Dead in the Water by John Marrs review

About The Book

Book: Dead in the Water
Author: John Marrs
Standalone or Series: Standalone
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date (UK): 13th January 2026

My Review

I really don’t want to spoiler this one so this review may be a little brief! I would wholeheartedly recommend that Marrs fans go in blind. So yeah, all you need to know is that it’s brilliant and stop reading here. Go on, get that pre-order in and off you go.

For anyone wanting to know a little more about Dead in the Water. The book opens with Damon being dared to take a swim in open water, something he’s afraid of (You and me both, Damon. If my toes can’t touch the bottom then I don’t want to know!). Nevertheless he takes the plunge both metaphorically and literally as he drowns. He’s pulled from the currents and given CPR but as his life flashes before his eyes, he awakes with the vision/memory? of a dead boy.

Determined to recall more, Damon does the only logical thing. He decides he must die again. Only he will need help from a stranger to be on hand to resuscitate him. What’s the good in remembering if he’s brown bread? With each death Damon regains more memories and more questions about his past.

Dark, twisty, thrilling and filled with great lines (shout out to: “it’s so boring in here she’s surprised spiders haven’t started weaving the words ‘Please help us’ instead of webs“). Classic Marrs.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC.