Jon Bassoff

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY! June 21, 2022

Firefighter Holt Davidson returns to his hometown in Thompsonville, Colorado after over twenty years for his mother’s funeral after she commits suicide by hanging herself from a tree. While sorting through his mother’s belongings in his childhood home he finds an old Polaroid photo of a dead man, an old music box, a love letter and a gun hidden underneath the floorboards of his mother’s room. His mother Vivian was a devout church-going woman and a kindergarten teacher who raised both her children as a single mother after Holt’s father abandoned them before he was even born. His older sister Ophelia who he has not seen for over thirty years had been institutionalized on account of mental illness when Holt was a child, though Holt does have some fond memories of her. His mother’s suicide and the discovery of these hidden objects raise questions in Holt’s mind. Who is this dead man and why does his mother have a picture of him? Who wrote that letter to his mother? What prompted his devout mother to take her own life? What happened to his sister thirty years ago that led to her being committed to a mental institution? As the story progresses, we see how Holt leaves no stone unturned in his attempt to unravel the mysteries surrounding his family. In the course of his search, as his own repressed memories slowly rise to the surface, he must also face his sister who now resides in a care home and wade through the sea of lies, deception and secrets that destroyed his family.

Beneath Cruel Waters by Jon Basoff is a dark, atmospheric and absorbing read. Though some content might be disturbing for some, the author does exercise considerable restraint in describing sensitive topics such as religion, suicide and mental illness. The well-paced and gripping narrative switches between 1984 and the present-day (2018) and takes us through Holt’s childhood and his mother’s life as a single parent and his present-day experiences in his hometown. The writing is crisp and concise without any unnecessary embellishment. Each of the characters in this story is immensely flawed, complex and battling their own demons and each of their trajectories are very well-structured. This is not a particularly ”twisty” thriller and even though it is not difficult to predict some of the secrets that are gradually unraveled, the author does manage to keep the element of surprise going till the end. I was hooked to the story from the very first page and finished the book in one sitting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the digital review copy of this gripping read. All opinions expressed here are my own.… (mais)

In this quaint little town everything is fake and perfectly manufactured bliss, but nothing is as it seems. And deputy Hardy, who is dealing with his own demons, begins to see the cracks pretty quickly. Sure this has all the requisite pieces: perversion of the “American dream”, fake plastic veneer of society, rampant hypocrisy, shocking revelations and twisted horror, etc. But it also has a protagonist who is coming in with baggage of his own, and that adds another dimension.

I did find myself frustrated with Hardy, who seems to have no agency of his own and merely lets the story carry him along. I found myself wanting to yell at him to DO SOMETHING. There’s also a climactic scene near the end that was, in my opinion, entirely too graphic in an unnecessary way. I had to put the book down and to be honest I didn’t even want to finish it. I had to reflect for a day before giving my rating.

Overall the book is a lot of fun. The pacing is great, slowly building the dread with long moments of unease punctuated by instanced of shocking vulgarity. While reading I found myself thinking about the best parts of Hot Fuzz, Bioshock Infinite, mother!, Black Mirror, and basically any good cult film. It’s quite a trip, and for the most part it’s worth the ride… (mais)

This book opens with a bang and doesn't let up. Bassoff has a wonderful way with powerful imagery, and it feels like you're right there watching each scene unfold. The opening chapter leaves us with so many questions, which are answered as new ones are raised in the following chapters. This is a dark read, but such a good one. I have to admit a few times I audibly gasped, but I couldn't stop turning pages even late into the night. Murder, family secrets, and more await you in this story. (But please be aware there are some darker themes that may be difficult for some readers).… (mais)