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The Drowning Girls
"Spellbinding."--Mary Kubica, "New York Times "bestselling author of "The Good Girl" and "Pretty Baby" "Disturbing...provocative." --Heather Gudenkauf, "New York Times" bestselling authorCritically acclaimed author of The Mourning Hours and The Fragile World, Paula Treick DeBoard returns with a tale of dark secrets, shocking lies and a dangerous obsession that will change one neighborhood forever
Liz McGinnis never imagined herself living in a luxurious gated community like The Palms. Ever since she and her family moved in, she's felt like an outsider amongst the Stepford-like wives and their obnoxiously spoiled children. Still, she's determined to make it work--if not for herself, then for her husband, Phil, who landed them this lavish home in the first place, and for her daughter, Danielle, who's about to enter high school.
Yet underneath the glossy veneer of The Palms, life is far from idyllic. In a place where reputation is everything, Liz soon discovers that even the friendliest residents can't be trusted. So when the gorgeous girl next door befriends Danielle, Liz can't help but find sophisticated Kelsey's interest in her shy and slightly nerdy daughter a bit suspicious.
But while Kelsey quickly becomes a fixture in the McGinnis home, Liz's relationships with both Danielle and Phil grow strained. Now even her own family seems to be hiding things, and it's not long before their dream of living the high life quickly spirals out of control... More Praise "[The] next must-read..."--Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of "Hidden and Smoke" "Heart-pounding." --Sophie Littlefield, "New York Times" bestselling author "Suspenseful and compelling." --Karen Brown, author of "The Longings of Wayward Girls"
Liz McGinnis never imagined herself living in a luxurious gated community like The Palms. Ever since she and her family moved in, she's felt like an outsider amongst the Stepford-like wives and their obnoxiously spoiled children. Still, she's determined to make it work--if not for herself, then for her husband, Phil, who landed them this lavish home in the first place, and for her daughter, Danielle, who's about to enter high school.
Yet underneath the glossy veneer of The Palms, life is far from idyllic. In a place where reputation is everything, Liz soon discovers that even the friendliest residents can't be trusted. So when the gorgeous girl next door befriends Danielle, Liz can't help but find sophisticated Kelsey's interest in her shy and slightly nerdy daughter a bit suspicious.
But while Kelsey quickly becomes a fixture in the McGinnis home, Liz's relationships with both Danielle and Phil grow strained. Now even her own family seems to be hiding things, and it's not long before their dream of living the high life quickly spirals out of control... More Praise "[The] next must-read..."--Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of "Hidden and Smoke" "Heart-pounding." --Sophie Littlefield, "New York Times" bestselling author "Suspenseful and compelling." --Karen Brown, author of "The Longings of Wayward Girls"
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2016
198 people are currently reading
10784 people want to read
About the author
Paula Treick DeBoard
6 books497 followersPaula Treick DeBoard is a writer, latte drinker and all-around slave to public education. Her first novels—written in the back seat of a 1977 Chevy Caprice station wagon where her parents let her jostle around, unprotected by a seatbelt—were sadly lost in one cross-country move or another.
The Mourning Hours (2013) was her first novel to survive. Paula is also the author of The Fragile World (2014) and The Drowning Girls (April 2016).
She holds a BA in English from Dordt College and an MFA in Fiction from the University of Southern Maine. She breaks up the monotony of staring at her laptop screen for long hours with her teaching commitment as a lecturer in the Merritt Writing Program at the University of California, Merced.
Her heart—and any remaining spare time—belongs to Will and their four-legged brood.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 571 reviews
April 28, 2018
I read this book over the span of three days but honestly would have read it in one sitting if time had permitted.
The book starts in present day, June 2015. Liz McGinnis wakes up to the sound of someone screaming. At first she thinks that it's just the kids next door playing. However, she soon realizes that the screaming is coming from outside where her fifteen-year-old daughter Danielle and her friend were hanging out earlier, listening to music and swimming. She hears them calling for her help. When she finally gets outside she sees the girls in the pool, it almost looks like they are playing a game. But what she's seeing is definitely not a game.
"There were three girls in the water and one of them was limp, her head flopped forward, blond hair plastered over her face".
We are then taken back, to a year earlier. The McGinnises are just three weeks into their new life. Liz doesn't feel they fit in to the new neighborhood, THE PALMS. She feels like it's an experiment, the hypothesis being that they would never fit in with these people.
The Palms was so exclusive, so tightly knit, it was like living in a fishbowl".
Phil is the community relations specialist for the neighborhood. The job comes with the huge four thousand square feet house that they could never afford otherwise. When they are invited to a wine and cheese party at one of the neighbors, Phil convinces Liz that they should make an appearance. Just as she decides she hates everyone there, she meets Sonia Jorgensen, a likeable woman who makes Liz feel a bit more at ease.
Sonia has a daughter, Kelsey that will be attending the same school where Liz is a high school counselor. Her daughter, Danielle will be a freshman there too. Sonia indicates that Kelsey is transferring schools because the kids at the other school were such bad influences. Liz and Sonia decide to introduce their daughters to each other since they will be attending school together.
Danielle is a quiet and serious student and so far hasn't been very involved with boys, parties etc. Kelsey looks like a model and acts like a 25 year old adult. However, the girls become very close and soon Kelsey is spending every afternoon at their house. But it soon becomes clear that Danielle is not the only reason Kelsey wants to spend so much time in the McGinnis home.
Phil feels like the job at The Palms is perfect. It means regular hours, a steady income and of course the huge house. He knows that the buyers in the community will be high maintenance and require a lot of ass-kissing but he finds it easy enough to deal with.
That is until the day Kelsey Jorgensen comes into his office.
Suddenly Liz starts to feel like everyone is keeping secrets. Danielle is changing and Phil seems to be a million miles away. Soon she's second guessing everyone's actions and has no idea what to believe.
Things are spiraling out of control.
The Palms neighborhood had a "Real Housewives" feel in some ways. Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous. The dynamics of the families in the community were interesting to say the least. Some of the people seemed unbelievable yet similar people do exist. I was a bit uncomfortable with a few parts, but I think it's supposed to make us feel uncomfortable.
This was a great read! The story is told from both Liz and Phil's point of view and alternating from past to present. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. The writing is fast-paced and I was completely gripped right up until the very end....an end that I did not see coming.
This is my first read from Paula Treick DeBoard, but I can guarantee that it won't be my last.
The book starts in present day, June 2015. Liz McGinnis wakes up to the sound of someone screaming. At first she thinks that it's just the kids next door playing. However, she soon realizes that the screaming is coming from outside where her fifteen-year-old daughter Danielle and her friend were hanging out earlier, listening to music and swimming. She hears them calling for her help. When she finally gets outside she sees the girls in the pool, it almost looks like they are playing a game. But what she's seeing is definitely not a game.
"There were three girls in the water and one of them was limp, her head flopped forward, blond hair plastered over her face".
We are then taken back, to a year earlier. The McGinnises are just three weeks into their new life. Liz doesn't feel they fit in to the new neighborhood, THE PALMS. She feels like it's an experiment, the hypothesis being that they would never fit in with these people.
The Palms was so exclusive, so tightly knit, it was like living in a fishbowl".
Phil is the community relations specialist for the neighborhood. The job comes with the huge four thousand square feet house that they could never afford otherwise. When they are invited to a wine and cheese party at one of the neighbors, Phil convinces Liz that they should make an appearance. Just as she decides she hates everyone there, she meets Sonia Jorgensen, a likeable woman who makes Liz feel a bit more at ease.
Sonia has a daughter, Kelsey that will be attending the same school where Liz is a high school counselor. Her daughter, Danielle will be a freshman there too. Sonia indicates that Kelsey is transferring schools because the kids at the other school were such bad influences. Liz and Sonia decide to introduce their daughters to each other since they will be attending school together.
Danielle is a quiet and serious student and so far hasn't been very involved with boys, parties etc. Kelsey looks like a model and acts like a 25 year old adult. However, the girls become very close and soon Kelsey is spending every afternoon at their house. But it soon becomes clear that Danielle is not the only reason Kelsey wants to spend so much time in the McGinnis home.
Phil feels like the job at The Palms is perfect. It means regular hours, a steady income and of course the huge house. He knows that the buyers in the community will be high maintenance and require a lot of ass-kissing but he finds it easy enough to deal with.
That is until the day Kelsey Jorgensen comes into his office.
Suddenly Liz starts to feel like everyone is keeping secrets. Danielle is changing and Phil seems to be a million miles away. Soon she's second guessing everyone's actions and has no idea what to believe.
Things are spiraling out of control.
The Palms neighborhood had a "Real Housewives" feel in some ways. Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous. The dynamics of the families in the community were interesting to say the least. Some of the people seemed unbelievable yet similar people do exist. I was a bit uncomfortable with a few parts, but I think it's supposed to make us feel uncomfortable.
This was a great read! The story is told from both Liz and Phil's point of view and alternating from past to present. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. The writing is fast-paced and I was completely gripped right up until the very end....an end that I did not see coming.
This is my first read from Paula Treick DeBoard, but I can guarantee that it won't be my last.
February 26, 2016
Thank you Netgalley for my digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book was simply "unputdownable"! I hated to see it end; not sure what that says of me as the subject matter in this one was not pleasant at all. This story has been done many times before in various forms, but this did not take away from the experience of this one.
I've not read a book by this author before but this story was gripping from the very first page. It was dramatic and suspenseful in a slow building, simmering way. The plot is straight forward and if you read the blurb you get the general story, but there were quite a few twists that I didn't see coming. I could feel my stomach roil as the "situation" grew more entangled. I loved how the story was told from both Liz and Phil's pov as flash backs broken up with snippets of the present day "trauma". Many apologies for being so vague but I'd hate to spoil anything for the reader!
The characters were well developed and completely relatable to me; I empathized with both Phil and Liz as things gradually got worse for them and Liz's daughter, Danielle. The writing and plot are very straight forward but addicting none the less. It may not have had a plot twist as dramatic as Gone Girl or TGOTT, but IMO (humbly) this book was so much better. It didn't have to rely on "the big twist" to make it memorable or popular. Highly recommended and so glad to have had the opportunity to read this! I think this one is a great domestic suspense for men and women alike as the storyline caters to both with the varying gender POVs.
This book was simply "unputdownable"! I hated to see it end; not sure what that says of me as the subject matter in this one was not pleasant at all. This story has been done many times before in various forms, but this did not take away from the experience of this one.
I've not read a book by this author before but this story was gripping from the very first page. It was dramatic and suspenseful in a slow building, simmering way. The plot is straight forward and if you read the blurb you get the general story, but there were quite a few twists that I didn't see coming. I could feel my stomach roil as the "situation" grew more entangled. I loved how the story was told from both Liz and Phil's pov as flash backs broken up with snippets of the present day "trauma". Many apologies for being so vague but I'd hate to spoil anything for the reader!
The characters were well developed and completely relatable to me; I empathized with both Phil and Liz as things gradually got worse for them and Liz's daughter, Danielle. The writing and plot are very straight forward but addicting none the less. It may not have had a plot twist as dramatic as Gone Girl or TGOTT, but IMO (humbly) this book was so much better. It didn't have to rely on "the big twist" to make it memorable or popular. Highly recommended and so glad to have had the opportunity to read this! I think this one is a great domestic suspense for men and women alike as the storyline caters to both with the varying gender POVs.
