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The Pool
The discovery of a dead body in the pool of a French holiday home, sends tensions skyrocketing in this intense new novel from the author of The Bad Wife.
Hannah and Lizzie have never been close but, following the recent death of their mother, the sisters have agreed to put their differences to one side and go on holiday together.
But when they and their families arrive at the remote house they’ve rented in the south of France, they find a dead body in the swimming pool. The place is soon swarming with police, then reporters and photographers get hold of the story. Finally, the news spreads online, putting them at the centre of a media storm.
The sisters already have a fractious relationship, as do their teenage daughters, and both couples are hiding secrets that put their marriages under strain. Finding themselves trapped at a crime scene, anger and longstanding resentments come to the surface and any hope of the two families mending fences starts to fade…
Praise for Sarah Edghill’s A Thousand Tiny Disappointments
“Thoroughly gripping . . . Sarah Edghill knows how to pinpoint what goes on in families.” —Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
“Characters you can relate to.” —Katie Fforde, author of A Country Escape
“Compelling.” —Hannah Persaud, author of The Codes of Love
Hannah and Lizzie have never been close but, following the recent death of their mother, the sisters have agreed to put their differences to one side and go on holiday together.
But when they and their families arrive at the remote house they’ve rented in the south of France, they find a dead body in the swimming pool. The place is soon swarming with police, then reporters and photographers get hold of the story. Finally, the news spreads online, putting them at the centre of a media storm.
The sisters already have a fractious relationship, as do their teenage daughters, and both couples are hiding secrets that put their marriages under strain. Finding themselves trapped at a crime scene, anger and longstanding resentments come to the surface and any hope of the two families mending fences starts to fade…
Praise for Sarah Edghill’s A Thousand Tiny Disappointments
“Thoroughly gripping . . . Sarah Edghill knows how to pinpoint what goes on in families.” —Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
“Characters you can relate to.” —Katie Fforde, author of A Country Escape
“Compelling.” —Hannah Persaud, author of The Codes of Love
- GenresAudiobook
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 22, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 24, 2024
2⭐
Genre ~ domestic drama
Setting ~ France
Publication date ~ June 5, 2024
Est Page Count ~ 276 (31 chapters)
Audio length ~ 7 hours 51 minutes
Narrator ~ Esther Wane
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ family drama up the yang, secrets
Don’t be fooled by the dead body talk in the blurb like I was. This is full on family drama, not a murder mystery.
Hannah and her immediate family are vacationing with her sister and her family. When they arrive at the villa they discover a body floating in the pool.
While the body is discussed quite frequently it still takes a back seat to major family drama. Maybe it’s my fault, but when I saw the discovery of a dead body in the pool written in the blurb I stopped reading because I love when dead bodies are discovered, so I thought I’m in for a great murder mystery. Big nope!
Not one character is likable and they all bugged me at one point or another. I suppose little 7 year old Jimmy was fine~ish with his innocence, but he doesn’t make great choices. The teenage girls are unbearable. There’s tension with the adults. None stop bickering back and forth, awful things were said to each other and about others. Just too much family drama for me.
They’re British, but in France and only one of them knows how to speak French, so it's spoken quite a few times and then it’s translated for everyone else. Although that's great so we're not lost, it still really bogged down the story for me.
Overall, not for me, but if you know it’s a family drama going into it maybe you’ll enjoy it more than me.
Narration notes:
So overall she did fine. She gave each character their own voice, but some really grated on my nerves.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ domestic drama
Setting ~ France
Publication date ~ June 5, 2024
Est Page Count ~ 276 (31 chapters)
Audio length ~ 7 hours 51 minutes
Narrator ~ Esther Wane
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ family drama up the yang, secrets
Don’t be fooled by the dead body talk in the blurb like I was. This is full on family drama, not a murder mystery.
Hannah and her immediate family are vacationing with her sister and her family. When they arrive at the villa they discover a body floating in the pool.
While the body is discussed quite frequently it still takes a back seat to major family drama. Maybe it’s my fault, but when I saw the discovery of a dead body in the pool written in the blurb I stopped reading because I love when dead bodies are discovered, so I thought I’m in for a great murder mystery. Big nope!
Not one character is likable and they all bugged me at one point or another. I suppose little 7 year old Jimmy was fine~ish with his innocence, but he doesn’t make great choices. The teenage girls are unbearable. There’s tension with the adults. None stop bickering back and forth, awful things were said to each other and about others. Just too much family drama for me.
They’re British, but in France and only one of them knows how to speak French, so it's spoken quite a few times and then it’s translated for everyone else. Although that's great so we're not lost, it still really bogged down the story for me.
Overall, not for me, but if you know it’s a family drama going into it maybe you’ll enjoy it more than me.
Narration notes:
So overall she did fine. She gave each character their own voice, but some really grated on my nerves.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
October 19, 2024
I loved this audiobook! Esther Wane’s masterful narration brings the characters to life while adding emotion and intensity. Although this story is labeled as a mystery, I feel that it comes across as more of an intense, emotional family drama. Secrets, lies, long-held resentments, and bitterness come to the surface during a family holiday that will be soon forgotten. This audiobook was entertaining and kept me engaged from start to finish. Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my audiobook.
