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Every summer camp has a ghost story. For Alex Parson, that story came true—and twenty-one years later, the ghost from that story is back for revenge…
Every summer camp has a ghost story. While Alex is working as a swimming instructor at a rural boys' camp, he hears the tale of John Otis, who is rumored to snatch one boy from the camp every seventh summer. It's a ridiculous story, clearly meant to rile up the campers.
The next day, an eight-year-old boy named Joey Proctor is in Alex's swimming group. Frustrated by Joey's fear of the water, Alex leaves him on a raft in the lake, tells him to swim back on his own, and storms off. Alex returns after nightfall to find the raft empty. Joey is never seen again.
Now, twenty-one years later, Alex is a wealthy Manhattan-based real estate developer with a trophy wife and two young daughters. But someone is after Alex—it seems Joey Proctor is back, and he wants revenge…
Every summer camp has a ghost story. While Alex is working as a swimming instructor at a rural boys' camp, he hears the tale of John Otis, who is rumored to snatch one boy from the camp every seventh summer. It's a ridiculous story, clearly meant to rile up the campers.
The next day, an eight-year-old boy named Joey Proctor is in Alex's swimming group. Frustrated by Joey's fear of the water, Alex leaves him on a raft in the lake, tells him to swim back on his own, and storms off. Alex returns after nightfall to find the raft empty. Joey is never seen again.
Now, twenty-one years later, Alex is a wealthy Manhattan-based real estate developer with a trophy wife and two young daughters. But someone is after Alex—it seems Joey Proctor is back, and he wants revenge…
368 pages, Pocket Book
First published January 1, 2019
315 people are currently reading
4211 people want to read
About the author
J.P. Smith
10 books161 followersJ.P. Smith was born in New York City and began his writing career in England, where he lived for several years with his wife and daughter, and where his first novel was published. As a screenwriter, he was an Academy Nicholl Fellowship Semifinalist in 2014.
His ninth novel, The Summoning, a psychological thriller, was published on September 7th, 2021.
His ninth novel, The Summoning, a psychological thriller, was published on September 7th, 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 390 reviews
February 26, 2019
3.5 thrilling stars for this puzzling mystery filled with highly detestable characters
It's the end of summer at Camp Waukeelo and eight year old Joey Proctor is still scared of the water and hasn't learned to swim. Swim instructor Alex Mason isn't about to let Joey detract from his promise that all campers would know how to swim by the end of camp. Alex believes in learning by doing so he pulls young Joey to the deep end of the lake, hauling him onto a raft and swimming away. Joey has two options - swim to shore or remain on the raft, alone.
After evening meals, Joey's presence is finally missed by his counselor, Steve who had been away for the afternoon. Alex slinks off to check the lake and finds the raft empty. Despite a police led search Joey is never seen again. As camp closes and the campers and staff go home, Alex carries the secret of Joey's last moments with him.
Twenty-one years later Alex is a successful business man with a wife and two daughters. Alex seems to have it all, until strange things begin to happen around him. Things that force him to recall that long forgotten summer when little Joey Proctor disappeared without a trace.
Could Joey be alive and out for vengeance? Does someone know Alex's secret and want him to pay?
One of the things that struck me most about this book is how many ruthless, unlikeable characters there are. There are so many underlying motives and cut throat dealings. I felt bad for Alex's wife and daughters. They were living with the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing! As things escalate and come to a head Alex unravels. His fear, anxiety and sense of preservation catapult him into one disastrous decision after another. I honestly found my dislike for him growing with each turn of the page. Which I am positive was J.P Smith's goal.
This was definitely one of those books that will keep you turning the pages, while you shake your head. Don't expect everything to be tied up with a nice bow at the end. I actually found myself having to go back when I was done to re-read parts that stood out to me so I could connect a few dots to my satisfaction. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I'm all for a book that makes me pay attention and does things a bit outside the box. Well done J.P Smith - I look forward to reading more from you!
It's the end of summer at Camp Waukeelo and eight year old Joey Proctor is still scared of the water and hasn't learned to swim. Swim instructor Alex Mason isn't about to let Joey detract from his promise that all campers would know how to swim by the end of camp. Alex believes in learning by doing so he pulls young Joey to the deep end of the lake, hauling him onto a raft and swimming away. Joey has two options - swim to shore or remain on the raft, alone.
After evening meals, Joey's presence is finally missed by his counselor, Steve who had been away for the afternoon. Alex slinks off to check the lake and finds the raft empty. Despite a police led search Joey is never seen again. As camp closes and the campers and staff go home, Alex carries the secret of Joey's last moments with him.
Twenty-one years later Alex is a successful business man with a wife and two daughters. Alex seems to have it all, until strange things begin to happen around him. Things that force him to recall that long forgotten summer when little Joey Proctor disappeared without a trace.
Could Joey be alive and out for vengeance? Does someone know Alex's secret and want him to pay?
One of the things that struck me most about this book is how many ruthless, unlikeable characters there are. There are so many underlying motives and cut throat dealings. I felt bad for Alex's wife and daughters. They were living with the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing! As things escalate and come to a head Alex unravels. His fear, anxiety and sense of preservation catapult him into one disastrous decision after another. I honestly found my dislike for him growing with each turn of the page. Which I am positive was J.P Smith's goal.
This was definitely one of those books that will keep you turning the pages, while you shake your head. Don't expect everything to be tied up with a nice bow at the end. I actually found myself having to go back when I was done to re-read parts that stood out to me so I could connect a few dots to my satisfaction. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I'm all for a book that makes me pay attention and does things a bit outside the box. Well done J.P Smith - I look forward to reading more from you!
January 19, 2019
When the Author of this book was eight years old, he was left on a raft and told by a camp counselor that he had to either swim back (even though he did not know how to swim and was afraid of deep water) or stay on the raft and die. That memory stayed with him and became the inspiration for this novel.
Eight-year-old Joey Proctor has been taken to summer camp by his parents. It is his first time away from home and he is naturally nervous. Listening to the camp fire stories about an urban legend, John Otis, a man who abducts children from the camp every seven years, doesn't help to make the young campers feel safe.
One day at during swimming group, a swimming instructor named Alex, becomes frustrated with Joey's fear of the water and takes him out to a raft in the middle of the lake and leaves Joey there. Joey must either get over his fear of water and swim back to shore or stay on the raft. When Joey cannot be found later, a search goes underway but young Joey is never seen again.
Years later, Alex is living a very prosperous and successful life in Manhattan. He is married with a wife and two daughters. He wants what happened that summer to remain in the past but soon things begin happening in his life, things that bring up the past, things that make him question if Joey is still alive, if he is out there waiting and plotting revenge. Because if it's not Joey tormenting him and his family, then who? Why? A business rival? A spurned lover?
I found this book to be a fast read with some twists and turns. There are also some unanswered questions which some might find to be frustrating. There are some unanswered questions and I have mixed feelings about this. Overall, a very enjoyable psychological thriller which had me guessing and scratching my head all at the same time. There were some parts that had me wondering if I missed something and wondering was there going to be a part two to this book to answer some questions that remained. In the section of the book titled "A conversations with the Author", the author does state "I think it's best that each reader comes up with the answer that's most satisfactory to him or her."
