• The House on the Water

  • A Novella
  • By: Margot Hunt
  • Narrated by: Taylor Schilling
  • Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (14,441 ratings)

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The House on the Water  By  cover art

The House on the Water

By: Margot Hunt
Narrated by: Taylor Schilling
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Publisher's summary

From the author of Buried Deep comes a brand-new thriller about a summer vacation turned deadly and a group of friends trapped together until they can determine who among them is capable of murder.

Every year, Caroline Reed takes a trip with her best friend, Esme Lamont. They’re usually accompanied by their spouses - but this year, everything’s changed.

Esme has just gone through a bitter divorce, and Caroline is wondering if her own marriage is reaching its breaking point as she and her husband, John, cope with the discovery that their 19-year-old son has been abusing drugs. Still, the inseparable duo books a weeklong stay at a beach-front home in Shoreham, Florida, inviting Esme’s brother, Nick, and his new husband, Ford, in hopes that the additional guests will help lighten the mood.

After a blissful first night in the vacation home, tragedy strikes, and one of the houseguests is found dead. While it’s assumed at first to be a horrific accident, it quickly becomes clear that there’s something more sinister at play, and over the course of this fast-paced, deeply chilling novella, the potential motives of each guest are revealed - until a shocking conclusion is reached.

©2020 Margot Hunt (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

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About the Creator

Margot Hunt is a USA TODAY and Amazon.com bestselling author of three novels and the Audible Original Buried Deep. Her debut psychological thriller, Best Friends Forever, which examines the complexity of female friendships against a backdrop of duplicity, was heralded as a "cleverly constructed thriller [that] kept me guessing until the very end" by Peter Swanson, and her second novel For Better and Worse was called the "best thriller of the year" by Book of the Month. The Last Affair, Hunt’s latest novel, explores an extramarital affair that ends with the murder of one of the cheated upon spouses. Learn more at MargotHunt.com.

About the Performer

Taylor Schilling is an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress best known for her starring role as Piper Chapman in the Netflix original series, Orange is the New Black.
Recently, Schilling appeared in the Hulu anthology thriller series, Monsterland.
Schilling is set to lead in the new AMC hour-long animated primetime drama Pantheon, alongside Rosemarie DeWitt, Aaron Eckhart, and Paul Dano. Schilling will also star in the Spectrum Original’s series, The Second Wave with Audra McDonald.
In 2019, Schilling starred in Orion Pictures’ horror thriller, The Prodigy.
Schilling appeared in the Film Arcade indie comedy, Family, which premiered at the 2018 South by South West Film Festival. Schilling also starred alongside Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone, Christian Slater, and Gabrielle Union in the Emilio Estevez-directed drama, The Public, which premiered at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival.
In 2017, Schilling starred in Take Me.
In 2016, Schilling completed production on The Titan, opposite Sam Worthington and Tom Wilkinson.
In 2015, Schilling also appeared in Patrick Brice’s The Overnight, alongside Adam Scott and Jason Schwartzman. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, the South by Southwest Film Festival, and the Tribeca Film Festival. Earlier that same year, Schilling completed her limited engagement run in the Classic Stage Company production of A Month in the Country, opposite Peter Dinklage.
In 2012, Schilling starred opposite Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman in the Academy Award winning film Argo. Earlier in 2012, Schilling starred opposite Zac Efron in Scott Hicks’ highly anticipated Warner Brothers film The Lucky One, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel.
Taylor grew up in Massachusetts and graduated in 2006 from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting. She then studied acting in New York University's Graduate Acting Program.
She lives in New York City.

Featured Article: The Best Vacation Listens for the Dwindling Days of Summer


Warm days and lazy afternoons—there’s nothing like summer vacation. And unwinding on the deck, beside the pool, or on the beach with a good audiobook is simply one of life’s greatest pleasures. As autumn rapidly approaches, we’ve been trying to squeeze in just a little bit more summer before the leaves begin to brown. There’s still plenty of time for enjoying a vacation—and finding the perfect listen to accompany you!

What listeners say about The House on the Water

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    7,969
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    3,999
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    1,857
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
    1,812
  • 2 Stars
    500
  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Suspenseful. Entertaining. Surprise ending.

This short story was gripping and threw so many curve balls and subtle hints along the way the finally unexpected ending seems a relief. Great read! Could read it again and again!

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16 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great pace

Sometimes you just need a quick read that keeps you company but also entertains. I loved this book all the way to the end. Performed brilliantly.

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15 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Soooooo Good!

Wonderfully plotted, The House on the Water reminds me of the classic "whodunnits" in which a group of people are in an enclosed space -- in this case a holiday rental in South Florida - one of them dies and the culprit has to be among those who remain. I did not see the end coming at all...which is always a joy as a voracious reader of thrillers.

Just the right length for a single sitting; nicely narrated. I strongly recommend this book and will check out other novels by Margot Hunt. I hope they're as good as this one.

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good until ending

Wasn’t thrilled with how the story abruptly ended but otherwise it was entertaining. Good way to pass the time folding laundry

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Supense! Drama and you will never guess!

Loved it I was on the edge of my seat and would have never thought it would end the way it did. I'm a fan for sure!

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1 person found this helpful

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Enjoyable

I really enjoyed this short story. It had good character development. There was a good flow to the storyline. The ended was good closure.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent audible!!!

This was my first audible and I am extremely please. Lots of twist to the story. I would recommend this audible!!!

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1 person found this helpful

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Totally twisted in a great way!

Not only was the narration perfect but the story got me hook, line and sinker! The plot twists were thrilling! I was very pleasantly surprised!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A non stop thriller enrich your weekend

Suspense storyline. Solid characters. Guess who is killer? What truth have been hidden? Excellent narration performance.

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  • ZL
  • 12-15-20

Wonderful!

What a wonderful story, so perfect! I love the narration! Just beautiful! Would love another story!

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1 person found this helpful