed at a decent time and wake up early) 𝗕𝗨𝗧 I literally could not put it down and had to know how it ended.. which was *𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚏𝚜 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜* 🤌🏼 and 𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹.

𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.. 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 🔪 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 🎶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀! 𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝗱𝗸. 🤷🏼‍♀️

𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 :


* Suspense
* Spicy love triangles 🥵
* Crime and punishment
* Justice served

& 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘆… 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 😉

Pub Date: 09/30/2025

Make sure you read In the woods somewhere and then also check out Down by the water when it comes out!

Thanks so much Sam for the arc! And as always it was a fun ride! 🤭

[AmyBeth T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to read the latest book in this series and I'm so grateful to have been chosen as an ARC reader yet again. Sam's first book introduced me to the niche genre of mystery/thriller with romance and spice and it's now a favorite. This follow-up to In the Woods Somewhere is PERFECTION. It is just as good as book one, and continues with Stevie's story - both personally and professionally. Sam really knows how to blend the romance with the mystery and thriller aspects, and does so like a seasoned pro despite this only being her second published book. The twists and turns keep you guessing, and I'm looking forward to her next installment (as well as her next book, Meet the Puckers!).

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgive Stevie

In the first book I didn't like Stevie. But in this book as things progressed I could better understand how/where things were going with her. I feel better about her now. The story was entertaining and kept me engaged. My biggest question now is if Stevie might quit at 911 and start a PI firm. She is pretty good at solving crimes. Guess I'll have to wait for the next book.

[Rid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Evans has done it again!! Another page turning mystery that follows the misadventures of our favorite, misguided (say one thing about her, say she makes good decisions) FMC, Stevie Diaz.

This book picks up shortly after Into the Woods Somewhere and follows Stevie as she navigates her relationships with her estranged husband and her childhood best friend (and longest love). Stevie finds herself in a whole new pickle when she’s selected for the jury on a huge local murder case that dredges up her own memories of her dad’s accidental death.

Curiosity killed the cat, but it’s not Beetlejuice whose life is at risk in this one! Will Stevie’s inability to let the past stay in the past and never ending quest for answers put her and her loved ones at risk?

With a compelling mystery, lovable characters, and a healthy dose of justice you just can’t find in the real world - Down by the Water is a MUST READ.

[Jordan Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, love the drama, love the suspense. However, Stevie was harder to enjoy in this book. I almost found it to drag on. And her not being able to choose between Troy or Brad I think has lingered a little too long. Personally, when Brad told her he would take her last name if they got married really sealed the deal for me with him. I’m rooting for Brad!

The court case felt like it was dragging on, and was drawn out for a little too long. It seemed repetitive. Which I know can happen in an actual case.

Still, there were plot twists and suspense that kept me reading. I didn’t anticipate the ending at all. I thought that it was a little too nonchalant when she got out of being kidnapped, and also when Brad and Troy were just on board with her wanting to kill Calvin.

Overall, I enjoyed the book! I just wish Stevie would stop being so self destructive and also make her mind up between Troy and Brad.

[Jo ThreadsAndFiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book one, Somewhere in the Woods, completely took me by surprise with its depth, complexity, and relationship drama and left me unsure on how I felt about any of it. Coming in to book two, I already felt connected to Stevie and her world, and an understanding of both made it so much easier to dive straight in and really enjoy the ride.
I ended up accidentally reading the entire thing in one sitting because I was completely gripped - it's a fair bit longer than book one, but I genuinely couldn't tell during the read as I was so enrapt. A genuine page turner of a book, goddamn!

In Down By The Water we re-join Stevie as she's trying to put her life back together, gets called into jury duty at the worst time, and compulsively dives into another mystery she can't help herself but pick at and unravel - while also balancing her complex tangle of a love life. I adore her, she's the ultimate "we support women's rights and wrongs" morally grey, relentlessly badass character.

