A STUDY IN DROWNING by Ava Reid

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is a captivating work of fiction that delves into the realms of fantasy and mystery. Effy has always been enchanted by fairy tales, a belief that has been ingrained in her since childhood. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King, she has found comfort only in the pages of Angharad—an epic tale of a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King and ultimately destroys him.

As Effy navigates her suffocating first term at a prestigious architecture college, her worn-out copy of Angharad becomes her lifeline. So, when the late author’s family announces a contest to design his house, Effy is convinced this is her destiny. However, Hiraeth Manor, the setting for this contest, is a decaying estate teetering on the edge of a perilous sea. Upon her arrival, Effy discovers that she’s not the only one drawn to the manor. Preston Héloury, a determined literature scholar, is there too, aiming to expose her favorite author as a fraud.

As these two rival students dig deeper into the author’s legacy, sifting through his letters, books, and diaries, they realize that the crumbling manor holds more than just architectural secrets. Dark forces—both human and supernatural—are at play, threatening to unravel everything they thought they knew. In A Study in Drowning, Ava Reid masterfully intertwines mystery, magic, and the haunting allure of fairy tales, creating a story where the truth could lead to their undoing.