Everyone has secrets. But what happens when they pull you under?
In remote Oyster Creek, a beautiful young mother and her little baby have gone missing. But it was no secret that Delilah Waters never wanted children. She wasn’t coping with the baby, and everyone believes she leapt to her death, taking her child with her. Everyone except Liz Dawson.
Liz and Adam are from London. They’d only recently married, after a whirlwind courtship, when his father died. The pair arrive in Oyster Creek to settle affairs and sell the house. But Adam also has to spend time in Sydney dealing with the estate, so Liz finds herself alone in a very isolated place. Add to this, she’s wrestling with her own demons and PTSD from a recent trauma. She finds some binoculars, and to pass time she starts watching her neighbours, especially Delilah. But then Dee and her child go missing, and Liz realises she was the last person to see her alive… Or was she?
Liz risks everything to uncover a truth that becomes more complex with every twist. Of all people, Liz knows that just because someone is a reluctant mother, it doesn’t mean they don’t love their child. And it doesn’t mean they’re capable of murder… does it?
Who knows? I certainly didn’t, and kept guessing all the way through this excellent psychological thriller. Ingrid Alexandra’s debut, The New Girl, was a hit with our readers, and here she delivers again. She creates layers of tension that reel you in and keep you hooked until the final page. She’s an author who has hit her stride here as she builds the tension superbly. The setting is central to this; Oyster Creek with its tidal waters, mangroves, and houses with minimal access is the perfect location for a thriller. Remind me to never book an Airbnb there.
The story is told from three POVs: Liz, Dee and Erica, with some shifts in time. But Alexandra’s streamlined structure and use of dates and times makes this easy to follow. It also explores some complex themes as well, such as the darker side of motherhood, the pressure to conform, and how women’s choices shape their fate.
I highly recommend Across the Water. It’s a disturbing read, even more-so when you reach that final, gripping twist. I read this in one sitting, with a few too many wines. Both lingered with me the next day. The perfect weekend read, especially for our Victorian readers currently in isolation.
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