Ein tief bewegender und kraftvoller Thriller, der unter die Haut geht!

"Notes on a Drowning" von Anna Sharpe hat mich tief berührt und zugleich auf eine emotionale Achterbahnfahrt geschickt. Die Geschichte über Verlust, Überlebenswillen und das Dunkel der menschlichen Seele ist von Anfang an so intensiv, dass es schwer war, das Buch aus der Hand zu legen.

Die Protagonistin ist eine starke, aber zutiefst verletzte Figur, die auf ihrer Reise mit den schwersten Emotionen und traumatischen Erlebnissen kämpft. Was dieses Buch besonders macht, ist die Fähigkeit der Autorin, die psychologischen Abgründe ihrer Charaktere so präzise und realistisch darzustellen. Man fühlt jede Welle von Schmerz, Angst und Sehnsucht, die die Hauptfigur durchlebt.

Anna Sharpe lässt den Leser mit jeder Seite tiefer in die Geschichte eintauchen und nimmt ihn mit auf eine Reise, die emotional fordert und gleichzeitig Spannung aufbaut. Es ist kein Thriller im klassischen Sinn, sondern vielmehr ein psychologisches Drama, das die Grenzen zwischen Überleben und Untergang, Wahrheit und Lüge, Liebe und Verlust auslotet.

Die Erzählweise ist ruhig und eindringlich, doch immer mit einem unheilvollen Gefühl im Hintergrund. Die Dichte der Atmosphäre und die emotionale Tiefe der Charaktere machen es zu einem besonders starken Leseerlebnis. Das Ende ist überraschend und lässt einen nachdenklich zurück, während es gleichzeitig die Kraft und den Schmerz der vorherigen Seiten perfekt zusammenführt.

Fazit:
"Notes on a Drowning" ist ein meisterhaft erzählter Thriller, der emotional tief geht und psychologisch fesselt. Anna Sharpe hat ein Werk geschaffen, das nicht nur spannend ist, sondern auch eine zutiefst bewegende und nachdenklich stimmende Geschichte über die menschliche Psyche erzählt. Wer psychologische Thriller liebt, die sowohl emotional als auch intellektuell fordern, wird dieses Buch lieben.

What a great novel. 2am! The time I turned the last page and got some sleep. A really cracking legal and political thriller with two strong female main protagonists. Alex Moreno is a solicitor with a conscience and despite being told to work more billable hours she agrees to look into the death of a young girl, Natalia, whose body was found in the River Thames. Kathryn ‘Kat’ Ishida is a Special Adviser to the Home Secretary, but she has a past she wants to keep where it is, in the past. This was brilliantly written and plotted, which is not a surprise when you realise the author is a pseudonym for Anna Mazzola.

Briefly, Alex and Kat have a troubled history but when Kat has concerns over some classified information she finds she contacts Alex. The two women are still not comfortable with each other but both have a need to investigate further. With help from Alex’s estranged husband and sympathetic journalists their investigations go deep to the root of British politics and various high profile individuals. It soon becomes clear that their investigations are ruffling more than a few feathers and some very dangerous feathers at that.

A fast paced and exciting thriller with a great cast of characters. The book addresses some serious international and domestic issues including people trafficking, political corruption and exploitation just for starters and it is all handled sensitively but honestly. There are some things that can’t be glossed over. There were a few shocks along the way that I hadn’t guessed and some tense moments. I loved it, a fantastic read.

This is the first (Anna Mazzola) Anna Sharpe book I've read and boy, if this is her first contemporary fiction thriller then she's aced it.
Without giving too much away... I loved the parallel experiences of the 2 sisters involved. The themes of loss, guilt anger and blame were explored empathetically as wee contemporary issues around misogyny and more.
Sharp uses a light touch to highlight important societal issues and the pace of the novel combined with the well drawn characters kept me well and truly hooked.

More please !

I loved the book in the beginning. However, between the constant cursing of the female lawyers and too many characters to follow I gave up. This wasn’t the right book for me.

Notes on a Drowning is a fantastic legal thriller which moves along at breakneck speed, covering corruption and violence at all levels of society. It is a compelling and gripping read with two strong female leads, Alex and Kat.

