Name: Kerry Kalinoski's review of The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon
Item: The Drowning Kind
Rating: 4
Author: Kerry Kalinoski

Jennifer McMahon

“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 of The Sun Down Motel 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).

The Drowning Kind

Nash

"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Winter Sister comes a ... work of psychological horror about a therapist who returns to the old family home after her sister drowns in its swimming pool, where she discovers that it has something sinister lurking beneath its surface"--

I really enjoyed this one, I think it was the perfect mix of creepy and dark. I loved the way the two storylines came together and all of the family relationships in the story. I will definitely be avoiding lakes for the foreseeable future 

Kerry Kalinoski

Alexa M

pretty boring. i think "ghost" books are just not for me.

Heather Miller

Where to start with this? How about with the fact that I absolutely loved it!

We follow Jax in 2019 as she deals with the aftermath of learning her sister, Lex has drowned in a pool that is fed by a magical spring said to grant wishes and have magical healing abilities. McMahon expertly weaves in the year 1929, told by Jax’s great grandmother Ethel, for an enlightening history on the darker side of the abilities of the springs and its influence on her family’s past. For every wish it grants, it takes something tragically in return.

McMahon’s writing is phenomenal. I absolutely loved the equally dark, chilling, and mysterious supernatural atmosphere. It kept me guessing the entire time, which I think is extremely important when I am reading. I could not put it down and luckily was not left on a cliffhanger. I did not see that ending coming!

I rarely 5 star a book, but this one was right up my alley, and I definitely recommend it to those looking for something truly creepy! Just don’t expect to want to go for a swim anytime soon 😅.

A mildly offensive portrait of mental illness paired with a grade school level of writing. Would have loved to see even one plot line in this story fully explored. 

Julia Rivera

Cheri McElroy

Sisters Jax and Lexie grew up in a wonderful country home complete with a spring-fed pool. So what if deaths surrounded the pool. So what if their grandmother never left the property. Ghosts aren’t real.

Then Lex is found dead in the pool and grown-up Jax goes back to investigate. What really happens here?

Jennifer McMahon can write mystery with a creepy, supernatural element like no one else. This book is tense, atmospheric, and has a fantastic twist at the end. I definitely recommend it!

Thanks to @netgalley for the advanced copy of this novel.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Invited and The Winter People comes a chilling new novel about a woman who 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 haunting, twisty, and compulsively readable thrill ride from the author who Chris Bohjalian has dubbed the “literary descendant of Shirley Jackson,” The Drowning Kind is a modern-day ghost story that illuminates how the past, though sometimes forgotten, is never really far behind us.

Lenya King

Interesting premise and setup but ultimately fell flat. Dropped storylines, messy world building, and an ending that left me feeling “what was the point?” 2/5 Stars

Elise Harris

It took a while to get into the story, but by the end I couldn't wait to find out what had happened.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Invited and The Winter People comes a chilling new novel about a woman who 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’s mental state 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 returns to the house to go through her sister’s things, she learns that Lexie was researching their family’s and the house’s history. And as Jax dives deeper into that research, she discovers that the land holds a far darker history 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 spring is rumored to grant wishes, never suspecting that the spring takes in equal measure to what it gives. A haunting, twisty, and compulsively readable thrill ride from the author who Chris Bohjalian has dubbed the “literary descendant of Shirley Jackson,” The Drowning Kind is a modern-day ghost story that illuminates how the past, though sometimes forgotten, is never really far behind us.

Lauren Attaway

The Drowning Kind made me want to read the rest of Jennifer McMahon's books. Unsettling ghost stories are my favorite ghost stories, and that ending hit me hard. Suspenseful, smart, and a must read/listen for supernatural horror fans.

Jennifer

I consume mystery / thriller books like how I consume cocktails: I read them in small doses rather than in large quantities. So I try to narrow down to the ones with speculative elements. Reading the premise of The Drowning Kind, I was interested in finding out how the supernatural elements are woven into this intergenerational psychological thriller. And long story short: this is a page turner and a haunting tale of the emotional impacts of processing grief (with some fantasy elements splashed into the water).

Even though I enjoyed the tension while reading The Drowning Kind, I wasn't completely sold into a few major aspects of the novel. For example, I wasn't very interested in Jax's personal narrative: it just felt pretty underdeveloped comparing to the mystery plots & the details she provided about her ancestors and her sister Lexie. Because of this slightly lacking narrative, I found the alternating timelines a bit abrupt and jarring. Had Jax's narrative got more development, I'd certainly be much more invested in this novel and find the plot development much more natural.

Concerns aside, The Drowning Kind is nevertheless a dark and adrenaline-inducing thriller that cleverly incorporates supernatural elements in the imageries of the book. If you are looking for a novel to enjoy in a single sitting, this is still worth checking out.

N.B. This book contains following content warnings: drowning, illness, suicide, mental illnesses, and loss of loved ones

danielle bush

After reading this book Im definitely going to be thinking twice about swiming at night in any body of water where I can't see the bottom.. 

This book is told in dual timelines, one was Ethel in the 1920's and the beginning of Jax's family history with their family home.. I was hoping for a myster/thriller with some supernatural and its exactly what I got. 

When we start this story we realize that Jax and Lexie are estranged, and Lexis mental health is not good.. After her death and Jax goes back we are dropped into a mystery that Lexi herself has been trying to solve. One that involves this history of her family, and the history of the land itself. and it all circles around to the pool on the property.. People have been drowning their for years.. Are they all just tragic accidents, or does someting sinister live in the darkness.. The locals in the 1920s know about the water, it has its own local legends.. 

Jax doesn't know what to believe.. Was Lexie really on to something or was she just spiriling? The longer Jax stays in the house, and the deeper she digs in to what Lexie was doing Jax begins to question her own sanity.. Is whats happening actually something supernatural or is it a person who was taking advantage of Lexi's mental illness.. 

This story really sucked me in from the first page.. Between Ethel, Lexi and Jax I just had to know their stories, and how it was going to end. It kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was real, and if it was all just in Jax's head.. I have read one other book my this author, and have already ordered another one.. Ill definitely be checking out more of Jennifer McMahons books.

Moon of Pages

Adrianna Giunta

Chau Nguyen

A story that contains two storylines. One in present day following our main character as she returns home after hearing that her estranged sister has passed away....

the second timeline takes place in the past at the same place following a woman desperately wanting a child and what she does to make it happen.. 

i found that while reading this, i enjoyed following the second timeline taking place in the past a bit more appealing to me and i liked the narrator in the past more.. the way the narrator in present day describes her problematic family and their characteristics just made them really unlikeable and therefore i wasnt as invested in them as i could've been. i was intrigued to find out what happened and wanted to see where the story was going the whole time, i didnt see the ending that happened.

Nash &
The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

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