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A review by nzlisam
The Swimmer by Loreth Anne White
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Never a Dull Moment!
Chloe Cooper likes to observe people.
Especially neighbours.
Her living room window in her tiny apartment offers her the perfect view of her new neighbours – glamorous socialite Jemma Spengler and her surgeon husband Adam.
Chloe knows their routine.
She’s been inside their house.
She’s learn’t their secrets.
She’s developed a recent beach fetish.
Every morning like clockwork Jemma goes for a swim, and Chloe is lurking nearby.
But this morning will be different.
Because Chloe watches in horror as Jemma is deliberately mowed down by a jet-ski.
What lead up to this murder?
No one could predict the fallout that follows.
The Swimmer was my first read by Loreth Anne White and I was sorely impressed by this domestic/marriage/neighbours thriller. It was a quick, fast-paced read, with nothing too eye-rolling or unbelievable. The multitude of twists and fake trails were exciting, inventive and ingenious, none of which I figured out. I had no idea where this was going or how it was going to end. The story unfolded via our three main players – Chloe, Jemma, Adam – with chapters alternating between ‘before’ and ‘after’ the hit-and-run. There were also chapters dedicated to a podcast titled ‘It’s Criminal: The Chloe Cooper Story’, interviewing people on the periphery of the crime, dropping hints and tiny reveals of what really happened. I love a good podcast in my crime fiction, and the format of this one reminded me a lot of Lisa Jewell’s 2023novel, None of This is True.
I’ll definitely be exploring Loreth Anne White’s backlist!
Chloe Cooper likes to observe people.
Especially neighbours.
Her living room window in her tiny apartment offers her the perfect view of her new neighbours – glamorous socialite Jemma Spengler and her surgeon husband Adam.
Chloe knows their routine.
She’s been inside their house.
She’s learn’t their secrets.
She’s developed a recent beach fetish.
Every morning like clockwork Jemma goes for a swim, and Chloe is lurking nearby.
But this morning will be different.
Because Chloe watches in horror as Jemma is deliberately mowed down by a jet-ski.
What lead up to this murder?
No one could predict the fallout that follows.
The Swimmer was my first read by Loreth Anne White and I was sorely impressed by this domestic/marriage/neighbours thriller. It was a quick, fast-paced read, with nothing too eye-rolling or unbelievable. The multitude of twists and fake trails were exciting, inventive and ingenious, none of which I figured out. I had no idea where this was going or how it was going to end. The story unfolded via our three main players – Chloe, Jemma, Adam – with chapters alternating between ‘before’ and ‘after’ the hit-and-run. There were also chapters dedicated to a podcast titled ‘It’s Criminal: The Chloe Cooper Story’, interviewing people on the periphery of the crime, dropping hints and tiny reveals of what really happened. I love a good podcast in my crime fiction, and the format of this one reminded me a lot of Lisa Jewell’s 2023novel, None of This is True.
I’ll definitely be exploring Loreth Anne White’s backlist!