From Publishers Weekly
Nadianna Jesup, a pregnant young photographer from rural Georgia, is visiting Mayley, a village in Yorkshire, England, on an arts grant when she discovers a burned corpse floating in a river. No one, including historian Gale Grayson, Nadianna's companion on the trip, believes her, except for a local religious group that thinks she has witnessed a vision from God. Strange events surrounding the old mill that Nadianna and Gale are documenting bring to light tensions among some of the colorful inhabitants of the town, including Chalice Hibbert, a six-foot-seven mute; her employer, potter Olivia Markham; and Gerald Thornsby, a thief-turned-preacher who opposes Olivia's efforts to turn the abandoned mill into an artist's mall. In this, her latest mystery featuring Gale Grayson, Holbrook (The Grass Widow) intersperses her contemporary tale with excerpts from the tragic diary of a Luddite named Michael Dodd. This psychological mystery, although hampered at times by clich s about Americans abroad, succeeds in evoking the bleakness of the depressed mill town and in portraying the family bonds that drive the characters to acts of desperation. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Gale Grayson revisits England to help a friend complete a photographic essay on an old Yorkshire mill. Their artistic exploration soon takes a dark turn when a corpse floats down the river and into their lives. What follows is a web of intrigue so deeply woven into the local history that it will take uncovering a 100-year-old secret to find the truth.

FROM THE CRITICS

Romantic Times

Sad Water is an emotionally charged tale intertwining the past with a present-day horror. The mood of the story and the characters are similar to those created by Minette Walters and fans of her stories are sure to enjoy the works of Teri Holbrook.

Publishers Weekly