January 11, 2016
POWERFUL CAUTIONARY TALE....in the same ways "Fatal Attraction" and
"American Beauty" are.
"The Drowning Girls" ... Looks at 'the missing piece' which the above two movies didn't. This is a brilliant...scary...important novel...(a more modern day possibility than one might want to believe), and completely seductive enjoyable. I highly suggest this book to any parent who has pre-teen or teen girls living at home!
This story deals with an obsession...provocative flirtations...a self-destructive
protagonist.....a sexy-seducible teenage girl, named. Kelsey. Kelsey Jorgensen is the type of beauty men fantasize about. She wears very 'sexy- suggestive- clothes', and is the type of girl who gets whatever she wants without even trying. Is she using her
physical beauty as 'power', or might she be psychopathic or have a borderline personality disorder? Or...is something else going on all together?
The full cast of characters gel together to create a stunning ensemble novel.
Phil & Liz McGinnis, and their daughter, Danielle, are the new family to move into the
gated-wealthy-community: "The Palms"...in Livermore, California.
Phil, still has his strong accent from Melbourne that woman melt over. Phil's charm works to his benefit ( even with the married women). He is hired as the new 'community relations specialist'. His job includes schmoozing with the other home owners, keeping the community happy. Their family isn't wealthy like the other home owners. Their 'huge' resort-type luxury home is 'free' .....part of the job perk. Needless to say, it takes some getting use to living in a community where just about 'everything' is outsourced....."childcare and housekeeping and cooking, running into town to grab something from Target", etc.
Hair stylist comes to the homes before parties, personal shoppers, etc.
Liz is uncomfortable with "these women". "They are like modern-day fairy-tale
princesses."
Author Paula Treick DeBoard has written a razor-sharp-novel....( dark, smart, scary teen angst....family, marriage, complex themes explored in depth). This nail biting page turning story sucks us in, and pulls at our heartstrings. At the same time we're very aware of the understated 'fright' & 'sadness' going on.
I leave you with to think about: "What's the difference between a pedophile and an innocent person accused of pedophilia? What about a rapist and a person accused of rape? Practically speaking---nothing. They're the same. One might as well be the other. It doesn't matter if you're innocent, because the accusation plants the suggestion, and from there the guilt grows. The innocent are most vulnerable, really. They've got most to lose---those with wives and kids who aren't looking for something on the side."
Note: I've read Paula Treick DeBoard's other two novels, "The Morning Hours, and
"The Fragile World"......if you have not read this author yet...you're in for a treat if you do! ALWAYS emotionally powerful skillful flowing storytelling!!!
"The Drowning Girls", ROCKS!!!! ....brilliantly constructed... Irresistible... and disturbing! ( comes out in stores in April)
"American Beauty" are.
"The Drowning Girls" ... Looks at 'the missing piece' which the above two movies didn't. This is a brilliant...scary...important novel...(a more modern day possibility than one might want to believe), and completely seductive enjoyable. I highly suggest this book to any parent who has pre-teen or teen girls living at home!
This story deals with an obsession...provocative flirtations...a self-destructive
protagonist.....a sexy-seducible teenage girl, named. Kelsey. Kelsey Jorgensen is the type of beauty men fantasize about. She wears very 'sexy- suggestive- clothes', and is the type of girl who gets whatever she wants without even trying. Is she using her
physical beauty as 'power', or might she be psychopathic or have a borderline personality disorder? Or...is something else going on all together?
The full cast of characters gel together to create a stunning ensemble novel.
Phil & Liz McGinnis, and their daughter, Danielle, are the new family to move into the
gated-wealthy-community: "The Palms"...in Livermore, California.
Phil, still has his strong accent from Melbourne that woman melt over. Phil's charm works to his benefit ( even with the married women). He is hired as the new 'community relations specialist'. His job includes schmoozing with the other home owners, keeping the community happy. Their family isn't wealthy like the other home owners. Their 'huge' resort-type luxury home is 'free' .....part of the job perk. Needless to say, it takes some getting use to living in a community where just about 'everything' is outsourced....."childcare and housekeeping and cooking, running into town to grab something from Target", etc.
Hair stylist comes to the homes before parties, personal shoppers, etc.
Liz is uncomfortable with "these women". "They are like modern-day fairy-tale
princesses."
Author Paula Treick DeBoard has written a razor-sharp-novel....( dark, smart, scary teen angst....family, marriage, complex themes explored in depth). This nail biting page turning story sucks us in, and pulls at our heartstrings. At the same time we're very aware of the understated 'fright' & 'sadness' going on.
I leave you with to think about: "What's the difference between a pedophile and an innocent person accused of pedophilia? What about a rapist and a person accused of rape? Practically speaking---nothing. They're the same. One might as well be the other. It doesn't matter if you're innocent, because the accusation plants the suggestion, and from there the guilt grows. The innocent are most vulnerable, really. They've got most to lose---those with wives and kids who aren't looking for something on the side."
Note: I've read Paula Treick DeBoard's other two novels, "The Morning Hours, and
"The Fragile World"......if you have not read this author yet...you're in for a treat if you do! ALWAYS emotionally powerful skillful flowing storytelling!!!
"The Drowning Girls", ROCKS!!!! ....brilliantly constructed... Irresistible... and disturbing! ( comes out in stores in April)
March 6, 2017
This book was both addictive and disturbing. From the first few moments, to the jaw-dropping conclusion, I was hooked. I seriously could not stop listening to this audio and Phil’s Australian accent - so incredibly cute.
This story is bold and unrelenting. It’s amazing how easy it is for the facts to get twisted. For innocence to morph into guilt. For the truth to be overlooked in the face of a shocking accusation. It’s downright scary to think that anyone could have that much power over your life. Mix in some bad decisions and it’s a recipe for disaster.
What I loved most about this book was the McGinnis family - Liz, Phil and Danielle. There was a realism to each of these characters. Liz is incredibly easy to connect with, she’s doesn't really fit in, living in the Palms, but she’s trying to make the best of it. Danielle transforms throughout the story and I liked that, even if she took on a mean girl role for awhile. And last but certainly not least - Phil. Ugh, he made some horrible decisions. HORRIBLE. I can’t fault him for doing what he thought was best for his family though. In fact, I felt all along that he was a good guy. He just went about things the wrong way.
And that ending - wow! Intense, unexpected and very well played. My only wish was for an epilogue. It didn’t take away from the story at all, not having one, but I wanted more.
I can’t say it emphatically enough - I loved this book. So much so, that a signed copy has landed a coveted spot in my collection. If Paula Treick DeBoard’s other books are anything like this one - I can’t wait.
This story is bold and unrelenting. It’s amazing how easy it is for the facts to get twisted. For innocence to morph into guilt. For the truth to be overlooked in the face of a shocking accusation. It’s downright scary to think that anyone could have that much power over your life. Mix in some bad decisions and it’s a recipe for disaster.
What I loved most about this book was the McGinnis family - Liz, Phil and Danielle. There was a realism to each of these characters. Liz is incredibly easy to connect with, she’s doesn't really fit in, living in the Palms, but she’s trying to make the best of it. Danielle transforms throughout the story and I liked that, even if she took on a mean girl role for awhile. And last but certainly not least - Phil. Ugh, he made some horrible decisions. HORRIBLE. I can’t fault him for doing what he thought was best for his family though. In fact, I felt all along that he was a good guy. He just went about things the wrong way.
And that ending - wow! Intense, unexpected and very well played. My only wish was for an epilogue. It didn’t take away from the story at all, not having one, but I wanted more.
I can’t say it emphatically enough - I loved this book. So much so, that a signed copy has landed a coveted spot in my collection. If Paula Treick DeBoard’s other books are anything like this one - I can’t wait.
May 29, 2021
“Because one of the truths about a marriage—I knew that then, and I know it now—was that there should be some secrets. Small things, inconsequential things. I didn’t believe a person could ever know another person wholly, inside out, and I was okay with that".
Paula Treick Deboard- "The Drowning Girls"
What a creepy wickedly good story! This is a five star domestic thriller..no question.
A young family moves into "The Palms" a luxury gated community complex. The husband has a job there and is quite excited to start. And they will be living among so many wealthy upscale people..what could go wrong right?
Well..unfortunately..quite alot.
I LOVED this book. I loved it so much I read it a second time almost immediately. One of the best thrillers I have read.
This book is simply spell binding from start to finish "The Palms" is such a creepy place. I could visualize it so easily. I do love stories about affluence gone wrong.
SPOILERS:
Only quibble..the ending..the book ends in a very jarring way, to the point where I had to look to maker sure I had not skipped a page. Ending left me cold and I debated about only giving it 4 stars because of that (and the animal brutality). So those two things take away a bit. Animal violence nowhere near as bad as in many other books that have been brought down by this plot devise. But it is there and that is the main reason for four and not five stars.
But the writing is so good! Calling all mystery lovers..read this book !
Paula Treick Deboard- "The Drowning Girls"
What a creepy wickedly good story! This is a five star domestic thriller..no question.
A young family moves into "The Palms" a luxury gated community complex. The husband has a job there and is quite excited to start. And they will be living among so many wealthy upscale people..what could go wrong right?
Well..unfortunately..quite alot.
I LOVED this book. I loved it so much I read it a second time almost immediately. One of the best thrillers I have read.
This book is simply spell binding from start to finish "The Palms" is such a creepy place. I could visualize it so easily. I do love stories about affluence gone wrong.
SPOILERS:
Only quibble..the ending..the book ends in a very jarring way, to the point where I had to look to maker sure I had not skipped a page. Ending left me cold and I debated about only giving it 4 stars because of that (and the animal brutality). So those two things take away a bit. Animal violence nowhere near as bad as in many other books that have been brought down by this plot devise. But it is there and that is the main reason for four and not five stars.
But the writing is so good! Calling all mystery lovers..read this book !
August 28, 2017
I'm a little torn about giving this three or four stars. On the one hand, it was compulsively readable (or listenable - as I went for the audio-book), on the other, I felt the ending was a little dissatisfying and I didn't really connect with the characters. In part I think this had to do with the narration. The female narrator did all the teenager's voices in this really pronounced, petulant tone, which I found a bit grating, and she did the Australian character in a weird mish-mash or an Irish and unidentifiable voice, which was slightly funny, but also a little disappointing. Maybe I would have been more solidly impressed had I read the print version. Nonetheless, this was definitely a fast-paced, entertaining story, that felt eerily believable. I haven't read anything by this author, but would certainly be interested to in the future. Her writing is fluid and the plot tight that even so-so narration kept me engaged.
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Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
April 27, 2018
Is it worth living in paradise with crappy neighbors?
The book begins with the discovery of the lifeless body of Kelsey, a teenager, in McGinnises’ swimming pool, who are the new neighbors in the chic and expensive community of The Palms.
So far so good. We have a mystery right in the beginning and gradually are introduced to characters who have secrets to hide and motives to kill.
Liz McGinnis is the protective mother, who doesn’t much care for Kelsey and her influence on her daughter Danielle.
37 year old Phil McGinnis who is the object of Kelsey’s obsession.
And 14 year old Danielle McGinnis, who has reasons of her own to wish Kelsey harm.
The story continues interchanging between the points of view of Liz and Phil , but instead of getting intense and twisty, it becomes slow, boring and repetitive. It feels like the characters and incidents are thrown by the author haphazardly in the middle of the story and are left there to fend for themselves.