July 24, 2024
This is not the thriller I was expecting and wanting. While there was a discovery of a dead body in the pool of their summer rental (which I thought was a great start to the story) there was no real focus on the mystery or resolution. Every character in this story was awful. It didn’t help that the narrator did better with some voices than others (her Jimmy voice drove me crazy). This book was non-stop family drama, but because all of the characters were so unlikeable and awful I didn’t care to be honest. And I was annoyed when the main character worked to make amends since everyone else had been awful and participated. Everyone sucked in this story. And to be fair the 7 year old was awful in the same way, but clearly something was going on with the boy who poked the body with a pool skimmer to play with it before the police arrived. And the ending wasn’t funny it was ridiculous. Overall the narrator did a good job overall and most of the characters were well done by them. But I have to say all considered I was fairly disappointed by this one. If you’re looking for a family drama full of unspoken frustrations and years of resentment this book may be for you.
June 16, 2024
For a book that had a lot going on, not much happened. It had so much potential but it fell flat. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review.
June 3, 2024
Narrated by Esther Wane ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stunning voice
Story by Sarah Edghill ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Let me be very clear, this three stars is ONLY if you are picking this book up as general fiction. If you are picking this book up as a mystery thriller put it back down immediately and move on. There is NOTHING thrilling or mysterious about this story.
Now that I've got that out of the way this story was only just OK as a general fiction/ family drama book. Nothing really happens and it's not a family that will leave you feeling good. If I was reading it I don't think I would have actually finished it but honestly it was the Narrators soothing voice that made me keep listening.
Stunning voice
Story by Sarah Edghill ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Let me be very clear, this three stars is ONLY if you are picking this book up as general fiction. If you are picking this book up as a mystery thriller put it back down immediately and move on. There is NOTHING thrilling or mysterious about this story.
Now that I've got that out of the way this story was only just OK as a general fiction/ family drama book. Nothing really happens and it's not a family that will leave you feeling good. If I was reading it I don't think I would have actually finished it but honestly it was the Narrators soothing voice that made me keep listening.
June 3, 2024
This was marked as a thriller, but to be honest, I really don't think it was. Aside from the body in the pool right at the beginning of the story, literally nothing else happened. It was just a family drama between Hannah and her sister Lizzie and their families. Don't get me wrong, the story wasn't the worst I've read, but it definitely didn't feel like a thriller to me. The best part for me was the very funny 7 year old Jimmy.
June 12, 2024
Fast paced and full of family drama, but not a thriller as one would expect.
The Pool is a perfect beach read, quick paced with great characters and family plot twists. My only concern here is that I was waiting for big twist that would clarify the thriller category and it never quite came. There's plenty of tense moments, and it reminds me of the tension felt in the "Hotel Lotus" the HBO series rather than Stephen King type thrillers
I definitely recommend for fans of Lisa Jewell or Liane Moriarty.
What I liked:
-Sister drama- juicy and realistic we all know a set of Hannah and Lizzies (or ARE a set of Hannah and Lizzies), competitive and would never choose each other as friends, but wound up as family.
-Secrets! If thrillers were just based on unraveling secrets, this book would be labeled well.
There are some light and downright funny moments from secondary characters, specifically a spunky 7 year old.
I would recommend to folks in a reading slump since it jumps right into the game here, a pretty sudden discovery of a body in a pool and plenty of cops to get involved in a little "family vacation".
Thank you to Bloodhound books for the opportunity to read and review
The Pool is a perfect beach read, quick paced with great characters and family plot twists. My only concern here is that I was waiting for big twist that would clarify the thriller category and it never quite came. There's plenty of tense moments, and it reminds me of the tension felt in the "Hotel Lotus" the HBO series rather than Stephen King type thrillers
I definitely recommend for fans of Lisa Jewell or Liane Moriarty.
What I liked:
-Sister drama- juicy and realistic we all know a set of Hannah and Lizzies (or ARE a set of Hannah and Lizzies), competitive and would never choose each other as friends, but wound up as family.
-Secrets! If thrillers were just based on unraveling secrets, this book would be labeled well.
There are some light and downright funny moments from secondary characters, specifically a spunky 7 year old.
I would recommend to folks in a reading slump since it jumps right into the game here, a pretty sudden discovery of a body in a pool and plenty of cops to get involved in a little "family vacation".
Thank you to Bloodhound books for the opportunity to read and review
May 23, 2024
When two sisters Lizzie and Hannah arrive at an idyllic French holiday home with their respective families, the last thing they expect is finding a dead body floating in the swimming pool.
There follows the world's worst holiday with events rollercoasting into chaos, which leads to extremely strained relationships between the adults and the female teenage cousins. Only 7 year old Jimmy remains sunny and optimistic. And funny.
I expected the book to concentrate on the pool corpse and the subsequent investigation. However, this takes a backseat to increasingly bizarre and unexpected events, which strain the families to breaking point.
It was a good read that I raced through in one session.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC
There follows the world's worst holiday with events rollercoasting into chaos, which leads to extremely strained relationships between the adults and the female teenage cousins. Only 7 year old Jimmy remains sunny and optimistic. And funny.
I expected the book to concentrate on the pool corpse and the subsequent investigation. However, this takes a backseat to increasingly bizarre and unexpected events, which strain the families to breaking point.
It was a good read that I raced through in one session.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC
May 18, 2024
Sisters Lizzie and Hannah have never gotten along. When their mother died, they find she has “sent them on vacation with their families together!! They agree to a remote villa in the South of France. Upon their arrival they find a dead body in the pool! This begins their family getaway and sets the tone of the story.
Secrets, lies, resentment and anger take over their trip and begin a spiral of events that question whether or not their mother was right in trying to get them to be true sisters.
This is a wonderfully fast paced novel that draws you in and won’t let go. The character developments of Lizzie and Hannah are excellent as we learn more and more about the sisters. The scenery and dreaded pool points to the picture of a vacation no one would ever sign up for! I really enjoyed this book!
