Dead in the Water by John Marrs
Stacey Irving • February 11, 2026
One of my fave authors....

Book review - Fiction - psychological thriller - dark - twisty
Dead in the Water by John Marrs
Damon doesn’t expect to survive a near drowning and have his life flash before his eyes but that is what happens and now everywhere he looks… He sees a dead little boy. A face he doesn’t remember but can see it vividly. The obsession to know who this boy is and what it means… Becomes all he can see.
The only way he can find the truth is to get close to death again. Dangerous and in need of help, he finds someone online willing to do what needs to be done… To help him die but the more he learns… The more his life begins to really unravel.
OOOHH so much to unpack and I am so glad to see my most hated character from The Good Samaritan!! I was telling my cousin in our podcast I needed to see her get her just desserts and the dish was served!!!
Something you should always know about John Marrs… He brings the information in slow deliberate steps… The more you learn the more it all makes sense. It was bone chilling! I love when he gives us sprinkles of easter eggs from other books of his and this one brought it in spades.
UGH DAMON!!!! There is sooo much I don’t want to spoil but I NEED to talk about it but I will do my best to not say anything I wouldn’t want to read. He really gets it raw. His wife prefers women and moves on from him but they have a connection and remain friends. He still loves her and that must be so hard. Now that's how it starts but you learn so much about Damon, things he didn’t know and you will go through the 5 stages of grief.
The story was insane but you learn to expect these kinds of things and I rarely see the twists coming which is why he is one of my fave authors.
I loved how it ended. Watching it all unfold… I was so happy with how it all panned out.
It was dark… It was terrifyingly gripping. The narration was amazing, I already ordered my physical copy!
5 stars
If you know me, you know he is brill so check out my latest episode of my podcast with this taking a good portion of the episode.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4f2xMa6C90zn3ydk8RJFtO
Thank you to @brillianceaudio for my gifted copy
OUT NOW!!!
#johnmarrs #deadinthewater #eastereggs #bookreview #bookalorian #bookblog #bookishblog #bookreader #readerofig #readerblog

Book Review - Fiction - ARC - Ebook- Dark comedy - Cozy Mystery - Anti hero I just finished I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig and here are my musings. Carol is so glad to be leaving her tiny prison cell and take her place in a retirement home. Her serial killer life is in her rearview mirror…. What she doesn’t expect is for the place to be full of ex cops…. And when a police commissioner drops dead and people realize who she is… things get even more awkward… She knows she didn’t do it and now she has to prove she didn’t do it… without killing anyone. I just read the Thursday murder club so this book is right up my alley! I love the older sleuths and the fact that Carol is actually a criminal… Just really set this book into a new league. It was such a clever book! The pacing was slower and I think that’s ok for a book like this. It was well written and I was rooting for Carol the whole time. I enjoyed the dark comedy aspects of the book too. I really was charmed by the book and I highly recommend it if you like fun seniors who like to be arm chair detectives!! 4 stars Thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for my gifted copy QOTD do you think it would be fun to live in a retirement home? #bookish #booklover #bookinfluencer #booktok #readingallday #lionessofliteracy #bookishblog

Book review - Fiction - ALC Audiobook - Dark comedy thriller - unreliable narrator A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M.K. Oliver ⭐ Star Rating: 4 This book felt like…fast paced, unhinged drama filled ride I was hooked… after a few chapters. The book took a little to get going but my oh my it launched! Did I care about the characters ? I was invested for sure. Laila went from likeable to unlikeable a lot and it was fun. She made a lot of decisions that don’t make sense to normal people but to sociopaths.. oh yes haha Tropes included: unreliable narrator, sociopath in suburbia, stepford wives, blackmail, incompetent husband, morally grey Narration star rating and feelings.. 4 stars well narrated! The story had a couple of laggy moments but honestly the pacing was on the slower side but it worked for the comedy. It was really well written. This book made me feel: 100% unhinged! Honestly I loved every second of Lalla’s journey. This book might make you lose sleep! Perfect for readers who love… Dexter, Finlay Donovan.. 🚫 Not for readers who dislike… books with no romance 😈 Petty Complaint… I would have liked a bit more carnage haha All in all superb! Thank you to @netgalley for my gifted copy. Qotd what do you need from a book review to keep checking that reviewers other reviews? #booktok #bookcontent #bookcommunity #happyreader #bookalorian 4d

Book review - Fiction - paperback, ebook and ALC Audiobook - Dark Fantasy - Horror - Hidden Magic Only Spell Deep by Ava Morgyn ⭐ Star Rating: 5 This book felt like… a dark monstrous nightmare! It felt like a cold wind wrapping around you.. the smell of the ocean has never felt so dangerous I was hooked… page 1. I couldn’t put the book down. It really started out strong and didn’t let up. Did I care about the characters? Oh yes! I Judeth is incredible. She didn’t want to continue the insanity of her family after they all died and she walked about from the money.. I have mad respect for that. I was so concerned for her. Tropes included: generation trauma, reclaiming power, enigmatic mentor, ancient being, hidden magic, hidden identity, feminine rage These tropes delivered!!! yes they did. The book didn’t just touch on them, they dug deep and delivered a power whammy!!! Narration star rating and feelings.. I read the book and listened. The narration on the audio was a 5. Pacing? It was moderately paced but it didn’t lag at any point. The story kept going! It really built the tension. Honestly it was so well done This book made me feel: terrified! There was something trapped and it wanted to get out so badly it was taking control of people with powers.. once unleashed… ughhhh!! It really was a solid gothic read. This book WILL make you lose sleep! From needing the lights on to being utterly binge able! Perfect for readers who love… Rebecca.. the craft.. anything dark and witchy! 🚫 Not for readers who dislike… being scared. There is nothing warm or fluffy here. I loved it! Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress for my gifted copies. #readertok #booklovers #bookinfluencer #reading #welovebooks #bookcommunity #readingblog #bookreviewer

