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Someone in the Water
A gripping new destination thriller, perfect for fans of Lucy Clarke, TM Logan and Catherine Cooper.My only child Lola is turning eighteen soon, but I won’t be with her. For two weeks every year, I hide myself away while I endure the nightmares that haunt me around her birthday.
Because she can never know the truth – that I am plagued by terrible visions from the summer I spent in Corsica when I was eighteen. It ended in tragedy, and I have never forgiven myself for the part I played.
But my world is about to fall apart all over again.
Lola calls to tell me she’s not with her friends in Cyprus, but alone in Corsica. I have no choice. I have to go back to the island and bring her home.
But as I revisit the memories, see the same faces again, I start to wonder if there was more to the events of that summer than I realised. Are there others keeping secrets just like me? Ones that are even more deadly…
Because she can never know the truth – that I am plagued by terrible visions from the summer I spent in Corsica when I was eighteen. It ended in tragedy, and I have never forgiven myself for the part I played.
But my world is about to fall apart all over again.
Lola calls to tell me she’s not with her friends in Cyprus, but alone in Corsica. I have no choice. I have to go back to the island and bring her home.
But as I revisit the memories, see the same faces again, I start to wonder if there was more to the events of that summer than I realised. Are there others keeping secrets just like me? Ones that are even more deadly…
- GenresThriller
368 pages, Paperback
Published July 3, 2025
99 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Clarke
6 books127 followersSarah Clarke worked as a copywriter for 20 years before joining the Faber Academy Writing a Novel course and starting her first psychological thriller.
Sarah was signed by HarperCollins HQ Digital in March 2021. Her debut novel A Mother Never Lies published later that year, and she has since published three more thrillers - Every Little Secret, My Perfect Friend and The Ski Trip. Sarah's next book - The Night She Dies - will be published in July 2024 and Sarah has recently signed with HQ Digital for two more thrillers - coming in 2025.
Sarah lives in London with her husband, two children and super-energetic cockapoo. When she's not writing, you'll probably find her losing a tennis match, or planning her next ski holiday.
Twitter: @SCWwriter
Instagram: @sarahclarkewriter
Facebook: @sarahclarkewriter
Sarah was signed by HarperCollins HQ Digital in March 2021. Her debut novel A Mother Never Lies published later that year, and she has since published three more thrillers - Every Little Secret, My Perfect Friend and The Ski Trip. Sarah's next book - The Night She Dies - will be published in July 2024 and Sarah has recently signed with HQ Digital for two more thrillers - coming in 2025.
Sarah lives in London with her husband, two children and super-energetic cockapoo. When she's not writing, you'll probably find her losing a tennis match, or planning her next ski holiday.
Twitter: @SCWwriter
Instagram: @sarahclarkewriter
Facebook: @sarahclarkewriter
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 30, 2025
Another very good read from Sarah Clarke. The author's note at the beginning of the book gives a real insight into the mazzeri legend which in turn gives the story realism. The setting is divine and Sarah's knowledge of the island clearly shines through. Nice flow to the book as it goes from past to present and from Frankie to Lola. It oozes in mystery and the eeriness of the legend is captured beautifully in this well written and crafted story. Compelling and addictive this will keep you guessing right until the very end. 4.5⭐️
January 3, 2026
This book had so much potential, but it completely lost me, and it’s almost entirely because of the daughter. I could not stand her. She knows her mother is so traumatized by time and place that she practically has to hide from the world, yet her genius plan to “help” is to fly straight to the location where her mother’s nightmare happened.
Predictably, she gets mugged, panics, and calls her mom for help. Said mom, deeply traumatized by that exact place, flies out anyway to save her. And what does the daughter do next? Meets a boy. Suddenly Mom is “annoying” for wanting to leave the literal site of her trauma.
Predictably, she gets mugged, panics, and calls her mom for help. Said mom, deeply traumatized by that exact place, flies out anyway to save her. And what does the daughter do next? Meets a boy. Suddenly Mom is “annoying” for wanting to leave the literal site of her trauma.
August 18, 2025
A mother who disappears each year around her daughters birthday, haunted by the memories from when she was 18 and working in Corsica. Each year she takes that pain and hides away to paint images from folk lore that is part of the island and her heritage. A lifetime of guilt and torture, can she move past it?Her daughter sneaks off and visits without her knowledge then gets in trouble meaning Frankie has to go back. Can she survive it? Will history repeat itself? A twisty thriller.