Secrets, lies, resentment and anger take over their trip and begin a spiral of events that question whether or not their mother was right in trying to get them to be true sisters.
This is a wonderfully fast paced novel that draws you in and won’t let go. The character developments of Lizzie and Hannah are excellent as we learn more and more about the sisters. The scenery and dreaded pool points to the picture of a vacation no one would ever sign up for! I really enjoyed this book!
June 10, 2024
So relatable! For anyone who has a toxic relationship with family members and feels compelled to make it work, because “blood is thicker than water”, right? Well, no!
Hannah and Lizzie don’t get on, but their late mother was determined they would resolve their problems and paid for them to take a holiday in France with their respective families.
On arrival, there is a body floating in the pool and it goes downhill from there in some respects, but in others, they find out more about themselves and each other than they had bargained for.
Seven year old Jimmy had me laughing out loud, over and over again. Susie and Alice were typical teenagers and Marcus was the brother in law, not of my dreams, but unfortunately of my reality!
There is a whole heap of guilt, harsh truths and tender reveals throughout the story, with an important moral message; It’s ok to say “that’s enough” and move forward without your family.
Choose wisely and live your life to the max!
4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Edghill and Dreamscape for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Hannah and Lizzie don’t get on, but their late mother was determined they would resolve their problems and paid for them to take a holiday in France with their respective families.
On arrival, there is a body floating in the pool and it goes downhill from there in some respects, but in others, they find out more about themselves and each other than they had bargained for.
Seven year old Jimmy had me laughing out loud, over and over again. Susie and Alice were typical teenagers and Marcus was the brother in law, not of my dreams, but unfortunately of my reality!
There is a whole heap of guilt, harsh truths and tender reveals throughout the story, with an important moral message; It’s ok to say “that’s enough” and move forward without your family.
Choose wisely and live your life to the max!
4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Edghill and Dreamscape for an ARC in return for an honest review.
June 4, 2024
Two sisters and their families meet for a French vacation following the death of their mother. When 7 year old little Jimmy goes in the backyard of the vacation home, he sees a dead man floating in the pool. This is where the mystery, suspense, thriller ends.
I will say that I went into this book thinking it was a thriller, but it is not. It’s actually a pretty humorous take on vacationing with your family. There’s nothing really notable that happens outside of the dead body in the pool, but it’s still an enjoyable read.
I listened to the audiobook of this and was happy I did. The narrator was excellent at changing her voice for each character and kept me entertained throughout.
The story did not receive a higher rating from me, because I really wanted more information about all of the side stories going on. I got a 2 second glimpse of each person, but not much more. I also found all of the characters to be pretty unlikeable, even Jimmy. I know, I know…but I just couldn’t handle his obnoxiousness.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Dreamscape Media for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2024
******Happy Publication Day****
I am with so many of my other reviewing friends when I say this is mislabeled as a mystery/thriller. For me the mystery was what is the mystery in this book and how is it all tied together.
I really enjoy books about family drama and figuring out how the family drama plays into the mystery in the book. But that is not what happened in this book. It was interesting to get a look into the family dynamics and see the disfunction, but it wasn't relavant to the dead body, not directly- in my opinion.
The book also ended quite quickly and almost abruptly. It was almost the end of the book and I still had questions that weren't answered, and I was wondering what was happening: will we have closure, will there be an answer, and so on.
I think the general idea behind this book was good in theory, but the execution just didn't register for me. The narration was great though, which is what helped me finish this book.
I am thankful for the opportunity to listen to books like this one because sometimes I am the outlier. However, this time I am in agreement with others that this book is more of just fiction, not a mystery/thriller.
Thank you to #Netgalley and #DreamscapeMedia for the advanced audio copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own without hesitation.
I am with so many of my other reviewing friends when I say this is mislabeled as a mystery/thriller. For me the mystery was what is the mystery in this book and how is it all tied together.
I really enjoy books about family drama and figuring out how the family drama plays into the mystery in the book. But that is not what happened in this book. It was interesting to get a look into the family dynamics and see the disfunction, but it wasn't relavant to the dead body, not directly- in my opinion.
The book also ended quite quickly and almost abruptly. It was almost the end of the book and I still had questions that weren't answered, and I was wondering what was happening: will we have closure, will there be an answer, and so on.
I think the general idea behind this book was good in theory, but the execution just didn't register for me. The narration was great though, which is what helped me finish this book.
I am thankful for the opportunity to listen to books like this one because sometimes I am the outlier. However, this time I am in agreement with others that this book is more of just fiction, not a mystery/thriller.
Thank you to #Netgalley and #DreamscapeMedia for the advanced audio copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own without hesitation.
June 23, 2024
"The Pool" by Sarah Edghill is a family drama novel, not the thriller it seems to be when one starts reading it.
Two sisters and their families are bequeathed money from their mother to go on a family vacation together. None of them really get along very well.
When Hannah's family arrives at their rental house in the south of France, her young son, Jimmy, runs out back to check out the pool, and he discovers a dead body floating in the pool. Between the cops and the press, it certainly messes up their vacation. The story does not follow the investigation, however. In fact, we never find out much about the victim at all.
Esther Wane provided the narration. She seemed to have such similar voices for Lizzy, Susie, and Jimmy that It was hard to follow who was talking at times.
If you like family drama and go into it knowing that's what it is, you may really enjoy this book.
