Lee Gulliver never thought she’d find herself living on the streets—no one ever does—but when her restaurant fails, and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her Toyota Corolla. In Seattle, she parks in a secluded spot by the beach to lay low and plan her next move—until early one morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface, but instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die, that she’s trapped in a toxic, abusive marriage, that she’s a prisoner in her own home. Lee has thwarted her one chance to escape her life.
Out of options, Hazel retreats to her gilded cage, and Lee thinks she’s seen the last of her, until her unexpected return the next morning. Bonded by disparate but difficult circumstances, the women soon strike up a close and unlikely friendship. And then one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she wants Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her, but Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was.
This psychological thriller about friendship and betrayal is a masterclass in suspense. Robyn Harding's writing is intricate, twisty, and propulsive—readers won't know who to believe and who to root for.
Harding explores some of the social issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic—homelessness, financial instability, and domestic violence—and how women were affected. With their different social statuses (Lee being homeless and Hazel living in an affluent neighbourhood) it appears that the women don't have much in common, but in actuality, they were equally impacted by the fallout from COVID-19.
The Drowning Woman is a bit of a departure for Harding in the way that it is structured—although the story is told from alternating perspectives, it is actually done by parts verses chapters. Part one is told from Lee's point of view and then in part two, it switches to Hazel's perspective which gives the reader insight into her life. The novel goes back and forth one more time before the epilogue.
Expertly plotted and perfectly paced, The Drowning Woman is completely binge-worthy. Highly recommend!
ROBYN HARDING is the author of thirteen novels including The Swap, The Party, Her Pretty Face, and The Arrangement. She has also written and executive produced an independent film.
Harding lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her husband and two children.
Q & A with Robyn Harding*
GWR: If you could tell your younger self something about writing and becoming an author, what would it be?
RH: I’d tell myself that this career is a roller coaster and not to expect a steady upward trajectory.
GWR: You have published 13 books to date. Are you still learning? Do you approach each book the same way?
RH: I’m always learning! And I love to challenge myself and to try new things with my writing. While I approach each book in a similar way (I start with a premise, beat out the plot structure, and then create the characters), I experiment with perspective, the style of narration, and the way into a story.
GWR: Give us your best Hollywood pitch for The Drowning Woman.
RH: When a homeless woman fleeing a dangerous past saves a wealthy society wife from drowning, she’s drawn into a dark web of secrets, lies, and murder.
GWR: Where did you come up with the concept for the novel?
RH: I was really moved by how women were disproportionally impacted by the pandemic. Businesses owned by women were more likely to fail, female rates of anxiety and depression spiked, and domestic abuse skyrocketed. I wanted to explore two characters who had lost so much of themselves and tell a story of their resilience…with some murder thrown in, of course.
GWR: The Drowning Woman is told from both Lee and Hazel’s perspective—was it easier or more challenging to explore the parallel storylines?
RH: It was a challenge, but such a fun one! This book has a unique structure that I’ve never used before. Part one offers Lee’s point of view and in part two, I switch to Hazel’s POV so readers see what was happening behind the scenes. This continues through parts three and four. I’ve loved this storytelling device in film and TV and wanted to try it in a novel.
GWR: Did the story end the way you’d initially thought?
RH: I knew the ending when I started, but some of the twists along the way came unexpectedly. Because I wrote this book without a contract, I had more time and more freedom to take chances. If I’d had a deadline and an editor breathing down my neck, I think I would have gone a safer, more expected route.
GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be?
RH: Whiskey neat.
GWR: Who has been your favourite character to write (from any of your books)?
RH: I think I had the most fun writing Low Morrison from The Swap. She has such a unique, dry, humorous outlook on life.
GWR: What’s the one element of a thriller that is a must?
RH: A sense of menace!
GWR: What are you working on now?
RH: My next novel is called The Haters. It’s about high school counsellor Camryn Lane who publishes her first novel to great acclaim. She’s over the moon, until she receives an anonymous email accusing her of exploiting her students and writing about their private issues. She pushes it aside, but the accusations bloom on social media and soon disturbing incidents invade her personal life. Is this the work of random trolls? Or is the abuse coming from closer to home? Camryn must find out who is behind these attacks before they destroy her career, her relationships, and threaten her very life.
*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.