The pacing is spot-on, the story never lulls. Honestly, if you offered me a novel about jury duty and unravelling family secrets, I probably would have passed - but I’m so glad this series came my way! Sam made jury duty an interesting read, while also giving me the impression that she puts a lot of time into research and effort into being accurate towards the proceedings (I've never taken part so can't say for sure, but it definitely didn't seem half-assed!) without it dragging or being dull along the way. The balance between Stevie's own life drama vs the case is also perfect and I loved the complex blend of morally grey actions for the sake of truth and justice.

Sam Evans has a true talent for pulling you in and a master in mystery and suspense, I can’t wait to see where Stevie’s story goes next!

Thank you Sam Evans & Super Gravity Press for this ARC read <3

[Simon Langley-Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find it hard to review this book. It’s not that it’s a bad one - far from it. The writing is clean and fluent, and the author clearly knows how to build a scene. But as a British reader I found the very American tone - names, settings, and expressions- a little jarring, and more importantly, I just wasn’t engaged.

Not a great deal happens in the first half of the book. The opening promises something pacy and dramatic, but it soon settles into a steady rhythm of domestic detail: Stevie’s divorce, her new relationship, her irritation at being called for jury duty. It’s all perfectly readable, but it felt like well-written mundanity. I started skimming sections simply because nothing seemed to move forward. If this were an audiobook, I’d probably have it on to fall asleep to.

I realise this is Stevie Diaz’s second outing, and that I’ve missed her backstory, but it didn’t feel essential. The love triangle that anchors the plot - between Stevie, Brad and Troy- was ever-present but oddly static. A chapter in which Stevie and Troy go bowling, for instance, seemed to add little to the mystery. Again, as a British reader, that wasn’t a natural social setting for me and did not resonate.

There’s a good thriller buried somewhere in here, but it’s weighed down by too much domestic padding. I like series that build character over time, but here that impulse is overdone. With about a hundred pages trimmed away, this could be a taut, engaging story.

This one simply wasn’t for me and I did not finish it.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The opinions above are entirely my own.

[KaleidoscopeLaiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start with a little appreciation moment because the way Sam Evan describes her characters and then casually drops a celebrity comparison for the visual? Say less, I can see them immediately.

What really stood out to me though was the accuracy in the portrayal of the U.S. judicial system. The flaws, the jury limitations, the bureaucracy… it all felt very real and honestly a little infuriating in the best way.

Now let’s talk about Troy… my precious, sweet Troy. I am UNWELL. Sir, you deserved better and I will not be elaborating further (got me taking the side of a man... a man?!) 😩

And Stevie… girl. GIRL... I have not been this stressed over a female main character in a minute, like, truly pacing the room levels of frustration.

The twists? The tension? The constant back-and-forth of “okay but what is happening now??” I was on edge the entire time. Sam really knew how to keep that pressure on.

Also, as a longtime true crime fan, I loved the way the crime scenes and court proceedings were written. You can tell the care and detail that went into making it feel authentic.

And that ending… ma’am??? Absolutely not. I refuse. I need to talk to someone about this immediately.

10/10 recommend—go read this and come scream with me after.

[Skye Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

We meet Stevie in the first book In the Woods Somewhere. I have to say I wasn't her biggest fan because of the way she treated her husband.

This book, you get to understand her more. She is definitely a morally grey character. The things she does to solve the mysteries are against the law, but you will have to decide for yourselves how you feel about it. In this book, she is summoned for Jury Duty, and the case is heartbreaking.

She's also investigating her dad's death and trying to find out more on the type of man he was because her memories are scarce. She's still with her husband Troy and her childhood friend Brad. They seemed to have figured out their dynamic, but I would love to read more.
These books are mysteries with romance and they are addictive.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a good mystery with a morally grey main character. Both books surprised me with the outcomes.
Just a reminder that you need to read the first book, In the Wood Somewhere before this. Really well written book.

[Sahar Afshari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two in the Stevie Diaz Mystery series by
Sam Evans. I absolutely loved book two and had a very
hard time putting it down. There are three situations
pulling you through this book. One, the love triangle
between Stevie, Brad, and Troy continues to simmer,
reaching a delightful temperature by the end of the
book. Two, unexpected buried family secrets come to
surface. The twist I was not expecting! Three,
Stevie is a juror on a high profile murder case.
Listening to the case day after day leaves Stevie
formulating her own questions and suspicions. Of
course, our favourite vigilante takes things into her
own hands.

