Josie Ashbury is back to her small Ohio hometown. She studied here, and then moved to LA, first working at a small job until she was picked for a role on the big screen. She was also a ‘Bond Girl’ and had a successful Hollywood career until…. the breakdown. A meltdown preceded by a very public fight with her boyfriend/fellow actor, made her return to her hometown.
Taking a job teaching at her old high school, Josie’s is still putting pieces of her life together. Josie has been suffering from insomnia and she thought she saw something or someone on the tower that night. When she went for her early morning run the next day, she found Amber sprawled on the ground near the tower.
Josie finds herself drawn into the case. After all, the victim was one of her students. When the preliminary autopsy results come in, Josie cannot believe it. Soon, the investigation takes an unexpected turn and Josie’s curiosity is more piqued. When she finally unravels the web, she discovers the truth lies closer to home than she could have ever imagined.
WOWZA! I mean, are you seriously telling me that this is Amy’s debut novel??? WHAT???? I was hooked on to the story and couldn’t put it down until the end. The pacing is simply perfect. The characters portrayal and development – marvelous. Storytelling – stupendous. Mystery keeps one guessing till the end. The twist in the second half of the story – unexpected and totally surprising. The Water Tower is one of the best debuts I have ever read.
Before I dive into the review, I have a wish. And my wish is that this book is the first in a series. I really loved our main character, Josie. She’s a small-town girl turned Hollywood actress turned small-town girl again, but with a strong nose for sleuthing. She also has a strong support group – from friends to family.
Soon after Josie discovers the victim, one by one, things start to unravel. From the victim’s secrets to dirty politics to much more. As the story proceeds, it seems that all these things zero-in on one major factor – and it was really sad that a teenage girl was caught up in it.
Drugs and illegal activities, teenage girls wanting to gel in with adults and their high-end lifestyles, politics, secrets and much more. The one element that caught my attention was Josie’s personal life. She’s been suffering from insomnia and as the story proceeds, there are scenes wherein Josie wonders if her insomnia’s making her forgetful.
We have the perfect combination of character introduction, scene setting, and mystery. This is another reason I want this to be a part of a series. Josie’s background and her current lifestyle can make her a pretty impressive amateur sleuth. Pretty please Amy, I want more of Josie Ashbury’s sleuthing adventures. ASAP!
If you are looking for a perfectly paced thriller with an intriguing mystery and an explosive ending, I highly recommend you give The Water Tower by Amy Young a try.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Level Best Books in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
The Book Decoder 
Sounds good! Awesome review 💗
Thank you, Heather. This book is still available on NetGalley if you want to give it a try. 🙂
Ugh, don’t tempt me 😂. I’ve been really good about being in catch up mode and not requesting.
This sounds so good! I’ve been in such a thriller mood! Great review.
Thank you 😊
There are a lot of new releases (thrillers) that are really good.