For me this was great escapism reading on a rainy day.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Eight-year-old Joey Proctor has been taken to summer camp by his parents. It is his first time away from home and he is naturally nervous. Listening to the camp fire stories about an urban legend, John Otis, a man who abducts children from the camp every seven years, doesn't help to make the young campers feel safe.
One day at during swimming group, a swimming instructor named Alex, becomes frustrated with Joey's fear of the water and takes him out to a raft in the middle of the lake and leaves Joey there. Joey must either get over his fear of water and swim back to shore or stay on the raft. When Joey cannot be found later, a search goes underway but young Joey is never seen again.
Years later, Alex is living a very prosperous and successful life in Manhattan. He is married with a wife and two daughters. He wants what happened that summer to remain in the past but soon things begin happening in his life, things that bring up the past, things that make him question if Joey is still alive, if he is out there waiting and plotting revenge. Because if it's not Joey tormenting him and his family, then who? Why? A business rival? A spurned lover?
I found this book to be a fast read with some twists and turns. There are also some unanswered questions which some might find to be frustrating. There are some unanswered questions and I have mixed feelings about this. Overall, a very enjoyable psychological thriller which had me guessing and scratching my head all at the same time. There were some parts that had me wondering if I missed something and wondering was there going to be a part two to this book to answer some questions that remained. In the section of the book titled "A conversations with the Author", the author does state "I think it's best that each reader comes up with the answer that's most satisfactory to him or her."
For me this was great escapism reading on a rainy day.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 18, 2019
‘Joey must have moved the moment the shutter opened. Because his face, out of all the others, was slightly blurred. As if he were already existing in another time, midway between life and death.’
Alex Mason has everything he ever wanted. He’s a successful, well-respected, property developer – a self-made man, living in a million dollar home, with his beautiful blonde wife, and two adoring daughters. But someone is intent on destroying Alex’s ‘picture perfect’ life. Because Alex has a secret – one in particular that could ruin him if it ever became public. Twenty-one years ago, when he was working as a swimming counsellor at Camp Waukeelo, he challenged his campers to swim out to a raft, and back. When eight year-old, Joey Proctor, unable to swim, and deathly afraid of deep water, refused, Alex dragged him out to the raft, and told him that his only way back was to toughen up and swim. Then, he left him there, alone in the middle of the lake. And that was the last time Joey Proctor was ever seen. Or, was it?
There’s nothing quite like a good revenge story. This was a sinfully delicious read from start to finish. But, it was the ending that really stood out – talk about clever! You got me, J. P. Smith, well played! I’m still theorising over it. But, and this is a big but, you were left with questions and ambiguity, which may not sit well with some readers. I thought it was brilliant! I’m kicking myself that I didn’t figure it out earlier, as the clues were there.
When the harassment towards Alex first started, I liked how the scares resembled childlike pranks, like something an actual eight year-old would do, as if, if it were really Joey behind it, then he hadn’t aged a day since he disappeared – gave me chills! The telling of the campfire legend in the opening chapter, bouncing from one camp counsellor to another, at different points in the tale, was ingenious and creepy.
Alex was an arrogant, self-centered, despicable character, who felt little remorse or responsibility for his part in Joey’s disappearance, believing his only crime was forgetting Joey for a few hours, and that whatever happened to the boy after that point was not his fault. Not only that, when he’s first threatened, it takes him a while to even recall what he did to Joey as a possible reason for someone wanting to harm him. There are advantages to novels where the revenge directed at the protagonist is well-deserved. I couldn’t help relishing what was in store Alex, and anticipating how far things were going to escalate, and what Alex’s reactions would be. But, there were some tense and worrying moments, involving Alex’s wife, and daughters, characters I definitely cared about, and didn’t want to see harmed.
I wasn’t overly fond of the dream-like writing style in Part 1 (the chapters set at camp). I understand why it was intended to be purposely vague, and ominous, but I thought it was too rushed. For example, the scene where Alex and Joey have their altercation in the water, ending with Joey being left on the raft, it’s unclear what happened to the other campers? All of a sudden, it’s just the two of them. The other kids must’ve gone back to camp, but it didn’t seem like enough time had passed for them to complete their own swims out to the raft, pack up, and leave. I needed that extra detail to properly visualise events. There were also instances where it was unclear which characters were present in a scene, and who was speaking. Chapter 6 had me swiping back several pages to make sense of one part. I did figure it out, but only on my third read through. This only applies to Part 1 (the first 12%) – I had no issues with how the rest of the book was written.
Recommended to those who enjoying their mystery/suspense with a dose of surrealism.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and J.P. Smith for the opportunity to read, and review, a digital copy of this book.
US Release Date: 1st January, 2019. (Out Now!)
Alex Mason has everything he ever wanted. He’s a successful, well-respected, property developer – a self-made man, living in a million dollar home, with his beautiful blonde wife, and two adoring daughters. But someone is intent on destroying Alex’s ‘picture perfect’ life. Because Alex has a secret – one in particular that could ruin him if it ever became public. Twenty-one years ago, when he was working as a swimming counsellor at Camp Waukeelo, he challenged his campers to swim out to a raft, and back. When eight year-old, Joey Proctor, unable to swim, and deathly afraid of deep water, refused, Alex dragged him out to the raft, and told him that his only way back was to toughen up and swim. Then, he left him there, alone in the middle of the lake. And that was the last time Joey Proctor was ever seen. Or, was it?
There’s nothing quite like a good revenge story. This was a sinfully delicious read from start to finish. But, it was the ending that really stood out – talk about clever! You got me, J. P. Smith, well played! I’m still theorising over it. But, and this is a big but, you were left with questions and ambiguity, which may not sit well with some readers. I thought it was brilliant! I’m kicking myself that I didn’t figure it out earlier, as the clues were there.
When the harassment towards Alex first started, I liked how the scares resembled childlike pranks, like something an actual eight year-old would do, as if, if it were really Joey behind it, then he hadn’t aged a day since he disappeared – gave me chills! The telling of the campfire legend in the opening chapter, bouncing from one camp counsellor to another, at different points in the tale, was ingenious and creepy.
Alex was an arrogant, self-centered, despicable character, who felt little remorse or responsibility for his part in Joey’s disappearance, believing his only crime was forgetting Joey for a few hours, and that whatever happened to the boy after that point was not his fault. Not only that, when he’s first threatened, it takes him a while to even recall what he did to Joey as a possible reason for someone wanting to harm him. There are advantages to novels where the revenge directed at the protagonist is well-deserved. I couldn’t help relishing what was in store Alex, and anticipating how far things were going to escalate, and what Alex’s reactions would be. But, there were some tense and worrying moments, involving Alex’s wife, and daughters, characters I definitely cared about, and didn’t want to see harmed.
I wasn’t overly fond of the dream-like writing style in Part 1 (the chapters set at camp). I understand why it was intended to be purposely vague, and ominous, but I thought it was too rushed. For example, the scene where Alex and Joey have their altercation in the water, ending with Joey being left on the raft, it’s unclear what happened to the other campers? All of a sudden, it’s just the two of them. The other kids must’ve gone back to camp, but it didn’t seem like enough time had passed for them to complete their own swims out to the raft, pack up, and leave. I needed that extra detail to properly visualise events. There were also instances where it was unclear which characters were present in a scene, and who was speaking. Chapter 6 had me swiping back several pages to make sense of one part. I did figure it out, but only on my third read through. This only applies to Part 1 (the first 12%) – I had no issues with how the rest of the book was written.
