Deep Water

by Sarah Epstein

Avant la tempête
Sept amis. Mason, Chloé, Henry, Tom, Raf, Rina et Sabeen se sont trouvés. Ils se savent liés à jamais et ne se cachent rien. Leurs vies ne sont pas toujours faciles mais ils restent ensemble, malgré les épreuves.
Lorsqu’une nuit, l’orage éclate.

Maintenant

Henry a disparu. Fugue ? Enlèvement ? Meurtre ?
Tout le monde le cherche, tout le monde se méfie, tout le monde est suspect. Chacun a des secrets à protéger. Coûte que coûte…

Que s’est-il passé la nuit de la tempête ?

Un thriller australien hautement addictif.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Contemporary, Australia, Friendship

448 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2020

About the author

Sarah Epstein is an award-winning Australian author who resides in Melbourne with her family. Her young adult novels have been translated into multiple languages and have also been nominated for numerous literary awards. Sarah is the recipient of the Adelaide Festival Young Adult Fiction Award, the Davitt Award for Best YA Crime Novel, Honour Book from the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and CBCA Notable Book. Sarah’s short fiction is featured in the Hometown Haunts anthology, and she also writes and illustrates picture books.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could not put this down! I loved the compelling small town mystery about the missing brother and how I was constantly guessing about who the suspects were. Featuring unreliable narrators, alcoholism and a broken family, and a brother with an anger management problem.

Full review posted here.

Check out Happy Indulgence Books for more reviews!

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Deep Water by Sarah Epstein. (2020).
*Young Adult*

13 year old Henry Weaver went missing three months ago during a violent storm. His muddy bike was later found at the train station. His older brother Mason doesn't know who he is it what he's capable of, but he does know that Henry binds him to this suffocating small town. Meanwhile Chloe wants answers; why would Henry run away without telling her? One of her friends know something and she's determined to find out the truth. As Chloe wades into dangerous waters and Mason's past emerges, a chilling question arises... how far would you go to keep a secret?

After being blown away by this author's first novel (Small Spaces), I eagerly grabbed this one when I saw it in the library. I'm glad I did because it was a great read. I think it would make an excellent introduction to thrillers for young teen readers, but also would be fantastic for those adult readers who like their thrillers 'clean' (no gruesome or graphic details). We alternate between Mason and Chloe's perspectives as well as the current timeline and events leading up to Henry's disappearance. With many red herrings throughout the book, it was difficult to guess how it would all end (which is a good thing!).
Overall: I would happily recommend this book for both young adults and adults who enjoy thrillers.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

✰ 4 stars ✰

“Why would someone do that? Why would they lie?

Why does anyone lie?

To hide the truth.”

What an exciting page-turner of a read this gem of a YA thriller Deep Water was! Sarah Epstein surprised me with how much this book flowed so well - the pacing was perfect - the alternating shifts in POVs between Chloe and Mason was done so seamlessly as we get to see the before and after of different events that led to Henry's disappearance. It was such a creative and poetically fascinating twist that kept the suspense going - to have the story told through the eyes of young Henry's 'best friend', Chloe, who doesn't get along well AT ALL with Mason, his older half-brother.

And it wasn't just a thriller - it was a mystery - a painful and heart-breaking mystery, because to me - there is nothing worse than the unknown - being stuck in the limbo of being unsure if you feel that your loved one is somewhere out there or if you can finally have the chance to grieve for the loss. I especially liked that even though Chloe and Mason were part of the same circle of friends, they were never really close. And then to see how they countered each other with accusations and suspicious motives - how the two of them had their own ideas on how to find out the truth behind the disappearance - it was such a brilliant and well-executed contrast, I really applaud the author for that - because she gives us glimpses into two VERY different lives and how they still are connected by their connection with Henry.

“I’m not a good person, Mason thought. I didn’t deserve this day.”

