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The Drowning Woman

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The Drowning Woman

By: Robyn Harding
Narrated by: Brittany Wilkerson, Henriette Zoutomou
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About this listen

The bestselling author of The Arrangement returns with a deliciously twisted story of friendship, retribution and betrayal about a homeless woman fleeing a dangerous past – and the wealthy society wife she saves from drowning, who pulls her into a dark web of secrets and lies.

Lee Gulliver never thought she’d find herself living on the streets, but when her restaurant fails and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her car.

Parked in a secluded spot by the beach, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface but, instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die. She’s trapped in an abusive marriage, and Lee has thwarted her one chance to escape her life.

Over the coming weeks, Hazel visits Lee and the women strike up an unlikely friendship. Then, one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she wants Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her. But Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems – and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was…

‘Pulse-pounding and deliciously unpredictable … Robyn Harding can twist a plot like a corkscrew’ Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here

‘I’m in absolute awe of Robyn Harding's talent and skill. The Drowning Woman is an astonishing, expertly crafted story … With one killer twist after another and a masterful plot’ Samantha M. Bailey, author of Woman on the Edge
Genre Fiction Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense Marriage Friendship Exciting Fiction

Critic Reviews

‘Pulse-pounding and deliciously unpredictable, The Drowning Woman is destined to be every thriller lover’s summer obsession. Ratcheting tension and jaw-dropping reveals will leave readers questioning who they can trust – and relishing every moment of the guessing game. Robyn Harding can twist a plot like a corkscrew.’ (Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, bestselling author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here)
‘I'm in absolute awe of Robyn Harding's talent and skill. The Drowning Woman is an astonishing, expertly crafted story of two damaged women desperate for love and a fresh start whose paths collide then epically crash and burn. With one killer twist after another and a masterful plot, I gasped out loud and flipped through the brilliant pages so quickly that my fingers caught fire. It's one of the most gripping books I've read this year.’ (Samantha M. Bailey, author of Woman on the Edge)
The Drowning Woman is brilliant. Propelled by two richly drawn women, both victims and perpetrators, who hold the possibility of saving or damning each other, its world is messy and violent in a way that feels frighteningly real and impossible to look away from. The magnetism of Harding’s writing and her jaw-dropping twists make The Drowning Woman one of those rare stories that’s both compulsively readable and full of gravitas. Harding's power as a storyteller is enormous; this book will stick with you long after reading.’ (Ashley Winstead, author of The Last Housewife)
‘A compelling, intriguing, masterfully crafted thriller that will sweep you up like a runaway train, I absolutely devoured The Drowning Woman. With twist after ingenious twist, this one is stylish and utterly riveting.’ (Christina McDonald, author of Do No Harm)
‘With deceitful characters who are not what they seem, a myriad of unexpected twists and turns, and a story that moves along at high speed, The Drowning Woman is everything I love in a thriller. Robyn Harding keeps readers hooked until the end.’ (Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman Missing)
‘This edge-of-your-seat thriller combines wildly intricate plot twists and turns with complex, carefully developed characters – and reading it made me wonder if there’s anything Robyn Harding can’t pull off! I had no idea where I was headed, but knew I definitely wanted to be on this propulsive, suspenseful, often shocking ride that explores the ways in which we betray ourselves and others – and just how far we’ll go for redemption.’ (Marissa Stapley, New York Times bestselling author of Lucky)
All stars
Most relevant
I started off really enjoying this book and it kept me interested the narration was good but the story became very drawn out and repetitive in the second part and could easily have been an hour shorter. It was a light listen when l need something not too deep it wound up well

The twists

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This is the first novel I’ve read on audible. I was a little worried that this listening format wasn’t going to work for me but Robyn Harding’s magic storytelling truly captivated me. Plot twists I did not expect had me listening every chance I could get. Fantastic.

Gripping plot kept me listening

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Couldn’t put it down twists and turns everywhere had me on the edge of my seat

So different loved it

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A little too neat at the end but did not take away from the overall enjoyment.

The impact of abuse and violence on an individual, portrayed very well the learned helplessness.

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Loved the storyline, the strong character of Lee, I felt myself rooting for her, not pitying her. Loved this from start to finish.

Great characters and incredible audio

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