“A reflective examination of sorrow and redemption.” — Booklist

“I’m the Undertow is a stunning debut, an intimate, emotionally charged portrait of loss and the unlikely relationships that help us endure it. Eric Scot Tryon writes with sensitivity and grace about the fragile, necessary connections that carry us through periods of grief and guide us toward forgiveness. Compelling and beautifully observed, this novel announces a powerful new voice in fiction.” — Andrew Porter, author of The Imagined Life

"Propulsive, evocative, and atmospheric, Eric Scot Tryon's I'm the Undertow launches readers into Conner Robbins' world of upheaval following an accident that upends his life. So compelling you'll want to read it in a day but swimming with beautifully written scenic and emotional sentences that will make you want to linger. A fantastic debut novel!" — Amy Stuber, author of Sad Grownups, Winner of the 2025 Pen Bingham Award

"Tryon's moving debut is a paean to grief, a navigation of the labyrinths we wander when confronted with our greatest shame. A powerful examination of humanity in tragedy's aftermath, this book explores how far we must sometimes go in order to forgive ourselves." — David James Poissant, author of Lake Life and The Heaven of Animals 

"A powerful and vividly rendered debut that deftly portrays the delicate and difficult work of rebuilding one’s life in the wake of tragedy. Even as it fearlessly plumbs the depths of grief and guilt, I’m the Undertow brims with warmth and life." — Gina Chung, author of Sea Change and Green Frog