Book Review: The Drowning Girls by Paula Treick DeBoard

The Drowning Girls by Paula Treick DeBoard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Publisher: Mira
Summary: Liz McGinnis never imagined herself living in a luxurious gated community like The Palms. Ever since she and her family moved in, she's felt like an outsider amongst the Stepford-like wives and their obnoxiously spoiled children. Still, she's determined to make it work—if not for herself, then for her husband, Phil, who landed them this lavish home in the first place, and for her daughter, Danielle, who's about to enter high school. 


Yet underneath the glossy veneer of The Palms, life is far from idyllic. In a place where reputation is everything, Liz soon discovers that even the friendliest residents can't be trusted—and almost everyone has secrets they'd do anything to protect. So when the gorgeous girl next door befriends Danielle, Liz can't help but find sophisticated Kelsey's interest in her shy and slightly nerdy daughter a bit suspicious. 

But while Kelsey quickly becomes a fixture in the McGinnis home, Liz's relationships with both Danielle and Phil grow strained. Now even her own family seems to be hiding things, and it's not long before their dream of living the high life quickly spirals out of control…


This was a pretty quick read so for that, I liked it. The portrayals of the inhabitants of The Palms was pretty well done and even though narrated through first person POVs still made me feel like an anthropologist watching the goings on inside a paddock. That is to say that I felt removed from this story and its happenings. I was curious how this would all turn out but I can't say this is a story that'll stay with me. I wished for more on Danielle and Kelsey more than anything to get deeper insight on the teens. I think this is just the read for an engrossing poolside or travel read and is satisfying as such. I was just looking for something with a little more twist & darkness. I'd definitely read more by this DeBoard & recommend this one.

View all my reviews


No comments