Hot Water
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Get 3 months for £0.99/mo
Hot Water
Buy Now for £12.99
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Narrated by:
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Rachel Atkins
About this listen
She sees everything, but can never tell anyone… a wickedly compulsive thriller from the bestselling author of the Bryant & May series.
At a beautiful villa in the south of France, Hannah Carreras works as a maid. Under strict instructions never to speak to the guests, she blends into the background – but she sees everything. Including the mistress Summer, lounging by the pool awaiting the arrival of her married lover, Steve.
When Steve finally shows at the villa – with his family unexpectedly in tow – Summer has vanished. Steve claims he never saw her. But Steve's wife is no fool: she knows there's something going on. Whose tiny bikini lies by the pool? Whose perfume is in the bathroom?
Before long, the local police start asking questions, and the villa's occupants have something to hide. Only Hannah, always listening, watching, saw broken glass and blood near the pool the day Summer disappeared. Only Hannah thinks she knows what lies are being told…
“Witty, brooding and highly entertaining." ANN CLEEVES
"A wickedly clever mystery – tense, atmospheric and laced with Christopher Fowler's pitch-black humour.” ANTONIA HODGSON
PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR:
“Devilishly clever.” VAL MCDERMID
“A first-classs thriller, but don't expect any sleep.” SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
“The writing is as ever fluid and pacey, the characterization deft and the plot fresh and ingenious." INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
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Critic reviews
“Devilishly clever.” (Val Mcdermid)
“A first-class thriller, but don’t expect any sleep.” (Sunday Telegraph)
“The writing is as ever fluid and pacey, the characterization deft and the plot fresh and ingenious." (Independent on Sunday)
I adored the beautiful, evocative way it was written that so eloquently and elegantly captured so many familiar feelings, atmospheres and landscapes. Oh how I would love to be able to write in such a hypnotic and spellbinding way.
The whole book reminded me in ways of a holiday where the surroundings are new and entrancing and though nothing much happens you are still swept away by the beauty and newness of it all and every moment seems momentous. Then the times when so many exciting things happen and you are swept away by the adventure of it all. In short I really do feel like I just got back from an amazing and eventful holiday in the South of France ... badly needed as it is nearly three years since my last jaunt and I have very itchy feet.
I loved also the fabulous descriptions of the characters and how multi dimensional they all were. Layers upon layers of backstory made them all so real and I really enjoyed the detailed descriptions of how they looked and what they wore so it seemed like I could really see and hear them.
The narration was sublime and though I am not very proficient in French all the pronunciation sounded very authentic and fluent to me which really added to the story. The characters really came to life also with their different voices and everything really just came beautifully to life. A few English and Spanish words were mispronounced (Almeria, fetid, redolent, Martinez etc.) which surprised me as otherwise the narration was flawless and really brought it all to life and lovely to listen to.
This book gripped me from the very start and kept me listening through the day, when I usually only listen late at night and early morning, but I could not put this down. Not only did it have plots within plots, red herrings chasing other red herrings, snapshots of dreams of lives of marriages and of desires but it was just so beautifully written that it was a joy to immerse yourself in.
The sun, the style of the South of France, the quirky characters, the relationships and the fabulously described luxurious villa and scenery which contrasted so well with the locals and village life -it would have been an amazing book with just that - but then the mystery, the brooding menace, the seething tensions and then seeing it all from so many point of view - it was all simply divine.
So many twists and turns, plots and sub plots - it simply writhed with intrigue like a basket of roiling serpents that it was a totally immersive experience. Of course it is relatively easy to build mystery but this intricately woven story just kept gloriously giving until the last secret was prised open for a genius reveal.
I am just so sorry it is over and I feel like I have just walked out of the cinema, blinking in the daylight after watching an epic movie.
Speaking of which I think this is begging to be put on the screen as the writing is so vivid I feel like I already saw it in 3D.
A galaxy of stars for this bewitching mystery - thanks so much Christopher Fowler and Rachel Atkins.
I am so hoping for another stand alone like this one soon.
Stunning, spellbinding book - loved every minute!
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bring g back the pensioners!
was this really Christopher Fowler? not for me.
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Didn’t want it to end
Excited about listening to more of Christopher’s books
Loved loved
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Good narration can't save this
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Unexpected
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