This wasn’t my favorite read. The concept and plot had so much potential, but the pace was so slow and there was way too much unnecessary dialogue. The characters alluded to how “off” everything and everyone felt, but I just didn’t FEEL it. If that makes sense.

NetGalley review: Deep Waters by N.W Bulfin. This book screamed creepy culty stuff so I was so excited to read it. Eion gets offered a job (of sorts) teaching history on an isolated island commune, no phone coverage, completely back to basics, homesteader style living. Of course things take a mysterious sinister turn, and he’s trapped with some pretty odd people who have some pretty odd ways 🫣
I really enjoyed this one, I didn’t expect his living conditions to be SO basic (I would’ve been out of there!) and I loved how bit by bit the weirdness of the commune was outed.
Thankyou to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Deep Waters by NW Bulfin is a book I was totally looking forward to reading as isolated locations with mysterious happenings are definitely my jam. Once I got into the book I found it very interesting but also found the narrative quite wordy and a lot of things that could’ve been Left out were put in which I think made the book longer than it needed to be. having said that I still was entertained by the story especially because at first I didn’t see where this was going but once I caught on I couldn’t wait to see how it ended so I would definitely say the middle I think dragged the beginning and the end is worth reading the whole book for in my opinion.#NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #NWBulfen, #DeepWaters,

Archaeology graduate Eoin Ryan leaves his soul-crushing call centre job for a position as a teacher at a remote island commune. Mainly self-sustaining, the group sounds like the perfect solution to his problems, but if something sounds too good to be true.....

First of all, I thought the plot & setting were intriguing & having studied archaeology & history, a main character from that background was a nice change & the bits about Irish mythology were interesting. One issue for me though was that the pace was far too slow, for large parts of the book nothing much really happened, but the real problem was the frequent conversations which went something like: other character gives a bit of info to Eoin , Eoin replies "Interesting/ Fascinating/I see what you mean". For much of the time the conversation actually went nowhere in terms of plot development & it became rather tedious & made the reading experience stilted instead of naturally flowing.

I did enjoy it enough to finish reading it & parts of it were interesting. The too slow pace & stilted conversations were the only downsides. 3.25 stars (rounded down)

TWs; violence, animal death.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Croghan, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Deep Waters by NW Bulfin

In a near future plauged by pandemics and flooding, Eoin Ryan acccepts a job teaching history at an isolated island commune. Contact with the outside world is severely limited and the members are seeking a more natural lifestyle. As much as I love folk horror, this one fell flat, despire the prehistoric stone structures and indecipherable writings. I never did figure out why the commune supposedly wanted or needed a history teacher. Their real purpose behind bringing him to the island becomes clear, but the job offer itself never made sense to me. The plot moves very, very slowly and once the author reveals what's really going on, it didn't feel worth the wait.

Deep Waters by NW Bulfin is about Eoin, a former history lecturer turned call center employee after being fired from his university job in the midst of a family tragedy. He finds himself being hired to teach history at a mysterious commune on a remote island in the middle of a lake, where his true purpose is yet to be revealed and nothing is as it seems.

I really wanted to like this book. It has an interesting setting that I think lends well to the sense of claustrophobia and isolation, and Bulfin certainly knows a lot about the Neolithic societies of Ireland (I found these little historical tidbits to be one of the more fun parts of the book), but the plot fell a little flat for me. I felt like I predicted one of the major plot twists from very early on, and I found myself wishing for more supernatural elements. That said, I found Seanie's arc quite enjoyable, and his friendship with David wound up making me a bit emotional. This one wasn't for me, campers, but it had good bones and I'll definitely be checking out whatever Bulfin publishes next.

This review will also be posted on Instagram and Storygraph on Friday June 20th, 2025.

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity

I hate giving bad reviews like this, but this just hit the mark big time. It wasn't until about 80% that I realized this was going no where. Nothing truly scary had happened up to that point and I realized it never would. The completely random yet also I guessed from the moment the plot point was introduced, plot twist was laughable. I literally laughed at loud at the reveal. There was really only one scene that felt truly "horrific," and at that point it just pissed me off because it was towards one of the few characters I liked. Otherwise, every major plot point just fizzled out in the end, nothing truly resolved yet also everything somewhat explained away? I don't know how to explain it, but it was infuriating. "Horror" is a very loose term to describe this book, given the most I was scared about was how far in I was with nothing real happening.

Quietly tense and layered with unease. The mystery simmers, but it’s the characters and what’s left unsaid that really pulls you in.

Deep Waters has a premise with a lot going for it.

A commune/ maybe cult, a power hungry leader, weird members and a supernatural aspect that seems realer and realer with every page.

The plot is fast placed and interesting, the cast surprisingly lovable and the commune described with a refreshing respect for alternative life styles.

The reason I didn’t rate this higher is simply because frequently you see characters make baffling choices that feel inorganic to further the plot. I wasn’t quite able to suspend disbelief.

Its still a fun story and would make a great vacation read. More of a mystery/thriller than horror

Recommended for fans of Ghost Wall, midsommer and Adam Nevill

Eoin Ryan, once a professor of Ancient Irish History at a Dublin university, left his position after a personal tragedy. He then took a dead end job so is thrilled to receive an offer to teach at the remote island of Lough Orann. The island’s motto is “Live Independently Free from Exploitation.” This should have been a warning. It wasn’t. At first the eccentric islanders, led by benefactor Nigel, are friendly. Eoin quickly realizes that their welcoming greetings hide a twisted hierarchy. His classes are only a small part of his island duties. He is expected to help in the community garden, do basic construction, etc. After a few days, the purpose for his selection becomes clear. Nigel is obsessed with finding the healing “Waters of Life” rumored to flow somewhere on Lough Orann. While Eoin knows the waters belong to Irish legends, Nigel believes in them. And that belief becomes dangerous.

Horror should pull you I slowly. Events should seem plausible. Deep Waters begins with a believable scenario that continue until later chapters although I thought the drama with Nigel and the island residents took attention from the growing dread. Without spoilers, the final pages were implausible. 4 stars for the creep factor.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crogan and N.W. Bulfin for this ARC.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! I would have loved to leave a rating on Goodreads as well, but unfortunately, the book hasn’t been listed there yet.

That said, Deep Waters was a gripping and atmospheric read! I’m not usually a horror reader, so this book was a great way for me to dip my toes into the genre—and I’m glad I did. I ended up reading the entire novel in one sitting, which speaks volumes about how engaging it was.

The story is packed with twists and turns that kept me on edge, constantly second-guessing every character and their motives. Towards the end, I wasn’t sure who to trust, which added to the suspense and intrigue.

There were a few slower moments, and at times the plot stretched believability a little, but overall, those moments didn’t detract from my enjoyment. If you’re a fan of horror, mystery, or thrillers, I think you’ll really enjoy Deep Waters. It's unsettling in the best way and keeps you hooked until the final page.