A Study in Drowning
by Ava Reid (HarperTeen, 2023); audiobook read by Saskia Maarleveld (Penguin, 2023)
Atmospheric yet formulaic. While a lyrical, mythical overlay adds weight to the underlying tale of female suppression and exploitation, the writerly blueprint remains very much in evidence, the ‘rivals to lovers’ trope, in particular, being laid down with a bricklayer’s rote proficiency.