May 27, 2025
Frankie has lived with the memory of Corsica haunting her for 18 years. Lola has always lived with Corsica removing her mum on birthdays. Driven by the desire to know more Lola takes off for Corsica. This brings the original group back together and makes Frankie look back at that summer brining questions and fear
Sarah writes a good story with characters that come alive off the page. The book took me in from the first page and kept me interested.
An author I enjoy reading and thank you for the advanced copy of the book 😊
Sarah writes a good story with characters that come alive off the page. The book took me in from the first page and kept me interested.
An author I enjoy reading and thank you for the advanced copy of the book 😊
January 4, 2026
One evening, some day between Christmas and New Year, with my stomach feeling like it might have become permanently bloated by the almost continuous consumption of turkey, trifle, cake, biscuits, mince pies, chocolates, wine and beer - that's not an exhaustive list, but you get the idea - I decided that the next morning, there would be no excuses. For the first time in a year or more, I would run for at least part of the daily dog walk and see how long I could keep it up for. I even went so far as to dig out my running shorts, trainers and a suitably warm sweatshirt, in order that they'd be waiting for me in the morning.
Upon waking the next day, my resolve had not weakened. I dressed in the aforementioned running attire even before heading downstairs to make a cup of tea, in order that I'd be ready to leave the house as soon as the caffeine had lifted me into a suitable state of wakefulness. But with the tea still too hot to drink, and Someone in the Water by new-to-me author Sarah Clarke waiting on the bedside table, it couldn't hurt to read a couple of chapters, could it?
The next thing I knew was that at least another hour had passed, the untasted mug of tea was now stone cold and the dog was whining pitifully because her promised walk still hadn't happened. I have absolutely no idea what else had happened in real life during this time, because I hadn't been living in this world. I'd been in Corsica, with Frankie and her eighteen-year-old daughter Lola, wondering what on earth had really happened during that summer of 2004 to leave Frankie in such a perilous mental state? And whether Lola's search for the truth would lead her into a danger that, in her teenage naivety, she'd be unable to see coming ...?
Sadly, even this lure was something that couldn't compete with the needs of a now-pestering Labrador, so I finally set foot outside, started running for the first time in what felt like forever and did make it further than I thought I would before having to stop and gasp painfully for breath. Luckily, however, this did mean that after a warm, soothing shower, I had the perfect excuse to pick the book up again and do nothing else for a few more hours.
This book does so many things so very well. The author's intro, which includes her explanation of the Mazzeri legend, is insightful. The prologue is wonderful. The description of the setting is fabulous: I have never been to Corsica, but I could clearly visualise the seaside hotel, the beautiful sandy beach and the crystal clear water, all of which must have felt like heaven to a group of eighteen-year-olds on their first working summer abroad. But the island also has a darker side, which it doesn't want the tourists to see ...
From there, Sarah Clarke does a masterful job of intertwining intrigue and suspense, across both present and past timelines, in a way that really had me feeling for Frankie in both her teenage and adult years. I didn't find Lola as likeable, but I don't think that mattered: it was enough to know that Frankie loved her to the ends of the earth and back.
My criticisms are really nothing more than quibbles. There are a lot of secondary characters, to the extent that I couldn't always remember who was who. I thought there were a few - just a few - instances where one or more of the main characters behaved in a way that was necessary for the plot, rather than in a way that seemed wholly believable or natural. The ending, whilst fantastically dramatic and tense, did seem a little bit improbable and at the same time, perhaps had all of the loose ends tied up a bit too nicely. I think I'd have preferred just a little bit of uncertainty, a sense that perhaps Frankie and Lola's troubles weren't quite over in the way that they seemed ...
But look. If you were invited for Christmas dinner in a pub you hadn't previously visited, and the only critical comment in the first review you read was that the chef had tried, and failed, to hide thinly-sliced sprouts amongst a mix of other vegetables - don't argue, sprouts taste revolting - would that put you off visiting? Of course it wouldn't, and nor should it. And in a similar way, a few inconsequential niggles do nothing to stop me from recommending Someone in the Water as a near-perfect escape read. Whether you're on a warm beach holiday, or wrapped in a duvet in the middle of a cold UK winter, this is a book you can read to be transported out of the real world for a few glorious hours. And return feeling blessedly relieved.
