This book hooked me from the very beginning. First off there's the little blurb that just immediately grabbed my attention and made me think that this was my kind of book. I mean, a spooky legend at a kids camp, someone disappears, revenge seemingly from beyond the grave … what's not to like? I was guessing until near the end as to what was happening and what the outcome would be. Pleasantly, my first two assumptions were completely wrong.

The main character is someone who I immediately disliked, and my opinion of him did not change throughout the book. If anything, I liked him less and less as the story progressed. But that's okay, many good stories have someone that you love to hate. There was one thing that bugged me in that Alex thinks there's someone after him and out to get him but for some reason that fear/knowledge does nothing to curb his behavior. I actually mentioned this point to my husband as I was reading, simply because I was trying to make it all work in my mind and sometimes it helps to talk thing out.

This book features chapters that jump back in time, which I personally like. It helped build the backstory without being long or boring, and also added a little to the mystery. I like it when there's background information without it being either way too drawn out or just tacked on, which in The Drowning it wasn't at all. Even though there were these time shifts, everything still flowed smoothly.

This book was well written, I enjoyed the authors style, and I would absolutely read more of J.P. Smith's work.

** Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **

"Fear has been given a name and a reality all its own."

As soon as I read the synopsis of The Drowning, it reminded me of Friday the 13th a bit, and I had to read it. This mystery alternates between camp and present day many years later. I loved the setup of this story, and I had so much fun reading it. I found the story to be addicting, entertaining, and mysterious. I wasn't in love with the ending, and was a little frustrated, but The Drowning was still an enjoyable read. I'll be reading more from JP Smith!

3.5. Promising start, but it seems to have gotten away at the end...

A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written. Great novel!!

This book had a lot of promise because I think when you boil it down, the author is a good writer. Some aspects were really good and then some were just lackluster. I found Alex, the main character, extremely dislikable, like, a horrible human. I mean, who just *forgets* about a kid that went missing because of something they did?! Only remembering 20 years later when weird stuff starts happening? No one, so this was a hard pill to swallow in terms of believability for me...although perhaps he was just the type of lunatic to do it, who knows. Overall, I was swept up in this book of revenge so I gave it 3 stars.

Joey Proctor was an eight years old boy who was small and timid. It was his first and last time going to camp. On the last couple weeks of camp counselor Alex Mason wanted Joey to get over his fears of swimming. Even though Joey couldn't swim that didn't stop Alex from leaving him on a raft in the middle of the lake. Alex had completely forgotten about Joey on raft and Joey disappeared. Fast-forward twenty years later, Alex is a successful business man and has beautiful wife and daughter. Alex has everything going for him, until his past come to destroy him. Could it be Joey Proctor doings? Did he come back for revenge?

I couldn't imagine sending my child to camp for the summer and he went missing due to someone negligence or pride. Alex as his wife best describes him is "someone with no conscience, no hear or soul." Alex did something horrible and he was able to move on and never thought how his actions might’ve a domino effect. I think that he deserves to lose everything he loves and more.
Furthermore, I really love the flow of the authors storytelling. I couldn’t put the book down once I started and the more I read the more questions I had. One question I can't get out my mind is what really happened to Joey Proctor? If he was kidnap, who did it?

My favorite quote, “Sometime you don't have to do something to make it wrong. Sometimes you just have to not do something." (page 223)

We know who did it, we know why? But what we don't know is who has come back to get revenge!

A good thriller with plenty of red herrings, twists and moments that make you think "wow that escalated quickly"

Well written, well paced a good read

Eh 2.5 stars. It was okay, I really liked how it began. However once it got into the present day and Alex's life, I really just wanted to punch him in the balls and shove him in the pool myself. Come on, y'all know he totally deserved it.