When Damon survives a near-drowning, his life flashes before his eyes. Every memory is crystal clear—except one. A dead boy. A face he can’t place. A moment he doesn’t remember living. At first he tells himself it’s a trick of the mind. But everything else he saw was real. So why not this?
With his waking life stalked by the disturbing scene, confusion quickly turns to obsession. Desperate for answers, Damon digs into his fractured past, and becomes convinced that the only way to remember…is to die again. And again. And again. When he meets a perfect stranger who’s all too willing to help, the stage is set for his dice with death.
But if this is what it takes to uncover the truth, maybe some memories are better left buried…
Thank you Brilliance Publishing for the free audiobook!
Dead in the Water is a psychological thriller that is more of a character-driven suspense story than action-packed and combines themes of memory, guilt, and the terrifying idea that your own mind might be hiding something from you. If you read the author’s previous books, you’ll definitely love this one, as their unique writing style is on full display!
The story follows Damon Lister, who survives a near-drowning at Brighton Beach after taking a dare from his ex-wife/best friend, Melissa. During the moments when he’s technically “dead,” he experiences flashes of memory—except one of them doesn’t make sense. He sees a young boy he’s sure he’s never met, but the memory feels real. Damon becomes convinced that the only way to get to the truth is to recreate those near-death experiences.
Damon is a fascinating but deeply flawed protagonist. At first, it’s easy to sympathize with him—he’s scared, confused, and desperate for answers. But as his obsession grows, he becomes reckless, secretive, and increasingly detached from people. When someone offers him help that borders on manipulation, trust becomes a huge issue.
The pacing is classic slow-burn. The early chapters pull you in with the mystery of Damon’s unexplained memory, and the midsection quickens in pacing as Damon’s experiments become more dangerous. The final chapters deliver twists that make you question everything you thought you knew. The ending will linger and emphasize the question of how far someone will go to find the truth!
Overall, Dead in the Water is perfect for readers who love slow-burn psychological suspense with morally gray characters, unreliable memories, and character-driven suspense.
Narrator Performance
The audiobook edition is performed by Will Watt, Elizabeth Knowelden, and Debra Michaels, and they really bring the story to life! Will Watt does a standout job portraying Damon, with an emotionally nuanced performance that perfectly conveys Damon’s gradual shift from confusion to obsession. All the narrators’ pacing is excellent, and the dialogue feels convincing and never overacted. The audiobook is the way to go with this book, as it’s very immersive and is the perfect choice for fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers.
Narrator Performance
The audiobook edition is performed by Will Watt, Elizabeth Knowelden, and Debra Michaels, and they really bring the story to life! Will Watt does a standout job portraying Damon, with an emotionally nuanced performance that perfectly conveys Damon’s gradual shift from confusion to obsession. All the narrators’ pacing is excellent, and the dialogue feels convincing and never overacted. The audiobook is the way to go with this book, as it’s very immersive and is the perfect choice for fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers.
The audiobook edition is performed by Will Watt, Elizabeth Knowelden, and Debra Michaels, and they really bring the story to life! Will Watt does a standout job portraying Damon, with an emotionally nuanced performance that perfectly conveys Damon’s gradual shift from confusion to obsession. All the narrators’ pacing is excellent, and the dialogue feels convincing and never overacted. The audiobook is the way to go with this book, as it’s very immersive and is the perfect choice for fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers.