My heart ached for Mason - his life was anything but happy with his alcoholic abusive mother and his absentee father - he was burdened with so much responsibility and still had to carry this heavy weight that his own volatile behavior might be because of his father - and how that fear crippled him when he had no control over his actions. 💔💔 There was so much to his character - how much he had to hide - how much he had to cover - how much he just wanted to be himself, but never got that opening - that chance - his life has been a mess ever since he can remember. And then how he treated Henry prior to his disappearance - how he would be gripped by the notion of 'what if' he DID have something to do with it. Everything was shown to the reader with such care and detail - to make us empathize with his feelings - to sense the heightened escalation as he neared the truth behind that day.

“The one phrase I’ve heard probably more than any other in my life is, ‘Let it go, Chloe.’

But I refuse. Especially when it’s something as important as finding Henry.”

Chloe Baxter was a very stubborn and loyal character, who though at times did annoy me with her persistence and know-it-all sense that she had to be right in her points. And yet she encapsulated so much energy and determination - a fierce protective bond that she shared with Henry pushed her so far to the find out the truth - not caring at all who she angered or whose feathers she ruffled along the way. She also harbored this inner guilt of that Henry may have not disappeared if she had agreed to spend the time with him as they had initially planned - rather than having a secret rendezvous with one of her close friends, Raf.

“She doesn’t like it when any of us are at odds; she wants us to remain the tight circle we were as kids. Except the older we get, the more we grow and change. A circle is nothing but a closed loop.”

The friendship vibes were both heartbreaking and real - we all have that feeling - on the cusp of adulthood where we want to cling onto the remnants of our youth - and still unable to prevent relationships from unraveling, no matter how hard we cling to it. The bitterness of jealousy that one can be more accepted and engaging in a group, compared to oneself. How Sarah Epstein displayed that in The Shallows, a small Australian town of dangerous waters, - there is this prevalent foreboding of melancholic feeling that's gripped this small group of once very close-knit group of friends. Henry's disappearance broke their trust and faith with each other, but how in the throes of danger, they all rallied together to find a way out was so well-done that you couldn't help but hope for the best for them. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

“You think you know someone, but you don’t really know what they’re capable of.”

I liked that it wasn't such an obviously blatant choice of a suspect - there were so many possibilities of the culprit - so many reasons for the disappearance that kept me turning the page till the end - fighting my fingers from jumping till the end to find out. And the ending was so very bittersweet - I hoped against hope it wouldn't be someone I thought it was, but as the clues cleverly converged together - how the writing heightened the reveals and tense moments that plagued the characters from all sides - it just saddened me. How one bad decision can hurt so much in the long run? How are misguided actions can eventually destroy everything we had worked so hard for? It culminated in an unfortunate ending, that while it gave us the truth - it took something in return from each of them, as well. 😢

“Wrong turns, bad decisions … everybody makes them. Mistakes show we’re human, but it’s what we do next that reveals who we truly are.”

[rachel, x · Rating 4 out of 5]

➸ Trigger warnings for racism, homomisia, child abuse, parent with alcoholism, alcohol consumption & abuse, smoking mentioned, death of a child, disappearance of a brother (theme), physical assault, poverty, bushfire mentioned, and bullying.

▷ Representation: Mason (mc) is gay; Luisia (sc) is Portuguese; Sabeen (mc) is Pakistani & has two mums.

Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph

[Nadine Schrott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spannender Jugend Krimi .....flüssig zu lesen und stilistisch ausgefeilt....

Henry ist verschwunden....
Seine Freunde können sich nicht damit abfinden, dass er einfach abgehauen sein soll....und begeben sich auf die Suche...!

Insgesamt wirklich spannend...und für die Jugend bestimmt wirklich gut lesbar, da die Kapitel sehr kurz sind!
Mir fehlte etwas die Tiefe bei den Charakteren....

Lesenswert

[Clare Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book killed me. I can't stop crying.

[Sylvs (NOVELty Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with YA Circle Book Club for their May 2020 BOTM

Now THAT'S how you write a mystery!

