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.