"A mirage of a novel, seductive and slippery. Turn a page (you’ll turn them fast) and the story shimmering before you might shape-shift: now it’s a game of domestic cat-and-mouse, now a merciless survival narrative, now a feat of literary suspense… Above all, though, Emma Bamford’s Deep Water – also the title of an early work by Patricia Highsmith, whose cool and control Bamford has inherited – is that most exciting, most evolved species of psychological thriller, one in which the darkest dangers lurk not in the next room, not in a secret kiss, not even in the ocean depths, but in a suspicious mind and a guilty heart. Perhaps you’ll hear echoes of Alex Garland’s The Beach, or Catherine Steadman’s Something in the Water, or any number of distinctive mind-benders – yet Deep Water conjures a black magic entirely its own. Can’t remember the last time a novel surprised you? Deep Water is the next time a novel surprises you."--A.J. Finn, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

“Strap on your life-vests and prepare for a tense maritime nightmare. Paradise never felt so sinister.” —Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin Ten

"A survival story and a psychological thriller rolled into one irresistible package, Deep Water will pull you under from the start and won’t release you until its full-throttle ending. Emma Bamford’s real-deal knowledge of sailing, the sea, and some of the most remote corners of the world grant Deep Water an undeniable authenticity. She transported me to an idyllic tropical paradise so vivid I could feel the sun and sand, then unsettled me as that sand shifted constantly beneath my feet. This novel is the perfect escape, dark and alluring. I tore through it in a day. " --Alexis Schaitkin, author of Saint X

“An incredible debut. An incredible writer. An incredible thriller. You’ll be talking about Deep Water to everyone you know. I loved it!”—B. A. Paris, New York Times Bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors

"Powered from page one by a subtle, ominous drumbeat of tension - you know something bad is going to happen, but not where, when, how or why, until ... wow! I loved this book." —Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of The Sentinel

“A debut thriller that unfolds with the inexorable force of a nightmare, and an object lesson in why some paradises should stay lost” —John Connolly, international bestselling author of The Parker Series

“Outstanding debut… This suspenseful high seas adventure moves briskly, delivering evocative, tense scenes on and under the water. Thriller fans will eagerly await Bamford’s next.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Gripping and atmospheric, with writing so vivid you can almost feel the breeze off the Indian Ocean. A fantastic debut." —T.M. Logan, author of The Holiday and The Curfew