I've been through it all. I've read New York Times Bestselling mysteries and award winning ones too. None of them captured my attention as much as Deep Water did. This was wonderfully layered and I was constantly intrigued by the mystery of Henry Weaver and even more so, his brother Mason who was even more mysterious than the actual kidnapping case itself.

The book follows Chloe Baxter, a young girl trying to discover what happened to her best friend Henry Weaver and if he really was kidnapped. She sleuths with her friend Raf and as they did deeper they discover secrets that could change everything.

I found the characters wonderfully crafted and I fell in love with each and every one of them. Mason especially who just needed the biggest hug I could muster. Although I loved the characters, it wasn't what made me give the rating I gave this novel. In fact it all came down to the narrative structure that beautifully intertwined different perspectives together to make a coherent and readable mystery that was mesmerising and completely un-put-downable.

Everything came together and I was kept constantly in suspense until the very last page. I would absolutely love a sequel novel to this to see what happened to the characters after that ending. I also hope Mason finds someone who's got his back in more ways than one and that Chloe ends up becoming a detective or something just as reputable.

My only negative is probably Chloe's characterisation. Whilst she was interesting to read from, her narrative voice was dissimilar to other YA characters I read about. I wanted something to show her uniqueness rather than what I was given.

Nevertheless a gripping mystery that I would recommend to everyone!

ACTUAL RATING: 4.3 STARS

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rural town, The Shallows, is recovering from bushfire and a devastating storm that caused a mudslide overnight - that same night Henry Weaver goes missing. His bike is found at the train station so everyone assumes that the 13-year-old has fled to Sydney - but that does sit right with Chloe Baxter, who has been like a big sister to Henry so why would he not tell her he was leaving. Chloe is not sure where to start but she is going to hunt down the clues, which all lead her back to Henry’s older brother, Mason, and that things were not right at home.

A brilliant YA mystery that slowly teases apart the secrets that keep a small town wantonly ignorant of the harsh realities beneath the surface. The pacing was excellent, with good balance between intrigue, action and shock reveal. I did guess the ‘reveals’ a few pages before they were known, validating my own reading of the clues - but I could not fathom the motive so that kept me hooked.

The novel also explores childhood trauma, mental abuse, alcoholism and gambling addiction within a small town environment - especially how healing offers of sanctuary and help can be to someone in need. A majority of these traumas are expressed in Mason’s chapters, which worked well to combat Chloe’s assumptions of him and leaving the reader to question Chloe’s motives in the accusations.

Overall a brilliant mystery that kept me on tenterhooks until the last page was turned.

[Kelly (Diva Booknerd) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the small town of The Shallows, the community has endured bushfire that ravaged the land and a torrential storm on the night that thirteen year old Henry Weaver disappeared, three months ago. Chloe Baxter has returned to The Shallows from Sydney, her parents separating when her mother was desperate to escape the small, working class town. Chloe's father manages a small roadside motel once popular with tourists and those passing through The Shallows, now small businesses barely keeping their heads above water since the local economy survived on the tourist trade.

Returning to town, Chloe is determined to find Henry once again, placing missing posters around Sydney provided no information to the whereabouts of her friend and upon return home, plans to begin the search once more. What happened to Henry? Why didn't he tell Chloe he was leaving and why is his older brother Mason so hellbent on destroying his life?

Deep Water begins with the story of the Weaver family, Henry, older brother Mason and their mother, a woman surviving on alcohol, cigarettes and gambling. Growing up in the Weaver household, the boys are being abused by their mother, Mason's father has always been absent and Henry's father left for the big smoke, no longer able to withstand the physical and mental abuse. Mason has always tried to protect Henry from their mother's rage, bearing the brunt of her abuse and neglect as Mason begins to spiral downwards, desperate to escape The Shallows. Mason is an incredibly multilayered character, he's sensitive and hides his feelings in a bottle of alcohol, destructive behaviour and a notorious reputation.

