The Perfect Accident

By: Tess Stimson

Narrated by: Helen Keeley

'Tess Stimson is the master of the didn't-see-that-coming twist' LISA JEWELL

The brand new suspense thriller from the Sunday Times and USA Today bestseller.

YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM ALL. WHO DO YOU CHOOSE? . . .

This year, for the first time, the high school prom will be held on a luxurious cruiser on the lake. Sisters Amy and Iris are thrilled to chaperone, watching their sons step into adulthood in pressed suits and shiny shoes. It's a night of pride, celebration - and promise.

Until the boat sinks.

As darkness falls and the air begins to run out, buried secrets surface. Trapped beneath the lake, one of the sisters is forced to make an unthinkable choice: sacrifice her own son - or let her nephew and twenty-one other teenagers drown.

One year later, a girl will wake up from her coma, ready to tell everyone what really happened at the bottom of the lake.

And someone needs to keep her quiet - this time, for good . . .

A pulse-pounding novel of small-town secrets, lies and betrayal - with a twist you won't see coming.

-----

Real Reader Reviews:

'An amazing, heart-racing thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish . . . Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist appeared. AMAZING!!!!' ★★★★★
'Literally couldn't put it down!' ★★★★★
'Wow, this is one of the best books I've read in a while. The twists and turns, the heartbreak, the sadness, the fear, all rolled into one book' ★★★★★
'Characters that will make you fall in love and hate fiercely' ★★★★★©2026 Tess Stimson (P)2026 Headline Publishing Group Limited

Just ok- too much info at beginning that drug me down before even getting into story

I just couldn’t get past knowing right away that there were going to be multiple teenage deaths. Just couldn’t enjoy book after that

Well-written for the genre

Tess Stimson’s books are above average for domestic thrillers. I am surprised that someone didn’t tell the reader how to pronounce Champlain. A minor quibble but irritating.

Unlikeable characters, weak uninteresting plot.

I gave Stimson’s 2020 novel, One in Three, 5 stars. I then read her 2022 book, The New House and it was terrible. I regret giving her another chance. The Perfect Accident (2023) is far from the quality writing style of One in Three.

The plot is character driven by family relationship drama, with characters so shallow and uninteresting I could not get myself to care what happened to any of them.

The author throws in raw gruesome details that are not necessary to further the plot, they are for shock value vs. quality storytelling.

Did Tess Stimson really write this?

I loved Tess Stimson's "One in Three" and "Stolen".

She is one of my go-to authors.

I am also a huge fan of Helen Keeley's narrations.

Not sure what happened here. This book was all over the place.

The book showcases dozens of characters—unfolding from four POVs --- shifting from different timelines -- with only one narrator. An audiobook should not require an Excel spreadsheet.

DNF. Getting my coveted Audible credit back.