My thanks to the author and to Nicola Winter (aka @nothing.beats.a.good.book) for the gifted copy of this book in a giveaway. My review is also available on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com, and will be published on Amazon and shared on my social media pages.
Upon waking the next day, my resolve had not weakened. I dressed in the aforementioned running attire even before heading downstairs to make a cup of tea, in order that I'd be ready to leave the house as soon as the caffeine had lifted me into a suitable state of wakefulness. But with the tea still too hot to drink, and Someone in the Water by new-to-me author Sarah Clarke waiting on the bedside table, it couldn't hurt to read a couple of chapters, could it?
The next thing I knew was that at least another hour had passed, the untasted mug of tea was now stone cold and the dog was whining pitifully because her promised walk still hadn't happened. I have absolutely no idea what else had happened in real life during this time, because I hadn't been living in this world. I'd been in Corsica, with Frankie and her eighteen-year-old daughter Lola, wondering what on earth had really happened during that summer of 2004 to leave Frankie in such a perilous mental state? And whether Lola's search for the truth would lead her into a danger that, in her teenage naivety, she'd be unable to see coming ...?
Sadly, even this lure was something that couldn't compete with the needs of a now-pestering Labrador, so I finally set foot outside, started running for the first time in what felt like forever and did make it further than I thought I would before having to stop and gasp painfully for breath. Luckily, however, this did mean that after a warm, soothing shower, I had the perfect excuse to pick the book up again and do nothing else for a few more hours.
This book does so many things so very well. The author's intro, which includes her explanation of the Mazzeri legend, is insightful. The prologue is wonderful. The description of the setting is fabulous: I have never been to Corsica, but I could clearly visualise the seaside hotel, the beautiful sandy beach and the crystal clear water, all of which must have felt like heaven to a group of eighteen-year-olds on their first working summer abroad. But the island also has a darker side, which it doesn't want the tourists to see ...
From there, Sarah Clarke does a masterful job of intertwining intrigue and suspense, across both present and past timelines, in a way that really had me feeling for Frankie in both her teenage and adult years. I didn't find Lola as likeable, but I don't think that mattered: it was enough to know that Frankie loved her to the ends of the earth and back.
My criticisms are really nothing more than quibbles. There are a lot of secondary characters, to the extent that I couldn't always remember who was who. I thought there were a few - just a few - instances where one or more of the main characters behaved in a way that was necessary for the plot, rather than in a way that seemed wholly believable or natural. The ending, whilst fantastically dramatic and tense, did seem a little bit improbable and at the same time, perhaps had all of the loose ends tied up a bit too nicely. I think I'd have preferred just a little bit of uncertainty, a sense that perhaps Frankie and Lola's troubles weren't quite over in the way that they seemed ...
But look. If you were invited for Christmas dinner in a pub you hadn't previously visited, and the only critical comment in the first review you read was that the chef had tried, and failed, to hide thinly-sliced sprouts amongst a mix of other vegetables - don't argue, sprouts taste revolting - would that put you off visiting? Of course it wouldn't, and nor should it. And in a similar way, a few inconsequential niggles do nothing to stop me from recommending Someone in the Water as a near-perfect escape read. Whether you're on a warm beach holiday, or wrapped in a duvet in the middle of a cold UK winter, this is a book you can read to be transported out of the real world for a few glorious hours. And return feeling blessedly relieved.
My thanks to the author and to Nicola Winter (aka @nothing.beats.a.good.book) for the gifted copy of this book in a giveaway. My review is also available on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com, and will be published on Amazon and shared on my social media pages.
July 8, 2025
Frankie Torre spent the summer she was eighteen working in Corsica as a water ski instructor, but whilst there tragedy struck, she blamed herself for what happened and swore never to return to the island. Twenty years later she is now mum to Lola who is soon to turn eighteen, plagued by the events of that night she takes herself away for two weeks every year leaving Lola with her gran so she's never there for her daughter's birthday which just happens to be the same date the tragic event took place. This year Lola tells her mum she's going to Ayia Napa with her friends, until she calls her to say she's actually in Corsica, where she's alone with no money or passport after being mugged and Frankie knows she has no choice but to go back to the island to fetch her. Once there the memories come flooding back when she sees familiar faces but it appears others are also keeping secrets about the events of that summer.