Chloe is an interesting character, she's relatable but often unlikable and still carrying the grief of losing Henry, determined to find her friend and the brother she always wanted. On the night Henry disappeared, Chloe was meeting Raf, her best friends brother. Together they huddled in the small, ramshackle hut in the surrounding bush as Henry braced the storm and never returned home. Chloe and Raf kept their liaison a secret, to their friends and even the local authorities investigating Henry's disappearance, the local police officer once involved in an affair with Chloe's mother before she left The Shallows.

The most striking aspect of Deep Water is the writing, a masterclass in how to write multiple, multilayered characters while creating an exhilarating storyline. Australian young adult book of the year, without a doubt. The reader is introduced to each character as a dual narration from both Chloe and Mason, with sporadic chapters from Henry talking to a new friend he made online, Chloe's privileged life, although not perfect and Mason as he struggles to survive. Their characters are contrasting and once friends, as Henry was adopted into their ragtag group of friends, Mason begun to isolate, feeling left out of his friendship circle as Henry became more embedded. It's an issue that Mason resents Chloe for, choosing Henry's friendship and not reaching out to him. It's messy and realistic and written so beautifully, the delicate threads between friends becoming severed and mended in time.

Besides Chloe and Mason, I enjoyed the sibling relationship between Sabeen, Chloe's best friend and her brother Raf, Chloe's crush. Sabeen and Raf are wonderful, Sabeen a loyal and compassionate young woman and Raf, a quiet young man who has adored Chloe from a distance for the past few years. Sabeen's father is from Pakistan, a sperm donor Sabeen proudly announced when she and Chloe met at the tender age of only six years old, her mother's both own and run the local pizzeria, feeding the small brood of friends. Tom was an interesting character. Also part of their friendship circle since they were children, Tom's father is in prison while he was raised by his grandparents, his grandfather owning the local oddities store come makeshift pawnshop. Tom escaped The Shallows, studying at university while maintaining his friendship with Chloe and although unaware of his intentions, Tom is keen on Chloe despite her feelings for Raf.

Deep Water raises the discussion of several important issues throughout our communities. Poverty and low socioeconomical conditions, family violence, parent infidelity, alcoholism, violence, toxic masculinity and grief. Wonderfully diverse characters and stories threaded together with care and compassion.

It's magnificent.

[Quill&Queer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I want a good, emotional, well written murder mystery, all I have to do is not read American authors.

[Stancyy · Rating 1 out of 5]

point positif la représentation d'autres orientations sexuelles
points négatifs trop de points négatifs

j'ai pas aimé la MC (par contre Mason ça va un peu mais bof quand même genre mec pense à aller en thérapie pitié)
Je m'attendais à un truc beaucoup plus deep avec le synopsis mais en vrai pas tant
J'ai eu l'impression d'être projetée au milieu d'une affaire et donc je ne connaissais personne et ne me suis attachée à personne. oupsi
j'ai ressenti bcp d'ennui et de lassitude
il va falloir que je change de type de lecture parce que là mon épisode dépressif est mêlé avec 'jaime aucun livre que je lis' et ça le RENFORCE...!! au secours !!! sauvez moi !!!!

Dommage dommage

[Steve lovell · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘I’m Tasmanian. We’re basically one big sleepy small town so I can spot a fake a mile away.’

It’s fun reviewing books. I don’t have tickets on myself that I’m particularly good at it, but I enjoy doing it immensely. I form my own opinions, but between finishing a tome and sitting down at my favourite nook, here beside the river, to write it up, I always take to the ether to see what others have made of it.

Just occasionally, what I read there may make me see the work of fiction, or reality, I’ve just completed in a new light. Sometimes, what I’ve struggled with, they have loved or, conversely, panned what I’ve adored. It’s always interesting. I suppose I should not have been surprised to see, when searching for what better scribes than I had to say about Sarah Epstein’s ‘Deep Water’, that the first one I hit on was written by my own daughter. After all, she had recommended it to me. I ask her to pass on the best of the YA she reads as I love the genre too – but she is far more up with it. A very fine novelist herself – I am biased, I know, but I think it’s a fair call – she’s eminently well positioned to comment on others. That’s especially the case when it comes to those set in small communities, as is Sarah’s – thus the opening quote from Katie’s review. As well, she is well placed to know the vicissitudes of the writerly life; of putting yourself out there in a work of art.