Characters - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 2/5
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 26/8 = 3 2/8 rounded to 3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Sarah Edghill for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Two sisters and their families are bequeathed money from their mother to go on a family vacation together. None of them really get along very well.
When Hannah's family arrives at their rental house in the south of France, her young son, Jimmy, runs out back to check out the pool, and he discovers a dead body floating in the pool. Between the cops and the press, it certainly messes up their vacation. The story does not follow the investigation, however. In fact, we never find out much about the victim at all.
Esther Wane provided the narration. She seemed to have such similar voices for Lizzy, Susie, and Jimmy that It was hard to follow who was talking at times.
If you like family drama and go into it knowing that's what it is, you may really enjoy this book.
Characters - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 2/5
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 26/8 = 3 2/8 rounded to 3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Sarah Edghill for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
June 10, 2024
This audiobook was most certainly not advertised in the correct genre. This was not a mystery or a thriller. Yes, there was a dead body, but nothing comes of it. It is mentioned, but there is no big who dun it or fear of a killer lurking around the corner.
I’m struggling to figure out the whole point of the book? I guess it just seems as though it was a snapshot of someone’s drama on their vacation. It wasn’t to keep me engaged or make me care about ANY of the characters.
All in all, I finished it. But it wasn’t for me.
July 20, 2024
didn’t like that
June 6, 2024
Not so closed sisters Hannah and Lizzie and their families are spending a week vacation in a remote house in the south of France hoping to have a cordial relationship between the families.
The first thing they find in the pool of the house is a body floating in it, what happens next is a little bit of comedy with a very inept police detective that shows up all the time in the most unexpected circumstances.
But the body is not the most important aspect of the book but the relationship between the sisters and between all the members of the families, resentments, situations of the past that continue in the present, secrets, hidden feelings.
All these provoke meltdowns that threaten to unravel and at the end do cause a very nasty fight that ruins the vacation.
I liked the growing of the plot, from the sort of happy feeling beginning to dark and heavy and dense with complexed characters.
The first thing they find in the pool of the house is a body floating in it, what happens next is a little bit of comedy with a very inept police detective that shows up all the time in the most unexpected circumstances.
But the body is not the most important aspect of the book but the relationship between the sisters and between all the members of the families, resentments, situations of the past that continue in the present, secrets, hidden feelings.
All these provoke meltdowns that threaten to unravel and at the end do cause a very nasty fight that ruins the vacation.
I liked the growing of the plot, from the sort of happy feeling beginning to dark and heavy and dense with complexed characters.
August 14, 2024
I found “The Pool” by Sarah Edghill to be a gripping novel that delves into family dynamics and the impact of a shocking discovery on what was meant to be a tranquil week in the French countryside.
Sisters Hannah and Lizzie, recently bereaved, embark on a holiday together with their families, funded by their late mother. Their vacation takes a dark turn when they discover a dead body in the pool of their rented French home, sparking a media frenzy and unearthing long-hidden secrets and resentments.
The story explores the strained relationships between the sisters, their respective marriages, and their children. The isolated setting heightens the tension as the families grapple with their emotions and fractured relationships. Edghill’s storytelling adeptly captures the complexities of family life, making “The Pool” a compelling read for fans of suspense and family drama.
While the dead body in the pool could have introduced a thrilling detective angle, it serves more as a backdrop for the family drama, which may disappoint readers looking forward to unraveling the mystery behind the corpse.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC, all views expressed are strictly my own.
(read over 2 days in June 2024) momobookdiary
#reading #reviewing #bookreading #bookreviewing #bookblogging #momobookdiary #arcreviewing #bloodhoundbooks #sarahedghill #thepool #readallthebooks
Sisters Hannah and Lizzie, recently bereaved, embark on a holiday together with their families, funded by their late mother. Their vacation takes a dark turn when they discover a dead body in the pool of their rented French home, sparking a media frenzy and unearthing long-hidden secrets and resentments.
The story explores the strained relationships between the sisters, their respective marriages, and their children. The isolated setting heightens the tension as the families grapple with their emotions and fractured relationships. Edghill’s storytelling adeptly captures the complexities of family life, making “The Pool” a compelling read for fans of suspense and family drama.
While the dead body in the pool could have introduced a thrilling detective angle, it serves more as a backdrop for the family drama, which may disappoint readers looking forward to unraveling the mystery behind the corpse.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC, all views expressed are strictly my own.
(read over 2 days in June 2024) momobookdiary
#reading #reviewing #bookreading #bookreviewing #bookblogging #momobookdiary #arcreviewing #bloodhoundbooks #sarahedghill #thepool #readallthebooks
June 1, 2024
Title: The Pool
Author: Sarah Edghill
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narrator: Esther Wane
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Audiobook Release Date: June 5, 2024
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages 276
Sisters Lizzie and Hannah have never been close but following the death of their mother, Jean; who had a desire that they vacation with their families together!!
Hannah does the research on-line and finds a 4-bedroom villa in a remote area of the South of France. The photos look perfect.
Hannah and her family arrive first and find the area is more beautiful than the photos. However they no soon enter the home and discover a body floating in the pool! The children are using the leaf skimmer to poke at him- it appears the body is that of a man.
Thus is the beginning of the world's worst holiday.
The media gets wind of the death and reporters become annoying. The families stress level is at a peak. There is chaos and a very strained relationship develops between the adults –Hannah, Nic, Lizzie, and Marcus as well as their teenage daughters Alice age fourteen and Susie fifteen
Jimmy, Hannah’s seven year-old son remains himself with his little boy self and makes comments which in many cases are gross but humorous.
The narrator Ester Wane did a great job in performing the characters.
However, I did find these characters unlikeable with so many unnecessary expletives.
However the story had me curious.
The cover is great but the pool isn’t the big issue in this story.
This dysfunctional group dominates it.
They reach their lowest with name calling and shouting at each other ~ perhaps because they realize they have one day left in the villa and want to get out everything that has bothered them for the past many years!
I started the reviewed before I was finishing and was ready to give it 2 stars.
Glad I hung in there as the ending saved this story- . .
Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this early Audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 5, 2024.
Author: Sarah Edghill
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narrator: Esther Wane
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Audiobook Release Date: June 5, 2024
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages 276
Sisters Lizzie and Hannah have never been close but following the death of their mother, Jean; who had a desire that they vacation with their families together!!
Hannah does the research on-line and finds a 4-bedroom villa in a remote area of the South of France. The photos look perfect.
Hannah and her family arrive first and find the area is more beautiful than the photos. However they no soon enter the home and discover a body floating in the pool! The children are using the leaf skimmer to poke at him- it appears the body is that of a man.
Thus is the beginning of the world's worst holiday.
The media gets wind of the death and reporters become annoying. The families stress level is at a peak. There is chaos and a very strained relationship develops between the adults –Hannah, Nic, Lizzie, and Marcus as well as their teenage daughters Alice age fourteen and Susie fifteen
Jimmy, Hannah’s seven year-old son remains himself with his little boy self and makes comments which in many cases are gross but humorous.
The narrator Ester Wane did a great job in performing the characters.
However, I did find these characters unlikeable with so many unnecessary expletives.
However the story had me curious.
The cover is great but the pool isn’t the big issue in this story.
This dysfunctional group dominates it.
They reach their lowest with name calling and shouting at each other ~ perhaps because they realize they have one day left in the villa and want to get out everything that has bothered them for the past many years!
I started the reviewed before I was finishing and was ready to give it 2 stars.
Glad I hung in there as the ending saved this story- . .
Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this early Audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 5, 2024.
June 13, 2024
OMG What a f**king cr@ppy book
I got this book for 2 reasons.
Published by Bloodhound Books and because of the following taglines-
One villa Two families A holiday they'll never forget. A gripping novel about family and secrets.
A dead body in the first chapter. I was happy that the book would be gripping
But what I got next was
Daily updates about two families and their daily activities. Loads of lines in French. Family members who didn't even like each other much. The family secret was so pathetic that it made no impact.
I kept waiting for a scene to grip me.
And kept turning pages.
All that happened was 1 confrontation and philosophical lines about families. The dead body was forgotten. All the body did was ruin their plans. And even the wallet that would have helped in identification was buried in P00. OMG. I ended up feeling bad for the dead man who played no role, and I had no idea why he was even in this book.
There were a couple of other characters, the cottage owner and his cleaning lady. One drank and the other, screamed. Why were they in this book too?
So where was the tagline in the whole story? Was it just to fool thriller readers like us to waste our money and time on such fake stuff? It made me feel that these were underhand techniques to increase sales. Sadly enough, I would never trust Bloodhound again.
If you need our money, be honest about it. Don't keep trying to fool us. We are also going through difficult times. If I had been told it was some sort of women's fiction, I would have tempered my expectations.
But then again, there were no emotions between any of the characters. They were all mean. Except for the child Jimmy. But then he was just 8. He would probably grow up mean, staying with these people. So this couldn't even be a women's fiction. Then why publish such a book? I failed to understand.
OMG. I am so boiling angry that words have left my brain, and fury has taken over. Maybe I will modify this review once I stop feeling fooled by all those who made this book to be what it was.
I got this book for 2 reasons.
Published by Bloodhound Books and because of the following taglines-
One villa Two families A holiday they'll never forget. A gripping novel about family and secrets.
A dead body in the first chapter. I was happy that the book would be gripping
But what I got next was
Daily updates about two families and their daily activities. Loads of lines in French. Family members who didn't even like each other much. The family secret was so pathetic that it made no impact.
I kept waiting for a scene to grip me.
And kept turning pages.
All that happened was 1 confrontation and philosophical lines about families. The dead body was forgotten. All the body did was ruin their plans. And even the wallet that would have helped in identification was buried in P00. OMG. I ended up feeling bad for the dead man who played no role, and I had no idea why he was even in this book.
There were a couple of other characters, the cottage owner and his cleaning lady. One drank and the other, screamed. Why were they in this book too?
So where was the tagline in the whole story? Was it just to fool thriller readers like us to waste our money and time on such fake stuff? It made me feel that these were underhand techniques to increase sales. Sadly enough, I would never trust Bloodhound again.
If you need our money, be honest about it. Don't keep trying to fool us. We are also going through difficult times. If I had been told it was some sort of women's fiction, I would have tempered my expectations.
But then again, there were no emotions between any of the characters. They were all mean. Except for the child Jimmy. But then he was just 8. He would probably grow up mean, staying with these people. So this couldn't even be a women's fiction. Then why publish such a book? I failed to understand.
OMG. I am so boiling angry that words have left my brain, and fury has taken over. Maybe I will modify this review once I stop feeling fooled by all those who made this book to be what it was.
