The Drowning Kind

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST THRILLER OF 2021 "A haunting exploration of grief and a tale that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up." --Simone St. James, New York Times bestselling author A woman returns to the old family home after her sister mysteriously drowns in its swimming ​pool...but she's not the pool's only victim.Be careful what you wish for. When social worker Jax receives nine missed calls from her older sister, Lexie, she assumes that it's just another one of her sister's episodes. Manic and increasingly out of touch with reality, Lexie has pushed Jax away for over a year. But the next day, Lexie is dead: drowned in the pool at their grandmother's estate. When Jax arrives at the house to go through her sister's things, she learns that Lexie was researching the history of their family and the property. And as she dives deeper into the research herself, she discovers that the land holds a far darker past than she could have ever imagined. In 1929, thirty-seven-year-old newlywed Ethel Monroe hopes desperately for a baby. In an effort to distract her, her husband whisks her away on a trip to Vermont, where a natural spring is showcased by the newest and most modern hotel in the Northeast. Once there, Ethel learns that the water is rumored to grant wishes, never suspecting that the spring takes in equal measure to what it gives. A modern-day ghost story that illuminates how the past, though sometimes forgotten, is never really far behind us, The Drowning Kind "is satisfying on every level: Marvelously chilling, elegantly written, a true page-turner" (Janelle Brown, New York Times bestselling author).
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368 pages

Average rating: 7.5

30 RATINGS

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6 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

JHSiess
Feb 03, 2024
8/10 stars
Jennifer McMahon has been dubbed "the literary descendent of Shirley Jackson" by author Chris Bohjalian. Her latest book, The Drowning Kind, is an absorbing ghost story about sisters who are compulsively drawn to a unique pool . . . in which several before them have died.

The water in the pool is a character in its own right and the centerpiece of the tale. Measuring twenty by forty-five feet, the pool is surrounded by granite. It is spring fed w...read more
AbbeyLileTaylor
Aug 29, 2023
8/10 stars
Wonderful read on a stormy night... 4.5 stars
Willy
Jul 26, 2023
9/10 stars
🤯🏊🏻🌊🫧🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊
Anonymous
May 13, 2023
10/10 stars
This book was published on my birthday, which I find really cool.

As someone who loves swimming and being in the water, I was instantly drawn to this book and the characters. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story. I thought some areas dragged on just a little, but overall it kept my interest. I love Lex & Jax and honestly I don’t really believe there’s a character I didn’t like in this one. I enjoyed the different timelines ...read more
monidipadutta51
Feb 25, 2023
8/10 stars
McMahon's writing is atmospheric and haunting, drawing readers into a world where nothing is quite as it seems and the past is never truly gone. Her characters are complex and fully realized, with motivations that are both relatable and unsettling. Throughout the novel, McMahon explores themes of grief, loss, and the search for redemption, all while keeping readers on the edge of their seats with well-timed twists and turns.

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