Obviously she loved ‘Deep Water’, as I did. In a way it is a pity that it is catergorised as YA and would be on the shelves of that section for most booksellers. Obviously the YA market is massive and burgeoning in itself, requiring skilled wordsmiths to sustain it , but it does mean this fine whodunnit would be bypassed by more mature readers. I’m fortunate to have my daughter passing them along to me. Like Katie, I have been recently converted to crime after I cottoned on to Jane Harper, Chris Robotham and now Dervla McTiernan.

And I concur with everything Kate says about the work and its wonderfully well delineated characters, especially the feisty lead. So, if you’re a devotee of crime, move across to the YA section and seek this oh so proficient author out if you’re in the same demographic as myself; that is OA (Old Adult). She’s a great addition to those who are currently making this a golden age for Aussie crime writers, whether they’re setting their sagas in the US, UK, Ireland, the parched outback, hardscrabble regional centres or in our cosmopolitan cities.

Katies review can be found on http://www.justkidslit.com and I can’t wait to read more Sarah Epstein.

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: disappearance of a friend/sibling/child, mentions of cheating, abusive parent, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, mentions of paedophilia, death of a friend/sibling/child, car accident resulting in death.

3.5 stars.

I was super excited to read this after LOVING Small Spaces when it first came out. And then I promptly put off reading it for a month the second it arrived in the mail because *gestures at entire planet*.

I finally persuaded myself to pick it up, and I found it a much slower read than Small Spaces. Please know that this is not a negative comment. I FLEW through Small Spaces. This being slower is partly because, you know, GLOBAL PANDEMIC and partly because it's more of a contemporary with some crime investigation elements where Small Spaces is a psychological thriller.

I really liked the characters and the fact that it jumped between the past and the present, as well as three different protagonists. The writing is solid. The claustrophobic nature of both Mason's homelife and the small town are strong. I loved the complexities of the friendships and the family relationships.

But ultimately, I was left feeling like the pacing is slightly off?? There's so much action packed into the last 75-ish pages, and it would have been nice to have the action start earlier in the book. And then the ending felt a little too abrupt, and I...yeah. I don't know. I really enjoyed a lot about this! But it just wasn't QUITE what I thought it would be.

[Marj Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a time when Australia is cracked and broken apart by bushfires, droughts and floods, our focus is on country towns once more, the setting of Sarah Epstein's YA novel 'Deep Water'. In a country town seething with small town resentment, everyone pulls together when things go well, not wanting to get involved when trouble brews. Except Chloe, one of the main characters, who's bossy and interfering in her pursuit of answers to a burning question: Why did her 13-year-old friend Henry disappear? Where is he now? What happens to missing kids?

"Now it's all I can think about. Where do these kids sleep? Are they warm enough? Do they have money for food? Can they shower, clean their teeth? Do they fall asleep easily or do they lie awake in the dark feeling completely alone?" p. 3

Henry's disappearance takes place during a storm.
"It's the kind of night that chewed everything up and spat it out again. None of us wanted to imagine that Henry might have been caught in its jaws." p.1

The storm marks the collision point of many metaphorical storms of feelings and actions in the main characters' lives. It's the time when Henry is caught up in a tragic interwoven set of events.

The story, told in beautifully-written prose from different characters' perspectives, alternates between the time frames of 'before' and 'now', the gap narrowing as more clues are unveiled
and questions are subtly raised: How well do we know our friends? What is the nature of good versus evil?

It is not just the notion of criminality that Epstein raises: "Every criminal has friends they grew up with...They were once someone's neighbour, workmate or school friend. People do bad things...They make mistakes and take wrong turns all the time." p.271...

...but also how much do we all contribute to circumstance by default through our humanness?
In the end, we realise that most of the characters are not only flawed, but that several contributed, even unknowingly and in a small way, to Henry's disappearance.