June 16, 2024
Book Review - The Pool by Sarah Edghill
Narrated by Esther Wane
When Hannah and Lizzie’s mom passes away after a long battle with cancer, Hannah finds herself researching vacation destinations and properties in order to fulfill her mother’s last wishes…for her daughters and their families to go on holiday/vacation together. Although at first she dreads the idea of going away with her sister and her family, as the planning unfolds and begins to take shape, Hannah cannot help but feel excited and hopeful that perhaps this is just what was needed to unify their family. The stage is set; the idyllic setting in the south of France is one that dreams are made of…except when everything goes so terribly wrong…
Hannah and her family are the first to arrive at the magnificent villa and everything seems to be going as planned until her youngest, Jimmy, reveals what he has found in the pool outside. Hannah and her husband NIck, along with their teenage daughter, scramble to contact the authorities and put the pieces together but not before Hannah’s sister, Lizzie, and her husband, Marcus arrive with their teenage daughter, Susie. Both families are instantly thrust into a whirlwind of publicity, police presence, and lots of interrogation. As this story unfolds, the listener is taken on a journey into the inner workings of families, including all of their secrets and heartaches.
As Hannah and Lizzie struggle to navigate their lives in the midst of chaos, heartbreak and conflict seem to continuously unfold and family secrets are unraveled. All family dynamics are complicated and this family is no different. For me, this story read more like a family relationship novel rather than a thriller, but the storyline was solid and I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Sarah Edghill, and Dreamscape Media for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Narrated by Esther Wane
When Hannah and Lizzie’s mom passes away after a long battle with cancer, Hannah finds herself researching vacation destinations and properties in order to fulfill her mother’s last wishes…for her daughters and their families to go on holiday/vacation together. Although at first she dreads the idea of going away with her sister and her family, as the planning unfolds and begins to take shape, Hannah cannot help but feel excited and hopeful that perhaps this is just what was needed to unify their family. The stage is set; the idyllic setting in the south of France is one that dreams are made of…except when everything goes so terribly wrong…
Hannah and her family are the first to arrive at the magnificent villa and everything seems to be going as planned until her youngest, Jimmy, reveals what he has found in the pool outside. Hannah and her husband NIck, along with their teenage daughter, scramble to contact the authorities and put the pieces together but not before Hannah’s sister, Lizzie, and her husband, Marcus arrive with their teenage daughter, Susie. Both families are instantly thrust into a whirlwind of publicity, police presence, and lots of interrogation. As this story unfolds, the listener is taken on a journey into the inner workings of families, including all of their secrets and heartaches.
As Hannah and Lizzie struggle to navigate their lives in the midst of chaos, heartbreak and conflict seem to continuously unfold and family secrets are unraveled. All family dynamics are complicated and this family is no different. For me, this story read more like a family relationship novel rather than a thriller, but the storyline was solid and I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Sarah Edghill, and Dreamscape Media for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
Hannah and her family have had a rough go at it for a while and are in desperate need of a holiday. Her mother recently passed but in her will she set aside some money for Hannah and her sister, Lizzie to take their families on a joint vacation. Hannah has booked a luxury mansion in a secluded village in the south of France. Upon arrival Hannah's seven year old son makes a shocking announcement there is a dead man floating in the pool. When their lovely holiday home turns into a crime scene the feuding families must try to keep their cool as tensions run high.
I went into this story thinking it was a thriller and despite a dead body a thriller it is not; it is more domestic drama. The entire story is about the relationship and history of the two sisters. The title is apropos since most of the action is centered around the pool. I liked the idea of a family vacation being interrupted by mysterious murder but there is no real action around it. The characters were hard to connect with most of them whining about not being able to use the pool. The ending is pretty open ended and I felt like more side stories could have been resolved.
I had the audio version read by Esther Wane who is an enjoyable narrator. She was good at switching up the voices of each character even though a couple of them (Jimmy) became a bit grating. Overall I enjoyed her performance and would listen to more of her work.
Hannah and her family have had a rough go at it for a while and are in desperate need of a holiday. Her mother recently passed but in her will she set aside some money for Hannah and her sister, Lizzie to take their families on a joint vacation. Hannah has booked a luxury mansion in a secluded village in the south of France. Upon arrival Hannah's seven year old son makes a shocking announcement there is a dead man floating in the pool. When their lovely holiday home turns into a crime scene the feuding families must try to keep their cool as tensions run high.
I went into this story thinking it was a thriller and despite a dead body a thriller it is not; it is more domestic drama. The entire story is about the relationship and history of the two sisters. The title is apropos since most of the action is centered around the pool. I liked the idea of a family vacation being interrupted by mysterious murder but there is no real action around it. The characters were hard to connect with most of them whining about not being able to use the pool. The ending is pretty open ended and I felt like more side stories could have been resolved.
I had the audio version read by Esther Wane who is an enjoyable narrator. She was good at switching up the voices of each character even though a couple of them (Jimmy) became a bit grating. Overall I enjoyed her performance and would listen to more of her work.
May 24, 2024
Sarah Edghill has a real talent for drawing the reader into a family drama. In The Pool, sisters Hannah and Lizzie have recently lost their mother Jean who brought them up by herself after their father left when Hannah was nine years old. The sisters have a difficult relationship, Hannah has always thought that Lizzie was her mother’s favourite daughter.
Both sisters agree to go on a family holiday together paid for by their mother, of course they can manage to spend a week together. The holiday starts off dramatically when Hannah and her family are the first to arrive at the holiday home in France and find a body in the swimming pool. This causes a very different reaction from each family. Lizzie’s daughter, Suzy immediately starts posting on social media and loves the drama of it all which Hannah and her family finds distasteful. Hannah has never got on with Lizzie’s husband so this also causes tension. Hannah’s husband is also going through a difficult time and the family are on edge as to whether he might face a court action and potentially lose his job.