Someone in the Water is the latest thriller by this author, set against the beautiful backdrop of Corsica. It's a fast paced story told across two timelines with so many intriguing characters that Clarke brings to life in this striking tale of mystery and Mazzeri legend. This is a well crafted, compelling read filled with intrigue, suspense and twists that kept me hooked throughout and eager to uncover the many secrets being held on this stunning island and beyond. I felt for both Frankie and Lola, they had missed out on so much in their relationship due to the demons that have dogged Frankie for the last twenty years and I hoped that returning to Corsica may help her banish them for good. This is another new to me author whose work has impressed me and I look forward to catching up with her earlier books.
I'd like to thank HQ and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.
Someone in the Water is the latest thriller by this author, set against the beautiful backdrop of Corsica. It's a fast paced story told across two timelines with so many intriguing characters that Clarke brings to life in this striking tale of mystery and Mazzeri legend. This is a well crafted, compelling read filled with intrigue, suspense and twists that kept me hooked throughout and eager to uncover the many secrets being held on this stunning island and beyond. I felt for both Frankie and Lola, they had missed out on so much in their relationship due to the demons that have dogged Frankie for the last twenty years and I hoped that returning to Corsica may help her banish them for good. This is another new to me author whose work has impressed me and I look forward to catching up with her earlier books.
I'd like to thank HQ and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.
June 16, 2025
The blurb:
My only child Lola is turning eighteen soon, but I won’t be with her. For two weeks every year, I hide myself away while I endure the nightmares that haunt me around her birthday.
Because she can never know the truth – that I am plagued by terrible visions from the summer I spent in Corsica when I was eighteen. It ended in tragedy, and I have never forgiven myself for the part I played.
But my world is about to fall apart all over again.
Lola calls to tell me she’s not with her friends in Cyprus, but alone in Corsica. I have no choice. I have to go back to the island and bring her home.
But as I revisit the memories, see the same faces again, I start to wonder if there was more to the events of that summer than I realised. Are there others keeping secrets just like me? Ones that are even more deadly…
My thoughts:
This book has me gripped from the start. It was mysterious, suspenseful and twisty.
I felt for Frankie- her mental state was not great, and she had punished herself for years, only to have to relive the nightmares by returning to Corsica…
This was so cleverly written! I wasn’t sure who to trust as the story unfolded. I enjoyed the multiple pov and the chapters going back in time to share with us Frankie’s Corsican history, as well as the present day.
Another great twisty thriller from this author. Thank you so much to HQ stories and Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are my own.
4.5⭐️
My only child Lola is turning eighteen soon, but I won’t be with her. For two weeks every year, I hide myself away while I endure the nightmares that haunt me around her birthday.
Because she can never know the truth – that I am plagued by terrible visions from the summer I spent in Corsica when I was eighteen. It ended in tragedy, and I have never forgiven myself for the part I played.
But my world is about to fall apart all over again.
Lola calls to tell me she’s not with her friends in Cyprus, but alone in Corsica. I have no choice. I have to go back to the island and bring her home.
But as I revisit the memories, see the same faces again, I start to wonder if there was more to the events of that summer than I realised. Are there others keeping secrets just like me? Ones that are even more deadly…
My thoughts:
This book has me gripped from the start. It was mysterious, suspenseful and twisty.
I felt for Frankie- her mental state was not great, and she had punished herself for years, only to have to relive the nightmares by returning to Corsica…
This was so cleverly written! I wasn’t sure who to trust as the story unfolded. I enjoyed the multiple pov and the chapters going back in time to share with us Frankie’s Corsican history, as well as the present day.
Another great twisty thriller from this author. Thank you so much to HQ stories and Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are my own.
4.5⭐️
May 14, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It was such an easy read, I do love a destination thriller!
So, let’s start on Frankie’s character… I get that she has been through trauma and clearly has PTSD and for her own and Lola’s safety? She needs to go away once a year, but I also feel like CBT and counselling need to be spoken more about, so we know that Frankie has done absolutely everything to try and be at peace, because it seems like she hasn’t really tried anything. Yes she’s been sectioned but we don’t really hear much about what else has been tried to help Frankie get over this.
Next, the relationship between Frankie and Lola… I felt so sorry for both characters who could have such a close relationship, but the situation that happened to Frankie all those years ago just pushed them apart. Their relationship at home isn’t spoken much about, but I assume they’re not particularly close. I love Lola’s character and think she’s so strong and brave to go to the place to investigate what happened to her mum, to try and help her by understanding what happened. I also think Frankie is so brave by going out there despite being terrified, it shows how strong a mother’s love for her child is.
Throughout the book, I was guessing who was as responsible and every time I was proved wrong!
So, let’s start on Frankie’s character… I get that she has been through trauma and clearly has PTSD and for her own and Lola’s safety? She needs to go away once a year, but I also feel like CBT and counselling need to be spoken more about, so we know that Frankie has done absolutely everything to try and be at peace, because it seems like she hasn’t really tried anything. Yes she’s been sectioned but we don’t really hear much about what else has been tried to help Frankie get over this.
Next, the relationship between Frankie and Lola… I felt so sorry for both characters who could have such a close relationship, but the situation that happened to Frankie all those years ago just pushed them apart. Their relationship at home isn’t spoken much about, but I assume they’re not particularly close. I love Lola’s character and think she’s so strong and brave to go to the place to investigate what happened to her mum, to try and help her by understanding what happened. I also think Frankie is so brave by going out there despite being terrified, it shows how strong a mother’s love for her child is.
Throughout the book, I was guessing who was as responsible and every time I was proved wrong!
June 28, 2025
Someone In The water was a really good read that I enjoyed from start to finish.
Frankie spent her summer working in Corsica and it has left her traumatised around the 31st July. So much so that she has missed her daughter’s birthday for many years as she has to go away and shut herself away from the outside world. Her daughter Lola is going to Cyprus with her friends to celebrate her eighteenth birthday but rings her mum to say she’s really in Corsica alone and has been mugged, no phone, no passport but she’s been given a room where her mum used to work. Can Frankie get on a plane and save her daughter and be back in her isolated holiday home for the 31st July or not. Lola is hoping to break this curse. Who will win?
This was a really good read from start to finish, the characters were all different and not too many of them, a really good destination read. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Frankie but the ending tied everything up neatly with no unanswered questions. A cleverly written book that had me not knowing who to trust and hoping Frankie could do what was needed from her.
I would like to thank NetGalley and HQ Digital for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
Frankie spent her summer working in Corsica and it has left her traumatised around the 31st July. So much so that she has missed her daughter’s birthday for many years as she has to go away and shut herself away from the outside world. Her daughter Lola is going to Cyprus with her friends to celebrate her eighteenth birthday but rings her mum to say she’s really in Corsica alone and has been mugged, no phone, no passport but she’s been given a room where her mum used to work. Can Frankie get on a plane and save her daughter and be back in her isolated holiday home for the 31st July or not. Lola is hoping to break this curse. Who will win?
This was a really good read from start to finish, the characters were all different and not too many of them, a really good destination read. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Frankie but the ending tied everything up neatly with no unanswered questions. A cleverly written book that had me not knowing who to trust and hoping Frankie could do what was needed from her.
I would like to thank NetGalley and HQ Digital for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2025
Someone in the Water drew me in immediately. I couldn't put it down, and I devoured it in one sitting. It was full of suspense, mystery, secrets, friendship, and betrayal. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I loved reading from the perspectives of both Frankie and Lola and also the dual timelines with Frankie. Both Frankie and Lola were interesting main characters. They were both charismatic, smart, determined, and relatable. I also really liked Dom. I suspected a lot of the other characters, which coloured my opinion somewhat.
The twists and turns were crazy good. I thought I had it figured out, but I was completely wrong.
This is the third book I've read from Sarah Clarke, the others being: The Ski Trip & The Night She Dies, which were also excellent reads.
Of the three, Someone in the Water is my favourite.
I can't wait to see what Sarah comes up with next. I highly recommend it.
Especially for fans of Ruth Ware, Sarah Goodwin, Lucy Clarke, and Rachel Hawkins.
5 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley, HQ Digital, and Sarah Clarke for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved reading from the perspectives of both Frankie and Lola and also the dual timelines with Frankie. Both Frankie and Lola were interesting main characters. They were both charismatic, smart, determined, and relatable. I also really liked Dom. I suspected a lot of the other characters, which coloured my opinion somewhat.
The twists and turns were crazy good. I thought I had it figured out, but I was completely wrong.
This is the third book I've read from Sarah Clarke, the others being: The Ski Trip & The Night She Dies, which were also excellent reads.
Of the three, Someone in the Water is my favourite.
I can't wait to see what Sarah comes up with next. I highly recommend it.