Epstein not only relates a story of a missing teenager, but also a tale to help YA readers weather the storm of adolescence and confused feelings of sexuality, self-worth and destiny. You are not alone, she says. It's a journey travelled by everyone.

"Wrong turns, bad decisions...everybody makes them. Mistakes show we're human, but it's what we do next that reveals who we truly are." p.373

NOTE: Thanks to Allen & Unwin for the proof copy.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein, and I was really looking forward to reading this book. We selected it as this month's book club book, so I was excited to read it and discuss it with the group. Unfortunately, it took me a little while to get into the story and I didn't find myself loving it as much as the previous book. But it was still a great read in the end, and I didn't guess the final twist/reveal. However, I did see Mason's secret coming a mile away which may have been the author's intention. Looking forward to seeing what Sarah writes next!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️

Assez mitigée sur ce roman.
D’un côté, j’ai été à fond dedans tout le long, à faire pleins de supposition.
J’ai beaucoup aimé Henry et Mason.

En revanche, la résolution est assez facile dans le sens où j’ai deviné la moitié de la solution.
Et je suis désolée, mais j’ai trouvé Chloé insupportable tout le long de ce roman.
C’est assez jeunesse, et a certain passage ça se ressentais trop dans le style d’écriture.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Possibly closer to a 3.5?

I struggle hardcore to rate this one simply because I found it to be relatively predictable but I still enjoyed it. I’m so conflicted.

I didn’t love the characters and the mystery wasn’t all that mysterious, and I mostly just got mad at the red herrings that weren’t really red herrings.

I did love the small town Aussie setting though, so that’s something I suppose.

[Linley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good YA whodunnit - or did they? The teens of this sleepy town hide as many secrets as the grown-ups as the mystery of Henry's disappearance starts to unravel.

Highly recommended to YA mystery/crime readers age 13+, and adults of course!

[★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incroyable 🤩! Ça m'a fait penser à Meutre Mode d'emploi de Holly Jackson et le suspens est évidemment insoutenable 😭 Bref je recommande 🫶

[maskedbookblogger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inhalt:
Der Jugend-Thriller "Wave of lies" erschien dieses Jahr im August. In diesem Buch geht es um sechs Freunde. Chloe einer der Figuren kehrt in den Ferien immer in die Kleinstadt zurück, um sich mit den ganzen Freunde wiederzutreffen. Die Freunde kennt sie schon seitdem sie klein ist. Durch dick und dünn sind sie zusammen als eine Einheit gegangen. Doch diesmal ist es anders. Henry, einer von ihnen verschwindet spurlos in einer Sturmnacht. Beim Wiedertreffen ist das Misstrauen umeinander groß. Jeder hat etwas zu verbergen und alle sind schuldig.

Meinung:
Im Mittelpunkt dieser Geschichte steht Chloe, die den verschwundenen Henry fast schon als einen kleinen Bruder sieht. Deswegen möchte sie herausfinden, was wirklich mit ihm geschehen ist. Aus diesem Grund verfolgt man die Geschichte aus ihrer Perspektive. Anderseits erhält man als Leser Einblicke in weitere Perspektiven wie z.b. die von Mason, Henry's älteren Bruder. Zu Chloe fiel es mir viel einfacher eine Bindung aufzubauen, da sie als einzige der Figuren sehr greifbar und vielfältig gezeichnet worden ist. Auch wenn mich Masons Schicksal berührt hat, war er sowie die anderen Figuren nicht greifbar.

Sonst lag im Allgemeinen ein sehr übersichtlicher Schreibstil vor, welcher besonders durch Henry's Chatverläufe gelockert wurde. Dennoch muss ich sagen, dass durch die zahlreichen Perspektivwechsel sowie Wechsel der Zeitverläufe die Spannung litt. Zudem empfand ich die Geheimnisse als recht vorhersehbar, sodass mir einfach die Wow-Elemente gefehlt haben. Aus diesem Grund war es für mich persönlich ein sehr ruhiger Thriller.