As the family get off to a difficult start to their holiday relationships are strained and Hannah finds out something shocking about her family that causes her to see her mother differently. This was an engaging family drama and showed how there is no guarantee that people will get on together just because they are from the same family.
Both sisters agree to go on a family holiday together paid for by their mother, of course they can manage to spend a week together. The holiday starts off dramatically when Hannah and her family are the first to arrive at the holiday home in France and find a body in the swimming pool. This causes a very different reaction from each family. Lizzie’s daughter, Suzy immediately starts posting on social media and loves the drama of it all which Hannah and her family finds distasteful. Hannah has never got on with Lizzie’s husband so this also causes tension. Hannah’s husband is also going through a difficult time and the family are on edge as to whether he might face a court action and potentially lose his job.
As the family get off to a difficult start to their holiday relationships are strained and Hannah finds out something shocking about her family that causes her to see her mother differently. This was an engaging family drama and showed how there is no guarantee that people will get on together just because they are from the same family.
June 19, 2024
So, I started out expecting to read a murder mystery and wound up with a family drama instead. However, it must be a testament to Ms. Edgehill's writing that I didn't quit when I realized it was a family drama. The descriptions of the scenery were vivid and made me want to visit the south of France. I only had two issues with the story. First, I never could decide if I was supposed to like Hannah or not. And I sure didn't. She was a self-centered, self-absorbed, hateful human being. Granted, by the end of the book I saw some semblance of a human being in there but by then it was too late for me. In fact, the only two characters with any redeeming qualities, in my opinion, were Lizzie and Nick. They were the only ones who were trying to make some type of peace in the midst of raging anger from everyone else.
The other issue I had was all the French scattered throughout the story. Granted, I know the setting is France and they speak French. But I need to understand what characters are saying. The majority of the time, Marcus would translate (which got to be annoying after a while. but sometimes there was no translation at all. I've seen other writers do this and it's just irritating. If I'm going to read a story I want to read all of it.
All in all I enjoyed the book and would be open to reading another by Ms. Edgehill.
I received a review copy from the author via Bloohound Books and this review is my honest opinion.
The other issue I had was all the French scattered throughout the story. Granted, I know the setting is France and they speak French. But I need to understand what characters are saying. The majority of the time, Marcus would translate (which got to be annoying after a while. but sometimes there was no translation at all. I've seen other writers do this and it's just irritating. If I'm going to read a story I want to read all of it.
All in all I enjoyed the book and would be open to reading another by Ms. Edgehill.
I received a review copy from the author via Bloohound Books and this review is my honest opinion.
June 18, 2024
The Pool by Sarah Edghill and narrated by Esther Wane is a family drama with a mystery at the centre. Not quite my usual type of thriller, but certainly an enjoyable listen for the dichotomies between the cousins, the sisters and the husbands if nothing else.
Hannah and Lizzie are the classic chalk and cheese/ oil and water type of sisters. Different personalities, lifestyles, priorities. But following the death of their mother, they decide to go n a holiday to the South of the France with their respective families, to honor their mother's wishes and to maybe heal the rifts for the sake of their daughters (who are the best of friends) There is a lot of envy between the dynamics of the sisters and cousins, but what really sets things off, is the discovery of a body boobbing about in their pool by Hannah's youngest (who is great comedy relief throughout)
A tense situation made even more so when the gendarmes arrive as the family cannot leave, a situation made worse by media arrivals, escalating resentment and jealousy
Not quite what I thought it would be, but still an enjoyable listen and Esther Wane did a wonderful job of narrating
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape MEdia, Sarah Edghill and the narrator Esther Wane for this ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Hannah and Lizzie are the classic chalk and cheese/ oil and water type of sisters. Different personalities, lifestyles, priorities. But following the death of their mother, they decide to go n a holiday to the South of the France with their respective families, to honor their mother's wishes and to maybe heal the rifts for the sake of their daughters (who are the best of friends) There is a lot of envy between the dynamics of the sisters and cousins, but what really sets things off, is the discovery of a body boobbing about in their pool by Hannah's youngest (who is great comedy relief throughout)
A tense situation made even more so when the gendarmes arrive as the family cannot leave, a situation made worse by media arrivals, escalating resentment and jealousy
Not quite what I thought it would be, but still an enjoyable listen and Esther Wane did a wonderful job of narrating
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape MEdia, Sarah Edghill and the narrator Esther Wane for this ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
July 5, 2024
Hannah and Lizzie are sisters but they are not close. Hannah is married to Nick and has two children, Alice and Jimmy, whilst Lizzie is married to Marcus and they have Ben and Suzy. Their mother recently died and as part of her will, and in the hope of reconciling her children, she has paid for both families to holiday together so off to the South of France they go. Hannah and Nick fly as Nick’s car is impounded by the policy following an accident whilst the other family (less Ben who has stayed at home) drive.
Briefly, arriving at the rented house they find a man dead in the pool. And so their week of hell begins. Not due to dark or sinister murder but simply two families put under stress and not reacting very well to it. As each day of the week goes by the tension levels build and secrets are revealed until it all blows up; in the face of Hannah in particular. Will the two families survive the week or has too much been said?
Two not particularly likeable families apart from young Jimmy with his positive outlook and amusing comments. The moral of the story, if there is one - you can put families together but you can’t force them to like each other. Blood is not always thicker than water! Not the thriller I was expecting but an entertaining family drama.
Briefly, arriving at the rented house they find a man dead in the pool. And so their week of hell begins. Not due to dark or sinister murder but simply two families put under stress and not reacting very well to it. As each day of the week goes by the tension levels build and secrets are revealed until it all blows up; in the face of Hannah in particular. Will the two families survive the week or has too much been said?
Two not particularly likeable families apart from young Jimmy with his positive outlook and amusing comments. The moral of the story, if there is one - you can put families together but you can’t force them to like each other. Blood is not always thicker than water! Not the thriller I was expecting but an entertaining family drama.
June 6, 2024
The Pool is an interesting story with tension created in an uncomfortable situation with two families made worse by unpredictable events. I think it does a good job creating a pressure cooker situation that would cause any unease in a family to finally boil over and cause a blow up between parties.
It did have a bit of a literary feel as the main character didn’t tend to be actively driving the story, and didn’t have a ton of growth. Instead, it was the unfolding of a story as it happened over vacation, and whether it shifted the future of the characters was left unknown. There also wasn’t a ton of resolution, which will leave the reader pondering all the possibilities after the story is through.
While this story may not have been the best fit for me, I have no doubt others will find it to be exactly what they want to read.
I listened to the audiobook version which was done extremely well. The narrator brought all the characters to life. I listened at 2x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75-2x speed).
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Medua for this advanced audiobook copy.
It did have a bit of a literary feel as the main character didn’t tend to be actively driving the story, and didn’t have a ton of growth. Instead, it was the unfolding of a story as it happened over vacation, and whether it shifted the future of the characters was left unknown. There also wasn’t a ton of resolution, which will leave the reader pondering all the possibilities after the story is through.
While this story may not have been the best fit for me, I have no doubt others will find it to be exactly what they want to read.
I listened to the audiobook version which was done extremely well. The narrator brought all the characters to life. I listened at 2x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75-2x speed).
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Medua for this advanced audiobook copy.
May 29, 2024
What a well written and thoughtful book. Families are wonderful when everyone gets on with everyone else, but incredibly difficult when relationships are strained, particularly when in laws simply don’t get on. The characters are beautifully drawn and developed, all with their flaws and idiosyncrasies, and all very imperfectly human. Forced together in a trying situation, tensions rise and things are said which would be better left unsaid. Yet, at the same time, a lifetime of resentment and misunderstanding is brought to a head, and possibly, just possibly, peace and forgiveness will follow. The situation is tense and dramatic, but the author also injects subtle humour to lighten the plot and alleviate the drama. I absolutely loved Jimmy’s interventions. His innocently intense curiosity is the perfect foil to the strained relationships between the adults and teenagers. The author clearly understands 7 year olds as well as 14 and 15 year old girls. A most engaging, entertaining and ultimately uplifting book. Definitely recommended.
June 21, 2024
This book was unfortunately a little underwhelming to me. From the blurb, I thought this would turn into a murder mystery/ drama, but I have yet to figure out what genre this could be. The only reason I was on the edge of my seat throughout the read is that I figured something strange would happen or there would be a horror/thriller plot twist – but no – I’m still at the edge of my seat and nothing actually happened.
There is some family drama, but the drama in itself is not juicy enough or told entertainingly enough to be interesting. Rather, I felt like this family could be anyone and the story could have happened to anyone, and they would have probably done a better job of making the story sound exciting.
I unfortunately did not like the protagonist either. It felt like she was quite immature – that, and her behavior hindered me from sympathizing with her greatly.
If this book still appeals to you, I recommend the audio production.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review.
There is some family drama, but the drama in itself is not juicy enough or told entertainingly enough to be interesting. Rather, I felt like this family could be anyone and the story could have happened to anyone, and they would have probably done a better job of making the story sound exciting.
I unfortunately did not like the protagonist either. It felt like she was quite immature – that, and her behavior hindered me from sympathizing with her greatly.
If this book still appeals to you, I recommend the audio production.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review.
May 25, 2024
Packed with hilarious, larger than life (but still relatable) characters, THE POOL is a found-family roma— wait, no—murder thriller. Jimmy is delightful! Edghill really nailed the ‘weird kid’ vibes.
Premise - two British sisters who try, but often fail, to like each other go on vacation in France, along with their messy families. The trip over is tough but when they arrive at the (free!) dream vacation house, they’re sure things are turning around… until little Jimmy finds a man floating in the pool. Shenanigans ensue!
This was light-hearted and yet thrilling and well-paced all the same - my perfect mix! I love domestic monotony set against a very non-monotonous scenario with high stakes. This delivers all of that!
Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Premise - two British sisters who try, but often fail, to like each other go on vacation in France, along with their messy families. The trip over is tough but when they arrive at the (free!) dream vacation house, they’re sure things are turning around… until little Jimmy finds a man floating in the pool. Shenanigans ensue!
This was light-hearted and yet thrilling and well-paced all the same - my perfect mix! I love domestic monotony set against a very non-monotonous scenario with high stakes. This delivers all of that!
Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2024
🎧🎧 Book Review 🎧🎧 If you are craving a dream vacation to a villa in France full of thrills and mystery but have not yet been able to decide the exact manner in which you want to experience your holiday gone totally awry, Sarah Edgill’s new novel, The Pool, will fit the bill for a perfect escape (without the dead body in the pool). As always, Edgill perfectly balances a gripping plot with emotive characters that are incredibly relatable. Readers will laugh and cry along with this family as they tackle grief from losing their matriarch, the mystery of a dead body in the pool, struggling to patch together their French language skills, and a myriad of other totally normal human emotions. The Pool is beautifully written and narrated and the perfect read to enjoy on your summer adventures, a must read!
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