The Drowning Woman – Robyn Harding

Let me tell you, when I received my copy of this book, I may or may not have audibly gasped. Robyn Harding has been an auto-buy author since picking up THE PARTY when I first started my bookstagram account (and just before I started my blog)

A big thank you to Grand Central Publishing and to the author for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review

THE DROWNING WOMAN – Robyn Harding (Releasing June 13th, 2023)

Book Description:

The bestselling author of The Party returns with a deliciously twisted story of friendship, retribution, and betrayal about a homeless woman fleeing a dangerous past—and the wealthy society wife she saves from drowning, who pulls her into a dark web of secrets and lies.
 
Lee Gulliver never thought she’d find herself living on the streets—no one ever does—but when her restaurant fails, and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her Toyota Corolla. In Seattle, she parks in a secluded spot by the beach to lay low and plan her next move—until early one morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface, but instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die, that she’s trapped in a toxic, abusive marriage, that she’s a prisoner in her own home. Lee has thwarted her one chance to escape her life.

Out of options, Hazel retreats to her gilded cage, and Lee thinks she’s seen the last of her, until her unexpected return the next morning. Bonded by disparate but difficult circumstances, the women soon strike up a close and unlikely friendship. And then one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she wants Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her, but Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was.

My Thoughts: 5/5 stars

When I go to start a book by Robyn Harding, I know that I need to clear out a good chunk of my schedule, because once I start, I won’t want to stop. THE DROWNING WOMAN was no different, and I’m always in awe of Harding’s ability to weave these twisty little tales for us. I’ve loved all of her books since picking up THE PARTY (way back when I started my little Bookstagram account), and I try to not go into each book with such high expectations, but it’s so hard!

In this new tale, we meet Lee and Hazel. Two very different women whose lives become intertwined after a chance encounter. Lee is now homeless after fleeing from her troubles – she is living in her car and had parked for the night in a park near the beach. When she wakes up she hears a woman yelling from the water and she jumps in to save her. Hazel is the wife of an incredibly powerful and wealthy criminal defense lawyer. They have a unique arrangement within their marriage that has created a miserable existence for Hazel and she wants out. Lee and Hazel have agreed to help each other start new lives for themselves and escape whatever they’re running from, but of course, things end up a little more complicated than we would have originally believed.

I don’t want to risk spoiling any of the surprises, but if you’re looking for a good domestic thriller, then this is the book for you! Once things really got going I couldn’t stop reading. I thought I had it figured out but I was very wrong, multiple times. I really liked going between Lee and Hazel’s POVs throughout the book in different parts. I’m kind of glad that it didn’t alternate every chapter like some books do. This helped things really build up and they switched perspectives at the perfect moments.

Bottom line – anything by Robyn Harding is going to be a solid suspense book and a thrilling ride. She is an auto-buy author and I don’t see that ever changing. I highly recommend this book if you want a good thriller without any gore or blood, then this will be just what you’re looking for.