The setting could have been anyplace. The circumstances could have been anything. Why "The Palms"? Why those particular neighbors? They didn’t contribute to anything! They were just there! And don't get me started on the mountain lion!
The characters are hateful and act like idiots. You think Liz who is a "high school counselor" would know what to do. Or Phil who is a "community relations specialist" would know how to act in certain circumstances.
As for the ending, it seemed to me the author just quit. The hell with the reader who has spent time reading, anticipating some kind of satisfactory conclusion.
There were so many loose ends, that I thought maybe the final pages of my book were missing. I literally said “what the hell” out loud when there was no more to read.
I really really wanted to like this book, but my disappointment outweighed all else.
The book begins with the discovery of the lifeless body of Kelsey, a teenager, in McGinnises’ swimming pool, who are the new neighbors in the chic and expensive community of The Palms.
So far so good. We have a mystery right in the beginning and gradually are introduced to characters who have secrets to hide and motives to kill.
Liz McGinnis is the protective mother, who doesn’t much care for Kelsey and her influence on her daughter Danielle.
37 year old Phil McGinnis who is the object of Kelsey’s obsession.
And 14 year old Danielle McGinnis, who has reasons of her own to wish Kelsey harm.
The story continues interchanging between the points of view of Liz and Phil , but instead of getting intense and twisty, it becomes slow, boring and repetitive. It feels like the characters and incidents are thrown by the author haphazardly in the middle of the story and are left there to fend for themselves.
The setting could have been anyplace. The circumstances could have been anything. Why "The Palms"? Why those particular neighbors? They didn’t contribute to anything! They were just there! And don't get me started on the mountain lion!
The characters are hateful and act like idiots. You think Liz who is a "high school counselor" would know what to do. Or Phil who is a "community relations specialist" would know how to act in certain circumstances.
As for the ending, it seemed to me the author just quit. The hell with the reader who has spent time reading, anticipating some kind of satisfactory conclusion.
There were so many loose ends, that I thought maybe the final pages of my book were missing. I literally said “what the hell” out loud when there was no more to read.
I really really wanted to like this book, but my disappointment outweighed all else.
July 30, 2018
Top 50 Books of 2016!
Put Gone Girl & The Girl on the Train in your "rear view" mirror: Paula Treick DeBoard's THE DROWNING GIRLS is mind-blowing; The new 2016 fatal attraction psycho-suspense domestic thriller with a modern twist!" Chick Noir.
Following sensational The Fragile World landing on my Top 30 Books of 2014, the “Queen” of domestic suspense, once again delivers her “third in a row *5 Star* winner” HER BEST YET!
They call this the new Grip-lit genre, which lives up to its name!
An emotional edge-of-your-seat gripping and deeply unsettling psychological tale of chilling dark secrets and obsession. An ordinary family. A wealthy idyllic California neighborhood. What lies below a perfectly manicured gated community’s seemingly flawless surface? It is not pretty. The Palms may not be as it appears.
Liz has not had a comfortable life. Now, her "only dreamed of" fairy tale may be becoming a reality (or a nightmare). Liz and her husband Phil are moving to The Palms, with Liz’s fourteen-year-old daughter, Danielle.
The Palms. A gated golf country club. Exclusive. Tightly knit. The rich. Entitled. High Maintenance. Mini-mansions, golf yoga, walking trails, and all the amenities of a luxury resort. On the surface, Liz was mesmerized. Picture perfect.
Phil’s job was to soothe the residents. Kiss ass, deal with them and make them feel important. Keep them happy. The house had come with Phil’s job, a package deal. Parker-Lane, the real estate developer, covered their lease, and the hefty monthly HOA fees, with a salary that left them house rich, cash poor. Phil was their new community relations specialist. No money for furniture, but the bare essentials. A prestigious address.
However, once inside its gates, reality hits. What lies and secrets lie beneath the façade? A foregone conclusion. They do not belong. Her family is not “their kind” of people. It was a mistake.
Before moving, Liz had never given much thought to her neighbors, until now—bringing out her feelings of insecurity. She wants to fit into this fictional world. She does not run in their circles. They share no interests. Nor can they afford this lifestyle, or fit in.
In practical terms, this meant that the people who were fawning over them were paying dearly for the right to hit tennis balls, play golf, and jog along the community trail, while they could participate for free.
Liz was a single mom, raising her daughter alone; until, she met the charming Phil, from Melbourne. Men and women alike were drawn to the sexy Australian accent from the outback. They have a solid marriage.
As Liz settles in, she wants more than anything for her daughter to fit in and establish friends. At a wine tasting/fundraiser (which they could not afford to attend), she meets some neighbors. Danielle spends most of her days with a nose in a book, a nerd; and this other girl sounds as though she would be years ahead of her daughter socially. They arrange for the girls to meet. Not sure what they would have in common. Maybe this girl can take Danielle under her wing, and accept her.
A high school counselor Liz feels inferior around these well dressed, made up women. She had left the old Liz Haney behind, pregnant in college, dependent on financial aid and a half dozen part-time jobs and section 8 housing until she landed her counseling position. She was still struggling with the rent when she met Phil. Now here she was hobnobbing with the rich and trying to blend in. She wants desperately for her daughter to fit in—she knows firsthand the peer pressure can be severe especially for teens.
Soon Liz sees the kids at school are reflections of their parents—designer clothes and disposable income. From wealth and privilege—a high cost of admission. The pretty girls—getting everything they want. Social media frenzy. Texting. Sexting. Cyber-bullying. Superficial.
Her daughter soon meets Hannah (a chubby, insecure girl) and Kelsey (a femme fatale goddess). Kelsey could have been a model in a men’s magazine, with her black bikini, using her sexy, manipulative goods, to seduce her husband, plus use her daughter in the process, like a black widow spider filtrating their lives.
Kelsey Jorgensen, a bored, disturbed, (two faces) evil and malicious femme fatale has now entered their household, their lives, corrupting their daughter, and currently obsessed with her husband. How can this family escape the madness before it destroys their lives?
Phil, a thirty-seven-year-old community relations specialist, who loves his wife; however, not opposed to a little flirting or utilizing his charm to assist with his job. The women have nothing better to do than to stop by with a problem, expecting him to feed their ego. Is he a helpless victim of circumstances?
From dropping in Phil's office to his home--Kelsey with her short skirts, and indecent proposals, seduction, to stalking and obsession—what is he going to do? She could ruin his job and family. Should he attain an attorney? Everything she does is calculating--designed for attention. She is sick. Indecent photos. Can he tell his wife? Would she understand?
What has this girl done to this family? Repulsive. Obsession. Calculating. When will she strike again? Liz has to protect her family. Phil has to protect his family. However, neither communicate their thoughts. They keep this disaster to themselves. Afraid of the consequences.
With alternating chapters, we hear from Liz and Phil--from past to present— (several months) the pool scene, a drowning---a crime scene---keeping the reader in breathtaking suspense as to how they arrived at this point. The impending tragedy is lurking. Darkness. We know it is coming, but how?
Despite everything, Danielle seemed happy with her friendship with Kelsey—who has taken over their lives. What has happened to the old Danielle? She is not the same girl. Liz and Danielle are no longer close. Liz and Phil are not communicating. Their house, the job, their lives are in jeopardy.
Twisted. Lies. Secrets, a dangerous fixation, stalking. When would Danielle realize Kelsey wasn’t her ticket to cool? Taking over their lives like a deadly disease they could not shake.
Living at the Palms is far from the idyllic life Liz and Phil had expected. Maybe there was no normal at The Palms. The entitled and over-privileged. Unhinged. An attempted suicide? An accident. What is the truth?
A strained marriage, and a life spiraling out of control. Things were going to end badly. A place that represented happiness and security had only been a mirage, evaporating quickly. Suspicions. Trust. Will this life slip away as soon as it came?
Wow! You cannot miss this one. No one can tell a complex twisted tale like DeBoard! The scary part – this could happen to anyone. Every day, ordinary people finding themselves caught in the middle of a living nightmare. Characters under enormous amounts of pressure from extenuating circumstances.
With all her books, she writes of families, facing pressures, from tightly knit communities to others facing the scrutiny of their neighbors, and those concerned with reputations, and the personal secrets of marriage and family.
Everything about the tale was spot on, perfectly paced, complex, emotional, gritty, and dark. "OMG... The Palms is more scandalous than Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane, Fatal Attraction, and the Boy Next Door! YUM." This gal is pure evil! Readers will be glued to this one—reserve the time—you will not be able to put it down.
On a personal note:
When I was married, we lived in an upscale gated country club, and the residents were similar to the fictional characters referenced. Also, was a former Regional Sales & Marketing Manager for a large real estate developer, overseeing upscale luxury multi-million dollar golf communities, and waterfront mansions on the east coast of Florida, as well as the design centers. The entitled residents were a bit like the ones described. I attended a few HOA meetings and found myself re-living portions of the fictional book. SCARY.
Paula is one kick-ass talented writer, and anything with her name attached – you know you are in for a treat! The pool scene with the slip of the bikini top was priceless, combined with Paula’s wit and humor—Highly Entertaining.
Movie-Worthy! I want a front row seat. Has to be the top domestic suspense of the year. Fans of Mary Kubica will enjoy the slow-burning intensity.
A special thank you to the author, MIRA, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
(2013) The Mourning Hours
(2014) The Fragile World
(2018) Here We Lie
JDCMustReadBooks
Put Gone Girl & The Girl on the Train in your "rear view" mirror: Paula Treick DeBoard's THE DROWNING GIRLS is mind-blowing; The new 2016 fatal attraction psycho-suspense domestic thriller with a modern twist!" Chick Noir.
Following sensational The Fragile World landing on my Top 30 Books of 2014, the “Queen” of domestic suspense, once again delivers her “third in a row *5 Star* winner” HER BEST YET!
They call this the new Grip-lit genre, which lives up to its name!
An emotional edge-of-your-seat gripping and deeply unsettling psychological tale of chilling dark secrets and obsession. An ordinary family. A wealthy idyllic California neighborhood. What lies below a perfectly manicured gated community’s seemingly flawless surface? It is not pretty. The Palms may not be as it appears.
Liz has not had a comfortable life. Now, her "only dreamed of" fairy tale may be becoming a reality (or a nightmare). Liz and her husband Phil are moving to The Palms, with Liz’s fourteen-year-old daughter, Danielle.
The Palms. A gated golf country club. Exclusive. Tightly knit. The rich. Entitled. High Maintenance. Mini-mansions, golf yoga, walking trails, and all the amenities of a luxury resort. On the surface, Liz was mesmerized. Picture perfect.
Phil’s job was to soothe the residents. Kiss ass, deal with them and make them feel important. Keep them happy. The house had come with Phil’s job, a package deal. Parker-Lane, the real estate developer, covered their lease, and the hefty monthly HOA fees, with a salary that left them house rich, cash poor. Phil was their new community relations specialist. No money for furniture, but the bare essentials. A prestigious address.
However, once inside its gates, reality hits. What lies and secrets lie beneath the façade? A foregone conclusion. They do not belong. Her family is not “their kind” of people. It was a mistake.
Before moving, Liz had never given much thought to her neighbors, until now—bringing out her feelings of insecurity. She wants to fit into this fictional world. She does not run in their circles. They share no interests. Nor can they afford this lifestyle, or fit in.
In practical terms, this meant that the people who were fawning over them were paying dearly for the right to hit tennis balls, play golf, and jog along the community trail, while they could participate for free.
Liz was a single mom, raising her daughter alone; until, she met the charming Phil, from Melbourne. Men and women alike were drawn to the sexy Australian accent from the outback. They have a solid marriage.
As Liz settles in, she wants more than anything for her daughter to fit in and establish friends. At a wine tasting/fundraiser (which they could not afford to attend), she meets some neighbors. Danielle spends most of her days with a nose in a book, a nerd; and this other girl sounds as though she would be years ahead of her daughter socially. They arrange for the girls to meet. Not sure what they would have in common. Maybe this girl can take Danielle under her wing, and accept her.
A high school counselor Liz feels inferior around these well dressed, made up women. She had left the old Liz Haney behind, pregnant in college, dependent on financial aid and a half dozen part-time jobs and section 8 housing until she landed her counseling position. She was still struggling with the rent when she met Phil. Now here she was hobnobbing with the rich and trying to blend in. She wants desperately for her daughter to fit in—she knows firsthand the peer pressure can be severe especially for teens.
Soon Liz sees the kids at school are reflections of their parents—designer clothes and disposable income. From wealth and privilege—a high cost of admission. The pretty girls—getting everything they want. Social media frenzy. Texting. Sexting. Cyber-bullying. Superficial.
Her daughter soon meets Hannah (a chubby, insecure girl) and Kelsey (a femme fatale goddess). Kelsey could have been a model in a men’s magazine, with her black bikini, using her sexy, manipulative goods, to seduce her husband, plus use her daughter in the process, like a black widow spider filtrating their lives.
Kelsey Jorgensen, a bored, disturbed, (two faces) evil and malicious femme fatale has now entered their household, their lives, corrupting their daughter, and currently obsessed with her husband. How can this family escape the madness before it destroys their lives?
Phil, a thirty-seven-year-old community relations specialist, who loves his wife; however, not opposed to a little flirting or utilizing his charm to assist with his job. The women have nothing better to do than to stop by with a problem, expecting him to feed their ego. Is he a helpless victim of circumstances?
From dropping in Phil's office to his home--Kelsey with her short skirts, and indecent proposals, seduction, to stalking and obsession—what is he going to do? She could ruin his job and family. Should he attain an attorney? Everything she does is calculating--designed for attention. She is sick. Indecent photos. Can he tell his wife? Would she understand?
What has this girl done to this family? Repulsive. Obsession. Calculating. When will she strike again? Liz has to protect her family. Phil has to protect his family. However, neither communicate their thoughts. They keep this disaster to themselves. Afraid of the consequences.
With alternating chapters, we hear from Liz and Phil--from past to present— (several months) the pool scene, a drowning---a crime scene---keeping the reader in breathtaking suspense as to how they arrived at this point. The impending tragedy is lurking. Darkness. We know it is coming, but how?
Despite everything, Danielle seemed happy with her friendship with Kelsey—who has taken over their lives. What has happened to the old Danielle? She is not the same girl. Liz and Danielle are no longer close. Liz and Phil are not communicating. Their house, the job, their lives are in jeopardy.
Twisted. Lies. Secrets, a dangerous fixation, stalking. When would Danielle realize Kelsey wasn’t her ticket to cool? Taking over their lives like a deadly disease they could not shake.
Living at the Palms is far from the idyllic life Liz and Phil had expected. Maybe there was no normal at The Palms. The entitled and over-privileged. Unhinged. An attempted suicide? An accident. What is the truth?
A strained marriage, and a life spiraling out of control. Things were going to end badly. A place that represented happiness and security had only been a mirage, evaporating quickly. Suspicions. Trust. Will this life slip away as soon as it came?
Wow! You cannot miss this one. No one can tell a complex twisted tale like DeBoard! The scary part – this could happen to anyone. Every day, ordinary people finding themselves caught in the middle of a living nightmare. Characters under enormous amounts of pressure from extenuating circumstances.
With all her books, she writes of families, facing pressures, from tightly knit communities to others facing the scrutiny of their neighbors, and those concerned with reputations, and the personal secrets of marriage and family.
Everything about the tale was spot on, perfectly paced, complex, emotional, gritty, and dark. "OMG... The Palms is more scandalous than Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane, Fatal Attraction, and the Boy Next Door! YUM." This gal is pure evil! Readers will be glued to this one—reserve the time—you will not be able to put it down.
On a personal note:
When I was married, we lived in an upscale gated country club, and the residents were similar to the fictional characters referenced. Also, was a former Regional Sales & Marketing Manager for a large real estate developer, overseeing upscale luxury multi-million dollar golf communities, and waterfront mansions on the east coast of Florida, as well as the design centers. The entitled residents were a bit like the ones described. I attended a few HOA meetings and found myself re-living portions of the fictional book. SCARY.
Paula is one kick-ass talented writer, and anything with her name attached – you know you are in for a treat! The pool scene with the slip of the bikini top was priceless, combined with Paula’s wit and humor—Highly Entertaining.
Movie-Worthy! I want a front row seat. Has to be the top domestic suspense of the year. Fans of Mary Kubica will enjoy the slow-burning intensity.
A special thank you to the author, MIRA, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
(2013) The Mourning Hours
(2014) The Fragile World
(2018) Here We Lie
JDCMustReadBooks
May 9, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“We’ve both been hiding things,” I pointed out. “We’re the same kind of awful.” “I don’t know,” she said, backing toward the stairs. “I think we’re different kinds of awful.”
The Drowning Girls is about Liz and Phil – average Joes who score some sweet digs when Phil gets hired as the “community relations specialist” for an extremely exclusive gated community. While Phil basks in the attention and settles into his new faux wealthy lifestyle, Liz struggles with fitting in. And when the neighbor’s teenage daughter goes from being focused on becoming besties with Liz and Phil’s daughter to Phil instead, the following is raised . . . .
A question: What’s the difference between a pedophile and an innocent person accused of pedophilia? What about a rapist and a person accused of rape?
Okay. How did I not know about this book for TWO YEARS?!?!?!?!?!
It’s pretty much this . . . .
Meets this . . . . .
And I should have been like this over on NetGalley back in 2016 when the dang thing came out . . . .
The only thing I can think of is that it fell victim to the much overused catchphrase . . . . .
Don’t let that steer you away. If you’re looking for some soap opera-ish good times while doing this over the summer . . . . .
The Drowning Girls could very well be a winner. Think of me while you’re relaxing poolside and I’m suffering heat stroke at a baseball complex in the armpit of America . . . . .
“We’ve both been hiding things,” I pointed out. “We’re the same kind of awful.” “I don’t know,” she said, backing toward the stairs. “I think we’re different kinds of awful.”
The Drowning Girls is about Liz and Phil – average Joes who score some sweet digs when Phil gets hired as the “community relations specialist” for an extremely exclusive gated community. While Phil basks in the attention and settles into his new faux wealthy lifestyle, Liz struggles with fitting in. And when the neighbor’s teenage daughter goes from being focused on becoming besties with Liz and Phil’s daughter to Phil instead, the following is raised . . . .
A question: What’s the difference between a pedophile and an innocent person accused of pedophilia? What about a rapist and a person accused of rape?
Okay. How did I not know about this book for TWO YEARS?!?!?!?!?!
It’s pretty much this . . . .
Meets this . . . . .
And I should have been like this over on NetGalley back in 2016 when the dang thing came out . . . .
The only thing I can think of is that it fell victim to the much overused catchphrase . . . . .
Don’t let that steer you away. If you’re looking for some soap opera-ish good times while doing this over the summer . . . . .
The Drowning Girls could very well be a winner. Think of me while you’re relaxing poolside and I’m suffering heat stroke at a baseball complex in the armpit of America . . . . .
May 19, 2016
“If you ever looked at me once with what I know is in you, I would be your slave.”
----Emily Brontë
Paula Treick DeBoard, an American best-selling author, pens a mystifying tale set in a modern, posh American neighborhood which haunts a new family by the buried lies and secrets behind the doors of their neighbors, in her upcoming book, The Drowning Girls. This story revolves around a family who just shifted to a nice and rich neighborhood but their happy days soon turn into nightmare by a fifteen year old girl whose plans for the summer is way too sinister.
Synopsis:
Liz McGinnis never imagined herself living in a luxurious gated community like The Palms. Ever since she and her family moved in, she's felt like an outsider amongst the Stepford-like wives and their obnoxiously spoiled children. Still, she's determined to make it work—if not for herself, then for her husband, Phil, who landed them this lavish home in the first place, and for her daughter, Danielle, who's about to enter high school.
Yet underneath the glossy veneer of The Palms, life is far from idyllic. In a place where reputation is everything, Liz soon discovers that even the friendliest residents can't be trusted—and almost everyone has secrets they'd do anything to protect. So when the gorgeous girl next door befriends Danielle, Liz can't help but find sophisticated Kelsey's interest in her shy and slightly nerdy daughter a bit suspicious.
But while Kelsey quickly becomes a fixture in the McGinnis home, Liz's relationships with both Danielle and Phil grow strained. Now even her own family seems to be hiding things, and it's not long before their dream of living the high life quickly spirals out of control.
Liz, Danielle and Phil McGinnis shifts to The Palms- a posh American neighborhood in the summers and as Phil lands a job in the club house of The Palms, he and his wife, Liz and his step-daughter, Danielle gets to live amongst the rich urban people for free in an equally lavish house. But their blissful summers are not so blissful when their neighbor's teenage daughter, Kelsey becomes friend with Danielle and starts hanging out in the house as well as in their pool. It becomes a living hell when Kelsey's agenda behind the good nature is surfaced. But the neighbors don't do anything in return to help the McGinnises, instead they lie on their faces and turn their backs on them and even accusing them. What lies buried under such a lavish neighborhood is for you to find out!
Firstly lets just say that the author's writing style is not only eloquent but is laced with suspicion that will keep the readers from turning the pages of the book with their minds forced to question each and every doubt which quite unpredictable. The story opens in the month of June 2015 with Liz waking up to the screaming of the girls coming from the pool and when she rushes there, she finds out that Kelsey's lifeless body is floating in the pool with her daughter Danielle and her friend, Hannah, screaming at the top of their voices. From then on the story jumps back to June, 2014 when they first shifted to The Palms. Hence the story swings from present to the past and the past is highlighted with both Phil and Liz's POV. The mystery of Kelsey's death in 2015 only deepens with her tantrums from the summer of 2014.
The narrative of every other character in this book is engaging and free-flowing. The pacing of the book is really fast and the mystery has so many twists and turns and if the readers try to predict on their own, they will be thrown off the edge with a shocking revelation here and there. The mystery is unraveling and it will keep the readers anticipating till the very last page and with an equally riveting climax that is sooo hard to foretell, the book is one hell of a tantalizing read. The mystery is bone-chilling and at times, will give the readers goosebumps.
The author has a strong psychological grip on the characters which are realistic and laced with their weaknesses and flaws. The main character, Liz and Phil, are quite well-developed. Their individual POV is articulate and will also give enough space to look into the story from the readers' own POV. Liz tries to be the perfect mother who works as a high school student counselor. When they shifts to The Palms, Liz is filled with doubt on whether she will be able to mix up with the post neighbors. Moreover, Liz is bit controlling, yet she at times could not see certain problems to their depths. Phil, on the other hand, will give the readers a feeling like he is funny, caring and easy-going but trust me, the whole mystery depends on Phil's POV. Kelsey is another character, who is an attention seeker and considering her tender age, her mind works like a 30 year old woman, filled with twisted and dark ideas. Danielle is the nerdy teenager who is brave, smart and strong even when she is cyber-bullied.