Recommended to those who enjoying their mystery/suspense with a dose of surrealism.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and J.P. Smith for the opportunity to read, and review, a digital copy of this book.
US Release Date: 1st January, 2019. (Out Now!)
January 18, 2019
The story around the campfire at the boys’ summer camp is about a man named John Otis, who lives somewhere in the woods and snatches a boy from camp ever seven years. What does he do to the boy once he’s kidnapped him? The endless speculation keeps the boys up at night, especially when eight-year-old Joey does in fact go missing.
Arrogant camp counselor Alex is frustrated that Joey still hasn’t learned to swim by the end of the summer. He leaves Joey in a raft and tells him that if he wants to come back, he’ll have to swim. Alex forgets about Joey until it’s revealed that the kid is missing. Alex feels bad, but when divers can’t find the body in the lake, it suggests that he didn’t drown. Joey must have wandered off or been snatched. By John Otis or someone else.
Twenty-one years later Alex is married to a beautiful woman and has a hugely successful real estate investment firm. Yes, he inherited it from his wealthy parents, but he’s also grown the brand. Alex is exactly the kind of person it’s very easy not to like. Even the charity he does is really to enhance the brand of his business. Even so, I started having some sympathy for him when so many weird things begin happening to him that threaten to destroy his family and his business and it all seems to be about his decision to leave Joey on that raft. Is Joey still alive after all?
This is a fun, quick read. It’s not the best I’ve read because I don’t love any characters and therefore there is no one to root for, but the ending has a satisfying twist.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel.
For more reviews, please visit http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
Arrogant camp counselor Alex is frustrated that Joey still hasn’t learned to swim by the end of the summer. He leaves Joey in a raft and tells him that if he wants to come back, he’ll have to swim. Alex forgets about Joey until it’s revealed that the kid is missing. Alex feels bad, but when divers can’t find the body in the lake, it suggests that he didn’t drown. Joey must have wandered off or been snatched. By John Otis or someone else.
Twenty-one years later Alex is married to a beautiful woman and has a hugely successful real estate investment firm. Yes, he inherited it from his wealthy parents, but he’s also grown the brand. Alex is exactly the kind of person it’s very easy not to like. Even the charity he does is really to enhance the brand of his business. Even so, I started having some sympathy for him when so many weird things begin happening to him that threaten to destroy his family and his business and it all seems to be about his decision to leave Joey on that raft. Is Joey still alive after all?
This is a fun, quick read. It’s not the best I’ve read because I don’t love any characters and therefore there is no one to root for, but the ending has a satisfying twist.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel.
For more reviews, please visit http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
August 22, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars
Twenty-one years ago little Joey Proctor was left alone on a raft in the middle of a lake at summer camp by his counselor Alex and told to swim back. He was never seen again. You know how that ends, right????
Well, maybe not exactly like that but there’s definitely some sort of blast from the past going on in the form of pranks and creepy almost-interactions and all signs point to Joey. The only question is how high will be the body count get before Alex can figure out what exactly is going on?
Oh, this was fun times. I love when I don’t see all the twists coming and I love it even more when the pacing is so quick that it doesn’t give me much time to even hypothesize. I really loved that douche La’Rouche Alex didn’t somehow grow up to be some upstanding citizen, but instead a philandering uggo of a real estate developer in NYC – which may provide a bit of a sense of déjà vu to some of you and have you hoping he would eventually get what was coming to him. (I can only assume his mouth must look like a tiny little butthole . . . .
because that wasn’t included in his description.)
If you’re the type of dickhead who can’t sit through Game of Thrones because it isn’t realistic that Samwell Tarly would still be fat . . . . .
This definitely isn’t the book for you. All the fun comes in the form of it being completely over-the-top. If you choose to read it, I can almost guaranty a polar reaction. Either you’re going to embrace the crazy, or you’re gonna pull a Ron . . . . .
This is a beachy read. A poolside read. A Thank-Jeebus-It’s-The-Weekend-Now-Where-Did-I-Leave-That-Box-Of-Wine type of read. It’s not going to change your life, but it might help you . . . .
And to all the other authors who have been attempting revenge stories recently?????
3.5 Stars
Twenty-one years ago little Joey Proctor was left alone on a raft in the middle of a lake at summer camp by his counselor Alex and told to swim back. He was never seen again. You know how that ends, right????
Well, maybe not exactly like that but there’s definitely some sort of blast from the past going on in the form of pranks and creepy almost-interactions and all signs point to Joey. The only question is how high will be the body count get before Alex can figure out what exactly is going on?
Oh, this was fun times. I love when I don’t see all the twists coming and I love it even more when the pacing is so quick that it doesn’t give me much time to even hypothesize. I really loved that douche La’Rouche Alex didn’t somehow grow up to be some upstanding citizen, but instead a philandering uggo of a real estate developer in NYC – which may provide a bit of a sense of déjà vu to some of you and have you hoping he would eventually get what was coming to him. (I can only assume his mouth must look like a tiny little butthole . . . .
because that wasn’t included in his description.)
If you’re the type of dickhead who can’t sit through Game of Thrones because it isn’t realistic that Samwell Tarly would still be fat . . . . .
This definitely isn’t the book for you. All the fun comes in the form of it being completely over-the-top. If you choose to read it, I can almost guaranty a polar reaction. Either you’re going to embrace the crazy, or you’re gonna pull a Ron . . . . .
This is a beachy read. A poolside read. A Thank-Jeebus-It’s-The-Weekend-Now-Where-Did-I-Leave-That-Box-Of-Wine type of read. It’s not going to change your life, but it might help you . . . .
And to all the other authors who have been attempting revenge stories recently?????
January 6, 2019
The Drowning, J. P. Smiths' seventh novel to date, is a dark and murky psychological thriller. It explores the propensity for a deep, dark secret buried long ago, and stored like all our repressed memories in the most inaccessible depths of our brain so as not to hurt us, to reappear. Sometimes they stay buried the way you want them to, but most of the time they resurface unannounced in a spectacular fashion causing a myriad of unwanted consequences. Although Smith uses well-recognised tropes here, he does so in a unique and refreshing way. However, there is one certainty, when the full extent of Alex's heartless, cruel to be kind, action or more correctly, omission (inaction) comes to light nothing will be the same again for all of those involved.
This is a solid read that has all of the component parts making it a compelling and suspenseful story, so much so that I forgot and burned my dinner as I feverishly turned the pages. Being a law graduate the many questions surrounding the issues of culpability and negligence, as well as a the moral standpoints e.g. legal concerns v moral concerns of the plot gave me plenty of food for thought. Like most readers I expected most of my answers to be addressed towards the back end of the novel, so I indeed enjoyed the fact that Smith didn't spell everything out or tie it all up conveniently in a bow. It'll stay with me for quite some time I suspect. So if you like questions to ponder or ruminate on this is a highly entertaining and immersive mystery thriller which poses some thought-provoking and intriguing questions.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for an ARC.
This is a solid read that has all of the component parts making it a compelling and suspenseful story, so much so that I forgot and burned my dinner as I feverishly turned the pages. Being a law graduate the many questions surrounding the issues of culpability and negligence, as well as a the moral standpoints e.g. legal concerns v moral concerns of the plot gave me plenty of food for thought. Like most readers I expected most of my answers to be addressed towards the back end of the novel, so I indeed enjoyed the fact that Smith didn't spell everything out or tie it all up conveniently in a bow. It'll stay with me for quite some time I suspect. So if you like questions to ponder or ruminate on this is a highly entertaining and immersive mystery thriller which poses some thought-provoking and intriguing questions.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for an ARC.
March 1, 2019
Sometimes it's not what you DO that makes it wrong. But what you DON'T do.
Alex Mason, the swimming councilor at Camp Waukeelo, prides himself on having every camper learn to swim by the end of camp. With only five days left at camp, eight year old Joey is the only the only one who hasn't learned to swim. So Alex uses his personal approach to teach hesitant kids to swim. Force them to jump in the deep end, telling them that nature will take over and they will swim.
But Joey is deathly afraid of deep water and refuses to jump. Angry, Alex throws him in only to have to save him from drowning. As punishment, Alex takes Joey from the dock to the raft and leaves him there telling him the only way back to shore is to swim. That was at 4 pm. By 8 pm, Joey is missing. After an extensive search of the woods and lake, no trace of Joey is found.
21 years later.
Alex Mason is a wealthy, successful, businessman with a beautiful wife and two daughters of his own. He wakes up one Saturday morning to find that someone has dyed the water in the pool red. But a bigger surprise is waiting on the bottom. When the pool is drained of the water, someone has chisled something into the bottom of the pool.
REMEMBER ME
And that is just the beginning.......
********
The Drowning by J.P. Smith is a captivating, psychological thrill ride from beginning to end, complete with a unique storyline, detailed characters, plenty of twists, and an ending that took me completely by surprise! This has KARMA written all over it! Overall a strong and highly enjoyable novel through and through!
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark publishing, and J.P. Smith for my Advanced Uncoreccted Digital Copy to read and review.
Alex Mason, the swimming councilor at Camp Waukeelo, prides himself on having every camper learn to swim by the end of camp. With only five days left at camp, eight year old Joey is the only the only one who hasn't learned to swim. So Alex uses his personal approach to teach hesitant kids to swim. Force them to jump in the deep end, telling them that nature will take over and they will swim.
But Joey is deathly afraid of deep water and refuses to jump. Angry, Alex throws him in only to have to save him from drowning. As punishment, Alex takes Joey from the dock to the raft and leaves him there telling him the only way back to shore is to swim. That was at 4 pm. By 8 pm, Joey is missing. After an extensive search of the woods and lake, no trace of Joey is found.
21 years later.
Alex Mason is a wealthy, successful, businessman with a beautiful wife and two daughters of his own. He wakes up one Saturday morning to find that someone has dyed the water in the pool red. But a bigger surprise is waiting on the bottom. When the pool is drained of the water, someone has chisled something into the bottom of the pool.
REMEMBER ME
And that is just the beginning.......
********
The Drowning by J.P. Smith is a captivating, psychological thrill ride from beginning to end, complete with a unique storyline, detailed characters, plenty of twists, and an ending that took me completely by surprise! This has KARMA written all over it! Overall a strong and highly enjoyable novel through and through!
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark publishing, and J.P. Smith for my Advanced Uncoreccted Digital Copy to read and review.
January 8, 2019
The story starts with a group of young boys sitting around a campfire. The cam counselors are also there .... telling the kids about an urban legend. A man would kidnap a child every 7 years.
That should be scary enough, but reality is much more frightening. Twenty years ago a camp counselor punished a young boy by putting him on a raft in the middle of the lake ... then promptly forgot all about him. The young boy disappeared, presumably drowned.
That brings the reader to the present. The camp counselor has made a great life for himself... he's wealthy, a beautiful home, a loving wife and children. But someone wants him to remember the little boy who drowned. Someone remembers the boy terror ..and wants the counselor to share in that terror today.
This is a dark psychological thriller, well-written, with finely drawn characters. The suspense starts on page 1 and doesn't let up until the very last page. The ending came as a surprise and I find myself still thinking about it.
I highly recommend THE DROWNING for anyone who likes psychological thrillers.
Many thanks to the author / SourceBooks Landmark / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of THE DROWNING. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
That should be scary enough, but reality is much more frightening. Twenty years ago a camp counselor punished a young boy by putting him on a raft in the middle of the lake ... then promptly forgot all about him. The young boy disappeared, presumably drowned.
That brings the reader to the present. The camp counselor has made a great life for himself... he's wealthy, a beautiful home, a loving wife and children. But someone wants him to remember the little boy who drowned. Someone remembers the boy terror ..and wants the counselor to share in that terror today.
This is a dark psychological thriller, well-written, with finely drawn characters. The suspense starts on page 1 and doesn't let up until the very last page. The ending came as a surprise and I find myself still thinking about it.
I highly recommend THE DROWNING for anyone who likes psychological thrillers.
Many thanks to the author / SourceBooks Landmark / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of THE DROWNING. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
March 3, 2019
This was pretty darn good and really have me intrigued and wanting to know who the antagonist was the entire time!! The pacing was great, never a dull moment, this kept me at the edge of my seat as one disturbing thing happened after another. This is the ultimate tale of revenge... And I loved it!! I wasn't sure who I thought might be at the bottom of all of this, as I kept going back and forth. I was satisfied with the ending but for some reason I felt like it could have had just a little bit more substance, for some reason. Could just be me. I'm interested to see what everyone else thinks. I think the lack of meet and somewhat anti-climactic ending is what kept it from being a five-star Thriller for me, that being said it was still a strong 4-star read!! I definitely am going to keep this author on my radar!!
January 14, 2019
I wish Goodreads would let you add punctuation to your book shelf titles because I desperately need to create a "Wait...what?" shelf.
I do not have any clue what was going on in this book. I mean I have a basic idea of what the story was supposed to be. I think I was supposed to think this was the story of a super successful real estate mogul being stalked by the boy he left to die when he was a shitty college student camp counselor twenty years before. Then I was supposed to be very, very surprised by what was really going on the whole time. Alas, that is not what happened.
The story starts very strong and Smith is a good writer. I'll give credit where its due. The man can write a sentence and set a very spooky scene. We begin on a dark night around a campfire where little boys are being terrified by camp counselors who are regaling their charges with the story of a child killer who stalks the woods around the camp and takes a new victim every seven years. And wouldn't you know it TONIGHT is the night he'll strike! But that's where a cheesy campfire ghost story veers into very real terror. The next day a little boy does vanish, never to be seen again.
Awesome right!? I loooovveee a good revenge thriller.
As the story really begins we meet Alex. Alex was the swim instructor at the camp and the only one who knows he was indirectly responsible for the missing boy being left alone for hours. He's never told a soul what he did but now someone who clearly knows what happened has begun to torment him.
Again doesn't this sound awesome!? Totally I Know What You Did Last Summer for grownups!!!!
Unfortunately this very solid start almost immediately goes up in flames and turns into a total mess that did nothing but frustrate and confuse the crap out of me. I actually stayed up waaayyyy past my bedtime hoping to arrive at a conclusion, ANY conclusion, that might explain the meandering mess of pointless (like they mean NOTHING to the present day story) flashbacks, changes in perspective, and senseless murder that surrounds possibly the most boring victim/secret bad guy I've ever read about. Then as if that wasn't bad enough I was given literally no resolution to the one part of the story I actually cared about.
I cared nothing about Alex and thus cared even less about what happened to him. The stalker is another one of those "Oh that guy from page 4" reveals that straight up made me want to tear the book to shreds and then everything just kind of ends.
All I could do when I was done was say "wait...what?"
I do not have any clue what was going on in this book. I mean I have a basic idea of what the story was supposed to be. I think I was supposed to think this was the story of a super successful real estate mogul being stalked by the boy he left to die when he was a shitty college student camp counselor twenty years before. Then I was supposed to be very, very surprised by what was really going on the whole time. Alas, that is not what happened.
The story starts very strong and Smith is a good writer. I'll give credit where its due. The man can write a sentence and set a very spooky scene. We begin on a dark night around a campfire where little boys are being terrified by camp counselors who are regaling their charges with the story of a child killer who stalks the woods around the camp and takes a new victim every seven years. And wouldn't you know it TONIGHT is the night he'll strike! But that's where a cheesy campfire ghost story veers into very real terror. The next day a little boy does vanish, never to be seen again.
Awesome right!? I loooovveee a good revenge thriller.
As the story really begins we meet Alex. Alex was the swim instructor at the camp and the only one who knows he was indirectly responsible for the missing boy being left alone for hours. He's never told a soul what he did but now someone who clearly knows what happened has begun to torment him.
Again doesn't this sound awesome!? Totally I Know What You Did Last Summer for grownups!!!!
Unfortunately this very solid start almost immediately goes up in flames and turns into a total mess that did nothing but frustrate and confuse the crap out of me. I actually stayed up waaayyyy past my bedtime hoping to arrive at a conclusion, ANY conclusion, that might explain the meandering mess of pointless (like they mean NOTHING to the present day story) flashbacks, changes in perspective, and senseless murder that surrounds possibly the most boring victim/secret bad guy I've ever read about. Then as if that wasn't bad enough I was given literally no resolution to the one part of the story I actually cared about.
I cared nothing about Alex and thus cared even less about what happened to him. The stalker is another one of those "Oh that guy from page 4" reveals that straight up made me want to tear the book to shreds and then everything just kind of ends.
All I could do when I was done was say "wait...what?"
February 16, 2019
I received a free e-copy of The Drowning by J.P. Smith from NetGalley for my honest review.
There is an urban legend that every seven years a boy disappears from Camp Waukeelo. It is rumored that John Otis is the man who is responsible for the disappearance of these missing boys.
Joey Proctor, eight years old is at camp Waukeelo, when his swimming counselor, Alex Mason, makes him go on a dock in the middle of the lake and leaves him there to swim back on his own. Joey, by the way, can’t swim and is terrified of water. Alex, forgets about Joey being on the dock. Then, Joey ends up missing.
They search the woods and search the lake, but he is never found. Alex, is hiding under his lies of him leaving Joey on the dock and forgetting him.
Twenty years later, Alex is the biggest hotel and real estate developer in New York. He is married, has two children and lives in a big and beautiful home. Then things start happening to Alex. Things from the past. It can't be! Is Joey still alive? Does someone else know what happened twenty years ago and want revenge?
There is an urban legend that every seven years a boy disappears from Camp Waukeelo. It is rumored that John Otis is the man who is responsible for the disappearance of these missing boys.
Joey Proctor, eight years old is at camp Waukeelo, when his swimming counselor, Alex Mason, makes him go on a dock in the middle of the lake and leaves him there to swim back on his own. Joey, by the way, can’t swim and is terrified of water. Alex, forgets about Joey being on the dock. Then, Joey ends up missing.
They search the woods and search the lake, but he is never found. Alex, is hiding under his lies of him leaving Joey on the dock and forgetting him.
Twenty years later, Alex is the biggest hotel and real estate developer in New York. He is married, has two children and lives in a big and beautiful home. Then things start happening to Alex. Things from the past. It can't be! Is Joey still alive? Does someone else know what happened twenty years ago and want revenge?
February 18, 2019
THE DROWNING, by J. P. Smith is a dark psychological thriller published in January 2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark, is his seventh novel, but the first novel I have read by this author.
The novel opens with a group of young boys around a campfire, while the camp counsellors tell them a scary story…
“One night, every seven years since Camp Waukeelo was founded in 1937,” one of the counsellors begins, “long after lights out, a local man, John Otis, would sneak into the camp through the woods beyond the bunks and take one of the younger boys.”
Every seven years, a boy disappears from Camp Waukeelo.
Who will be next?
Twenty years ago, a little boy at camp disappeared. His name was Joey Proctor and he couldn’t swim, but that didn’t stop camp counsellor Alex Mason from leaving him out on a raft in the middle of the lake as a form of punishment. Alex only meant to scare the kid, teach him a lesson. He didn't mean to forget about him. But now Joey is gone... and his body is never found.
Fast forward twenty years later, arrogant Alex is rich and successful, an extravagant house and married with daughters.
But no one knows what happened that summer at camp…or does someone know what he did?
The Drowning is a well-written fast-paced plot with believable ruthless characters and a suspense level that keeps rising to the end. I found the ending was a surprise but acceptable.
Highly recommended for anyone who likes psychological thrillers.
Many thanks SourceBooks Landmark via Netgalley for my digital copy.
The novel opens with a group of young boys around a campfire, while the camp counsellors tell them a scary story…
“One night, every seven years since Camp Waukeelo was founded in 1937,” one of the counsellors begins, “long after lights out, a local man, John Otis, would sneak into the camp through the woods beyond the bunks and take one of the younger boys.”
Every seven years, a boy disappears from Camp Waukeelo.
Who will be next?
Twenty years ago, a little boy at camp disappeared. His name was Joey Proctor and he couldn’t swim, but that didn’t stop camp counsellor Alex Mason from leaving him out on a raft in the middle of the lake as a form of punishment. Alex only meant to scare the kid, teach him a lesson. He didn't mean to forget about him. But now Joey is gone... and his body is never found.
Fast forward twenty years later, arrogant Alex is rich and successful, an extravagant house and married with daughters.
But no one knows what happened that summer at camp…or does someone know what he did?
The Drowning is a well-written fast-paced plot with believable ruthless characters and a suspense level that keeps rising to the end. I found the ending was a surprise but acceptable.
Highly recommended for anyone who likes psychological thrillers.
Many thanks SourceBooks Landmark via Netgalley for my digital copy.
April 2, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5
The Drowning by J.P. Smith was my first time reading this author, but this book was so good that it definitely will not be my last!
What it's about: The legend goes that a little boy goes missing every 7 years at Camp Waukeelo in Massachusetts. So when the camp swimming instructor Alex leaves 8-year-old Joey Proctor out on a raft and he disappears, it seems like the legend is repeating itself. But no one besides Alex knows he left Joey out on the raft by himself, or so he thinks... Fast forward 21 years later and Alex is a successful businessman, but it seems like his past is finally catching up with him. Is Joey back for revenge, or is someone else out to get him? Only time will tell.
The end of this book is pretty open-ended which is usually something I hate, but for some reason with The Drowning it worked for me. I ended up figuring out part of the ending towards the end before it was revealed, but that didn't stop me from really enjoying this book. There are multiple viewpoints and very short chapters, and both of these combined made this an incredibly fast read. In fact, I managed to read it in one sitting and in under four hours. So if you are looking for a super fast read that you can get through in one sitting, I HIGHLY recommend it.
I really enjoyed J.P. Smith's writing style, and am a little disappointed in myself that I didn't read anything by him sooner. I did see that he says his other books are usually classified more as literary fiction, but since I enjoyed his writing so much I have a sneaky suspension I will love his other books as well.
Final Thought: If you don't mind open-ended endings in a book (one MAJOR loose thread), but love theorizing for yourself then I would recommend reading The Drowning. There were enough twists that it still kept me guessing, and the pace kept me interested the entire time. Bottom line, I definitely recommend this book!
So happy to have received this book for free from The Book Drop https://www.thebookdrop.com/ as part of being one of their Brand Ambassadors.
The Drowning by J.P. Smith was my first time reading this author, but this book was so good that it definitely will not be my last!
What it's about: The legend goes that a little boy goes missing every 7 years at Camp Waukeelo in Massachusetts. So when the camp swimming instructor Alex leaves 8-year-old Joey Proctor out on a raft and he disappears, it seems like the legend is repeating itself. But no one besides Alex knows he left Joey out on the raft by himself, or so he thinks... Fast forward 21 years later and Alex is a successful businessman, but it seems like his past is finally catching up with him. Is Joey back for revenge, or is someone else out to get him? Only time will tell.
The end of this book is pretty open-ended which is usually something I hate, but for some reason with The Drowning it worked for me. I ended up figuring out part of the ending towards the end before it was revealed, but that didn't stop me from really enjoying this book. There are multiple viewpoints and very short chapters, and both of these combined made this an incredibly fast read. In fact, I managed to read it in one sitting and in under four hours. So if you are looking for a super fast read that you can get through in one sitting, I HIGHLY recommend it.
I really enjoyed J.P. Smith's writing style, and am a little disappointed in myself that I didn't read anything by him sooner. I did see that he says his other books are usually classified more as literary fiction, but since I enjoyed his writing so much I have a sneaky suspension I will love his other books as well.
Final Thought: If you don't mind open-ended endings in a book (one MAJOR loose thread), but love theorizing for yourself then I would recommend reading The Drowning. There were enough twists that it still kept me guessing, and the pace kept me interested the entire time. Bottom line, I definitely recommend this book!
So happy to have received this book for free from The Book Drop https://www.thebookdrop.com/ as part of being one of their Brand Ambassadors.
December 22, 2018
I just love it when a thriller totally takes me by surprise, and The Drowning drew me in straight away with its dual timeline that introduced what was to be a multi-layered, irresistible mystery. 21 years ago, eight-year-old Joey Proctor disappeared without a trace from summer camp. Some of the other boys are convinced he has fallen victim to urban legend John Otis, the evil man who is rumoured to have been behind the disappearance of several boys in these very woods. The police, on the other hand, believe that Joey may have wandered off into the forest, perhaps distressed about his parents’ marital problems. Only one person knows the truth – cocky swimming instructor Alex Mason, who left the boy behind on a swimming raft in the middle of the lake that afternoon to teach him a lesson and promptly forgot about him. But Alex is not about to tell the truth and destroy his own future for the sake of a simple “mistake”. So life goes on without Joey, even though for some it will never be the same again. The other boys grow up, Alex grows older and richer, and soon the news story is replaced by other headlines. Twenty years on, Alex has all but forgotten about that long ago summer as he is basking in his success as a property developer, living in a mansion with his pretty wife and two young daughters. Life has treated him well. Until the day things start to go wrong for him – and he receives a sinister message from Joey. But Joey is dead – or isn’t he?
J.P. Smith has taken a risk by starring a very unlikeable character as the main protagonist in his novel, but he managed to totally pull this off for me. Whilst I disliked Alex intensely – not only for what he has done, but for his arrogance and lack of remorse – he always maintained a small degree of humanity that made a tiny part of my heart sympathetic to his plight. Ok, perhaps not overly sympathetic, but curious in how this would play out. Those interested in seeing karma come back to haunt the guilty will get some satisfaction out of the events that follow. And of course there is the mystery of the cold case, the missing boy, that totally hooked me.
Smith writes well, and both timelines played out seamlessly in my mind’s eye. I loved the constant thread of danger and suspense that overshadowed the events in both past and present, and the inclusion of the urban legend was a great touch. There is nothing quite like a John Otis to awaken our primal fears of the monster coming in the night to take us away. Do we ever really grow out of that? Everyone who has ever been on a school camp will be able to recall the goosebumps as someone told a ghost story in the night. Then there was the butterfly effect Joey’s death had on the lives he touched, ultimately spinning out of control as the timelines collide. And if that was not enough, there is that extra contemporary touch of including a filmmaker interested in Joey’s story for a true-crime documentary, and a tireless detective investigating the cold case. It now had all the elements I love in a thriller – thank you very much!
The Drowning was one of those books that immediately drew me in and made me read late into the night to find out the answers. It’s not easy these days to find a thriller that stands out from the rest, but this one is so cleverly plotted that it definitely fell into that category for me. A well constructed, compelling read!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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J.P. Smith has taken a risk by starring a very unlikeable character as the main protagonist in his novel, but he managed to totally pull this off for me. Whilst I disliked Alex intensely – not only for what he has done, but for his arrogance and lack of remorse – he always maintained a small degree of humanity that made a tiny part of my heart sympathetic to his plight. Ok, perhaps not overly sympathetic, but curious in how this would play out. Those interested in seeing karma come back to haunt the guilty will get some satisfaction out of the events that follow. And of course there is the mystery of the cold case, the missing boy, that totally hooked me.
Smith writes well, and both timelines played out seamlessly in my mind’s eye. I loved the constant thread of danger and suspense that overshadowed the events in both past and present, and the inclusion of the urban legend was a great touch. There is nothing quite like a John Otis to awaken our primal fears of the monster coming in the night to take us away. Do we ever really grow out of that? Everyone who has ever been on a school camp will be able to recall the goosebumps as someone told a ghost story in the night. Then there was the butterfly effect Joey’s death had on the lives he touched, ultimately spinning out of control as the timelines collide. And if that was not enough, there is that extra contemporary touch of including a filmmaker interested in Joey’s story for a true-crime documentary, and a tireless detective investigating the cold case. It now had all the elements I love in a thriller – thank you very much!
The Drowning was one of those books that immediately drew me in and made me read late into the night to find out the answers. It’s not easy these days to find a thriller that stands out from the rest, but this one is so cleverly plotted that it definitely fell into that category for me. A well constructed, compelling read!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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September 8, 2018
An incredibly unique page-turner...I was hooked from the first page! It’s well written, gripping and twisty. Review to come!
March 16, 2019
The Drowning is a fun , quick , psychological thriller with unlikable characters which made it a twisty read
February 7, 2019
I really wanted to love this book and I do. It's just not absolutely complete in a few ways. For one, I have to agree to all the other reviewers who even after finishing had questions lingering about the plot, the characters and even the story as a whole.
It's like a brilliant idea that's neither poetic enough nor technically well explained.
For this one reason, this book felt almost unfinished.
The best part of all this story is that it was inspired by a horrifying event in the author's childhood. I just think it could've been developed more meticulously.
Thank you Sourcebooks for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
It's like a brilliant idea that's neither poetic enough nor technically well explained.
For this one reason, this book felt almost unfinished.
The best part of all this story is that it was inspired by a horrifying event in the author's childhood. I just think it could've been developed more meticulously.
Thank you Sourcebooks for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
February 1, 2019
Joey Proctor is a little boy who is frightened – terrified – of the water. When Alex Mason, a young swimming instructor at summer camp, becomes frustrated with Joey he swims the boy out to a raft on a lake and leaves him there, telling him if he wants to get to shore he has to swim. But Alex forgets about Joey until later in the day and when he goes back, the raft is deserted. And Joey is never seen again.
That’s the intriguing opening on THE DROWNING, an excellent new psychological thriller by JP Smith.
Fast forward twenty-one years and Alex is now a famous and wealthy New York property developer with a string of high-end hotels. Alex successfully hid his involvement in Joey’s disappearance and has hardly given the boy a thought in the years since. But now a series of incidents begin that bring Joey very much into his thoughts and threaten Alex, his family, his business empire and his sanity. Is Joey still alive and has he returned to take revenge?
Smith expertly cranks up the pace and tension as Alex is drawn deeper into the mystery and forced to face his past. It makes for thrilling reading with a number of twists and turns until the surprising and satisfying ending.
Very highly recommended.
That’s the intriguing opening on THE DROWNING, an excellent new psychological thriller by JP Smith.
Fast forward twenty-one years and Alex is now a famous and wealthy New York property developer with a string of high-end hotels. Alex successfully hid his involvement in Joey’s disappearance and has hardly given the boy a thought in the years since. But now a series of incidents begin that bring Joey very much into his thoughts and threaten Alex, his family, his business empire and his sanity. Is Joey still alive and has he returned to take revenge?
Smith expertly cranks up the pace and tension as Alex is drawn deeper into the mystery and forced to face his past. It makes for thrilling reading with a number of twists and turns until the surprising and satisfying ending.
Very highly recommended.
August 7, 2021
We know who did it, we know why? But what we don't know is who has come back to get revenge!
A good thriller with plenty of red herrings, twists and moments that make you think "wow that escalated quickly"
Well written, well paced a good read 👍
A good thriller with plenty of red herrings, twists and moments that make you think "wow that escalated quickly"
Well written, well paced a good read 👍
October 11, 2019
I love a great mystery and Smith has delivered just that In The Drowning. I never had it pinned down right. So that was a plus. I love it when I can't figure it out. My fist Book by Smith will not be my last.
December 8, 2018
So much deeper (no pun intended) than a boy left in a raft.
This story is a crazy, interwoven series of lives affected by the butterfly effect of one 18 year olds choice 21 years ago. And, yes 21 years later the Butterfly Effect is still spreading.
The title is also full of symbolism. There is so much drowning that the title doesn’t just refer to that one night at camp. A man Watching his business sink while trying to keep his marriage above water. A couple drowning in debt from that one night 21 years ago. A son drowning in the loss of his parents because of that night 21 years ago. A literal drowning of a young man 21 years later. Secrets drowned.
But everything resurfaces sooner or later.
This book deserves 5 stars for the plot and the prose. The author has a beautiful writing style.
Thank you #NetGalley, the author and the Publisher for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This story is a crazy, interwoven series of lives affected by the butterfly effect of one 18 year olds choice 21 years ago. And, yes 21 years later the Butterfly Effect is still spreading.
The title is also full of symbolism. There is so much drowning that the title doesn’t just refer to that one night at camp. A man Watching his business sink while trying to keep his marriage above water. A couple drowning in debt from that one night 21 years ago. A son drowning in the loss of his parents because of that night 21 years ago. A literal drowning of a young man 21 years later. Secrets drowned.
But everything resurfaces sooner or later.
This book deserves 5 stars for the plot and the prose. The author has a beautiful writing style.
Thank you #NetGalley, the author and the Publisher for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 9, 2020
This is a very enjoyable mystery/thriller, which gradually draws you in and then plays with your thoughts as to what actually happened and who was responsible.
The writing is good, the story well paced and the ending gives you a solution, but also leaves you wondering what actually happened, or didn't happen.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The writing is good, the story well paced and the ending gives you a solution, but also leaves you wondering what actually happened, or didn't happen.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2019
*4.5 stars ✨
December 28, 2024
This book was pretty easy to get into and by part two, I was uber curious about how things would play out. I was absolutely on edge when Alex's past started to rear its head. I had so many questions and truly feared what would/could come next. There were several unexpected twists and turns throughout, and it kept me on the edge of my seat as I waited for all of the secrets to come to light. As the conclusion got closer, it felt like the story was spiraling wildly, and I was hooked and totally along for the ride. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and all of its many layers of shock and awe. The ending was quite satisfying. I am looking forward to reading more of Smith's books very soon.
August 8, 2025
I spent the day bed rotting during a thunderstorm while reading this book and honestly I’m not mad about it. I was intrigued the whole time and I love me a sleep away camp mystery 😈
January 27, 2019
This was an interesting thriller about 8-year-old Joey Proctor who goes missing at summer camp when his swimming counselor, Alex leaves him alone on a raft in the middle of the lake and instructs him to swim even though Joey doesn't know how and is terrified of deep water. Then Alex forgets about him and keeps quiet about it during the ensuing investigation. Twenty years later Alex is a professional earning lots of money when someone begins taunting him and spying on his family. Convinced it's about Joey, Alex worries how this will affect his family and his business, and of course it does in horrible ways. I wasn't wild about the ending but understood why Smith did this. All in all, a compelling read!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
April 4, 2019
"Fear has been given a name and a reality all its own."
As soon as I read the synopsis of The Drowning, it reminded me of Friday the 13th a bit, and I had to read it. This mystery alternates between camp and present day many years later. I loved the setup of this story, and I had so much fun reading it. I found the story to be addicting, entertaining, and mysterious. I wasn't in love with the ending, and was a little frustrated, but The Drowning was still an enjoyable read. I'll be reading more from JP Smith!
As soon as I read the synopsis of The Drowning, it reminded me of Friday the 13th a bit, and I had to read it. This mystery alternates between camp and present day many years later. I loved the setup of this story, and I had so much fun reading it. I found the story to be addicting, entertaining, and mysterious. I wasn't in love with the ending, and was a little frustrated, but The Drowning was still an enjoyable read. I'll be reading more from JP Smith!
January 17, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of
The Drowning.
I really wanted to read this book due to the premise. Who doesn't love a good revenge tale? I do!
** Minor spoilers ahead **
Twenty one years ago at a summer camp, a boy named Joey was left alone on a dock to swim back to shore despite the fact that he was terrified of the water.
When the teenage swimming instructor, Alex, remembered Joey hours later, he returned only to find the boy was gone. Joey was never found again.
