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The Remains in the Pond by Ann Swann

Senior prom is the happiest night of Gabi’s life. Her crush has just revealed that he is every bit as infatuated with her as she is with him. When he has a car wreck and is transported to the hospital in a coma, Gabi feels as if she’s taken a knife to the heart. But his jealous cousin, Rose, sees her chance to give the knife an even harder twist. She convinces Gabi to meet her at a local parking spot outside town. It’s a night that will change several lives forever. One of the girls will return, and one will become known as the remains in the pond.

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Author’s Bio

I’ve been a writer since junior high school, but to pay the bills I’ve waited tables, delivered newspapers, cleaned other people’s houses, taught school, and had a short stint in a rock-n-roll radio station scheduling commercials. I also worked as a 911 operator and a police dispatcher.

I won a few awards for short fiction in college. Some of my winning entries have been published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, The Binnacle, Timeless, an anthology, The Rusty Nail, The Sandstorm, Reflections, and Blue Mountain Review among others. My Middle Grade Phantom books (Stevie-girl and the Phantom Pilot, Stevie-girl and the Phantom Student, and Stevie-girl and the Phantom of Crybaby Bridge) were published by a small press in 2011. My Women’s Novel, All For Love, was published in 2012. Stutter Creek, Lilac Lane, and Copper Lake, (Suspense trilogy) were all published by 5 Prince Books. Stutter Creek remains my bestseller.

I recently jumped into the self-publishing pond with my speculative novel Takers: Apocalypse in Eden. After all these years, I finally came to the realization that for me, writing is the cathartic pause in an otherwise stressful life. Most of the time, it even keeps me sane.

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My Review

4 stars

It is 1999 and Senior Prom in the little town of Live Oak, Texas. Gabi Kelly is with her closet gay friend, Asa Letter. But Gabi has a crush on Matt Brennan and they are finally going to dance and learn that they have the same feelings for each other. But Rose Lintz, Matt’s cousin is not happy with Gabi and decides to do something about her. What happens next is anyone’s guess, especially since Gabi doesn’t know everything that happened at the pond.

Gabi is a suspect but she leave town shortly after the prom. She has made her way in the world but can’t forget that night. She moves often and is haunted but finally decides that she needs to know what happened to put Matt in a coma and a body in the pond.

This is my first book from Ann Swann. The blurb on the back is what drew me in. I liked the mystery around the body and what happened. I think this was told well and kept me engaged. Unfortunately most of the book was about Gabi and what she has done since leaving Live Oak. When we did get to the mystery thins were rushed not giving me a chance to mull over what happened.

This is not a bad story. It is a great mystery and a wonderful look back at the 90’s. I was surprised by the ending and think overall this is a good book to check out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank eBooks for Review for the opportunity to read and share this book.