In short, this is yet another beguiling read for me in this year, the mystery is perfect with an equally dark and twisted story. I will request all the parents with teenage daughters to read this compelling thriller. And in general, I would ask every other mystery lovers to not to miss this gripping story.
Verdict: Definitely a must-read psychological thriller.
Courtesy: I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the author. So thank you Paula Treick DeBoard for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Emily Brontë
Paula Treick DeBoard, an American best-selling author, pens a mystifying tale set in a modern, posh American neighborhood which haunts a new family by the buried lies and secrets behind the doors of their neighbors, in her upcoming book, The Drowning Girls. This story revolves around a family who just shifted to a nice and rich neighborhood but their happy days soon turn into nightmare by a fifteen year old girl whose plans for the summer is way too sinister.
Synopsis:
Liz McGinnis never imagined herself living in a luxurious gated community like The Palms. Ever since she and her family moved in, she's felt like an outsider amongst the Stepford-like wives and their obnoxiously spoiled children. Still, she's determined to make it work—if not for herself, then for her husband, Phil, who landed them this lavish home in the first place, and for her daughter, Danielle, who's about to enter high school.
Yet underneath the glossy veneer of The Palms, life is far from idyllic. In a place where reputation is everything, Liz soon discovers that even the friendliest residents can't be trusted—and almost everyone has secrets they'd do anything to protect. So when the gorgeous girl next door befriends Danielle, Liz can't help but find sophisticated Kelsey's interest in her shy and slightly nerdy daughter a bit suspicious.
But while Kelsey quickly becomes a fixture in the McGinnis home, Liz's relationships with both Danielle and Phil grow strained. Now even her own family seems to be hiding things, and it's not long before their dream of living the high life quickly spirals out of control.
Liz, Danielle and Phil McGinnis shifts to The Palms- a posh American neighborhood in the summers and as Phil lands a job in the club house of The Palms, he and his wife, Liz and his step-daughter, Danielle gets to live amongst the rich urban people for free in an equally lavish house. But their blissful summers are not so blissful when their neighbor's teenage daughter, Kelsey becomes friend with Danielle and starts hanging out in the house as well as in their pool. It becomes a living hell when Kelsey's agenda behind the good nature is surfaced. But the neighbors don't do anything in return to help the McGinnises, instead they lie on their faces and turn their backs on them and even accusing them. What lies buried under such a lavish neighborhood is for you to find out!
Firstly lets just say that the author's writing style is not only eloquent but is laced with suspicion that will keep the readers from turning the pages of the book with their minds forced to question each and every doubt which quite unpredictable. The story opens in the month of June 2015 with Liz waking up to the screaming of the girls coming from the pool and when she rushes there, she finds out that Kelsey's lifeless body is floating in the pool with her daughter Danielle and her friend, Hannah, screaming at the top of their voices. From then on the story jumps back to June, 2014 when they first shifted to The Palms. Hence the story swings from present to the past and the past is highlighted with both Phil and Liz's POV. The mystery of Kelsey's death in 2015 only deepens with her tantrums from the summer of 2014.
The narrative of every other character in this book is engaging and free-flowing. The pacing of the book is really fast and the mystery has so many twists and turns and if the readers try to predict on their own, they will be thrown off the edge with a shocking revelation here and there. The mystery is unraveling and it will keep the readers anticipating till the very last page and with an equally riveting climax that is sooo hard to foretell, the book is one hell of a tantalizing read. The mystery is bone-chilling and at times, will give the readers goosebumps.
The author has a strong psychological grip on the characters which are realistic and laced with their weaknesses and flaws. The main character, Liz and Phil, are quite well-developed. Their individual POV is articulate and will also give enough space to look into the story from the readers' own POV. Liz tries to be the perfect mother who works as a high school student counselor. When they shifts to The Palms, Liz is filled with doubt on whether she will be able to mix up with the post neighbors. Moreover, Liz is bit controlling, yet she at times could not see certain problems to their depths. Phil, on the other hand, will give the readers a feeling like he is funny, caring and easy-going but trust me, the whole mystery depends on Phil's POV. Kelsey is another character, who is an attention seeker and considering her tender age, her mind works like a 30 year old woman, filled with twisted and dark ideas. Danielle is the nerdy teenager who is brave, smart and strong even when she is cyber-bullied.
In short, this is yet another beguiling read for me in this year, the mystery is perfect with an equally dark and twisted story. I will request all the parents with teenage daughters to read this compelling thriller. And in general, I would ask every other mystery lovers to not to miss this gripping story.
Verdict: Definitely a must-read psychological thriller.
Courtesy: I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the author. So thank you Paula Treick DeBoard for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
January 6, 2017
4.5 stars.
This book was utterly terrifying! And completely unputdownable.
It has been a while since I have had a book grip me like this one did. I was completely hooked and could only think of how soon I could get back to it when I was forced to put it down.
This book falls into the category of psychological thriller. It landed on my TBR after seeing some favorable reviews from some of my GR friends. When I saw the price tag, I decided to recommend that my library add this book and to my delight, they did. So once it was available, I started reading- without looking back at the blurb or reviews, which is how I prefer to go into a book- basically blind. I'm so glad I did. I had no idea what kind of train wreck I was about to witness on the pages of this book and...wow! My jaw dropped. My eyes bugged out of my head. I was shocked and appalled and terrified. And I loved every minute of it!
My only tiny complaint was that I wanted more from the ending- but at the same time, it was kind of fitting for this story. I was just missing that "completely satisfied" feeling when I turned the last page.
I won't get into details about the plot because I enjoyed this so well going in blind. Just know this is a story about an average family whose lives are turned upside down. That's as much as I'm saying. Lol.
If you like mystery, thrillers or psychological thrillers, I highly recommend this book. It is one heck of a story that will completely freak you out. Enjoy!
Source: I borrowed a copy of this eBook from my local library.
This book was utterly terrifying! And completely unputdownable.
It has been a while since I have had a book grip me like this one did. I was completely hooked and could only think of how soon I could get back to it when I was forced to put it down.
This book falls into the category of psychological thriller. It landed on my TBR after seeing some favorable reviews from some of my GR friends. When I saw the price tag, I decided to recommend that my library add this book and to my delight, they did. So once it was available, I started reading- without looking back at the blurb or reviews, which is how I prefer to go into a book- basically blind. I'm so glad I did. I had no idea what kind of train wreck I was about to witness on the pages of this book and...wow! My jaw dropped. My eyes bugged out of my head. I was shocked and appalled and terrified. And I loved every minute of it!
My only tiny complaint was that I wanted more from the ending- but at the same time, it was kind of fitting for this story. I was just missing that "completely satisfied" feeling when I turned the last page.
I won't get into details about the plot because I enjoyed this so well going in blind. Just know this is a story about an average family whose lives are turned upside down. That's as much as I'm saying. Lol.
If you like mystery, thrillers or psychological thrillers, I highly recommend this book. It is one heck of a story that will completely freak you out. Enjoy!
Source: I borrowed a copy of this eBook from my local library.
April 21, 2018
The Drowning Girls. WOW. Just WOW. I could not put it down. This book is addictive and disturbing. (I read it in 24 hrs...time permitting I would've read it in one sitting!)
A family torn apart . A neighborhood left reeling. The sick, twisted destruction caused by one extremely troubled teenager is incomprehensible. I was gripped by this book till the very last page! And the ending, I DID NOT see that coming!!! This was fatal attraction at its finest. A dark, twisted, modern domestic thriller. This is the epitome of a cautionary tale. READ THIS BOOK. It will NOT disappoint. I highly recommend it!! ***5-brilliant stars***
A family torn apart . A neighborhood left reeling. The sick, twisted destruction caused by one extremely troubled teenager is incomprehensible. I was gripped by this book till the very last page! And the ending, I DID NOT see that coming!!! This was fatal attraction at its finest. A dark, twisted, modern domestic thriller. This is the epitome of a cautionary tale. READ THIS BOOK. It will NOT disappoint. I highly recommend it!! ***5-brilliant stars***
February 6, 2017
Liz McGinnis and her family have moved into a gated community known as "The Palms", a rich playground where all that live there like the finer things in life. The story revolves around Liz's daughter Danielle and the girl who lives next door Kelsey, who befriends her. Kelsey is quite a worldly girl for her age and Liz wonders how much the two girls have in common, but initially encourages the relationship as she wants Danielle to settle in and make friends. But Kelsey has her own agenda in becoming so close to the family and soon trouble begins. All these lives will soon be affected by this young woman and their lives will change much to the detriment of all involved.
March 1, 2017
The Drowning Girls (BTW, only one girl actually comes to a bad end) is like those fake meringue pies you see in the bakery shop windows or the plastic meat @ the butcher’s stall, alluring till you actually take a bite. Yet I could not stop listening to the audible: I had to find out how this one ends. Specifically, to discover what happens to Kelsey, the nasty girl in the story.
Except in the areas of plot, setting, characterization, and especially literary style, Paula Treick DeBoard has mastered her craft. Let me take each in turn:
Plot: an apparently disturbed 16 y/o hottie named Kelsey is inflamed with lust for Liz’s husband Phil, an Australian (tho’ his nationality plays no role @ all in the story). Liz spends most of the book consumed with suspicion of infidelity. He is supposed to have texted Kelsie an indecent photo showing Phil displaying himself next to his pool, & Kelsie manages to steal a kiss from him in his office. As Phil & Liz are unable to trust each other, Kelsie’s infatuation leads to estrangement. The author keeps foreshadowing a violent denouement that I shall not reveal, but as it could have occurred anywhere in the story, is hardly an ingenious resolution. We also have a large and vicious mountain lion in the story, & I was reminded of Chekhov’s famous axiom, that if the set includes a gun hanging from a wall, it should go off before the curtain drops. So let me warn potential readers:
Setting: The story is set in a “gated community” in Northern California called “The Palms.” Although Liz, a public high-school counselor who grew up in Riverside, is clearly dying of class envy, the inhabitants are but middle-class. The folks Liz feels ashamed to associate with drive Mercedes, BMWs, and Lexuses, not Bentleys and Ferraris, and have such ordinary occupations as lawyer (Liz’s husband Phil apparently thinks calling a lawyer “an attorney” makes them both upscale) and doctor: not hedge-fund CEO or dot.com millionaire. Playing golf in checkered trousers or taking their daughter to Rome for Christmas week is their idea of recreation. Nobody races a yacht in the Trans-Pac or even seems to have a condo in Vail. Everybody lives in a new house, not a San Francisco Victorian. Liz’s kitchen contains a “peninsula”—I wondered if that was a way of telling us the kitchen was so big that Italy or Spain and Portugal would fit into it, but eventually I figured out it was some kind of protruding counter-top.
Characters: Tho’ Phil was reared in Australia and therefore ought to be familiar with the intricacies of cricket, he likes to watch San Francisco Giants baseball, which for a cricket fan is like Boris Spassky’s observing a game of checkers. His bedtime reading is a snails-pace perusal of a biography of John Adams, tho’ we are never told why he is supposed to care (not so much) about early American history. Liz had an unplanned pregnancy @ 19 resulting in dtr Danielle, now 15 & a science geek @ a high school that in Liz’s reader’s pronunciation sounds like “Mars Landing” (couldn’t decide which was more unpleasant, the California voice given Liz or the Australian voice of Phil’s—both grated on my ear). Tho’ Liz takes pride in her “professional” standing, @ one point she plays a very sleazy trick to get unauthorized information about Kelsey from one of the girl’s former teachers @ another school. For me, that was something that should insure the perpetrator never worked again in education. (Ironically, Liz gets in trouble instead for something she didn’t do.) I keep wondering if I would have fallen for her ruse when I was a teacher. I fear if she caught me on a really stupid day, she might get away with it. But if I had any of my wits about me, I would have asked her number to phone her back @ the agency she claimed to be representing.)
Style: "It was less like a kiss than a near death experience" and "The ends of the head of romaine stuck out of the bag like an alibi." These were my absolute favs. But it was also striking how in Liz’s idiolect the imperative mood is signaled by the oft prefixed phrase: “You need to” as in “You need to come out here @ once.” (This form of the imperative is also a favorite of bullying police officers as well as parents.) I’d have expected a bright teenager such as Danielle to be very tempted to reply, “I don’t need to do f-bomb all; if you want me to something, just say so.”
Characters: We’ve already got Liz & Phil’s numbers. Danielle is a fairly attractive character except for her response to being (falsely) shamed on Facebook as a lesbian (these days I’d hope for “honi soit qui mal y pense” from a feisty teen) & general subservience to her bullying mother, tho’ she finally asserts herself by getting a tat. (Generally I don’t like tats, but Liz’s discomfiture made me want to stand up and cheer.) Of the minor characters, Liz’s mother in Riverside (referred to as “mom”) is blind, tho’ that fact plays no role in the plot, and her sister Ellie, who lives in Chicago, knocks herself out to be a character by having a snake tat around her upper arm. (Not surprisingly, her attempts @ internet dating keep coming up with losers!) But the biggest failure @ developing character lies in Kelsey the villainess. The author makes no attempt to explain or account for her obsession with older men. We would expect @ least some elementary attempts @ family dynamics & an exploration of her relationship with her father, but she remains simply a stock villainess spoiled rich girl.
I have given this turkey much more attention than it deserves, but I still cannot explain why it kept its grip on my attention. Part may be that it still works on the archetypal level. One of the principal criticisms of Northrop Frye's system is the absence of quality control. In this case Paula Treick DeBoard’s book probably attracted me for the same reasons that I found Megan Abbott’s Dare Me amongst the best school stories I ever read. A good author could have given us a Kelsey of the caliber of Beth Cassidy. But the difference is in the substance.
Except in the areas of plot, setting, characterization, and especially literary style, Paula Treick DeBoard has mastered her craft. Let me take each in turn:
Plot: an apparently disturbed 16 y/o hottie named Kelsey is inflamed with lust for Liz’s husband Phil, an Australian (tho’ his nationality plays no role @ all in the story). Liz spends most of the book consumed with suspicion of infidelity. He is supposed to have texted Kelsie an indecent photo showing Phil displaying himself next to his pool, & Kelsie manages to steal a kiss from him in his office. As Phil & Liz are unable to trust each other, Kelsie’s infatuation leads to estrangement. The author keeps foreshadowing a violent denouement that I shall not reveal, but as it could have occurred anywhere in the story, is hardly an ingenious resolution. We also have a large and vicious mountain lion in the story, & I was reminded of Chekhov’s famous axiom, that if the set includes a gun hanging from a wall, it should go off before the curtain drops. So let me warn potential readers:
Setting: The story is set in a “gated community” in Northern California called “The Palms.” Although Liz, a public high-school counselor who grew up in Riverside, is clearly dying of class envy, the inhabitants are but middle-class. The folks Liz feels ashamed to associate with drive Mercedes, BMWs, and Lexuses, not Bentleys and Ferraris, and have such ordinary occupations as lawyer (Liz’s husband Phil apparently thinks calling a lawyer “an attorney” makes them both upscale) and doctor: not hedge-fund CEO or dot.com millionaire. Playing golf in checkered trousers or taking their daughter to Rome for Christmas week is their idea of recreation. Nobody races a yacht in the Trans-Pac or even seems to have a condo in Vail. Everybody lives in a new house, not a San Francisco Victorian. Liz’s kitchen contains a “peninsula”—I wondered if that was a way of telling us the kitchen was so big that Italy or Spain and Portugal would fit into it, but eventually I figured out it was some kind of protruding counter-top.
Characters: Tho’ Phil was reared in Australia and therefore ought to be familiar with the intricacies of cricket, he likes to watch San Francisco Giants baseball, which for a cricket fan is like Boris Spassky’s observing a game of checkers. His bedtime reading is a snails-pace perusal of a biography of John Adams, tho’ we are never told why he is supposed to care (not so much) about early American history. Liz had an unplanned pregnancy @ 19 resulting in dtr Danielle, now 15 & a science geek @ a high school that in Liz’s reader’s pronunciation sounds like “Mars Landing” (couldn’t decide which was more unpleasant, the California voice given Liz or the Australian voice of Phil’s—both grated on my ear). Tho’ Liz takes pride in her “professional” standing, @ one point she plays a very sleazy trick to get unauthorized information about Kelsey from one of the girl’s former teachers @ another school. For me, that was something that should insure the perpetrator never worked again in education. (Ironically, Liz gets in trouble instead for something she didn’t do.) I keep wondering if I would have fallen for her ruse when I was a teacher. I fear if she caught me on a really stupid day, she might get away with it. But if I had any of my wits about me, I would have asked her number to phone her back @ the agency she claimed to be representing.)
Style: "It was less like a kiss than a near death experience" and "The ends of the head of romaine stuck out of the bag like an alibi." These were my absolute favs. But it was also striking how in Liz’s idiolect the imperative mood is signaled by the oft prefixed phrase: “You need to” as in “You need to come out here @ once.” (This form of the imperative is also a favorite of bullying police officers as well as parents.) I’d have expected a bright teenager such as Danielle to be very tempted to reply, “I don’t need to do f-bomb all; if you want me to something, just say so.”
Characters: We’ve already got Liz & Phil’s numbers. Danielle is a fairly attractive character except for her response to being (falsely) shamed on Facebook as a lesbian (these days I’d hope for “honi soit qui mal y pense” from a feisty teen) & general subservience to her bullying mother, tho’ she finally asserts herself by getting a tat. (Generally I don’t like tats, but Liz’s discomfiture made me want to stand up and cheer.) Of the minor characters, Liz’s mother in Riverside (referred to as “mom”) is blind, tho’ that fact plays no role in the plot, and her sister Ellie, who lives in Chicago, knocks herself out to be a character by having a snake tat around her upper arm. (Not surprisingly, her attempts @ internet dating keep coming up with losers!) But the biggest failure @ developing character lies in Kelsey the villainess. The author makes no attempt to explain or account for her obsession with older men. We would expect @ least some elementary attempts @ family dynamics & an exploration of her relationship with her father, but she remains simply a stock villainess spoiled rich girl.
I have given this turkey much more attention than it deserves, but I still cannot explain why it kept its grip on my attention. Part may be that it still works on the archetypal level. One of the principal criticisms of Northrop Frye's system is the absence of quality control. In this case Paula Treick DeBoard’s book probably attracted me for the same reasons that I found Megan Abbott’s Dare Me amongst the best school stories I ever read. A good author could have given us a Kelsey of the caliber of Beth Cassidy. But the difference is in the substance.
September 1, 2018
An enjoyable read, with a twisty ending!
The Drowning Girls by Paula Treick DeBoard is a fast, engaging read. The story follows married couple Liz and Phil and Liz’s teenage daughter Danielle as they move into a gated, luxury home community called The Palms. Everything in The Palms is something most people could only dream of. Paradise, Phil calls it.
Phil has taken a job as the community manager. He deals with any complaints, inquiries, and parties being thrown at The Palms. Liz is a high school guidance counselor, and Danielle is set to begin her freshman year of high school at the end of summer. In exchange for Phil’s job, they family gets to live in a magnificent home for free.
And then one day shortly after they arrive, Danielle becomes best friends with beautiful Kelsey Jorgensen. Kelsey is stunning, popular, and cool, while Danielle is intelligent, nerdy, and still on the bridge between childhood and adolescence. With Kelsey’s friendship, Danielle crosses the bridge before Liz’s eyes. Who would have known that meeting the Jorgensens would begin a spiral that the family would not escape from unharmed?
The gates are meant to keep bad people out of The Palms, but what about the bad people who live within those gates....
There is darkness to The Palms, lurking beneath the shiny veneer. The gates close everyone in, and the privilege that comes with their level of wealth is dangerous for those who don’t truly belong. Do the gates exist to keep people out, or to keep those secrets in?
The Drowning Girls by Paula Treick DeBoard is a fast, engaging read. The story follows married couple Liz and Phil and Liz’s teenage daughter Danielle as they move into a gated, luxury home community called The Palms. Everything in The Palms is something most people could only dream of. Paradise, Phil calls it.
Phil has taken a job as the community manager. He deals with any complaints, inquiries, and parties being thrown at The Palms. Liz is a high school guidance counselor, and Danielle is set to begin her freshman year of high school at the end of summer. In exchange for Phil’s job, they family gets to live in a magnificent home for free.
And then one day shortly after they arrive, Danielle becomes best friends with beautiful Kelsey Jorgensen. Kelsey is stunning, popular, and cool, while Danielle is intelligent, nerdy, and still on the bridge between childhood and adolescence. With Kelsey’s friendship, Danielle crosses the bridge before Liz’s eyes. Who would have known that meeting the Jorgensens would begin a spiral that the family would not escape from unharmed?
The gates are meant to keep bad people out of The Palms, but what about the bad people who live within those gates....
There is darkness to The Palms, lurking beneath the shiny veneer. The gates close everyone in, and the privilege that comes with their level of wealth is dangerous for those who don’t truly belong. Do the gates exist to keep people out, or to keep those secrets in?
December 23, 2015
Truly phenomenal. DeBoard's best book yet. I simply couldn't put it down.
June 15, 2017
A strong 4.5 stars!! This book had everything in it. I really connected with the characters and by the end of the book absolutely loathed Kelsey, The central troublemaker in it. If I had to give a critique about this book, and I would be hard-pressed to find one, I would have to say that the ending fell a little bit short of my expectations, not a huge climax like I thought there would be, just an almost abrupt stop, almost leaving readers guessing about one key thing at the very end which could also be seen as quite clever. I would recommend this book to any reader that likes a Liane Moriarty-type of read!
May 5, 2018
I am not sure if I liked this book or if I didn’t.
What I liked: the author did a very good job in showing how Phil managed himself into so much trouble. He makes one major misjudgment which is followed by a trail of lies. He got tangled in his lies until he finds no way to tell his side of the story any more. It is too late and too messed up. The story is told mostly by Liz but also occasionally by Phil. So we are also close to him and see how this all could happen.
What I did not like: the story is really predictable. As soon as I figured out where the story was leading I was almost annoyed. This again. It is no surprise that not everything in The Palms is so picture perfect when you look closer. The people who live there were all very stereotype. I just could not remember who was who. Who was which ones daughter? Or wife? I mixed them all up the whole time. Kelsey, the girl who gets obsessed with Phil, is quite cunning, maybe a little bit too much for a 15 year old girl. She is definitely troubled, but why that is so is never discussed. And Liz. She is a high school counselor. But I doubt that this is the right job for her. F.e. she gave a 14 year old girl, who came to her office for advice concerning birth control, just a leaflet. Shortly after the girl fell pregnant. Well done, Liz. I also did not like a lot of things she did when she suspected Kelsey to be of harm to her family.
But the real problem is the ending. I seriously thought that there was something wrong with my ebook. I thought at least one chapter was missing. But obviously this is really the ending. The book just ends. There are still a lot of questions. I don’t have a problem with books with open endings. But this is no open ending. This is an ending in the middle of a chapter. Just a rough cut.
It was an easy read but I was happy when it was over. The writing is good but there is a lack of depth to the characters and the story itself. And there is this ending.
What I liked: the author did a very good job in showing how Phil managed himself into so much trouble. He makes one major misjudgment which is followed by a trail of lies. He got tangled in his lies until he finds no way to tell his side of the story any more. It is too late and too messed up. The story is told mostly by Liz but also occasionally by Phil. So we are also close to him and see how this all could happen.
What I did not like: the story is really predictable. As soon as I figured out where the story was leading I was almost annoyed. This again. It is no surprise that not everything in The Palms is so picture perfect when you look closer. The people who live there were all very stereotype. I just could not remember who was who. Who was which ones daughter? Or wife? I mixed them all up the whole time. Kelsey, the girl who gets obsessed with Phil, is quite cunning, maybe a little bit too much for a 15 year old girl. She is definitely troubled, but why that is so is never discussed. And Liz. She is a high school counselor. But I doubt that this is the right job for her. F.e. she gave a 14 year old girl, who came to her office for advice concerning birth control, just a leaflet. Shortly after the girl fell pregnant. Well done, Liz. I also did not like a lot of things she did when she suspected Kelsey to be of harm to her family.
But the real problem is the ending. I seriously thought that there was something wrong with my ebook. I thought at least one chapter was missing. But obviously this is really the ending. The book just ends. There are still a lot of questions. I don’t have a problem with books with open endings. But this is no open ending. This is an ending in the middle of a chapter. Just a rough cut.
It was an easy read but I was happy when it was over. The writing is good but there is a lack of depth to the characters and the story itself. And there is this ending.
July 6, 2017
The perfect summer read! This book was brimming with juicy drama. I couldn't stop turning the pages! Definitely a fantastic book to read at the beach.
July 21, 2016
Wow. I never saw the ending coming the way it did. This is the kind of book that you just can't seem to put down even if you had to.
This about a family of three , Liz the mother and Phil the father and the teenage daughter Danielle. Phil got a job as Community relations specialist at The Palms a housing of the rich community. The perks were wonderful. A gorgeous home and a new start with new higher upper class friends.
Even though Liz enjoyed her new home, she felt she didn't really belong there. Danielle her daughter who is more of a geek becomes friends with the beautiful girl next door Kelsey. She becomes almost a live in resident. Liz didn't really get the friendship they were so different. Kelsey's parents Sonia and Tim were always busy and didn't have much time for Kelsey. I thought maybe she was looking for a "family" to belong in.
Wrong. Kelsey had other thoughts in mind. She had a crush on Danielle's dad. A crush can be innocent but this was by far innocent. Kelsey went way over the boundary lines. It was diabolical how she was. The outcome could of been avoidable had Phil just come clean in the beginning. He was harassed and stalked. Blackmailed. This family will never be the same again sadly. I don't want to go into to much detail but this is a must read!! I can actually see this happening in real life. Scary thought.
This about a family of three , Liz the mother and Phil the father and the teenage daughter Danielle. Phil got a job as Community relations specialist at The Palms a housing of the rich community. The perks were wonderful. A gorgeous home and a new start with new higher upper class friends.
Even though Liz enjoyed her new home, she felt she didn't really belong there. Danielle her daughter who is more of a geek becomes friends with the beautiful girl next door Kelsey. She becomes almost a live in resident. Liz didn't really get the friendship they were so different. Kelsey's parents Sonia and Tim were always busy and didn't have much time for Kelsey. I thought maybe she was looking for a "family" to belong in.
Wrong. Kelsey had other thoughts in mind. She had a crush on Danielle's dad. A crush can be innocent but this was by far innocent. Kelsey went way over the boundary lines. It was diabolical how she was. The outcome could of been avoidable had Phil just come clean in the beginning. He was harassed and stalked. Blackmailed. This family will never be the same again sadly. I don't want to go into to much detail but this is a must read!! I can actually see this happening in real life. Scary thought.
October 12, 2017
3.5 stars. Rounding down. I might mull it over and round up in the next few days once I think it over more. Also please keep in mind that a three star or three and a half star does not mean I didn't enjoy the book. This was a solid, twisty, suspenseful read. I did like it.
As I've said before, I tend to read a TON of mystery, thrillers and domestic suspense type books. So I have to really, really, REALLY like one to give it four stars and my five stars are even rarer. I think maybe I'm too stingy with my ratings in these categories but hey, it's my review right?! My long winded point is that I don't want the three stars to deter people. Three stars means I liked the book, will definitely read more by the author but wasn't up until four am trying to finish it or thinking about it all day.
I was hesitant to read this book at first because of the title. Can we all agree that, "Gone Girl," and, "The Girl on the Train," unleashed this craze in the publishing industry that has gotten out of control? This craze being to put the word, "Girl," into roughly three out of four titles in the above mentioned genres? I exaggerate...a little. But seriously, when I see the word, "Girl," or even, "Woman," my eyes kind of glaze over temporarily and I have to really read some reviews to see if I should check it out. I'm glad I did with this one. It was worth it. Thank you, various Goodreads friends who were reviewing this author's newest book. By doing so, you put this one on my radar and I (temporarily) got over my (very silly) fear of the word, "Girl," in relation to book titles.
Liz's husband Phil has taken a job at an exclusive gated community. The kind where one of the twenty bathrooms is bigger than my whole house. The kind where you might get lost in your own house. The couple and Liz's daughter Danielle move into one of the homes as one of the perks of the job. Danielle becomes friends with Kelsey, a teen in the neighborhood. Almost overnight, Liz has a daughter she doesn't know, a husband she doesn't know if she can trust and neighbors that are almost Stepford-like. I think fans of Liane Moriarty would enjoy this book.
As I've said before, I tend to read a TON of mystery, thrillers and domestic suspense type books. So I have to really, really, REALLY like one to give it four stars and my five stars are even rarer. I think maybe I'm too stingy with my ratings in these categories but hey, it's my review right?! My long winded point is that I don't want the three stars to deter people. Three stars means I liked the book, will definitely read more by the author but wasn't up until four am trying to finish it or thinking about it all day.
I was hesitant to read this book at first because of the title. Can we all agree that, "Gone Girl," and, "The Girl on the Train," unleashed this craze in the publishing industry that has gotten out of control? This craze being to put the word, "Girl," into roughly three out of four titles in the above mentioned genres? I exaggerate...a little. But seriously, when I see the word, "Girl," or even, "Woman," my eyes kind of glaze over temporarily and I have to really read some reviews to see if I should check it out. I'm glad I did with this one. It was worth it. Thank you, various Goodreads friends who were reviewing this author's newest book. By doing so, you put this one on my radar and I (temporarily) got over my (very silly) fear of the word, "Girl," in relation to book titles.
Liz's husband Phil has taken a job at an exclusive gated community. The kind where one of the twenty bathrooms is bigger than my whole house. The kind where you might get lost in your own house. The couple and Liz's daughter Danielle move into one of the homes as one of the perks of the job. Danielle becomes friends with Kelsey, a teen in the neighborhood. Almost overnight, Liz has a daughter she doesn't know, a husband she doesn't know if she can trust and neighbors that are almost Stepford-like. I think fans of Liane Moriarty would enjoy this book.
June 14, 2016
1.5 stars. I really thought I had a winner. I gave this to my sister to read while I read something else, she finished it in 2 days and said it was good. She never likes anything I suggest, she's definitely a John Grisham/Lisa Scottoline person.
Things got off to a fine start, but it wasn't long before I wanted to throttle the characters, every single one for various reasons.
Liz was constantly putting herself down, she made it sound like she was the biggest loser ever born. I most certainly understand feeling inferior to others, but it doesn't make for a pleasant reading experience in a suspense novel.
Liz was only about 34 or 35, which apparently to her was the same as being 74 or 75. She classified herself as being flabby. I'm sure she was at least average height and no more than a size 8, that may not have been as thin as her ritzy neighbors, but not exactly elephant territory.
Liz also couldn't get beyond the fact that she'd been poor most of her life and was now living amongst people that had been born rich. I didn't like how she made it sound like she had lowbrow habits and tastes simply because she'd never had money. Being poor doesn't equal not having any taste.
Phil was a ridiculous character. I do not understand why he let things get so out of control. I kept wanting him to stand up for himself and say something about what was happening to him, but he wouldn't out of fear that nobody would believe him. I couldn't see how he didn't realize that staying quiet wasn't a better option.
Kelsey...if there were ever a character in need of a vicious beating, it would be her. I really don't have much to say about her other than she proves that pretty people can be extremely ugly.
The repetitiveness was irritating. How many times did Liz or Phil need to say that Kelsey was gorgeous, that Kelsey walked around practically naked, and that Kelsey was more like a grown woman than a kid? How many times did Liz need to tell the reader than her own daughter was just 14 and a major geek, but after hanging around with Kelsey, she changed and became unrecognizable over night?
Why didn't Liz just tell Kelsey to bug off? She acted like she had to allow the girl into her family's life. Liz was too busy worrying about what the neighbors thought of her, even though she didn't like them. Everyone in the book was a fool.
Things got off to a fine start, but it wasn't long before I wanted to throttle the characters, every single one for various reasons.
Liz was constantly putting herself down, she made it sound like she was the biggest loser ever born. I most certainly understand feeling inferior to others, but it doesn't make for a pleasant reading experience in a suspense novel.
Liz was only about 34 or 35, which apparently to her was the same as being 74 or 75. She classified herself as being flabby. I'm sure she was at least average height and no more than a size 8, that may not have been as thin as her ritzy neighbors, but not exactly elephant territory.
Liz also couldn't get beyond the fact that she'd been poor most of her life and was now living amongst people that had been born rich. I didn't like how she made it sound like she had lowbrow habits and tastes simply because she'd never had money. Being poor doesn't equal not having any taste.
Phil was a ridiculous character. I do not understand why he let things get so out of control. I kept wanting him to stand up for himself and say something about what was happening to him, but he wouldn't out of fear that nobody would believe him. I couldn't see how he didn't realize that staying quiet wasn't a better option.
Kelsey...if there were ever a character in need of a vicious beating, it would be her. I really don't have much to say about her other than she proves that pretty people can be extremely ugly.
The repetitiveness was irritating. How many times did Liz or Phil need to say that Kelsey was gorgeous, that Kelsey walked around practically naked, and that Kelsey was more like a grown woman than a kid? How many times did Liz need to tell the reader than her own daughter was just 14 and a major geek, but after hanging around with Kelsey, she changed and became unrecognizable over night?
