“We don’t know the terrible things that are coming our way… We just see the shiny surface, our own beautiful selves reflected in it. Not the monster lurking beneath.”
I read my first Jennifer McMahon book back in 2019, and I regret taking this long to pick up another one. The Drowning Kind follows Jax, a social worker, and her sister Lexie, who has long dealt with a pretty severe mental illness. Jax and Lexie spent their childhood summers visiting their grandma, and swimming in her INCREDIBLY CREEPY pool. After ignoring a few manic calls from her sister, Jax discovers that Lexie has drowned in the pool from their childhood. As she starts to sort through Lexie’s things and organize the house, she starts to wonder if Lexie’s claims were based on something real…and sinister.
We also meet Ethel, a woman living in 1929, dealing with a later-in-life marriage and struggles to conceive. When a new hotel featuring a natural spring promises healing and miracles, Ethel can’t help but give it a try. The spring does give. But it also takes…
The Drowning Kind had me looking over my shoulder, increased my fear of deep, dark water, and convinced me that I need to reach more of Jennifer McMahon’s books. It’s a great choice for those looking to dip their toe into the horror genre, while leaning a bit more into the mystery/thriller realm.
Content: self harm, infertility
Read with Aimee 