January 22, 2024
In this promising if unpolished debut from University of Louisville law professor Ochs, a diving instructor and an influencer investigate a string of mysterious deaths. Cass has lived peacefully on the Thai island of Koh Sang for the past two years, and she’s planning to put down roots there with her fiancé, bar owner Logan. Her secret past comes calling, however, when she receives an anonymous envelope containing an incriminating photo and a handwritten note threatening to reveal her true identity. That same day, someone in her diving class dies, and another student is critically injured. Meanwhile, beautiful American influencer Brooke arrives on Koh Sang escaping an undisclosed past of her own, and takes a special interest in the death of Cass’s student. Her curiosity sets Cass on edge, and when more deaths occur, the two women scramble to find out who’s responsible while concealing their individual secrets from each other. Ochs skillfully keeps the big reveals under wraps until the end, even as she teases out questions about potential links between Cass and Brooke. Unfortunately, awkward prose (“I savor the taste of the smoothie, letting the sticky sweetness drown out the bitterness of my lie”) and flat characters undermine the tension. This doesn’t quite gel, but Ochs’s adept plotting is reason enough to look forward to her next effort. Agent: Kate Burke, Blake Friedmann Literary.