The Drowning Woman

A beautifully twisted tale of friendship, betrayal, and retaliation centers on a homeless lady who is escaping a deadly past. She is rescued from drowning by a rich society wife, who then draws her into a web of deceit and secrets.

Lee Gulliver never imagined that she would end up homeless—no one ever does—but once her restaurant collapses and her debt mounts, she abandons her previous life and travels only with her Toyota Corolla and her clothing. She parked in a quiet area along the shore in Seattle to hide out and figure out what to do next. However, early one morning, she witnesses a weeping lady plunging into the water. When Lee brings the lady back to the surface, she encounters rage rather than gratitude. Hazel, the drowning lady, tells her that she's a prisoner in her own house, that she wanted to die, and that she's stuck in an abusive, poisonous marriage. Her one opportunity to get out of her life has been foiled by Lee.

When Hazel runs out of alternatives and hides in her opulent cage, Lee believes she has seen the last of her—until her surprise reappearance the next morning. The ladies, who come from different but challenging backgrounds, quickly become close and unexpected friends. Then, one day, Hazel makes an unexpected request of Lee: she wants Lee to assist her in going missing. Hazel tells Lee that it would be simple, but Lee quickly discovers that nothing is as it appears and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee had assumed her to be.