Title: THE DROWNING PLACE
Author: SARAH HILARY
ISBN: 9781787305397
Publisher: Vintage
Pages: 320
Source: Review copy from Publisher
Blog Tour Organised by Random Things Tours
EVERY PLACE HAS ITS GHOSTS.
Edenscar, a town in the Peak District, has more than most. 17 years ago, its inhabitants were hit by tragedy when a school bus veered off the road and everyone on board drowned. Everyone, that is, except Joseph Ashe. His miraculous survival has haunted him and the town ever since.
Now a Detective Sergeant in the local police, Joe is called to the scene of a brutal and apparently inexplicable crime. The whole town is spooked, but Joe’s new boss, DI Laurie Bower, more used to inner-city police work, has no time for superstition. She just wants to find the very real killer who has left no trace and apparently had no motive.
Joining forces, Joe and Laurie work to uncover the secrets of Edenscar, both past and present.
But when you dig up the dead, expect to get your hands dirty…
Official Summary
03 June 2026
I have read a few books by this author and found them to be a mixed bag, so I was not entirely sure what to expect from The Drowning Place.
This is a crime novel with a difference.
Set in a small town where outsiders are not always welcome, Laurie Bower has joined the local police force on a six-month assignment while helping her husband care for his father, who is living with dementia. Expecting a quiet and uneventful posting, Laurie is surprised to find herself investigating a shocking triple homicide involving a local family murdered in their home.
Laurie is partnered with Detective Sergeant Joseph Ashe, a man whose past has made him something of a local legend. Sixteen years earlier, Joe was the sole survivor of a devastating bus crash that claimed the lives of all his classmates. While some view him with sympathy and admiration, others believe he should not have survived. Adding to his burden is the fact that Joe sees the ghosts of the children who died alongside him.
Joe’s childhood best friend, Sammi, remains a constant presence, warning him of danger and keeping him grounded. These conversations are unsettling and appear throughout the story, creating an eerie atmosphere that sets this novel apart from more traditional crime fiction.
For me, the ghostly element was both the book’s most unique feature and its biggest challenge. While I appreciated how the supernatural aspects reflected the immense survivor’s guilt Joe carries, I found myself wishing the story had leaned more heavily into the crime investigation itself. Joe is already a compelling character — intelligent, compassionate, and deeply devoted to his community — and his emotional scars and guilt were powerful enough to stand on their own.
That said, once I settled into the story’s distinctive style, I found plenty to enjoy. The novel is well written, the setting feels immersive, and the plot offers enough twists and intrigue to keep the pages turning. Laurie and Joe make an interesting investigative team, and I am curious to see how their partnership develops.
While the supernatural angle did not completely work for me, I can appreciate the originality it brings to the story. The Drowning Place introduces an intriguing world and leaves plenty of room for this to develop into a strong and memorable series.
REMEMBER TO VISIT THE OTHER TOUR STOPS
Also by Sarah Hilary
SHARP GLASS
The last thing she remembers is standing outside the empty house. One she was employed to pack, ready for removal. Her job is her life. It is her compulsion to take care of an owner’s precious possessions, to do whatever it takes to help them move on. Now she is cold, dirty, damp, trapped in its cellar with no chance of escape, miles from anywhere. His prisoner. And then he returns. Her captor believes she holds the answers to why a young girl was murdered a year ago. He refuses to let her go until she reveals her secrets. But he doesn’t know she has hidden depths, and an anger she works hard to control. The battle lines are drawn. They are the only two people who can solve the mystery of the dead girl, but when the truth is revealed whose life will shatter…?
About The Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Sarah’s debut, Someone Else’s Skin, won Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and was a World Book Night selection. The Observer’s Book of the Month (“superbly disturbing”) and a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller, it was a Silver Falchion and Macavity Award finalist in the US. No Other Darkness, the second in the series was shortlisted for a Barry Award. Her DI Marnie Rome series continued with Tastes Like Fear (longlisted for Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2017) and Quieter Than Killing (Observer’s Thriller of the Month). Come and Find Me was published in 2018, with Never Be Broken to come in 2019.
A big thank you to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for including me on this blog tour. Are you a Sarah Hilary fan? Which is your favourite book? I would say my favourite, of the ones I have read is Fragile (Read Review) I’d love to hear your thoughts—please share them in the comments below. Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my review; your support is greatly appreciated.
