suspense

Review: Dead Girls Tell No Tales by Carissa Ann Lynch

~ megs14malloy

Dead Girls Tell No TalesDead Girls Tell No Tales by Carissa Ann Lynch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Dead Girls Tell No Tales follows a downtrodden Fantasy author, Adriana McMahon, who after some life issues, moves back in with her Mom in her small Indiana hometown.

Adriana, struggling with writer’s block, is running out of money quick. At this point, she’s worried her publisher is going to show up, demanding her advance back. It’s dire times at the McMahon house.

Desperate to make ends meet, Adriana gets a job at a local shop. It’s there that she meets 17-year old, Rebel James, a high school girl with a love of creative writing.

Rebel is noticeably an outcast amongst her peers. She’s in need of a friend, or any sort of adult figure in her life, frankly. When she approaches Adriana about helping her with a writing project, Adriana’s hesitant, but she also sees glimmers of herself in Rebel, and does want to help.

She ends accepting Rebel’s request, and becomes a bit of a mentor to the teen. When Rebel suddenly disappears, and bodies of dead girls begin being found in the local area, Adriana becomes desperate to find out if her friend is okay, something no one else seems to understand.

Making matters more upsetting, it seems the murders are mirroring some of Rebel’s stories. Was Rebel trying to tell Adriana something through her writing?

Additionally, it all seems oddly-connected to Adriana’s own past, stirring up buried memories of her best friend she lost years before. The entire affair puts Adriana in a tailspin, making her logic and reasoning hard for others to follow.

Her Mom thinks she’s lost it, as do the local authorities, who are watching her closely because of her arguably erratic behavior. But Adriana knows something dark is going on in this town, and she’s gonna get to the bottom of it come hell or high water.

Dead Girls Tell No Tales is a true Popcorn Thriller. I could totally imagine this playing out as a Lifetime movie, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.

It kept me invested the whole way through. It did take me a few minutes to get used to Adriana’s narrative voice. She’s a quirky one, but after I just accepted the fact it is who she is, I started to really enjoy it.

I think part of it is related to the personal tragedies she suffered as teen. I feel like she got sort of stunted in that part of her growth, so at times, you think, how old is this woman? But honestly, in relation to everything going on, it does make sense.

I wouldn’t say there’s anything ground-breaking about the plot, but it was still entertaining and a fun weekend read. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

I think The Bachelorette Party is still my favorite from this author, but this would be a close second. It reminded me a lot of Whispers of Dead Girls by Marlee Bush, and I did enjoy this one more.

I would recommend this to Readers of Popcorn Thrillers. If you’re looking for something quick and suspenseful, that won’t require you to burn down all your brain power during the reading process, this could be the book for you.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a great time.

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Review: When She Escaped by Jenifer Ruff

~ megs14malloy

When She EscapedWhen She Escaped by Jenifer Ruff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When She Escaped follows bestselling novelist, Zipporah Bazile, as she arrives at the luxurious Raven’s Hollow Lodge, hoping the secluded and relaxing environment will help her write her next Psychological Thriller.

Early on in her stay, she ends up making a romantic connection though, which wasn’t part of her initial plan, and she does spend most of her free time with this man.

Unfortunately, the romance isn’t the strangest thing to happen to her during her stay. She also feels like someone is following her, digging into her life and putting mysterious powders into her drinks?

Hold on, Zip, that’s escalation! But it’s true and before long she starts feeling like she could actually really be in danger. She suspects her romantic interest, but has no proof, and it he seems so genuine. She’s unsure who she can trust and starts on a bit of an emotional spiral.

In addition to what’s going on with Zip in her current situation, we also get excerpts from the novel she’s writing. It’s an intense story about about a young woman held against her will in a basement of a remote cabin.

As the lines between fact and fiction start to blur, Zip needs to figure out what’s going on at Raven’s Hollow Lodge and how she can escape unscathed.

When She Escaped had an interesting set-up, and I devoured it once I started, but somehow, I walked away underwhelmed. I did find the sections of her novel off-putting. They just pulled me out of the plot every time and threw off the pace.