As the years pass, Joey's disappearance is attributed to a local urban legend about a demented local man who lives in the woods and preys on boys every seven years.
Then, we flash forward to the present day where Alex is now an arrogant, affluent, and adultering piece of crap. He's a hotshot real estate developer with a gorgeous wife, two kids and plenty of influence. What more could he want?
Suddenly, strange things begin to happen to this egotistical buffoon; harassment, business deals falling through, vandalism, that all point to Joey as the avenging angel out for justice.
Is Joey alive? Has he returned for revenge?
As Alex tries to hold onto his business and marriage, readers are treated to flashbacks where a dedicated detective investigates the cold case of the missing boy and in a separate incident, a father and son hunting one day make a horrific discovery.
Alex probes into the camp's origins and what may have happened to Joey when he stumbles across a filmmaker working on a documentary about the camp, Joey's disappearance and the local legend.
As events continue to unfold and the harassment becomes more pointed and vicious, Alex begins to lose his grip on reality, making ridiculous and callous decisions that call into question his sanity.
I love revenge stories, and this one wasn't bad.
Alex is no saint; actually, he doesn't have many redeeming qualities except for being good at his job, but that doesn't absolve him of his many, many flaws.
A heads up for those who don't like ambiguity and loose ends, you may not like The Drowning.
There are a lot of loose ends; not so much red herrings but nothing is fully explained or resolved and you wonder if the author threw these tidbits of information as a tease.
Is he trying to psych us out or Alex?
I don't mind ambiguity because, let's be real, sometimes life is ambiguous.
There are many unexplained events, disappearances, deaths, and sometimes, the real culprits are never caught, never brought to justice or we are left with measly bits of information that never paints a clear picture of what happened and everything remains unsolved.
This is that sort of book.
The author leaves us with these possibilities:
1. Is the detective real or not?
2. What is the significance of the grisly discovery made by the father and son hunters?
3. Is the urban legend real?
4. Who is that creepy local man Alex meets at the diner?
5. Does that creepy local have anything to do with Joey's disappearance?
There were a few moments of disbelief suspension that skewed very close to the borderline for me but I played along since Alex was teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown by that point.
Besides, he basically left a boy alone on a raft. Wouldn't he be capable of committing worse acts than that?
I guessed the twist and the villain reveal; its not difficult. The author gives a clue midway through the book that makes it pretty obvious who the culprit could be.
The conclusion is satisfying in that a revenge tale ends when the bad guy gets his comeuppance.
Loose threads can dangle here; I liked the touch of ambiguity and loose interpretations people had regarding the disappearance.
I just wanted Alex to get his just desserts and it was sweet.
I really wanted to read this book due to the premise. Who doesn't love a good revenge tale? I do!
** Minor spoilers ahead **
Twenty one years ago at a summer camp, a boy named Joey was left alone on a dock to swim back to shore despite the fact that he was terrified of the water.
When the teenage swimming instructor, Alex, remembered Joey hours later, he returned only to find the boy was gone. Joey was never found again.
As the years pass, Joey's disappearance is attributed to a local urban legend about a demented local man who lives in the woods and preys on boys every seven years.
Then, we flash forward to the present day where Alex is now an arrogant, affluent, and adultering piece of crap. He's a hotshot real estate developer with a gorgeous wife, two kids and plenty of influence. What more could he want?
Suddenly, strange things begin to happen to this egotistical buffoon; harassment, business deals falling through, vandalism, that all point to Joey as the avenging angel out for justice.
Is Joey alive? Has he returned for revenge?
As Alex tries to hold onto his business and marriage, readers are treated to flashbacks where a dedicated detective investigates the cold case of the missing boy and in a separate incident, a father and son hunting one day make a horrific discovery.
Alex probes into the camp's origins and what may have happened to Joey when he stumbles across a filmmaker working on a documentary about the camp, Joey's disappearance and the local legend.
As events continue to unfold and the harassment becomes more pointed and vicious, Alex begins to lose his grip on reality, making ridiculous and callous decisions that call into question his sanity.
I love revenge stories, and this one wasn't bad.
Alex is no saint; actually, he doesn't have many redeeming qualities except for being good at his job, but that doesn't absolve him of his many, many flaws.
A heads up for those who don't like ambiguity and loose ends, you may not like The Drowning.
There are a lot of loose ends; not so much red herrings but nothing is fully explained or resolved and you wonder if the author threw these tidbits of information as a tease.
Is he trying to psych us out or Alex?
I don't mind ambiguity because, let's be real, sometimes life is ambiguous.
There are many unexplained events, disappearances, deaths, and sometimes, the real culprits are never caught, never brought to justice or we are left with measly bits of information that never paints a clear picture of what happened and everything remains unsolved.
This is that sort of book.
The author leaves us with these possibilities:
1. Is the detective real or not?
2. What is the significance of the grisly discovery made by the father and son hunters?
3. Is the urban legend real?
4. Who is that creepy local man Alex meets at the diner?
5. Does that creepy local have anything to do with Joey's disappearance?
There were a few moments of disbelief suspension that skewed very close to the borderline for me but I played along since Alex was teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown by that point.
Besides, he basically left a boy alone on a raft. Wouldn't he be capable of committing worse acts than that?
I guessed the twist and the villain reveal; its not difficult. The author gives a clue midway through the book that makes it pretty obvious who the culprit could be.
The conclusion is satisfying in that a revenge tale ends when the bad guy gets his comeuppance.
Loose threads can dangle here; I liked the touch of ambiguity and loose interpretations people had regarding the disappearance.
I just wanted Alex to get his just desserts and it was sweet.
September 13, 2020
I went into this book knowing very little but the plot from a high-level perspective. There is an urban legend about a man who takes a boy from camp every seven summers like Pennywise or a thief in the night. A boy goes missing after a "teaching moment" gone horribly wrong, and a couple of decades later the counselor responsible is experiencing things that make him believe the boy is alive/has returned for revenge.
I had hoped there would be some more time at the summer camp - I LIVE for camp stories! There's always just been something about that setting that puts me in the best mental state when reading/watching thrillers and horror. But after a couple dozen pages we are no longer at camp and are in the city with a whole new story happening.
I also felt let down by the ending - yes, I semi-figured out what was happening but I wanted the connection to be better and I wanted to be able to marinate with the results. Instead it was "Here it is and now here's the last page of the book." I just wanted a little more. Overall I did enjoy the book and it was a super quick read... and I will be on the lookout for more J.P. Smith!
I had hoped there would be some more time at the summer camp - I LIVE for camp stories! There's always just been something about that setting that puts me in the best mental state when reading/watching thrillers and horror. But after a couple dozen pages we are no longer at camp and are in the city with a whole new story happening.
I also felt let down by the ending - yes, I semi-figured out what was happening but I wanted the connection to be better and I wanted to be able to marinate with the results. Instead it was "Here it is and now here's the last page of the book." I just wanted a little more. Overall I did enjoy the book and it was a super quick read... and I will be on the lookout for more J.P. Smith!
November 13, 2021
Un livre qui m’a laissé sur mon appétit. Le rythme est bon et le thriller efficace, mais les personnages sont faiblement développés et l’intrigue est terriblement prévisible. J’avais absolument tout découvert au milieu du roman… A mi-chemin en thriller «régulier» et le thriller domestique.
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