Book Review: Drowning with Others

Ian and Andi Copeland are happily married. With three kids, businesses of their own, and a beautiful house in St. Louis, what else can they ask for? They are celebrated as the perfect couple in Glenlake Academy during their school years and up to the present time, everybody envies them for having a picture-perfect life. But then their so-called happy life goes down the drain as the remains of Dallas Walker is found in a submerged car from the bottom of a swimming hole near campus.

Dallas Walker was a writer and professor at Glenlake Academy who vanished 20 years ago during Ian and Andi’s senior year. Andi, the literary “It” girl was a teacher’s pet as everyone noticed, but just between her and professor Dallas, they were more than that; they were lovers.

Cassidy, Andi’s eldest daughter, is a resident of the same prestigious boarding school that her parents went to. Andi becomes anxious at the fact that Cassidy’s class is assigned to investigate on the case to find out if Dallas’ death was a suicide or murder. Ian has always hated Dallas and isn’t happy about the news either. As the Copeland couple strive to keep their past behind, it seems that their daughter is determined to resolve the mysterious case of Dallas Walker. In trying to solve the case, will Cassidy find out her parents’ secret from 20 years ago?

Drowning with Others by Linda Keir is a mystery novel that’s hard to put down. I think the only time I stopped reading was when I had to pee. I enjoyed every page because of the author’s eloquence and smooth metaphors. Also, for writers or avid readers, when literature plays a big part in the story, it makes it a perfect read.

The story is told by switching between two timelines -- the present time and 20 years ago during Ian and Andi’s senior at Glenlake Academy. I love how the flow is suggestive of history repeating itself because Andi was a teacher’s pet and Cassidy seems to be the same because of Mr. Kelly, who has the same designation as the late Dallas Walker. Mother and daughter. Past and Present. Both are perceived as the literary “It” girls. Andi’s uneasy feeling towards the possibility of her daughter having an affair with her teacher just like she did two decades ago will give chills to readers who are parents just like Andi.

Overall, I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars. The ability of the author to write something that would stimulate the reader’s brain into speculating about what really happened to Dallas Walker made this novel a page-turner. This is highly recommended to readers who love mystery novels and I bet that even people with clairvoyance won’t guess how the story ends.