Especially for fans of Ruth Ware, Sarah Goodwin, Lucy Clarke, and Rachel Hawkins.
5 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley, HQ Digital, and Sarah Clarke for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2025
Frankie's summer job at eighteen turns out to be a devastating experience that defines her adult life. Her mental health is fragile due to the night terrors that merge dark Corsican folklore and actual tragic events, particularly prevalent on a specific date, which is also her only daughter's birthday. Lola, haunted by her mother's past, uncovers some clues and makes a plan to discover the truth. Lola finds herself alone and in danger, and reaches out to her mother, who must overcome her fear and rescue her daughter from the place of her nightmares. It's a darkly emotional tale brought to life through vivid storytelling and believable characters. Frankie's past experiences on the island contrast with current events, and the reader is unsure what is fact and what is the recollection of an unreliable narrator. I appreciate the emotional impact, the effective use of sensory imagery to build suspense, and the echoes of dark folklore throughout the story.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 3, 2025
Totally unputdownable, this book had me completely hooked from the first to the last page.
I learnt a lot about the Mazzeri legend of Corsica, and also think this may be the first time I have thought anything about water skiing since I was possibly a kid seeing a small bit on TV once.
So between an island setting that interested me, water sports that aren't the most featured anywhere, and a summer to forget this is rather intriguing.
Especially once Lola decides to start asking questions and wants to discover the truth of that horrible summer all those years ago for the sake of her mother's mental health.
I loved hearing how everything unfolded, and really was unsure to know who to believe. I was loving every second of this book, it hit all the right notes for me.
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I learnt a lot about the Mazzeri legend of Corsica, and also think this may be the first time I have thought anything about water skiing since I was possibly a kid seeing a small bit on TV once.
So between an island setting that interested me, water sports that aren't the most featured anywhere, and a summer to forget this is rather intriguing.
Especially once Lola decides to start asking questions and wants to discover the truth of that horrible summer all those years ago for the sake of her mother's mental health.
I loved hearing how everything unfolded, and really was unsure to know who to believe. I was loving every second of this book, it hit all the right notes for me.
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
May 9, 2025
Drawing on an old Corsican legend, Sarah Clarke delivers the chilling story of a British mother who is so traumatized by her youthful experience exploring her roots on the island, that she must leave her own daughter on the anniversary of those events each year in order to protect Lola from the mental health breakdowns which tend to occur for Frankie at this time of year.
Except that Frankie has not bargained for the fact that her daughter is curious to find out the real story, so Lola decides to secretly go to Corsica herself and retrace her mother's steps. When things go disastrously wrong, Frankie must face the demons of her past to ensure her daughter has a safer future.
A gripping story well delivered, this book definitely worth a read!
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Except that Frankie has not bargained for the fact that her daughter is curious to find out the real story, so Lola decides to secretly go to Corsica herself and retrace her mother's steps. When things go disastrously wrong, Frankie must face the demons of her past to ensure her daughter has a safer future.
A gripping story well delivered, this book definitely worth a read!
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
July 16, 2025
This is an atmospheric, intricately woven story with dual timeline and dual POV. It describes the present moment as well as past of a mother and daughter and what happens when we keep secrets buried.
There are quite a lot of main characters involved and I suppose that keeps you guessing. There is an element of Corsican folklore explored which was interesting. Plenty of different strands to this story and it goes back and forth in time as it slowly unfolds.
Honestly a complex and well put together storyline. The twists had me gasping at the end!
However all that said I just didn’t really connect with it. Most likely a me or timing issue but this happens I suppose.
I mainly listened to this one as an audio and to start with I found the mother’s voice really irritating. This might be a reason I couldn’t quite connect with it either.
3.5
There are quite a lot of main characters involved and I suppose that keeps you guessing. There is an element of Corsican folklore explored which was interesting. Plenty of different strands to this story and it goes back and forth in time as it slowly unfolds.
Honestly a complex and well put together storyline. The twists had me gasping at the end!
However all that said I just didn’t really connect with it. Most likely a me or timing issue but this happens I suppose.
I mainly listened to this one as an audio and to start with I found the mother’s voice really irritating. This might be a reason I couldn’t quite connect with it either.
3.5
May 8, 2025
This is a decent summer read - a psychological thriller with a touch of the mystical!
Frankie, single mum to coming of age Lola, is traumatised by an event in her past - in an unfortunate twist of fate the anniversary of this trauma coincides with Lola’s birthday!