[Hochi B · Rating 2 out of 5]

ChatGPT said:

I had high hopes for Down by the Water by Sam Evans, but it didn’t quite land for me. The beginning was promising, but the story lost momentum, and I struggled with the heroine—she came across as manipulative and annoying at times. I wanted to enjoy it, but it just wasn’t for me.

⭐️⭐️/5

[Chapter Chirp (Jessica) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down By the Water picks up right where book one, In the Woods Somewhere, left off. Stevie Diaz, is still torn between the two men in her life with her husband not speaking with her and her boyfriend picking up the pieces. While Stevie is attempting to sort out her love life she receives a summons for jury duty, and is chosen to be a juror for a high stakes case of a woman accused of murder. In true Stevie fashion (IYKYK), she begins to dig deeper into the case to look for clues on what really happened. The only problem is that Stevie may just have unearthed more than she bargained for. Will this new information help break the case wide open or will it shatter her world as she knows it? Author Sam Evans, has done it again, letting us dive deeper into the fascinating and often chaotic world and mind of Stevie Diaz. Even though Stevie tends to hover in what some may call the morally gray, she is unapologetically true to herself and exudes an heir of confidence and resilience through it all, and it’s really impossible to not like her. Along with this fierce FMC, it’s especially hard not to love the two beaus orbiting around her with their love and affections. No matter what dilemma Stevie finds herself in, Troy and Brad both stand by her and have her back at any given moment. The two also have begun to have adjusted a bit to their romantic entanglement. While the comfort levels seem to have grown from book one to book two, they still haven’t come to a fully doable resolution. I’m not sure how this entanglement will eventually pan out but I kind of enjoy them both with Stevie so maybe they can land on a way to make it work, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. Outside of the romance portion of the story, the murder mystery side of the book had me thrown for loop after loop. Without giving too much away, there were hard topics discussed and uncovered that Stevie had to work through and come to terms with. This is where her resilience really shined and it made me appreciate her so much more. In a way it showed that she is a girl’s girl. In more than one instance, we see her rallying on the side of women, especially those in difficult situations and as far as justice is concerned. Down By the Water also shows that justice isn’t linear, and that our justice system in the U.S. still has some growing to do. This series is perfect for anyone with an open mind to the experience of people living life on their own terms and for those who love a good neo-noir read, will always recommend! 5⭐️

Narration:
I loved this story so much but the narration was a bit off for me personally. While the narrator has a pleasant voice, I found that I had difficulty connecting the voice with the characters. The best way I can explain this is similar to when you meet someone that you have talked with for the a long time (like an online friend), and you have trouble connecting the face to the voice. It’s like you know them but they seem like a stranger in person. In addition, I am an audiobook listener who really enjoys the theatrical side of what narration can be , so for me this felt a bit flat as it seemed like the story was just being read to me rather than having the story acted out vocally. Overall, it was fun listening to Sam Evans book being narrated, I just think for my personal preferences in audiobooks, listening to it was ok. 3⭐️

[Skwurl · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌊 Down by the Water: A Stevie Diaz Mystery, Book 2

🚨ARC REVIEW🚨

This book had me HOOKED! Down by the Water is messy, dramatic, and impossible to put down. Stevie Diaz is such a hot mess, and I adore her. Half the time, I wanted to shake her and scream, the other half I wanted to cheer her on.

But listen… Troy. I LOVE him. Every time he was on the page, I was grinning like an idiot. He brings this spark that just melts my soul, and you can feel how much he absolutely loves Stevie. Their situationship hurts him so much, and it hurts me right along with him. Brad? GET OUT OF THERE LIFE!

The whole jury duty plot? In real life, it’s boring, but here it turns into secrets, danger, and twists I did not see coming. Every chapter dragged me deeper, and by the end I was just sitting there like… oh my god, what did I just read?

Sam Evans writes in a way that feels so real but also so cinematic, like a gritty movie unfolding in your hands. Dark, emotional, and addictive, this is absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year.

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