Book Review - ALC Audiobook - Sapphic Romantic Comedy - Forbidden romance Greta Gets the Girl by Melissa Marr When Greta and Lee have a one night stand in a hotel room… They never expect to see each other again but they keep in touch and can’t help meeting again.. Something is blooming here.. That is, until Kaelee walks into a meeting to meet her new editor and finds Greta sitting in the editor chair.. Things go even further awry when Kaelee’s family want her book shelved for being Sapphic leaving Greta to decide what is more important.. Her heart or her career… TOO DANG CUTE!!! I love this author's writing style so I definitely will grab more from her! The book has some pretty heavy topics and they were covered so well and I felt like even with the tone… The book still had a lovely message. I do feel the first half of the book was better than the conclusion. It felt rushed and crammed in. I like it wasn’t a total HEA though because they will have things to face moving forward but I enjoyed how it all turned out. I liked the characters and how they progressed as the book went on and the narration was solid! 4.25 stars Thank you to @netgalley #netgalley #alc #audiobookreader #cutereads #romancebook #bookblog #bookinfluencer

Book Review - ALC audiobook - Psychological Thriller - Romantic suspense - Unreliable Narrator The Newlywed by Zia Rayyan Librarian Morgan Sloane just wants her happily after… After her boyfriend breaks up with her she is distraught. She decides to join a matchmaking service that promises marriage at first sight. Being flown to a secluded island to meet her future husband… He is perfect… But someone is not going to allow this to continue. Can Morgan survive her honeymoon? Or has she walked into the sights of someone who now wants her dead. This might be one of the craziest plots I have come across but dang… It worked for me. I’ve never read this author before but I am now backlisting anything by them I can get my hands on. The plot was wild! I love the idea of a woman who is intense in relationships going to the extreme of wanting a matchmaking service marrying her off within days.. CRAZY but ok, I rolled with it but the whole story and that ending! Land o' Goshen! I did not see any of that coming! It was the kind of twist that will give you whiplash for days. The writing was good… The pace is sublime! I am a big fan!! If you need an isolated island with a mystery stalker.. GRAB IT! The narration was on point too!! 4 stars #thrillerreader #thrillertok #booktok #bookstagram #readersoffacebook #bookreviewer #bookblogger

Book review - ALC audiobook - mystery thriller - Police Procedural - Cat and Mouse The Devoted Game by Debra Webb Ex FBI agent Ryan McBride didn’t expect to open his door and find Special Agent Vivian Grace standing there. He isn’t interested but she isn’t giving up.. A 6 year old has been kidnapped and the kidnapper… Will only talk to McBride. The clock is ticking… They must solve the devoted fan of McBrides puzzles and each puzzle gets more and more twisted. Is the kidnapper a deranged obsessed monster? Or is there more going on? One of the things you can expect from this author… You won’t get a moment to breathe once the games start! Ryan is my kind of MC. He was gruff and grumpy. He was drowning in the loss of his job. Vivian had survived her own trauma and she had so much to prove. It was a wild ride. I loved the plot and how clever it all came together. I normally hate unnecessary romance in my thrillers but you know what.. This worked. I loved the narration, I loved the characters and the mystery was awesome. I was entertained. 4 stars Thank you to @netgalley and @brilliancepublishing for my gifted copy #brillianceaudio #brilliancepublishing #thrillerbook #bookreview #bookblog #bookishblog #blogger #reading #aboutbooks #lionessofliteracy

Book Review - ALC Audiobook - Historical Fiction - Biographic Fiction - The sins of the father The Architect of New York by Javier Moro The life and death of a genius… Rafael Guastavino revolutionized the gilded age of New York City. This story is told through the eyes of his son… A rags to riches story of an immigrant family making their own destiny. I really enjoyed this book. I have never done a biographical fiction book before but dang I was hooked. The audiobook was narrated really well and I was oddly charmed by the wackadoodle haha. He was a womanising cheater. He made insane decisions and lost his shirt on more than one occasion but he kept on climbing and he managed to reach the stars in the end. It was oddly inspiring. I liked the pacing and the book has some many interesting elements and spanned decades. It was entertaining and I learned things about architecture. Great book. 4 stars Thank you @netgalley for my gifted copy #bookishblog #reading #lionessofliteracy #booklover #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookblogger #literacyinfluencer #booktok

Book review - Audio ALC - Fiction - Romance - womens fiction The Wild Card by Carolyn Brown Carla Wilson is a professional poker player but she won the deed to a cafe… Something she can sell since she is down on her luck. That is until she moves there and meets Sunny, the cook who treats her like family. It makes leaving mighty hard. Add in the gorgeous Jackson and you have a recipe for sticking around.. It is starting to feel like home and this might just be where lady luck smiled at her the most. Full disclosure… I nearly DNF’d this audio.I actually meant to but somehow.. Maybe it was lady luck, started playing it again and something caught my attention and LAWD I am so glad I did not stop listening. The narration was amazing. It just took time to get into the story. I adored what those ladies were doing with the cafe! It was so much more than just a business. It was a fresh start for those who need it the most. The characters were hilarious and fun! I need senior neighbors like that. I was charmed! It was so well written. It felt almost cozy, it isn’t supposed to be but I felt oddly like I had come home too. I liked everything about it. Even the slow start didn’t faze me in the end. It was decently paced and I enjoyed how it ended. 4.5 stars Thank you @netgalley for my gifted ALC #contemporaryfiction #bookishblog #reader #lionessofliteracy #bookishbusiness #bookservices #bookpod