Why didn't Liz just tell Kelsey to bug off? She acted like she had to allow the girl into her family's life. Liz was too busy worrying about what the neighbors thought of her, even though she didn't like them. Everyone in the book was a fool.
April 21, 2016
My So-Called Review
The Drowning Girls is a darkly provocative tale about obsession, a modern day Fatal Attraction. I think the scariest thing about this story is that it’s a psychological thriller that could actually happen in real life and that’s a damn terrifying thought!
Liz and Phil McGinnis, along with Liz’s 14 year old daughter Danielle, have just moved into The Palms. This gated community full of mini mansions and golf courses is about as exclusive as you can get and Phil has been hired as the neighborhood’s new community relations specialist. His job, which basically consists of making the residences “happy”, comes with a 4,000 square foot home free of charge. As a high school counselor, Liz can’t believe they’ve stumbled into this foreign world of glitz and glamor. At first they’re almost mesmerized by the neighborhood’s picture perfect façade. It’s the beginning of summer and they’ve been invited to a neighborhood gathering, all the families seem to really like the McGinnises, especially Phil. The husbands love schmoozing with him while their wives can’t seem to stop flirting with him. Who could blame them really? In his mid-thirties, Phil is a fit and charming Melbourne native with an accent to match.
Something dark lurks beneath the surface of this neighborhood and the McGinnis’ idyllic summer is about to become a nightmare thanks to a 15 year-old neighbor named Kelsey. Tall, tan, lean and gorgeous; Kelsey is every middle-aged man’s dirty fantasy and she’s just become instant BFFs with Danielle. At first Liz and Phil are happy that their shy, introverted and somewhat geeky daughter has made an instant friend to spend the summer with. But as their friendship grows, Kelsey begins to worm her way into every aspect of McGinnis’ lives. She’s constantly showing up at Phil’s office and at first he thinks Kelsey’s got a bit of a crush on him. When she doesn’t let up, he asks her why she keeps hanging around when she could be off with her friends. Kelsey’s only response is that she’s bored. The McGinnises soon discover that a bored Kelsey is a very, very bad thing indeed.
The Drowning Girls is the type of thriller that begins slowly, just a simmer beneath the surface. You’re not really sure what’s going on or what to think but you just know, something isn’t quite right. Gradually the story builds and begins to reveal itself, one tiny detail at a time. If you’re not paying attention you might miss it, you might close your eyes for a moment and when you open them again you’ll realize the story you’ve been reading has morphed into this darkly dramatic and very suspenseful tale. DeBoard’s writing is flat-out phenomenal; there’s this understated quality to it that really allows the story to ebb and flow. Yet there’s also a potent sense of emotion fused into certain words and phrases that will cause you to question everything you’ve read. She creates this strong sense of doubt and suspicion in her character’s words and situations, situations that might otherwise seem harmless or innocent.
I loved this novel and thought DeBoard’s writing was a huge reason why it all works so well. There’s not really anything new within this story, it’s one we’ve read & watched before. There’s no big twist or turns that will have you going back to see what you missed and when. What you do have is this constant sense of dread while you’re reading. This is caused by having a general sense of what’s coming before the characters actually do. You’ll want to turn away, you really will. You know it’s going to be this huge train wreck when everything accumulates and boils over but in the end, you… just… can’t… look… away and that's the ironic beauty of this novel. The Drowning Girls would make a fabulous Book Club choice, there's so much to discuss and dissect with a novel like this one.
The other thing that works really well is that the story is told from both Liz and Phil’s POVs. It really gives the reader an insight we don’t typically get in these types of thrillers. Told from just Liz’s POV, The Drowning Girls would have been a very different story, possibility a bit predictable even. It’s within Phil’s chapters that the story truly becomes unique and terrifying. He gives us an entirely different perspective of how the events unfolded and the meaning behind certain conversations. You’ll feel his terror as he realizes he’s no longer a man with options. His life has spun so far out of control that he’s now backed into a corner with no hope of escaping the never ending nightmare that’s become his life. I actually wanted more chapters from Phil’s perspective as the novel was winding down; he’s that interesting of a character.
On a closing note, I grew up in the Bay Area and loved reading about all the areas I know and love. There was even a very brief mention of Willow Glen which is the neighborhood I grew up in. It’s is a small suburb of San Jose, really only known to those who’ve lived in the Bay Area so it was a nice little surprise to have it mentioned! :)
A huge thank you to the publishers, Harlequin MIRA, and to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 25, 2016
I would give this a 3. I was engaged throughout the entire book but I feel that it lacked overall real suspense and mystery. I would have given it a 4 but the ending left me super disappointed. It left me guessing with more questions now. I honestly thought the ending was sucky. It was almost like a great movie with a horrible ending :/.
May 20, 2016
What a great book. I raced through this and couldn't put it down.
November 18, 2017
Another good one! One of my favorite authors. I’ll be posting a full review on my booktube channel at http://Youtube.com/peterlikesbooks
March 6, 2017
Because one of the truths about a marriage-I knew that then, and I know it now-was that there should be some secrets. Small things, inconsequential things. I didn't believe a person could ever know another person wholly, inside out, and I was okay with that. Because inside, there were some ugly things, the blood and guts, the things that were better buried, better unsaid.
I wonder why there is a lot of hype around all the novels which promise a thrilling reading experience for the Gone Girl fans but what defines them in reality is a boring plot, woefully-constructed and silly characters and a clumsy writing style (e.g. The Couple Next Door), whereas The Drowning Girls, which is a truly well-written domestic suspense and psychological novel doesn't get the credit it deserves.
The Drowning Girls is a slow-paced novel, with convincing characters and without major twists. The story is told from two characters' points of view: the wife - Liz McGinnis, who is a high school counselor and has a 14-year-old daughter named Danielle - and the husband - Phil McGinnis, who is offered both a well-paid job as a community relations specialist and a luxurious house in The Palms. It'll be like living in paradise - this is the promise made by Phil to his wife and stepdaughter. Soon after moving to The Palms, Danielle befriends a stunningly beautiful neighbour girl named Kelsey Jorgensen who quickly becomes a constant presence in the McGinnis family. From the beginning the couple feels that Kelsey is bad news but Danielle enjoys her company and starts to behave uncharacteristically. Kelsey develops an unhealthy and obsessive crush on Phil who finds himself in the position of not knowing how to deal with this troubled young girl.
The Palms community is full of rich and superficial people who are capable of anything in order to keep hidden the things that would damage their high social status. The McGinnis gradually grow aware of the fact that this way of life is not suitable for them.
The Drowning Girls is a must-read for anyone interested in a quality domestic suspense and the reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because I think that the ending was too sudden for my taste and it could've been more polished.
I wonder why there is a lot of hype around all the novels which promise a thrilling reading experience for the Gone Girl fans but what defines them in reality is a boring plot, woefully-constructed and silly characters and a clumsy writing style (e.g. The Couple Next Door), whereas The Drowning Girls, which is a truly well-written domestic suspense and psychological novel doesn't get the credit it deserves.
The Drowning Girls is a slow-paced novel, with convincing characters and without major twists. The story is told from two characters' points of view: the wife - Liz McGinnis, who is a high school counselor and has a 14-year-old daughter named Danielle - and the husband - Phil McGinnis, who is offered both a well-paid job as a community relations specialist and a luxurious house in The Palms. It'll be like living in paradise - this is the promise made by Phil to his wife and stepdaughter. Soon after moving to The Palms, Danielle befriends a stunningly beautiful neighbour girl named Kelsey Jorgensen who quickly becomes a constant presence in the McGinnis family. From the beginning the couple feels that Kelsey is bad news but Danielle enjoys her company and starts to behave uncharacteristically. Kelsey develops an unhealthy and obsessive crush on Phil who finds himself in the position of not knowing how to deal with this troubled young girl.
The Palms community is full of rich and superficial people who are capable of anything in order to keep hidden the things that would damage their high social status. The McGinnis gradually grow aware of the fact that this way of life is not suitable for them.
The Drowning Girls is a must-read for anyone interested in a quality domestic suspense and the reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because I think that the ending was too sudden for my taste and it could've been more polished.
May 7, 2016
True to form, the author crafted an intelligent read that you just can't put down. There will be moments of discomfort and rage, but you'll also find yourself intrigued as you quickly turn each page. The characters are well developed and, though flawed, relatable and mostly worthy of compassion. The plot builds and builds, continuously pulling you closer to the edge of your seat. Great from start to finish!
August 27, 2016
Full review on www.novelgossip.com
Have you ever just been instantly drawn to a book and known that you were going to love it? The moment I laid eyes on this stunning cover and read the blurb I just knew that this book would be something that I would like.
The Drowning Girls opens with Liz waking up to the sounds of screaming. Something terrible has happened to their teenage neighbor, Kelsey. But what events led to this point? Quickly the story flashes back to a year prior, always something I enjoy. It’s told primarily from Liz’s point of view, but there are brief yet important chapters from her husband, Phil. It always intrigues me when an author shows two very different perspectives about the same series of events.
I don’t want to say too much about this one as it’s a captivating tale of obsession and domestic suspense. Treick DeBoard is an absolutely beautiful writer, she draws the reader in little by little with every turn of the page, dragging and pulling you in deeper and deeper, much like the characters are being pulled into a dark and dangerous web of deceit and betrayal.
I was found myself so frustrated, yet fascinated with Liz, Phil and Danielle’s lack of communication with each other. Though so many terrible things could have been avoided had the family actually talked to each other, it was very easy to understand what led each of them to keep their secrets, they definitely had their reasons.
This book is mesmerizing, thrilling, and utterly gripping. Characters are completely understandable and easy to identify with, but again I fear discussing their growth would divulge too much. This is my first time reading anything by Treick DeBoard but it most definitely will not be my last.
Have you ever just been instantly drawn to a book and known that you were going to love it? The moment I laid eyes on this stunning cover and read the blurb I just knew that this book would be something that I would like.
The Drowning Girls opens with Liz waking up to the sounds of screaming. Something terrible has happened to their teenage neighbor, Kelsey. But what events led to this point? Quickly the story flashes back to a year prior, always something I enjoy. It’s told primarily from Liz’s point of view, but there are brief yet important chapters from her husband, Phil. It always intrigues me when an author shows two very different perspectives about the same series of events.
I don’t want to say too much about this one as it’s a captivating tale of obsession and domestic suspense. Treick DeBoard is an absolutely beautiful writer, she draws the reader in little by little with every turn of the page, dragging and pulling you in deeper and deeper, much like the characters are being pulled into a dark and dangerous web of deceit and betrayal.
I was found myself so frustrated, yet fascinated with Liz, Phil and Danielle’s lack of communication with each other. Though so many terrible things could have been avoided had the family actually talked to each other, it was very easy to understand what led each of them to keep their secrets, they definitely had their reasons.
This book is mesmerizing, thrilling, and utterly gripping. Characters are completely understandable and easy to identify with, but again I fear discussing their growth would divulge too much. This is my first time reading anything by Treick DeBoard but it most definitely will not be my last.
January 30, 2016
A great suspense that I enjoyed that makes me glad that I live in a middle class world and not in the uber rich communities of the rich and crazy. I can't imagine working or living amongst people that seem so entitled, kids and adults who have never learned the meaning of the word NO! Got to admit that the ending totally surprised the heck out of me. Never saw it coming for a minute and can't say anything else without spoiling it.
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