The Drowning Place

The gripping and atmospheric new thriller from the bestselling author

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The Drowning Place

By: Sarah Hilary

Narrated by: Simon Lawson

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Brought to you by Penguin.Every place has its ghosts. Edenscar, a town in the Peak District, has more than most.

17 years ago, its inhabitants were hit by tragedy when a school bus veered off the road and everyone on board drowned. Everyone, that is, except Joseph Ashe. His miraculous survival has haunted him and the town ever since.

Now a Detective Sergeant in the local police, Joe is called to the scene of a brutal and apparently inexplicable crime. The whole town is spooked, but Joe’s new boss, DI Laurie Bower, more used to inner-city police work, has no time for superstition. She just wants to find the very real killer who has left no trace and apparently had no motive.

Joining forces, Joe and Laurie work to uncover the secrets of Edenscar, both past and present.

But when you dig up the dead, expect to get your hands dirty…

'Will chill you to the bone ... fantastic' PAULA HAWKINS
'Brilliant ... a terrific start to a series' MICK HERRON
'An instant crime classic' ERIN KELLY
‘Will take your breath away’ JANICE HALLETT

© Sarah Hilary 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Sarah HilarySimon LawsonVintage DigitalDS Joseph Ashe

Genre Fiction

Ghosts

Horror

Literature & Fiction

Mystery

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Police Procedurals

Small Town & Rural

Women Sleuths

Haunted

Scary

Crime

Detective

Genre Fiction Ghosts Horror Literature & Fiction Mystery Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Police Procedurals Small Town & Rural Women Sleuths Haunted Scary Crime Detective

Critic reviews

Gorgeously vivid, moody and unsettling – I couldn’t put this down.

Hilary excels at the delicate but merciless filleting of PTSD, guilt and grief: a flying start to what promises to be an excellent new series

Already established as one of the genre's most compellingly soulful writers, Hilary has surpassed herself here.

Told with depth, warmth & humanity, this is Ann Cleeves territory, and Hilary displays every bit as much style and insight

A classy and gripping read

A crime fiction masterclass. Sarah Hilary’s latest touches on survivor’s guilt, small towns, murders and driven detectives in prose that rivals the best in the business (STEVE CAVANAGH)

Wonderful, sad and wise. It's a relentless crime drama, a devastating meditation on loss, and a dual character study full of humour and charm. Hilary doesn't just investigate an unspeakable crime; she investigates the human heart. I'll be counting the days until I can get back to Edenscar. (ABIGAIL DEAN)

Will chill you to the bone… Fantastic

Darkly atmospheric and overflowing with humanity, The Drowning Place is both breathtakingly original and an instant crime classic. An career best from the inimitable Sarah Hilary. (ERIN KELLY)

Works on multiple levels: a compelling murder mystery, an examination of the impact of survivor’s guilt, and an empathetic dissection of life in small town Britain. Written with Hilary’s trademark flair for prose, this first episode in a new police procedural series sings with originality and authenticity (VASEEM KHAN)

Most relevant

Absolutely loved this! A brilliantly dark and clever plot, twisty ending, and characters I desperately want to see more of, DS Ashe and Sammi especially. Wish book two was out already!