A Little Horror, Mystery and Thriller, Mixed into Pond Water Creates an Intriguing Read

Book Review: Pond Water

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Summary:

In the quiet town of Elmhurst, where secrets fester like toxins, a simple pond holds the key to unraveling a web of deception that spans generations. Meet Jared, a battle-scarred Navy SEAL whose quest for peace becomes a battle for survival when the town’s poisoned pond threatens to expose the darkness lurking beneath the surface. Bobbie Jo, the enigmatic neighbor with secrets of her own, may hold the answers Jared seeks, but her motives are as murky as the pond itself.

When haunting discoveries emerge from the depths of the toxic water, it sets in motion a chain of events that will force Jared and his loyal friends, to fight for their lives. As they navigate a landscape of treacherous lies and inexplicable horrors, the neighbors, will stop at nothing to keep the truth submerged.

Pond Water is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that will plunge you into the murky depths of a town’s dark history. It’s a story of resilience, friendship, and the relentless pursuit of the truth, no matter the cost. Are you ready to dive in?

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First Sentences:

With snacks close at hand, Jared sat down in his recliner and reached for the remote control, bringing the TV to life. Jared’s fingers tapped impatiently on the armrest, his heart racing as he hungered for the thrill of the game.

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My Thoughts:

I have seen this book all over my TikTok feed for a while now. Influencers are raving about Pond Water being one of the best books they’ve ever read. As it just so happens, I recently had one of my infamous ‘book impulse buys’ and decided to give this one a chance to see what all the fuss is about.

Pond Water is authored by Brenda Biddix, an indigenous, Appalachian woman who has Parkinson’s disease as a result of arsenic poisoning. Because of her disability, this is her first book in 10 years due to of her inability to write or type with her hands. The book’s co-author, Rian Mileti stepped in to help her get her story in writing so she could pick up pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming a best-selling author.

The story follows Jared, a retired US Navy Seal, as he tries to figure out why his eccentric neighbor, Bobbie Jo is not only swimming in a nasty little pond that is rumored to be highly toxic, but also carrying pails of it into her home to drink and bathe in.

At only 83 pages, Pond Water is a super fast read that managed to keep me engaged throughout the story. It ends right in the middle of a climatic scene, creating one doozy of a cliffhanger.

It made me question at first whether Pond Water was meant to be a stand-alone story with an open ending or if it is, in fact, a set-up book to introduce us to a sequel or future series. By the end, the reader has more than enough information to figure out what is going on and what led up to the ending scene, so it could work as either. I looked it up and discovered that there is in fact a sequel that was recently released.

The story doesn’t leave much room for character development. The dialog is short and to the point, to keep the story moving. In a particular scene when Jared visits an old friend he hasn’t seen for a while, it’s mentioned that they catch up, but it doesn’t give the reader much more than that before diving right into the plot-related dialog. It’s not much different from the characters you would meet in an episode of The Twilight Zone or Tales From the Darkside. You know only enough about them to make the plot relevant, which I don’t necessarily consider a bad thing in this sort of genre.

The biggest flaw that I noticed were a couple of sudden scene jumps. The book is obviously going to be fast-paced, with only 83 pages to tell the story, but it sometimes jumps from setting to setting without letting the reader know the scene has changed.

It left me confused a few times, and I had to reread several places to clear up where one setting had ended and another one began (i.e., Wait, how is he at home now? I thought he was in the hospital). I think the issue could be fixed by simply making a scene break (like a center bullet) between the paragraphs where one scene ends and another begins. It’s such a minor issue that I wonder if it’s even worth me mentioning it here.

I can appreciate Pond Water for its ability to keep the reader interested in where the story is going. It’s a great read if you’re looking for something quick and painless to get through in a short amount of time. I mentioned Tales of the Darkside earlier, and I think the story found within the pages of Pond Water would make a great episode for that series if it was still going.

Overall, it is definitely worth the read if you’re looking for an engaging story that leaves you guessing. I will definitely be purchasing the follow-up book, Pond Water Riptide!

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