Deep Water

Synopsis

'If I really don't like somebody, I kill him . . . You remember Malcolm McRae, don't you?'

Melinda Van Allen is beautiful, headstrong and sexy. Unfortunately for Vic Van Allen, she is his wife. Their love has soured, and Melinda takes pleasure in flaunting her many affairs to her husband. When one of her lovers is murdered, Vic hints to her latest conquest that he was responsible. As rumours spread about Vic's vicious streak, fiction and reality start to converge. It's only a matter of time before Vic really does have blood on his hands.

Books included in the VMC 40th anniversary series include: Frost in May by Antonia White; The Collected Stories of Grace Paley; Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault; The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter; The Weather in the Streets by Rosamond Lehmann; Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith; The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West; Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston; Heartburn by Nora Ephron; The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy; Memento Mori by Muriel Spark; A View of the Harbour by Elizabeth Taylor; and Faces in the Water by Janet Frame

Summary

Chapter 1: The Drowning

* Vic Van Allen, a wealthy man with a troubled marriage, witnesses the drowning of his young daughter, Melinda.
* Vic's wife, Melinda, is initially distraught but later seems strangely calm.
* Suspicions arise about Vic's involvement in his daughter's death.

Example:
"Vic watched as the tiny body disappeared beneath the waves. A cold hand of horror gripped his heart. Melinda, his precious little girl, was gone."

Chapter 2: The Aftermath

* Vic is haunted by nightmares and guilt.
* Melinda becomes increasingly withdrawn and distant.
* Detectives investigate the drowning, but no clear evidence implicates Vic.

Example:
"Vic couldn't escape the image of Melinda's lifeless body. He tossed and turned in his bed, tormented by the memory of her final moments."

Chapter 3: The Suspicion

* Vic's friends and family begin to doubt his innocence.
* A neighbor claims to have seen Vic arguing with Melinda on the night of the drowning.
* Vic's past relationship with a woman named Dolores is also brought into question.

Example:
"The detectives grilled Vic, pressing him about his whereabouts on the night of the drowning. Vic's mind raced, trying to recall every detail to prove his alibi."

Chapter 4: The Dark Secret

* Vic discovers that Melinda was having an affair with a younger man named Jack.
* He confronts Jack, who admits to the affair but denies involvement in her death.
* Vic's obsession with finding the truth unravels his life and marriage.

Example:
"Vic's world crumbled when he learned of Melinda's affair. A consuming rage filled him, fueling his determination to uncover the truth behind her death."

Chapter 5: The Confrontation

* Vic tracks down Dolores, who reveals that Melinda was pregnant with Jack's child.
* Vic confronts Melinda, who confesses to drowning her daughter out of desperation to protect her secret.
* Vic is torn between his love for Melinda and the need for justice.

Example:
"Melinda's face was pale and tear-stained as she admitted her terrible crime. Vic stood there, his heart torn between love and disgust."

Chapter 6: The Reckoning

* Vic reports Melinda to the police.
* Melinda is arrested and charged with murder.
* Vic and his family are left devastated by the truth that has torn them apart.

Example:
"As the handcuffs clicked around Melinda's wrists, Vic watched his wife being led away. The guilt and sorrow consumed him, leaving an emptiness that would never truly be filled."