The Drowning Woman

Robyn Harding

Jun 2023 · Hachette Audio · Narrated by Brittany Wilkerson and Henriette Zoutomou

About this audiobook

From the bestselling author of The Party comes a "dark and wild ride of redemption, betrayal, and friendship" (Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push) following a homeless woman fleeing a dangerous past—and the wealthy society wife she saves from drowning.

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.

"As twisty and pacey as it gets" (Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push).

Most anticipated by Goodreads · Indigo​ · SheReads  

Ratings and reviews

I so badly want to join the party train of people who loved this book. The writing is engaging and the audio narration is excellent. But that’s where my enjoyment ended. Can we please stop with the intensely unlikable women who make absurdly stupid choices, mostly regarding men, then run straight into the arms of the first good-looking stranger who offers to save them? Pacing is uneven. The story started strong, but then almost immediately slowed with endless uninteresting daily activities. Then, bam, a twist drops and things explode. Then we slow to tedium. Then bam, again we’re tossed a wild twist. And on we go. I just couldn’t get past the ridiculous behavior of these two women. I should have been aghast by their situations, felt empathy, hoped for a happy ending. But these women were so awful and so deserving of their fates that I just didn’t care what happened to them. I’m in the minority here. Most people have high praise for this book, so if you don’t mind stupid women, give it a try. *I received a free audiobook download from the publisher.*

Robyn Harding has become one of my favorite psychological thriller authors. Drowning Woman is so twisted with those OMG moments that keep you reading late into the night.

Amazing book

About the author

Robyn Harding is the bestselling author of The Drowning Woman, The Perfect Family, The Swap, The Arrangement, Her Pretty Face, and The Party. She has also written and executive produced an independent film. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family and two cute but deadly rescue chihuahuas.