The Memory of Water

On the night their mother drowns, sisters Marnie and Diana Maitland discover there is more than one kind of death. There is the death of innocence, of love, and of hope. Each sister harbors a secret about that night-secrets that will erode their lives as they grow into adulthood.

After ten years of silence between the sisters, Marnie is called back to the South Carolina Lowcountry by Diana’s ex-husband, Quinn. His young son has returned from a sailing trip with his emotionally unstable mother, and he is refusing to speak. In order to help the traumatized boy, Marnie must reopen old wounds and bring the darkest memories of their past to the surface. And she must confront Diana, before they all go under.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars The Memory of Water
I was entranced with this story. A family with a history of bipolarism, secrets and tragedies.

Mystery and supsense will keep you turning the pages. I found it disturbing but insightful. A mothers love with a fine line of insanity.

5 Stars One of the best I have read this year…
What a pleasure to read a novel that has it all together - characters that are real and easy to see, a setting that draws you in and wants to keep you there, and a plot that keeps you wondering right up to the last minute. This was not a book I plowed through at breakneck speed. I was savoring it too much - it’s one of those ones you really don’t want to end. The surprising thing I learned when I completed the book was that Karen White doesn’t live anywhere near the water - and she has never sailed! You will swear that she is sitting in an oceanfront cottage writing this story - with her sailboat tied to her dock. Bravo, Karen, for all your research. The rich detail of the characters, home, town and sailing experience, is perfection!

Karen has a wonderful facility for leaving a trail of information that eventually adds up to a plausible conclusion. I love those “Aha!” moments and the pleasant re-thinking one goes through as the pieces fall into place. This is my first Karen White book, so I now have the pleasure of looking forward to reading the others!

4 Stars Good Book, Good Summer Read!
This is the first book I’ve read by Karen White. It was a wonderful story of the Carolina lowcountry with rich detailed characters and an intriguing storyline. Family secrets and sister’s connections come to the surface after an accident that has forced one of them to come home. My only bone to pick was the multiple narrations. While I enjoyed the adult characters’ perspectives, I found the young boy Gil’s to be a bit out of place. It didn’t ‘ring true’ for me. None the less, I’m passing this gem along because I know my friends will snap it up and love it for a fun summer read!

5 Stars Gripping novel…

Gripping novel…

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com

Sixteen years ago, Marnie’s mother drowned. She could not remember everything that happened that fateful night, but she knew she had lost two things that day that she dearly loved, her passion for sailing and the love of her sister. She escaped to the dessert pledging never to go near the ocean again. A call for help brought her home again. Marnie was determined to help her nephew but had to work through her own problems to do so.

The Memory of Water by Karen White is not a fast read. This is one of those books that you want to savor every word. The plot is gripping. The characters are multifaceted. Diana and Marnie are sisters that at one time dearly loved each other. The Memory of Water explores the relationship of sisters and the dynamics of living with a person that is bi-polar. The sisters are forced to face ghosts from their past. Karen White draws readers in to her plot. She successfully moves from one narrator to another, each telling their part with a distinct voice, fitting together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. There are several twists that will keep the reader turning pages. I found this book to be captivating. If you enjoy high drama this is the book for you.

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5 Stars wonderful book
This is a wonderful book. The characters were believable and likeable. I would definitely read something else by this author.

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