Adrift: A Novel
The author of the “master class in suspense” (Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author) The Chamber returns with a high-tension thriller about a family’s descent into darkness that is perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane and Lisa Jewell.
Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son. Peggy is the glue that holds their family together, even as their son is bullied relentlessly for his physique and his family’s lack of money. But when Drew becomes frustrated by his wife’s sudden writing success, he moves their boat further and further from civilization.
With their increasing isolation, personal challenges become harder to ignore, even as they desperately try to break toxic generational patterns. But when Drew’s gaslighting becomes too much for Peggy to take, it sets off a catastrophic series of events.
With Will Dean’s signature “well-drawn characters and excellent prose” (Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author), Adrift is gripping exploration of the ties that bind when everything spirals out of control.
Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son. Peggy is the glue that holds their family together, even as their son is bullied relentlessly for his physique and his family’s lack of money. But when Drew becomes frustrated by his wife’s sudden writing success, he moves their boat further and further from civilization.
With their increasing isolation, personal challenges become harder to ignore, even as they desperately try to break toxic generational patterns. But when Drew’s gaslighting becomes too much for Peggy to take, it sets off a catastrophic series of events.
With Will Dean’s signature “well-drawn characters and excellent prose” (Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author), Adrift is gripping exploration of the ties that bind when everything spirals out of control.
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Community Reviews
What if the man you loved turned your life into a prison you couldn’t escape?
Peggy lives with her controlling husband Drew and their son Samson on a narrowboat, isolated from the world. What begins as a quiet, off-grid life slowly reveals itself to be a prison built from manipulation, fear, and eroded identity. As Peggy secretly begins writing again, long-buried truths and a spark of hope threaten the fragile balance Drew has forced upon them. With tension rising and escape feeling impossible, Peggy must summon the courage to reclaim her voice before they’re lost to the water and his lies forever.
This book was my actual nightmare. It was brutally hard to get through and LOVED IT. Not bc it was fun (it wasn’t), but because it was that well done. The husband/father character was absolutely vile. Horrific. Manipulative. Disgusting. Name a negative adjective and he qualifies.
I felt the brilliance of Adrift lies in its character development. I felt deeply for the mother and her slow, devastating reality check. Her internal struggle, her love for her son, her desperation all hit so hard. Dean includes a personal author’s note explaining that some of this story stems from his own fears and childhood experiences, and that fear is woven into every single chapter.
This book is particularly eerie bc the story is so realistic. It's not simply a far-fetched thriller, but it's also the kind of scenario many women dread but are too scared to name.
I 1,000% recommend this one, but with two important caveats:
1. It doesn't release until February 17, 2026 🥲
2. It contains heavy domestic violence and suicidal ideation, so if those are triggering for you, please take care before diving in
This has become a favorite ARC read. The plot twists had my jaw DROPPED. I really can't wait for this book to publish so everyone has the opportunity to read it.
Also for legal reasons: I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Trigger Warnings: heavy domestic violence, emotional abuse, gaslighting, suicidal ideation, child endangerment, murder
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Adrift by Will Dean.
This wasn’t the book I expected, but it completely consumed me. I thought I was in for a twisty thriller like The Last One, but Adrift is more of a psychological domestic drama, quietly devastating, emotionally raw, and deeply immersive.
I couldn’t stop reading. The writing is sharp and haunting, and the emotional abuse and gaslighting depicted were painfully realistic. I especially connected to Sam, the 14-year-old boy, whose chapters hit me hard.
The ending felt a little abrupt, and I wanted more insight into Drew, but the emotional pull of this story stayed with me long after the final page. Grim, unforgettable, and quietly powerful.
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