The Girl Who Stopped Swimming

By: Joshilyn Jackson

Narrated by: Joshilyn Jackson

Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Laurel Gray Hawthorne needs to make things pretty, whether she's helping her mother make sure the literal family skeleton stays in the closet or turning scraps of fabric into nationally acclaimed art quilts.

Her estranged sister, Thalia, an impoverished Actress with a capital A, is her polar opposite, priding herself on exposing the lurid truth lurking behind middle class niceties.

While Laurel's life seems neatly on track - a passionate marriage, a treasured daughter, and a lovely home in suburban Victorianna - everything she holds dear is suddenly thrown into question the night she is visited by the ghost of a her 13-year old neighbor, Molly Dufresne. The ghost leads Laurel to the real Molly, floating lifelessly in the Hawthorne's backyard pool. Molly's death is inexplicable - an unseemly mystery Laurel knows no one in her whitewashed neighborhood is up to solving. Only her wayward, unpredictable sister is right for the task, but calling in a favor from Thalia is like walking straight into a frying pan protected only by Crisco.

Enlisting Thalia's help, Laurel sets out on a life-altering journey that triggers startling revelations about her family's guarded past, the true state of her marriage, and the girl who stopped swimming.

Richer and more rewarding than any story Joshilyn Jackson has yet written, yet still packed with Jackson's trademarked outrageous characters, sparkling dialogue, and defiantly twisting plotting, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming is destined both to delight Jackson's loyal fans and capture a whole new audience.

©2008 Joshilyn Jackson (P)2008 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Jackson matches effortless Southern storytelling with a keen eye for character and heart-stopping circumstances." ( Publishers Weekly)

OK

I think I had higher hopes from this book, after listening to Gods in Alabama and Backseat Saints. On the bottom of the curve for me, with Joshilyn Jackson, but still high compared with other writers.
I love her narration and wish she would do other books, (other than her own)

I love hearing the author narrate

I enjoyed the story, but especially the author's ability to convey each character. The story became a little too descriptive at times, but made for a better appreciation of the situations later on in the plot development. The southern accents stuck with me for a while and I appreciated the depth of the subject matter

Another great Joshilyn story

Although my first book and still favorite by Joshilyn is "A grown up kind of pretty", I am still chasing that high :) I did thoroughly enjoy this book though! I was a little saddened by the sister relationship, but I enjoyed the supernatural element. I enjoyed the interview with the author at the end and agreed that she didn't shove the ghost thing down the reader/listeners throat. I LOVE Joshilyn as the narrator and feel so connected to the characters as she reads. I would recommend this book.

Absolutely Fascinating!!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Girl Who Stopped Swimming to be better than the print version?

I love listening to Ms Jackson tell her stories! She developed these characters and who could know them better?

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved Thalia! She was so mysterious and open at the same time!

Which character – as performed by Joshilyn Jackson – was your favorite?

Again, it's Thalia, with her delicious and naughty personality that is both loving and honest!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The moment in the book that was the most captivating to me was the moment that Bet was revealed as the one that "saw" and did nothing!

Any additional comments?

I have now listened to all of Joshilyn Jackson's books and they are fabulous! I love all of her story lines and her characters are so real to me. I hope she continues writing because I am a huge fan!!

Jackson is a treasure

While I find her books really easy to get into, they are richly layered - her plot lines are just as interesting as are her characters and her observations. I am always more than a bit unhappy when I am done listening to one of her books, because I just want it to go on or have a sequel.

great for the long haul!

I listened to this while on a 14 hour car trip to Fla. I found the story very engaging. I believe that the author captured her own limitations as well as her love for her child and husband in an honest way, sometimes painfully so. The relationship with her sister and parents seemed deep and true. I usually shy away from books narrated by an author (rarely have I found an author who can do justice to their own work). Ms. Jackson is an exception to this rule. Her accent is real, as are her descriptions of the south. I highly recommend this and other works by J. Jackson.

Trouble in Stepford

In Joshilyn Jackson's world, families are messy, characters are flawed and mysteries are quirky with unpredictable solutions. So it was unexpected to encounter Laurel and her family in a Stepford community trying to figure out why a young girl drowned, with every effort to prove that it wasn't a simple accident coming up empty. Like Laurel I kept thinking "something's not right", but couldn't puzzle it out. Then I got to the last third of the story where it took all kinds of turns and I thought Ah-ha, now we're getting somewhere. Throughout the early part of the book I felt as frustrated as Laurel, being let into blind alleys regarding the drowning and her marriage, and her family relationships constantly being stirred up by her volatile sister Thalia. Everything was upside down and so difficult to tell who is to be trusted. But once the crucial puzzle pieces fell into place for each of these dilemas, all was satisfyingly clear, but that's when the danger was the greatest. I loved the way it all came together. As always, love of family remains constant in spite of the craziness. Jackson reads her own words flawlessly, making her characters truly alive.

Quite enjoyable

Joshilyn Jackson reads her vivid prose well. The story is just a little short of being awesome but it is definitely an enjoyable listen.

Interesting read

Another interesting read from Joshilyn. I love that she narrated all of her own stories. She does an excellent job. Just as she does an excellent job of weaving the story

Joshilyn Jackson keeps on Delivering!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am intimidated to write a review because Joshilyn Jackson's writing is so wonderful. I have read all of her books, some twice. She has a compelling ability to create relationships and depth in her characters and family relationships. I love her combination of witt, insight, and story telling. I have purchased over 400 books and hers are right up in the top of my most favorites. I think my favorite thing is that she can approach really difficult subject matter as the foundation of her stories, but they are never about victimization or abuse. She does not focus on the disfunction and harshness of circumstances. It is not her intention to reveal abuse, instead she focuses on the reactions and abilities of her characters to deal with their circumstances and transcend them. She makes the incredible credible with amazing humor, insight, and authenticity. She does not sensationalize the sensational but remains true to life. Her books have an element of mystery, murder, romance, thriller, and drama. They refused to be defined by ordinary themes. I Love her writing and stories. If you appreciate good writing and satisfying stories that make "reality t.v" seem pale, then this is the woman for you.
I didn't mention that she does a great job narrating her own books.