Overworked and under pressure lawyer Alex is being pushed to work as many billable hours as she can. She begrudges spending her time helping the mega-rich take action against those who can't afford to fight back. Alex tries to take on pro bono cases when she can, though her boss is not supportive, seeing the effect on the practice's income. Alex is asked to look at the autopsy results for Natalia, a Moldovan 17 year old found drowned in the Thames. Natalia's family believe there was something suspicious about her death and have asked Alex to help. It reminds Alex of her own missing sister who disappeared abroad several years earlier, and has never been heard of since.

Kat is an up and coming political advisor, picked to work with the new Conservative Home Secretary. She is thrilled to be at the heart of the political scene. She is well-respected by her colleagues and the Home Secretary, keen to prove herself as a capable and reliable advisor, she attends high-level events as a matter of course - its so much more than she had ever dreamt of growing up. There are some more unsavory moments in Kat's past but she has managed to hide them and is hoping that they'll stay buried for ever.

One of Kat's tasks is to deal with a mundane Freedom of information request but she realises that she has come across some of the information before in other contexts. Kat recognises that she has some information that could help Alex's investigation, but understands that sharing it may come at a high professional cost.

As Kat and Alex's professional lives become more intertwined and they start to share information, they uncover a huge web of inter-connections and dodgy dealings that goes to the very top as well as internationally.

. Anna Sharpe has addressed some major issues of corruption and human trafficking. I was gripped from the outset and was fully engaged with the twists and turns in the story-telling, I hope that we will hear more from Alex and Kat in future legal thrillers.

Anna Sharpe’s Notes on a Drowning is a tense and gripping thriller that delves into the murky waters of corruption, power, and human trafficking. With a blend of legal intrigue, political machinations, and personal pain, this book weaves a compelling narrative that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.

The story begins with the tragic discovery of Natalia’s lifeless body in the Thames. For Alex, a determined lawyer already skating on thin ice at her firm for taking on unpaid cases, Rosa’s desperate plea for help is impossible to ignore. Haunted by the disappearance of her own younger sister, Alex is drawn into the case, determined to find answers and justice for Natalia.

Meanwhile, Kat, an ambitious Special Adviser to the Home Secretary, is eager to leave her own dark past behind. But her idealistic goals are shattered when she uncovers a series of cover-ups, hinting at the involvement of powerful individuals in Natalia’s death. When a shocking letter surfaces, Kat realises the scope of the conspiracy is far larger—and closer to home—than she ever imagined.

Alex and Kat are reluctant allies, bound together by a shared determination to expose the truth. Their fractured relationship, rooted in personal and professional complexities, adds depth to the story. As they dig deeper, the stakes rise, and they find themselves up against a web of deceit that threatens their careers, their safety, and the lives of other vulnerable girls.

Sharpe’s writing is taut and engaging, with an opening prologue that immediately piques curiosity. The ambiguity of its narrator adds an extra layer of intrigue, as the story unfolds in a way that keeps readers guessing. The pacing is sharp, with twists and revelations that create a sense of urgency as Alex and Kat race against time to uncover the truth.

The book shines in its portrayal of systemic corruption and the devastating human cost of power games. The themes of trafficking and exploitation are handled with sensitivity, adding emotional weight to the narrative. The contrasting perspectives of Alex and Kat—one driven by personal trauma, the other by professional ambition—offer a compelling dynamic that enriches the story.

While Notes on a Drowning is an exciting thriller, it also raises important questions about justice, morality, and the cost of standing up to powerful adversaries. Fans of legal and political thrillers, especially those with a strong emotional core, will find much to admire here. Sharpe has crafted a powerful, thought-provoking tale that lingers long after the final page.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Well, this book hit the spot. I do love a thriller and, with Notes on a Drowning, Anna Sharpe has created a book which is jam packed with threat, tension and deception. Whilst this is billed as a legal thriller, and one of the lead characters, Alex, is a solicitor, it has perhaps more of a political leaning given that the secondary lead, Kat, works for the Home Office as Special Advisor to the Secretary of State, and one of the instigating events is driven by a freedom of information request placed by Alex in relation to a case she has been handed. Now Alex and Kat have a history, a troubled connection through Alex's younger sister, and one that may have bearing on the case in hand - the unexplained drowning of a young immigrant woman.

