Dead Water

The atmospheric setting adds so much to the suspense, but I wonder if the landscape itself influenced the story's dark mood. Did the environment shape the characters' choices?

The story took some time to build up to the climax, which made me curious if that was intentional to deepen the mystery or a pacing choice for atmosphere.

The sense of community and underlying secrets felt so real — I’m curious whether Ann Cleeves draws from her own experiences or research for that layer of realism.