We soon learn this trauma occurred when Frankie, during her gap year, was working in a resort in Corsica.
As 2 distinct timelines play out we learn all about the traumatic event of the past, and how this plays out in the present day!
This is a great novel for those who like their fiction a little dark, a little exotic and with a little ‘cat & mouse’!
My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.
Frankie, single mum to coming of age Lola, is traumatised by an event in her past - in an unfortunate twist of fate the anniversary of this trauma coincides with Lola’s birthday!
We soon learn this trauma occurred when Frankie, during her gap year, was working in a resort in Corsica.
As 2 distinct timelines play out we learn all about the traumatic event of the past, and how this plays out in the present day!
This is a great novel for those who like their fiction a little dark, a little exotic and with a little ‘cat & mouse’!
My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.
June 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Someone In The Water - Sarah Clarke
This has to be Sarah’s best work to date - having previously enjoyed her other books.
A destination thriller spanning 2 decades - and with just the right amount of characters to keep me guessing right to the very end.
I had the rug pulled from under me several times through the book - let’s just say it’s a good job I’m not a detective investigating things!!
Like all of Sarah’s books - she is able to make all of her characters seem very real - and I can imagine that this book will go down very well on beaches across the world for Summer 2025……Corsica included!
Here’s the next one Sarah
This has to be Sarah’s best work to date - having previously enjoyed her other books.
A destination thriller spanning 2 decades - and with just the right amount of characters to keep me guessing right to the very end.
I had the rug pulled from under me several times through the book - let’s just say it’s a good job I’m not a detective investigating things!!
Like all of Sarah’s books - she is able to make all of her characters seem very real - and I can imagine that this book will go down very well on beaches across the world for Summer 2025……Corsica included!
Here’s the next one Sarah
July 9, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I was gripped from the start, and I loved the setting in Corsica. I had never come across the Corsican Mazzeri legend that certainly laid out a dark and mysterious layer to the story. The relationship between Lola and her mother Frankie had complicated bond that was influenced by the past experiences of Frankie years previously on the island. Each character was well-developed and added to the twists and turns. The suspense kept me wanting to turn those pages. I am never a fan of books that flip back and forth in time, but this was perfectly done, and I am really enjoying Sarah Clarkes work. Looking forward to the next book.
December 21, 2025
I really enjoyed this book.
The secrets from one side to the other.
Frankie feels guilt, heavily and avoids as much of the guilt as she can. But she has isolated her daughter throughout the years by going away on her birthday.
All to avoid the guilt and problems she feels.
Returning to the root of all this to help her daughter Lola, she feels will make things worse. But it’s her daughter. As things unravel you get to see the turmoil and the deep secrets from more than one person.
This was written so well as to be easy to follow and get to know the secrets and to me actually know who they belonged to.
But the ending? I didn’t get that at all until it hit.
Fab.
The secrets from one side to the other.
Frankie feels guilt, heavily and avoids as much of the guilt as she can. But she has isolated her daughter throughout the years by going away on her birthday.
All to avoid the guilt and problems she feels.
Returning to the root of all this to help her daughter Lola, she feels will make things worse. But it’s her daughter. As things unravel you get to see the turmoil and the deep secrets from more than one person.
This was written so well as to be easy to follow and get to know the secrets and to me actually know who they belonged to.
But the ending? I didn’t get that at all until it hit.
Fab.
June 5, 2025
I loved this! I'm a sucker for a thriller set abroad, and I really liked the Corsican location of this one. I enjoyed the Mazzeri myth woven into the plot, and the sense of place was very good.
I enjoyed the dual timelines and POVs and thought that the book was well-paced and drip-fed information at the right times to keep the plot moving forward. I was invested right until the last page, and appreciated the glimpse into the future for the characters who were still standing at the end!
Overall I would absolutely recommend this book.
I enjoyed the dual timelines and POVs and thought that the book was well-paced and drip-fed information at the right times to keep the plot moving forward. I was invested right until the last page, and appreciated the glimpse into the future for the characters who were still standing at the end!
Overall I would absolutely recommend this book.
October 22, 2025
I loved this one. It was told from Frankie and Lola’s POV past and present. Things unravelled themselves throughout the book with twists and turns that kept you guessing, it gripped me from the start. I loved how you didn’t know who was telling the truth and who to trust.
It was fantastically written and the plot just flows and oozes mystery which makes it such a page turner. Sarah is a new author to me but I will definitely be looking out for more of her books. I love finding new authors.
Thank you HQ Stories for my copy. A must read, and at the moment is a bargain price on Amazon!
It was fantastically written and the plot just flows and oozes mystery which makes it such a page turner. Sarah is a new author to me but I will definitely be looking out for more of her books. I love finding new authors.
Thank you HQ Stories for my copy. A must read, and at the moment is a bargain price on Amazon!
September 22, 2025
What the hell; how is this author not better known? This was so much better than 99% of thrillers I've read lately. Captivating, kept me on my toes, and for once I didn't figure out the who and why until the end. The plot was very well constructed. And we even got some smart characters! And LGBTQ+ rep! And folklore! What more could you wish for?
Truly a hidden gem. I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a stellar job, too. I'll definitely read more by Sarah Clarke.
Truly a hidden gem. I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a stellar job, too. I'll definitely read more by Sarah Clarke.
June 11, 2025
Really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and twisty and had me gripped from the start with each chapter ending leaving me wanting to carry on reading to find out what happened next. Loved the setting description it made me feel like I there myself and great characters too. Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.
June 18, 2025
A perfect Summer thriller!
I loved this. Dark, twisty secrets that resurface under a Corsican sun, with a dose of island mythology, made this the perfect Summer read for me. I really liked the mother and daughter dynamic and how the story unfolds from their perspectives, maintaining the suspense right throughout.
It had me from the off, and I blazed through it!
I loved this. Dark, twisty secrets that resurface under a Corsican sun, with a dose of island mythology, made this the perfect Summer read for me. I really liked the mother and daughter dynamic and how the story unfolds from their perspectives, maintaining the suspense right throughout.
It had me from the off, and I blazed through it!
June 27, 2025
This was the perfect destination thriller - pack it in your suitcase this summer!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love Sarah’s books and the way she gets inside the heads of her characters, builds the suspense and then takes the reader on a twisty-turny journey to the end. Someone In The Water is such a compelling thriller - another must read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love Sarah’s books and the way she gets inside the heads of her characters, builds the suspense and then takes the reader on a twisty-turny journey to the end. Someone In The Water is such a compelling thriller - another must read!
August 20, 2025
A Brilliant read of a book
I throughly enjoyed reading this amazing book as it kept me on edge and was hooked from the 1st page upwards.
I couldn't put it down as I needed to know what happened and why. The plot and storyline is well written.
Overall a great read of a book and a definitely recommended for reading.
Best wishes Sean
I throughly enjoyed reading this amazing book as it kept me on edge and was hooked from the 1st page upwards.
I couldn't put it down as I needed to know what happened and why. The plot and storyline is well written.
Overall a great read of a book and a definitely recommended for reading.
Best wishes Sean
August 22, 2025
A revenge thriller.
An easy give stars. This book is quite a slow burn in the beginning but soon becomes a gripping mystery. The plot is gradually explained by going back 21 years to when two tragic deaths occured. There are multiple suspects and vividly drawn characters, plus two lead investigators you really root for. A book you will not want to put down with a great twist.
An easy give stars. This book is quite a slow burn in the beginning but soon becomes a gripping mystery. The plot is gradually explained by going back 21 years to when two tragic deaths occured. There are multiple suspects and vividly drawn characters, plus two lead investigators you really root for. A book you will not want to put down with a great twist.
September 30, 2025
I loved this book and read it in one sitting I was so hooked. A well written suspenseful plot with twists and turns right until the end. The characters were believable and fully fitted the family first theme throughout. It made me want to visit Corsica, where the book is set, though I might stay out of the water!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2025
Another suspenseful book from Sarah Clarke. When Frankie's daughter goes to the island where tragedy happened 18 years earlier she has no choice but to follow. Full of twists and good characters this book is a must for your summer reading. Thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for this review copy.
August 14, 2025
This gripped me from the start. I was invested in the parallel stories of Frankie & Lola as they both faced their fears head on.
Sadly the ending felt a bit rushed but it was quite gripping getting there…
4* from me.
Sadly the ending felt a bit rushed but it was quite gripping getting there…
4* from me.
September 3, 2025
I really enjoyed this mystery. It was a quick, easy but smart and interesting read. I especially enjoyed that the book was set in Corsica. Also liked the minor role traditional folklore played in the story.
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