Secrets in the Water by Alice Fitzpatrick (Stonehouse Publishing, 2020)

reviewed by Joylyn Chai

The best remedy after a bad day, whether it be work-related or personal, is the company of some good friends. We can talk, laugh, and cry. I can only imagine the kind of support I’d need if, for example, my grandmother had just died and I suspected that my aunt had been murdered. Actually, I don’t have to imagine much because this is what happens in Secrets in the Water.

In Alice Fitzpatrick’s debut novel, one woman befriends another to help solve the murders and mysteries happening on Meredith Island.

Truth be told, I don’t normally read murder mysteries. Though I enjoy a whodunit storyline, I am easily overwhelmed by all the facts and details as they become possible clues. I sit in full admiration of authors who dedicate their lives to writing mystery novels. I often wonder what kind of organizational systems they use to keep track of everything. Do the inside of their minds look like colour-coded spreadsheets or like tangled knots of string?

Fitzpatrick’s novel is set in an imaginary island in Wales and has a cast of eccentric characters, all of whom go about their daily lives in a fashion that makes me long to visit the country. The book showcases the appeal of living in a tight-knit community in a stunning location. Take in the fresh air. Go for a walk by the beach. Have a hot cup of tea with a friendly neighbour. Visit a local art studio. Wander down to the pub for a few pints. What else can you do on Meredith Island? Well, you can go to a funeral. More than one.

For me, as a murder mystery “newbie,” Secrets in the Water was fun to read primarily because of one woman whose hair is “reminiscent of a Pre-Raphaelite painting.” Wow. This, by the way, is not our protagonist, despite having a beautiful head of flowing locks. Siobhan Fitzgerald is an artist who befriends Kate Galway. Kate is convinced the death of her aunt, fifty years ago, was in fact an act of cold-blooded murder. Spoiler alert: her hunch is right on the money.

Kate Galway, who is the main character, has got a lot on her plate. Her grandmother just died, her marriage has disintegrated, and now she’s determined to catch a killer. If I was in Kate’s shoes, I would be on the verge of a pretty ugly nervous breakdown. But she’s not. Instead she’s tenacious and focused. She’s got that “keep calm and carry on” vibe about her. Pure boss. As we know, every boss needs a good assistant. Or, every super sleuth needs a sidekick. Who better than Siobhan Fitzgerald, an attractive redhead with a Celtic knot tattoo?

My absolute favourite part of the book happens when Kate is determined to stop Siobhan from snooping around the property of an affluent family, the Sutherlands. Siobhan is literally prepared to do Kate’s “dirty work.” In their search for answers and justice, Siobhan is the one leading the charge to trespass on private property in the middle of the night and upturn a family’s garden looking for evidence. In her words, she’s ready to “break all the rules of decent, civilized behaviour.” Throwing all caution to the wind, she’s willing to lend a helping hand to a friend in need.

By the way, it’s not easy for Siobhan on Meredith Island. She’s an artist, a bit of an outsider — and she’s got a stalker. Yet still, she’ll stand up to the locals, keep her wits about her, and more importantly, she never loses her sense of humour.

For someone who’s not schooled in the genre of murder mysteries, I do know that Sherlock Holmes had an ever-present companion in John H. Watson. From what I gather, Watson is a practical and loyal man. In a similar way, Kate Galway and Siobhan Fitzgerald make a clever and brave investigating duo. But for me, it is Siobhan’s free spirit and passion that are at the heart of Secrets ..in the Water. Truth be told, if I ever had a chance to visit Wales, I’d love to meet Siobhan at the local pub. We’d order a couple of pints, have a good chat, a great laugh – and maybe, solve the next murder on Meredith Island.