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Jackie hasn’t spoken to her sister in a year; as much as she loves and misses her only sibling, she’s had to distance herself because Lexie’s bipolar disorder has created so much chaos for her. Jackie, or Jax as her family members call her, has become a therapist for children. One night, she ignores nine nonsensical messages Lexie leaves on her phone. But when, the next day, Jax learns that Lexie drowned in the pool on their grandmother’s estate soon after leaving those messages, she is devastated. She flies back across country to the house in Vermont where she spent every summer with Lexie.
At Swallow Crest, Jax discovers that Lexie had been spending the year since she had inherited the house researching its history. And a lot of that history focused on the famous spring that fed the deep pool next to the house. The dark mineral-filled water was renowned for its healing properties — drawing some seeking help for any number of needs — but others didn’t want to be anywhere near it. They said if one gained something from the springs, a price had to be paid.
One woman who learned that lesson was Ethel Monroe, who in 1929 traveled with her husband to a beautiful new hotel situated right next to the spring. In her late 30s, she had been desperately hoping for a baby. Her interaction with the spring tied her to it for decades and affected several generations after.
I’ve read two of Jennifer McMahon’s previous books, The Night Sister and The Invited, the first of which features a compelling mystery with secrets that may or may not involve the supernatural. The latter is a true ghost story. Both were solid mysteries featuring old secrets. The Drowning Kind’s main character is veritably the dark and deep swimming pool, the scary scene of drownings as well as a source of hope and healing for decades. It lurks and beckons. This story captured me and held me until the last page.
Rated: High, for 20 instances of strong language, 20 instances of moderate profanity, 30 uses of mild language, and 15 uses of the name of Deity. Sexual content is limited to a few mentions of nudity and drawings of nude women. Violence is mostly related to drownings in the pool.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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