Amy Meyerson is a new to me author, but she has three other highly acclaimed novels. Water Lies was a fast paced and easy read. Here is my book review Water Lies by Amy Meyerson.

This novel was gifted to me by MB Communications in return for my honest review.

Motherhood

At its essence, this book is about Motherhood. But cleverly disguised as a murder-mystery. Set in the Venice Canals area of Los Angeles, with its posh homes and wealthy families, we meet Tessa. A young, pregnant mother navigating late stage pregnancy with a toddler in tow. One morning Tessa and her little boy are in a coffee shop. Tessa is feeling vulnerable in late stage pregnancy, and living in the Canal area doesn’t help. It’s like a fishbowl, where everyone knows what everyone else is doing…and they are judging. Or so Tessa thinks.

While in the coffee shop Tessa’s son Jasper has a tantrum, when he sees and calls out to a young women he seems to know. Gigi. Geee Geee! He calls over and over. Tessa has never seen this women and does not understand her son’s reaction. Tessa leaves the coffee shop with a visceral feeling that something is strange.

Murder?

Just 24 hours later, the same women in the coffee shop, is found dead in the canals. Despite the police and Tessa’s husband Gabe insisting it was just an accident, Tessa instincts are strong. The woman’s name is Regina, and Regina’s mother Barb also does not believe it was an accident. Barb flies to LA to begin her own investigation. Tessa and Barb will become an unlikely pair as they begin to unravel a strange and frightening scenario around Regina’s death.

Book Review Water Lies by Amy Meyerson

This thriller is fast paced and kept my attention, even though there were a few too obvious clues that I knew immediately would come back later in the story. That said, this murder plot is an interesting storyline that looks at all aspects of motherhood including infertility, pregnancy, birth, maternal instincts and mothering of adults. Additionally there are themes of family secrets, infidelity and friendship. The story includes introspection on IVF and the fertility as business, in the United States and the stigma around it.

****Four stars for Water Lies by Amy Meyerson, released on January 1, 2026

See last week’s book review Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

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