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Black Water Bones: A compelling, gripping, and atmospheric thriller
Not yet published
Expected 14 Jul 26A suffocating Southern thriller from an award-winning author. The next unputdownable read for fans of Stacy Willingham and Noelle W. Ihli.
She left Chokoloskee Island behind years ago. The Everglades isn’t done with her yet.
Cameron St. Rose was five when her mother disappeared into the mangroves without a trace. Growing up the daughter of one of the island’s founding families, she always knew that asking questions was more dangerous than not knowing.
Now a manager at a luxury spa on Florida’s glittering coast, Cameron has built a life far from the swamp and its secrets. But when a tropical storm washes human remains out of the black water, she’s compelled to return home.
Catching up with her childhood best friend, Michaela, being served drinks by her ex, then going home to an empty house—it’s a bittersweet homecoming. And then Michaela vanishes. Cameron knows what Chokoloskee looks like when it’s hiding she can hear it in the conversations which stop when she walks into a room, and the way the whole island closes ranks around a silence she was raised never to break.
But Cameron isn’t a little girl anymore. And she’ll drag every secret out of the mud and the mangroves to find her friend—even the one about her mother.
Perfect for readers who
Return-to-her-hometown thrillersSmall town with dark secretsEveryone is a suspectTragedy in the past meets mystery in the presentAtmosphere atmosphere atmosphereThe past won’t stay drownedCompelling heroine with a tragic backstoryReaders love S.E. Reed’s gripping
“Such a wild ride!!! I could not put this book down!!! It was utterly fantastic!!! 5/5 stars without hesitation!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“So good. I absolutely devoured this in a day. I thought I could see the end coming but not at all… I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Such a fun read.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A brilliant read that hooked me from the outset I couldn’t tear myself away! The plot was truly exceptional!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“An amazing read! From the very start I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. The story pulled me in right away and kept me turning the pages until the very end. I honestly hated for it to end because I was enjoying it so much… An absolute must-read!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“[Had me] staying up late when I should have been sleeping… Fast-moving, the story immediately draws you in and had my attention throughout.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow… So good and twisted will have you thinking well after you have finished this read.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I really had no idea where the story was going… I could not put the book down as the story unfolded!… So many twists and turns that there was no way I could have anticipated how the story was going to end.
She left Chokoloskee Island behind years ago. The Everglades isn’t done with her yet.
Cameron St. Rose was five when her mother disappeared into the mangroves without a trace. Growing up the daughter of one of the island’s founding families, she always knew that asking questions was more dangerous than not knowing.
Now a manager at a luxury spa on Florida’s glittering coast, Cameron has built a life far from the swamp and its secrets. But when a tropical storm washes human remains out of the black water, she’s compelled to return home.
Catching up with her childhood best friend, Michaela, being served drinks by her ex, then going home to an empty house—it’s a bittersweet homecoming. And then Michaela vanishes. Cameron knows what Chokoloskee looks like when it’s hiding she can hear it in the conversations which stop when she walks into a room, and the way the whole island closes ranks around a silence she was raised never to break.
But Cameron isn’t a little girl anymore. And she’ll drag every secret out of the mud and the mangroves to find her friend—even the one about her mother.
Perfect for readers who
Return-to-her-hometown thrillersSmall town with dark secretsEveryone is a suspectTragedy in the past meets mystery in the presentAtmosphere atmosphere atmosphereThe past won’t stay drownedCompelling heroine with a tragic backstoryReaders love S.E. Reed’s gripping
“Such a wild ride!!! I could not put this book down!!! It was utterly fantastic!!! 5/5 stars without hesitation!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“So good. I absolutely devoured this in a day. I thought I could see the end coming but not at all… I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Such a fun read.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A brilliant read that hooked me from the outset I couldn’t tear myself away! The plot was truly exceptional!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“An amazing read! From the very start I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. The story pulled me in right away and kept me turning the pages until the very end. I honestly hated for it to end because I was enjoying it so much… An absolute must-read!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“[Had me] staying up late when I should have been sleeping… Fast-moving, the story immediately draws you in and had my attention throughout.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow… So good and twisted will have you thinking well after you have finished this read.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I really had no idea where the story was going… I could not put the book down as the story unfolded!… So many twists and turns that there was no way I could have anticipated how the story was going to end.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 14, 2026
About the author
S.E. Reed
15 books149 followersS.E. Reed is an award-winning multi-genre author. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but longed to see the rest of America. After living in all five regions, she finally settled in Florida–nestled between the swampy Everglades and Atlantic Ocean. Many of her stories have a strong contemporary southern theme, but she also dabbles in the strange, bizarre, and fantastical.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is my second book to read by this author. My first being “The First Widows” that I absolutely loved. Reading the blurb for this book had me thinking this was going to be something completely different. I thought it was going to be more of a creepy, possible horror, mystery. Actually, this novel is actually not too far from my previous read in style. There is humor, romance, mystery, and a touch of psychological thriller.
“The First Widows” was a hands down 5-star novel. So why the 4-star for this one? The language is a bit over the top. Listen, if you read mystery/thriller genre, your gonna get some curse words. Some of this didn’t even really make sense, let alone a true sentence.
My other issue is one that I think was brilliantly pointed out by the actor Raine Wilson. He pointed out that Hollywood had gotten lazy in their writing of people of faith, particularly Christians. As he stated, if he saw someone was a Christian in a movie or tv series, he knew they were immediately the killer/bad guy. Reed does this in this novel. And to be honest, it’s just a worn-out trope. Reed’s writing is better than that.
Minor quibbles. The book is really good, but had an opportunity to be great.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
“The First Widows” was a hands down 5-star novel. So why the 4-star for this one? The language is a bit over the top. Listen, if you read mystery/thriller genre, your gonna get some curse words. Some of this didn’t even really make sense, let alone a true sentence.
My other issue is one that I think was brilliantly pointed out by the actor Raine Wilson. He pointed out that Hollywood had gotten lazy in their writing of people of faith, particularly Christians. As he stated, if he saw someone was a Christian in a movie or tv series, he knew they were immediately the killer/bad guy. Reed does this in this novel. And to be honest, it’s just a worn-out trope. Reed’s writing is better than that.
Minor quibbles. The book is really good, but had an opportunity to be great.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
📚ARC Review📚
Black Water Bones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5)
Ohhh what a good southern thriller this was! It’s set in the Everglades (swamp lands) of Florida and I loved the description of the area and their accents! This one is a little eerie at times and really plays on the psychological thriller side. This also had a touch of romance to it as well. It’s fast-paced and keeps the twist and suspense coming. I also like the past and present timeline and how that follows Cam and Natalie. I loved the ending and how it tied everything together.
This book will publish on July 14, 2026. Be sure to add it to your TBR list!! Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced readers copy. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.
Black Water Bones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5)
Ohhh what a good southern thriller this was! It’s set in the Everglades (swamp lands) of Florida and I loved the description of the area and their accents! This one is a little eerie at times and really plays on the psychological thriller side. This also had a touch of romance to it as well. It’s fast-paced and keeps the twist and suspense coming. I also like the past and present timeline and how that follows Cam and Natalie. I loved the ending and how it tied everything together.
This book will publish on July 14, 2026. Be sure to add it to your TBR list!! Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced readers copy. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Holy Cow, I received this as an eARC, and man it was so good!
The romance felt a little over the top, but it plays into the character dynamics and makes you question who’s hiding a secret.
The main character Cam is a little too trusting, which makes me wanna scream, but I really loved the complexity of the story.
It’s pretty fast paced, which I love in a thriller, this really kept me wanting to read more.
The romance felt a little over the top, but it plays into the character dynamics and makes you question who’s hiding a secret.
The main character Cam is a little too trusting, which makes me wanna scream, but I really loved the complexity of the story.
It’s pretty fast paced, which I love in a thriller, this really kept me wanting to read more.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is one of those books that sucks you in, so you feel you're there. Cam goes back home to help in a search for a missing girl, and what she uncovers is shocking. The town has secrets, and they are not what you expect. I really loved this book. It's a very quick read !
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews