The Drowning

Synopsis

A body on the beach. An inheritance. A family pulled apart. Bestselling Australian author Fiona Lowe returns with her most engrossing mystery to date.

CC Cilento’s best memories are of spending summer holidays running wild at the Friend family beach house with her cousins, James, Ollie, Felix and Lily. For CC, it’s the next best thing to having brothers and sisters. They’ve continued the summer tradition into adulthood, getting together at the shack with its absolute beach frontage.

But now a bombshell has dropped: the four sibling cousins have inherited the property – along with an unexpected fifth share to CC. What starts out as the perfect gift to keep the family connected forever quickly devolves into an emotional power struggle. Half of them want to keep the legacy intact, while the others want to sell – and each side will do anything to make it happen. Soon, CC can’t tell friend from foe.

When a body is found on the shack’s beach, has this family dispute turned deadly?

CC Cliento’s fondest memories are of summer days spent running wild and free at the Friend family beach house with her cousins — Felix, James, Lily and Ollie. As an only child, those holidays were the closest thing she had to siblings, and summers at the shack became a tradition they carried into adulthood.

But life at the shack is about to become anything but perfect.

The four Friend siblings inherit the property — except there’s a twist. CC has also inherited a share. The place that once held them together quickly begins to tear them apart. An emotional power struggle erupts: half want to preserve the legacy, while the others see only dollar signs. Both sides are determined to get their way, and soon CC can’t tell friend from foe.

When a body is found on the beach nearby, tensions spike. Ultimatums are thrown. Whispers grow louder. And everyone begins to wonder — has this family dispute turned deadly?

Review

A close-knit family.

An inheritance.

A beach house at the centre of a bitter tug-of-war.

And then — a body on the shore.

What drew me in was that irresistible combination of nostalgia and menace. A place filled with childhood memories becomes the stage for secrets, resentment and long-buried fractures. Add a deadly discovery and shifting loyalties, and I couldn’t look away.

This is the kind of story where every conversation feels loaded, every glance carries weight, and you start questioning everyone. If you love domestic noir that simmers before it boils, this one will absolutely pull you under.

Despite its sinister title, The Drowning delivers layered, three-dimensional characters. Fiona Lowe’s skilled writing made it easy to fully immerse myself in their lives.

CC Cliento is a strong choice for a heroine. Initially, she appears as though she might be a static character — someone who remains largely unchanged. But as the conflict intensifies, subtle shifts in her personality begin to surface.

As tensions rise within the family, the usually calm and controlled CC reveals cracks beneath the surface. The reader watches those cracks widen as grief, isolation and past trauma take hold. I felt her pain deeply — to the point where I began questioning her sense of reality alongside her. Lowe deserves credit for allowing this transformation to unfold gradually and authentically, rather than rushing to neatly resolve it at the end.

Of the minor characters, Lily and Ollie Friend were standouts for me.

Ollie, in particular, felt like the emotional anchor of the story. He genuinely cared for CC, and at times it seemed he was the only one who truly considered her. As the family peacemaker, his presence brought balance to the chaos, and I suspect he’ll linger in readers’ minds long after the final page.

Lily’s free-spirited nature also added warmth. Unlike Felix and James, she didn’t seek to dismantle CC’s place in the family, which created a strong sibling dynamic and moments of welcome relief within the tension.

I truly wish I could say I cared for Felix and James in the same way — I really tried. James, in particular, drove me to distraction. Overbearing and self-righteous, he consistently antagonised those around him. I found myself reading partly to see whether the title might apply to him. I had hoped for even a subtle shift in his attitude, but that never eventuated.

Felix, meanwhile, felt more static within the central conflict, often following James’ lead. If it weren’t for Bronte’s presence, he may have faded into the background entirely. That said, most families do have their quieter members, so perhaps that was intentional.

I was hoping for an epilogue. I’m left with a few lingering curiosities that I would have loved to see addressed — which is ultimately what held this at a high four-star rating for me.

This is one of those stories you can get lost in for hours without realising it.

While many books claim to hook you from beginning to end, The Drowning genuinely maintains momentum. The narrative is in constant motion, even as it ebbs and flows — much like real life. At no point did I feel the need for another subplot to take over; every element felt necessary and measured.

Simply put, it pulled me under and didn’t let go.

Fiona Lowe handles difficult topics with care and sensitivity, including death, gambling addiction, grief, medical misdiagnosis and trauma. Her experience as a midwife and family support worker shines through — the emotional authenticity is evident, and the research is seamlessly woven into the story.

Subplots and Tropes Included in The Drowning:

• Brother–sister relationship
• Death of family members
• Drug smuggling
• Drug trafficking
• Financial problems
• Found family
• Fractured family
• Gambling addiction
• Grief
• Gun violence
• Hostage situation
• Infidelity
• Lies
• Light-bulb moment
• Loss
• Medical misdiagnosis
• Mental illness
• Mother–daughter relationship
• Police involvement
• Potential love interest
• Recreational drug use
• Rural Australia
• Secrets
• Self-discovery
• Sister relationship
• Small community
• The Big Reveal
• The plot twist
• Trauma
  
  

Lowe does an excellent job of keeping the reader’s attention firmly engaged, so when the plot twist unfolds, you need a moment to absorb it.

For the most part, the ending was a standout for me. It reminded me why I return to this author’s work and why I’m looking forward to exploring more of her backlist this year.

The Drowning left me feeling:

• Anger
• Fear
• Happiness
• Sadness

Readers of Tricia Stringer, Christian White and Chris Hammer should definitely consider adding Fiona Lowe to their bookshelves if they haven’t already.

I highly recommend The Drowning to a mature audience who enjoys contemporary fiction, family drama and domestic noir. If fractured families, buried secrets and morally complex characters are your thing, add this to your TBR as soon as possible.

With continued thanks to HQ Fiction, Fiona Lowe and Benson Publicity for sending a physical copy of this book to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.