I really felt the tension and unease pulsing through this book from the start. The prologue really makes you sit up and take note, its relevance not immediately clear but perhaps soon explained. Anna Sharpe has managed to create a constant rhythm with the story, building the mystery and intrigue with each new revelation and discovery, and amplifying it due to the fractious nature of the relations between Alex and Kat. Despite this, the two work well together and an uneasy truce leads to startling discoveries and the perhaps not quite so shocking discovery that someone in power is trying their best to derail their investigations, unsanctioned and ill advised as they are.

I really liked the characters of Alex and Kat. Kat is the more reluctant of the two, plagued by guilt over events from her past, but still determined to make amends, even if it is by helping the wrong girl. Alex is looking for answers over the disappearance of her sister, and hopes this case may help her. She has a steely determination, and a fire which drives her onwards, at least until those she loves come under real threat. They are two pretty ordinary women, taking on extraordinarily powerful adversaries, but I really bought into their motivations, and the author has not tried to imbue them with super abilities, more a moral code that will not allow them to walk away, even after they come under threat, and Alex's client seems to have disappeared.

Anna Sharpe taps into a scenario that is all too relevant in today's society, and led by the types of characters we have seen time and again in the headlines - those with untold power and influence whose behaviour goes relatively unchecked. It adds an emotional air to the story, alongside the sense of menace. The bad guys ooze charm as easily as their minders leech hostility. And from the corridors of power, to the opulent homes of the rich and shameless, the author creates a sense of time and place that put me in the heart of the story. The pace increases as we hurtle towards the dramatic and high stakes conclusion, proving that even for the good guys, who you know matters. And with a poignant ending, Alex and Kat's unresolved history finally drawn to a close, it is a satisfying, if not entirely happy end to the mystery that has plagued both of their lives.

For a debut thriller, this one ticked all of the boxes - tension, pacing, excitement, threat and two lead characters I could really get behind. I love the authors historical novels as Anna Mazzola, but really look forward to seeing what alter ego Anna Sharpe delivers for us next.

Exciting thriller with a legal, political and people trafficking setting. The prologue is interesting as I read I wasn’t sure exactly who that part of the narrative is about. As the story unfolds it could be about a number of the characters. Then you are introduced to Alex, a lawyer and Kat a Special advisor to the Home Secretary. The two are drawn together by their present and past, as corruption comes to light in both their working lives. Putting them on a collision course with some very powerful and influential people. The aauction and excitement only builds from there. Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

A thriller that feels like it has been plucked from the headlines. Witty as well as gripping, it would make an incredible Netflix drama.

I don't think it's a secret that Anna Sharpe is the pseudonym of Anna Mazzola. I have read three of her historical novels - The Clockwork Girl (my favourite), The House of Whispers, and The Book of Secrets - and they've all been so good, and so I was thrilled she was dipping her toe into the world of thrillers. But I admit I was slightly apprehensive. Because some authors can write across genres well, and others have more success in one. Anna is definitely in the first category.

This book grabs you from the first sentence. It is so full on immediately, and you're right in there. You can almost feel yourself drowning (giving the title, I'd say this wasn't a spoiler), alongside the character in question.

There are a lot of characters, locations, hints, clues, subplots. I thought at first it would be too much and I'd never keep up, but it actually all flows very well and I enjoyed all the different stories, as well as the overarching plot.

I didn't like all the characters. They're all written, some with bigger parts than others and so therefore more developed parts than others, and they all work well off each other. But some were more palatable than others, and others (I've managed to get the word 'other' in this sentence 5 times!) were a bit too slimy.

The start of the book is slower than the ending, but that gives us time to get to know everyone, hear their history, and work out what is going to happen. But overall she's got the pacing right; giving us enough time to feel comfortable in this world before gripping us.

It is full of twists and turns and shocks and surprises; some I had an inkling about and others I didn't see coming at all.

It's engaging, atmospheric, well plotted and well paced. How she manages to tie everything together, all the subplots and main plot, all the characters and everything, it's so impressive.

I read it in less than 24 hours, even reading it in bed (which goes against my "only read happy books in bed" rule) because I couldn't face putting it down.

