Black Water Rising: A tense and gripping Liverpool crime thriller

by Sean Watkin

'Sean Watkin brings Liverpool to life in all its rich dark colours' VAL McDERMIDTime is running out to catch a killerTeenage girls are going missing across Liverpool. When the body of the third victim is discovered on the banks of the Mersey, the search for the culprit intensifies, and DCI de Silva is called back to work.

Still reeling from the recent suicide of her husband and dragged down by the undertow of PTSD, de Silva has been struggling in self-imposed exile. In her fragile state, is she ready to win in a race against the clock?

This case should have been DS Barclay's opportunity to finally show himself to be more than what everybody assumes an exercise in diversity, a gay man employed to tick boxes.

De Silva and Barclay must exorcise their own demons to stop more victims suffering, all while dealing with a traumatised and escalating killer, who is hellbent on finding somebody from their past.

A tense and gripping crime thriller set in Liverpool shortlisted for the 2025 McDermid Debut Award. Perfect for fans of M. W. Craven and Russ Thomas.

Praise for Black Water Rising'Fascinating characters, shocking crimes and a terrifying and atmospheric finale. Unmissable!' Heather Critchlow

'Dark, intense, twisty, and utterly compelling! A solid and addictive mystery'

'I am blown away! An exciting, thrilling, twisted and chilling read that packs a punch and then some. THE author to watch out for'

'I loved this book, especially as it was set in Liverpool so unique! I look forward to reading more by this author'

'I devoured this it was full of twists and turns that made me quickly turn the pages. This author is definitely one to watch'

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 10, 2025

Reviews

[Rienk]

There is much to like in dialogue, plot and characters. I really dig the straitlaced gay DS Barclay, with his troubles with collegues and mother about his sexuality, his warm homelife with a beloved husband and adopted daughter, his self-doubt and guilt about wrong decisions and the fall-out in his private life, his sense of honor and hurt. Finally a well-written gay detective in a mainstream thriller!

DCI de Silva is a likeable opposite, grief-stricken, guilt-ridden in a completely different way, self-sabotaging and acerbic, hard to handle, damaged but with flashes of intuitive genius. Someone from a working class background is seldom cast in that role, let alone someone who acknowledges her roots.

The plot is tense, a hunt with twists and red herrings and betayals, and a final discovery that turns things on its head. Enough is left unresolved for later books, I like that in the start of a new series. The sense of place is strong and Liverpool – a rare setting – is vividly rendered.

Yet the graphic depictions of violent abuse and pedophilia really put me off. It could do with a trigger warning: page after page of autopsy. Detailed descriptions of horrible things done to teenagers. A dump dive into the mind of a depraved but simpleminded killer, in repeated hateful frases. Mysogyny. Homophobia.

Maybe overkill is characteristic for this author, like with Stuart McBride. But this is a debut, it may wear off when the author hones his craft. Still, I don't think I will revisit this series. Despite finishing the book and enjoying much, the explicitness was too much for me.

[Linz]

Couldn’t finish this book. The paedophilia and graphic violence was too much for me.