I understand the author’s choice in including them, but for me, it just sort of missed the mark. There were other things that I wasn’t crazy about as well, but I can’t get into them without spoiling major plot points, which we’re not here for.

I will say it took a sharp turn at the mid-way point, and that’s where my enjoyment level really dropped. It was something else, but yeah, I didn’t see it coming. I just don’t think the second half was as exciting, or fun, for me as the beginning, so a bit of a mixed bag, unfortunately.

With this being said, just because it didn’t knock me out of the park, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. If you think it sounds interesting, give it a whirl. You could end up finding a new favorite.

Thank you to the publisher, Greyt Companion Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I never write and author off after only one try, and would be interested in picking up more from Jenifer Ruff in the future.

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Review: Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce

~ megs14malloy

Dark Is When the Devil ComesDark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Dark Is When the Devil Comes is a story of estranged sisters, Hazel and Cathy. The two had a falling out years ago over an incident that occurred at Hazel’s wedding.

Years later, and recently divorced, Hazel returns to her small hometown of Idless, in the English countryside, to lick her wounds and hopefully recover.

Her parents are heading out on a 5-week holiday, so she offers to stay at theirs and sit for her Mom’s beloved Persian cats. It feels strange, but it is home and she can think of no better place to hide out and get her life back in order.

Cathy has mixed feelings about Hazel’s return, but agrees to meet up with her. Perhaps reconciliation is possible. But on the day they’ve selected to meet, Hazel doesn’t show.

Though Cathy didn’t expect everything to be glossed over right away, she certainly didn’t expect Hazel to ghost her. If she’s honest about it though, that type of behavior is out of character for Hazel. Something is off.

Along with another local woman, Suzi, who was childhood friends with Hazel, Cathy begins a relentless search for her sister. Even though they haven’t been close in recent years, she’s still family and Cathy cannot give up on her.

The desperation is palpable.

I’m a huge Daisy Pearce fan. What can I say? This was so freaking fun for me, made all the more compelling by the stellar audiobook narration.

I know her books aren’t for everyone, but they definitely work for me. I first fell in love with her writing in Something in the Walls. I felt that story to be chilling and gripping. I read it so quickly and couldn’t wait for more from Pearce.

This novel, though I rated it the same at 4.5-stars, I actually think I enjoyed even more.

In addition to following Cathy in her hunt for Hazel, we also get Hazel’s perspective. So, as the Reader, you know where she is, in a sense, and you know what’s happening to her.

I loved the back-and-forth. Both perspectives were intense, with both women being forced to face very trying circumstances. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of Suzi. I think she made the story so much more engaging than had it just been Cathy investigating by herself.

I don’t know how else to adequately explain why I enjoy Pearce’s writing so much, it’s just something about the plotting mixed with the darker, unsettling atmospheres that really does it for me.

The atmosphere, as well as the way the tension continues to build throughout, reminds me of Jennifer McMahon or Sarah Pinborough, two of my go-to authors.

I think if you’ve enjoyed their books, you should check out Daisy Pearce, if you haven’t already. I would also highly recommend the audiobook, as the narration by Catrin Walker-Booth is excellent. Her voice felt so genuine and true to the story. It was very enjoyable.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I cannot wait for whatever Daisy Pearce releases next.

You better believe I’ll be first in line!

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Review: The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

~ megs14malloy

The AnniversaryThe Anniversary by Alex Finlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

The Anniversary follows two main characters, Jules Delaney and Quinn Riley. When they were both 17-years old, back in 1992, one fateful night changed the trajectory of both of their lives, and intertwined their stories forever.

This sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Finlay expertly-weaves together the stories of Jules and Quinn, keeping me at the edge of my seat the whole way through.

On the fateful night in question, Jules survives an attack of the elusive May Day Killer, a serial predator who attacks unsuspecting young women every May 1st in small Midwestern towns. Though she survived the attack, certain psychological scars may never heal.

