Into the Water: A Novel

The river flows quietly and into its waters a lot of secrets go. Into the Water is the long awaited second novel by the most talented suspense author Paula Hawkins. I’ve been waiting for this book for so long. Anyone who have read and enjoyed her first book, The Girl on the Train, must have probably been doing the same. I couldn’t wait to lay my hands on this book. The river town awakens to the striking news. A young mother, Nel Abbott, is found dead in the river. She is not the first to face this fate, and she will not be the last. That’s the unuttered fear in everyone’s mind. Beautiful Nel Abbott leaves behind Lena, her teenage daughter. She also leaves behind a lot of secrets. She’s been working on a book about the secrets of the river and all the women who had lost their lives there. A book that many people would have one reason or the other to wish it unpublished. Upon receiving the bad news of her sister’s death, Jules Abbott rushes into town. She had left the town early enough leaving behind lots of memories, most of which were unhappy. She had been the younger, fat and not beautiful sister of Nel. She had been mocked, laughed at and even worse in her childhood and teenage years. Moreover, she was not on good terms with her sister. Still, she’s trying to understand what had really happened to her sister. Though she’s staying with Lena, they don’t seem to be getting along. And the more she stays in town, the more the long forgotten bad memories come back to her. Murder, suicide or accident? That’s the big question. No one really knows what happened to Nel, not even Lena. Moreover, some people are relieved Nel is dead, while others are stricken with grief. Nel hasn’t been the first victim. So, can those deaths be linked? What about the deaths centuries before? The entangled web of long hidden secrets tighten. But as it tightens, more secrets evolve. No one is totally guilty, yet no one is totally innocent. And in the deepest corners of the human soul lies the answers to all the questions. But maybe some questions are better left unanswered! This is absolutely one of the best books I read this year. It actually reminds me why I love Paula Hawkins’ books. I have been waiting for her second book ever since I finished reading her first book, The Girl on the Train. What I know for sure is that when an author’s debut is as successful as The Girl on the Train, it’s quite a challenge to come up with the next book. There’s always the big question: Will it be as successful as the first one? Actually, such question can be crippling. In such cases, it’s the second book that determines the real talent of the author. And yes. Paula Hawkins did it. She proved that it wasn’t a matter of luck or chance. She is really one of the most talented writers. When it comes to Paula Hawkins’ books, it’s the ride you enjoy most. I loved the story of course, but what I enjoyed most was her way of telling it. I’ve really seen nothing similar to that. She has a unique style. To start with, she had a wide cast of characters, so many threads and multiple timelines. The amazing thing is that she could control all of this so brilliantly. It’s easy to get lost in such a rich plot. She didn’t. She controlled the strings and knew exactly when and how to pull them. Paula Hawkins is truly the queen of suspense. This is a title well deserved. Not only did she control the plot, but she also had her unique suspenseful writing style. Not only were the scenes packed with suspense, but the suspense was building up through the whole plot keeping the reader wide-eyed. This is exactly what I meant by enjoying the ride. Anyone can tell you a good story. If you ask me what the story of this book is I can surely tell you the whole story or a summary. But that won’t do it. Again, it’s not about the story. It’s about the brilliant story telling. I tried to read this book as slowly as possible. I wanted to have something of her book to read every day. Unfortunately and like all the good things in life, the book ended. Now I have to wait for her next book. A little whisper in Paula’s ears “Please please please … Don’t let us wait for so long … We NEED your next book”

There were a ton of things running through my mind as I was reading this one and at first I honestly didn't think I would like it. In fact, I almost had a DNF with this one. For one, I found the dual point of views (and there were many) to be very confusing and I didn't catch up with them until I was 40% in. Even then I had to sit back and think about who was "talking" when I saw the names which was hard because these chapters are not long and every one was from a different point of view. However, once I got to thinking about the plot and after I it the 55% mark I found that things really turned around. First, the plot got super exciting. When everything was coming into place in terms of the "who" "what" "why" and so on, I became riveted to the pages. The person who I thought was responsible for everything turned out NOT to be the bad guy, and the one person who I never expected WAS. The characters, while a bit dark and broody (much like those in the authors debut, The Girl on the Train) had been placed perfectly in the book which for me, added to the entire atmosphere of the story. And the ending? Well, it was fantastic! The bad guy got what was coming for him and all of the characters had an ending which was tied up in a neat little bow for us. I felt very satisfied with how the author brought everything together. For obvious reasons I cannot go into the plot because mystery books like this one should be read for themselves. But I did find it to be an overall good read albeit with some minor flaws that a reader like me had a hard time with. This isn't to say that everyone will feel like this, but for me, too many POV's can really boggle down the story which is what affected me the most. I also want to mention that the cover saved this book from a 3 star rating because it's absolutely gorgeous and deserves a lot of cover love. I mean WOW LOOK AT IT? I adore it to pieces!!! What that, this book would be perfect for readers who like clever murder mysteries and for those who like and ending that you won't see coming. I know this is a must have for many fans of the genre so this may be a perfect boo for you. I also think this book would pair well with fans of the authors debut novel, The Girl on the Train, and for anyone who enjoys a psychological thriller.

My review is not going to be impartial, given that I am enamoured by Ms Hawkins' style. I can't help it. She is an excellent writer. There is nothing that I could criticise in Into the water. She brings out the mood with a brilliant style, and makes you swipe the pages (I was reading on a kindle) with a gripping story. While there is absolutely nothing in common between Into the water and The girl on the train, if you like the latter, you are going to like the first.

Bello il libro, appassionante ed agevole da leggere anche in Inglese! Ha superato le mie aspettative, ancora non l'ho finito ma forse è anche più bello di "the girl on the train"

Into the Water is a gripping psychological thriller that pulls you into the murky depths of a small town’s secrets. Paula Hawkins weaves a multi-perspective narrative full of tension, unreliable memories, and long-buried truths. The atmosphere is haunting, the pacing sharp, and the characters flawed in ways that feel deeply human. It’s not just a mystery—it’s a study of guilt, grief, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. A compelling read that lingers long after the final page.

I found it very good. The story as well as the way the author presented every character. I wonder why most of the people didn't like it. I believe that if you like the summary of a book and you think that you like the theme of that book, you should read it irrespective of anyone's review regarding the book. I believe that one should form his/ her own understanding of a book. When I ordered the book I was confused for a moment when I read the reviews of the book. But I liked the summary so I bought it. If you like reading such thrillers, then go for it. I will say that this thriller is one of its kind.

Very interesting