I read a lot of thrillers, it's probably my most read genre, and some are a bit samey. Because, if we're being honest, there's only so many thrilling plots you can write about, but Anna has found something new, her own niche, but infused it with the things that make the genre so great. I could quite easily see this being turned into a TV series.

It's hard to match Anna Sharpe with Anna Mazzola. It's like a completely different voice, and it's thanks to that I think she's got a bright future across both genres.

**The following paragraph contains some topical spoilers, so do not read on if you want to come to it completely fresh. If you choose not to read the following paragraph, then you have reached the end of the review**

It has got a lot of difficult topics: relationship difficulties, affairs, splits, stress, manipulation, fear, death, kidnapping, trafficking, lying, blackmail, abuse, attempted murder. It's heavy; it has some very heavy points to it, but it all works in context and helps bring everything together. It could have felt like too much, too unbelievable, but Anna has found a nice balance in everything.

This was a good easy read for me. I found myself totally immersed in the story. Took me less than a day to read

Thanks for the opportunity to review

A sharply focused, well paced book which demonstrates the author's depth of knowledge of the inner workings of British power and politics. A great addition to the political thriller landscape

This was a fabulous and thought provoking legal thriller.

Alex and Kat were both wonderfully complex characters with a lot of challenging history. Their developing relationship was beautifully written and engaging amongst the chaos and fast paced action.

With a viewpoint into the UK political setup and another into the legal landscape, this book takes you on a dark path into what powerful people can get away with, and how vulnerable some people really are. It’s a glimpse into how a life can turn on one decision and far the consequences can reach.

Notes on a Drowning is a nail biting, fast paced thriller with a dark and gripping plot, characters that step right off the page and a world that we all wish wasn’t real.

I’ve read this author’s historical fiction, and loved this move into contemporary, particularly with the gritty insight into the legal world. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime writing and thrillers, or who has an interest in politics, the law and human rights.

This was a fast-paced read that I could easily see being made into a tv drama. Unfortunately, that was also the main problem with the book - it was made up of lots of familiar plotlines.
I started to feel like I was playing cliche bingo - dodgy Russian oligarchs, corruption in the highest levels of government and the Met, improbable rescue from high security premises. There was even a divorcing couple drawn back together in adversity!
The two central female characters were reasonably well developed, but the supporting characters were barely fleshed out. There were far too many convenient connections - investigative journalist best friend, handy group of high level hackers happy to help out, ex detective private eye husband, friends in MI5.
This was a book that was an enjoyable enough read but one that will quickly fade from my memory.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for an ARC of this book.

Big fan of Anna Mazzola and her historical fiction books. First time reading her under the guise of Anna Sharpe and a thriller "Notes on a Drowning". A well-formed tense page-turner with lots of back story. Better than your average thriller.

A very slow start which failed to draw me in which is a shame because the second half of the book is fast-moving and interesting. I found the interaction between the two main characters very disjointed and Alex seems to be permanently exhausted and depressed which perhaps isn't surprising because of her missing sister but it did become a little wearing. I'm probably being too picky because at heart this is an excellent thriller but it just didn't click with me.

Notes on a Drowning is an engaging and very well-plotted story about two women with an awkward shared past who work together to prevent a similar tragedy to the one that first brought them together.

The beginning of the book is a little slower than the ending, as the reader begins to piece together the narrative of the two women, who have complicated lives without the addition of the mystery that reunites them. The mystery itself is complex and grows increasingly dangerous for them. Who can they trust, aside from no one but a very few?

This is a tale of corruption and power and how corrupting such power can be. It is also very current, contending with the persistent 'boys club' mentality that infects politics and the terrible underbelly that goes with it.

Yet, it is also a fast-paced and well-executed read. I devoured it in two sittings.

This is not my usual read. I'm a bit more 'thriller' minded and also more historical or cosy crime, but this is a timely tale of corruption and politics, unputdownable until the last page.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Thank you to the author and Orion for the advanced copy.

A really thought provoking, fast paced political thriller. I felt like we went on the journey with the characters to uncover the mystery. The subject matter felt timely and impactful, exploring the issue of corruption from the rich and powerful.

A great read!