And poor Quinn, trying to break-up a fight, severly injures one of the participants, and he’s arrested and ultimately ends up in juvenile detention because of it. While he’s there, his mother is murdered, and the crime goes unsolved.

A year later, Jules is plagued with survivor’s guilt, and Quinn, recently released from juvie, struggles to put the pieces of his life back together.

We follow both of their perspectives through that process, with the book ultimately spanning over many years.

Jules and Quinn never give up their search for answers, and over time, more and more clues are revealed, bringing their paths back together once again. The bottom line is the May Day Killer is still out there, Quinn’s mother’s murderer is still out there, and they’re determined to find the truth before any other innocent lives are lost.

I feel like I’m not giving this detailed plot justice, but you get the gist. I really enjoyed the back and forth and how we followed the two MCs over such a long period of time. As the puzzle pieces started to fall into place, my attention was fully captured.

The audiobook was fantastic. It’s dual narrated by Brittany Pressley and Ari Fliakos, and having the individual narrators for both perspectives, really lent believability to the plot. It also kept my attention more than had I just been reading a hard copy, I think.

Jules and Quinn were both great characters. They had been through so much, but they never let the negativity of those events completely overwhelm them. Sure, they struggled through some complicated emotions, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but they never lost their determination and will to fight for closure.

They were also both very smart and resourceful. A highlight for me was their interactions together. I felt like they supported each other nicely.

Overall, I had a blast with this. It’s really, really good. The story is gripping, with tons of twists and turns that’ll keep you flipping pages well into the night.

Finlay’s last release, Parents Weekend, fell a little flat for a lot of people, I enjoyed it, but certainly not as much as some of his earlier works. With The Anniversary, I feel like he’s hit his stride again. I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to the pubisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I look forward to whatever Finlay has in store for us next!

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Review: It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

~ megs14malloy

It Could Have Been HerIt Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jane Trevally is walking her dogs in the heathlands of her country estate when a West Highland Terrier suddenly appears. It’s clear the dog has been lost for a bit, and she’s sure someone must be missing him terribly.

She’s able to leash him up and walk him back to her house along with the rest of her pack. She quickly takes him to her local vet, and the dog is recognized. His name is Hugo. It seems he may have been staying with a teenage girl, who had recently rented a nearby cottage.

When the young lady is reported as missing by her landlord, Jane offers to return Hugo to his registered owner, found via microchip, hours away in London.

Arriving at the address, Jane can hardly believe it. She knows this house. She has a dark connection with it. One terrifying night from years ago that she’s never, ever forgotten.

But the man who opens the door isn’t the man she remembers. Nevertheless, the home’s current occupant seems sketch AF. He claims to know nothing about the missing girl, but Jane’s instincts are on high alert.

There’s definitely more to this story, and like the proverbial dog with a bone, Jane is not letting it go.

Jane knows that this unsettling house has secrets to spill, and she’s gonna get to the bottom of all of them. Perhaps it will help her get some closure for herself as well. Thus, an amateur sleuth is born.

Y’all, I had such a great time reading this. It Could Have Been Her is a bit slower to start than some of Jewell’s previous works, but with her signature style, she’s able to amp up the intensity with time and pull out all the stops bringing this dark Domestic Drama to its necessary conclusion.

This is the type of story where you need to be comfortable not fully understanding everything in the beginning. There’s multiple perspectives and timelines and it’s not necessarily clear straight away how they all fit together.

However, this is purposeful and for the Readers with the patience, Jewell expertly drops the reveals that will eventually piece it all together for you. I just went with the flow, and though I was uncomfortable in my uncertainty at times, once it clicked, I was hooked.

With all this being said, IMO, this will play better for the 40+ crowd, like myself, but nevertheless it’s a dark and intriguing tale.

I loved the MC, Jane, and am really hoping we might get another book with her. She was such an interesting character, and I’d love to follow her more on this new chapter of her life.

I would recommend this to any Domestic Suspense Reader, or Readers who like layered mysteries. There’s a lot going on here, but as mentioned above, as it all comes together, the payoff is worth it.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Lisa Jewell is one of the best in the business and I look forward to all of her new releases. This did not disappoint!

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Review: The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

~ megs14malloy

The CaretakerThe Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Follow the rites…

The Caretaker is one of those books that I’m blessed enough to get a chance to read early, and then I can’t wait for everyone else to read because I need to talk about it!

This story captured my full attention and did not let up the entire way through. I read it in a day and it left me with A LOT to think about. I was doing mental gymnastics trying to keep up with everything Kliewer was throwing at me, and honestly, it was exhilarating.

Macy Mullins, our MC, is a young woman a bit down on her luck, who needs to scramble to support not only herself, but her little sister, Jemma. After a string of failed job interviews, Macy is still on the hunt when an enticing ad on Craig’s List catches her eye:

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY:
Caretaker urgently needed. Three days of work. Competitive pay. Serious applicants ONLY.

Macy applies and ends up securing an interview. She meets with the woman who she would be working for, and although it’s an unusual meeting, to say the least, Macy can’t afford to be picky.

As an outside observer, I may have been screaming at Macy to not agree to take the job, but I also can’t pay Macy’s bills, so she does what she has to do and she accepts.

It’s only 3-days work, where she’ll have to stay at the woman’s house in the wilderness of Oregon and take care of her house. How bad could it possibly get?

Y’all, it can get bad. I think we all know this. Even Macy probably knew this, but like I said, she really didn’t have much of a choice. The first thing that really captured me about this book was how realistic and well-developed Macy was as a protagonist.

While I’ve never experienced some of the things that Macy had been through, I couldn’t help by feel connected to her struggles. I had such empathy for her while she was just working through her own thoughts.

I also felt like I was going on this journey with her. The house, the property, the weirdness of the whole circumstance was seeping off the page and into my brain. It felt tactile to me. I was feeling it all; transported.

The synopsis describes this as a waking nightmare, and I can’t think of a better way to put it. There were scenes that played into some of my own fears and left me absolutely chilled to the bone and my blood pumping.

I need to get a physical copy, because I’ll be reading it again. It’s twisted, layered and I would love to take more time with it. Now that I know the end, I feel I could pick up more of the smaller pieces I may have missed on this first go.

Upon completion, I sat and just stared at the wall for a good 4-to-5 minutes. Yes, that’s a good thing. If this doesn’t leave you with an existential crisis, I’m not sure what will.

At this end of the day, I found this wildly-entertaining. It’s highly-consummable, gripping and disturbing. It’s going to stick in my mind for a long, long time.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is the first I’ve read from this author, but you better believe I’ll be picking up more.

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Review: Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

~ megs14malloy

Forget Me NotForget Me Not by Stacy Willingham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Claire’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared 22-years ago. This was a traumatizing event for young-Claire, and she’s carried heavy feelings regarding it ever since. It severed their family and nothing was ever the same.

In fact, after leaving home for college, Claire has never returned. She was more than happy to leave the past in the past, where it belongs.

She moved to a city and worked her way up as an investigative journalist. Recently, after not receiving a promotion she should have been a shoe-in for, she gave up her position and decided to do freelance work.

Unfortunately, securing that work has been more difficult than she anticipated, so when she receives a call from her Dad saying her Mom has been injured and can use her help, she decides to go to her aide.

Returning to her hometown after such a long period of time away churns up all sorts of buried emotions. Additionally, her estranged mother doesn’t seem all that happy to see her, like not at all. It hurts.

With nothing but time stretching ahead of her, and restless where she’s at, Claire decides to do a little digging. She’s an investigative journalist, after all.

She decides to go to visit Galloway Farm, the vineyard in South Carolina where Natalie had a Summer job just prior to her disappearance. The visit ends up turning into temporary work for Claire, who although she’s never been a farm hand, is excited about the offer of free room and board.

The idyllic escape quickly moves in a more mysterious direction though after she stumbles across the owner’s wife’s old diary stashed away in her cottage. Originally thinking it’s just a tale of young love, Claire is surprised when the diary reveals much darker truths involving unsolved crimes and missing persons.

