Headlines:
Darkly atmospheric
Creepy and evocative
THAT house

A Study in Drowning was a fantastic read from cover to cover and it was especially atmospheric for the autumnal season of dark, rainy and windy nights. This reader living next to the woods is going to peering out of the window for slick black hair and bone crowns!

Effy was a protagonist with growth throughout the story. She was a young women disempowered, controlled by many in her shortish life but she was forging her way through academic life with a burgeoning strength that increased. The reveal about her part way through the story absolutely took my breath away; I did not see it coming. Her project at the house on the cliff seemed an exciting opportunity...at first.

That house. My goodness, my toes curled, I shuddered and all the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end. The state of it, its occupants and then the basement were horrendous. Iaoto was all kinds of shades of creepy but Preston was a solid character who showed his ability to be relied upon.

Rowan berries, hag stones and iron forged the way for safety alongside those pills. I felt for all that Effy had been through in the past and the labels she had been pinned with. The plot was superb, I was kept guessing, I felt all the eerie vibes and turned the pages with fervour.

Ava Reid has yet again produced a memorable story with characters that come alive on the page. I loved this book, not quite to ruination but nearly.

Thank you DelReyUK for the stunning proof which I happily devoured.