Hinsichtlich des Settings kann ich nur positives sagen. Der Autorin gelingt es den Handlungsort Australien sehr lebendig zu gestalten. Es bleibt einfach für mich persönlich ein grandioses Setting, da ich der Meinung bin, dass australische Bücher etwas besonderes an sich haben.

Fazit: Durchaus weist der Jugend-Thriller "Wave of lies" gute Aspekte wie das Setting auf. Leider hat mich aber das Buch von der Spannung her nicht erreicht, kann mir aber vorstellen, dass für Neueinsteiger sowie Jugendliche das Buch sehr geeignet ist. Zudem Fans von Büchern wie "One of us is lying" werden hier auch voll auf ihre Kosten kommen.

[Bron · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the heart of this story is a fantastic and authentic group friendship, with all kinds of different dynamics happening – crushes and bickering and, of course, Henry’s disappearance. I really enjoyed the setting – the small town vibe comes through clearly without ever feeling caricature-ish.
I think the use of different POVs from different timelines in relation to Henry's disappearance worked really well.
Deep Water isn't exactly creepy, but it is dark and there is a really tense atmosphere that builds as the story plays out. I read it in just a few sittings, and with my heart in my throat for most of the book.
A bunch of issues/themes are touched upon - from typical teen worries about crushes and fitting in, to alcoholism and domestic violence – so I would give a content warning for that (as well as the more obvious theme of a missing teen and the fact that the story largely depends imagining what might have happened to them).

I found this one a completely engaging thriller. It was a really satisfying read that kept me guessing, and made me cry a bit at times too! Officially it’s YA – adult readers shouldn’t let that stop them from picking it up too!

[Leigh Briar · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5☆

I eagerly awaited the opportunity to read this book and was nothing but thrilled with it. With her first novel Small Spaces, Epstein demonstrated that she can produce a beautiful and harrowing piece of literature. Deep Water reveals that she has a magic touch; that she is a truly phenomenal writer who is as smart and she is sly with her mystery fiction.

Once again the characters of this novel were not to be trusted (although Small Spaces had me questioning even the protagonist) and were multidimensional and sympathetic. I wanted to give Mason a hug the whole way through. Each twist and turn of the narrative lurched me in each direction by surprise.

I can't wait for another book. Epstein is quickly and easily becoming one of my favourite YA authors of all time.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

As sad as that was - I don’t really cry when I read books but damn I cried three times reading this - that was a good read. It was super fast paced and really gripping. I really felt for Mason, and everything he had been enduring. I recommend reading this book, but some chapters are quite confronting to read.

[Kat Schrav · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 while I can understand the appeal of this book for a teenage audience, the predictability ruined it for me. I felt like I’d read this story a few times before. Epstein’s writing is easy to read and addictive.

[Danielle {halfdesertedstreets} · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant #LoveOzYA thriller. My full review will be out after publication.

[Trisha]

Clever blend of genre fiction with layers of contemporary insight.

[Bectoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping, Australian smalltown YA mystery. Similar vibes to The Dry and Scrublands but I think I preferred it to them.

[Mona l’odeur des livres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je n’ai pas l’habitude de lire ce genre et j’ai adoré sortir de ma zone de confort.
Les personnages sont tous très gris et les situations sont vraisemblables. Tout semblait très réel et plausible.
Je n’ai pas trouvé la fin prévisible car je me suis laissée captiver par le récit sans trop réfléchir.
L’environnement, une petite ville dans une zone rurale et reculée de l’Australie, donne une atmosphère assez intéressante au roman.
Je relirai ce genre d’enquête avec grand plaisir !

[Sacha's Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Je n’ai pas du tout été embarquée par ce roman. Thriller adolescent, on est face à certains personnages extrêmement jeunes (genre moins de 14 ans) et ça m’a paru souvent peu crédible. Ça se lit tout de même très vite mais j’avais qu’une envie, terminer ce livre très vite et passer à autre chose

[timmyh · Rating 3 out of 5]

thriller ado sympa un peu niais