I really enjoyed my time reading Forget Me Not. Stacy Willingham definitely knows how to write a compelling and suspense-filled story. I always anticipate her latest releases, and so far, I’ve never been let down.

I read this via audio, and it does feature dual narration, with one of my favorite voice artists, Karissa Vacker, voicing Claire, and Helen Laser voicing the diary bits. I appreciated that the publisher chose to use the two narrators as it really helped to make the separate sections distinct.

This also features a couple of my favorites tropes, the MC returning to her hometown after a long-time away and the found diary, so it was sort of fated to work for me.

I also tend to love mystery stories that follow journalists, because it feels natural for them to be digging into things the way they do. It doesn’t seem forced, or far-fetched. It’s literally part of their jobs and they have the training and experience to do so.

I felt bad for Claire as a character. My heart definitely went out to her. She lost her sister, a person she idolized, and through that also ended up losing her Mom and Dad. They separated, and her family unit all went their separate ways. She felt very alone.

The intensity builds steadily throughout. It pulls you in and while I did guess a few of the big twists that were revealed, there were many more that I didn’t see coming.

This is def entertaining and I would recommend it to Mystery, Thriller and Suspense Readers. I’m not sure how memorable it’ll be for me long term, but it was very fun.

It’s a bit culty, a bit cringey domestic drama and dark family secrets. It’s got a lot going for it, honestly, for those of us who love messy relationship dynamics.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’ve enjoyed all of Willingham’s books and will be anxiously awaiting whatever she writes next. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us.

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Review: You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto

~ megs14malloy

You Will Never Be MeYou Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jesse Q. Sutanto is one of my go-to authors. I try to pick-up everything she writes either as soon as it releases, or even prior to its release, when I’m lucky.

For this one, even though I had an ARC in my hot little hands, and was anticipating it, I never ended up picking it up, and then it just got buried in my stacks and my mind.

Recently, while stalking Jesse’s author page to see if there was a new Vera Wong book listed, I noticed this one and snapped to attention. I needed to read it immediately.

I ended up getting the audiobook from my library and listened to it over the past couple of days. I loved the dual narration from Eunice Wong and Risa Mei, and am glad I ended up taking in the story via the audio format.

This story follows two up-and-coming social media influencers, so having the audio narration for them, it really added authenticity to those influencer personalities. I feel like both women channeled what I would anticipate these characters would have really sounded like.

In this story we follow Meredith and Aspen, best friends, who are both in the influencer space. Mer started out as a fashion and beauty influencer, and ended up teaching Aspen all she knew.

After Aspen got married and had kids, she turned more towards the parenting space and became a Momfluencer. It was at that point, with her handsome husband and adorable children, that her content really started taking off, leaving Mer’s numbers in the dust.

Their friendship was strained by this shifting dynamic and the two ended up having a falling out. By the time we meet them, they’re no longer speaking, but the story catches us up on all we need to know in regards to their messy friendship break-up.

I loved the back-and-forth between the two perspectives as all the details of their relationship were filled in. I also liked how we were shown the truth behind their lifestyles. Sure, online all was beauty, grace and stress-free days, but behind the scenes, it was anything but.

I like the exploration of that topic. Social media influencers have such sway over the way many of us see our own lives in comparison and I thought it was interesting to get a bit behind-the-scenes, even in a fictional capacity.

The 1st-half of the book is building up these characters and developing the drama between them. At the mid-point, it does take a turn though and suddenly we’re thrust into a dark world following Mer’s disappearance.

Things get really crazy from there. I haven’t read any reviews yet, but I was surprised after completing it to see that the overall rating is only at a 3.63 currently.

I think perhaps it may be due to the slower nature of the 1st-half, and the fact that neither MC is particularly likable. They’re more like characters you love to hate versus just love. You’re prob not rooting for either of them.

I tend to enjoy stories that follow influencers, or really any type of celebrity, so this worked for me in that regard. Additionally, I loved how messy and twisted the drama was. I always enjoy digging into a toxic friendship, and this definitely was that.

Overall, I feel like this is another really solid showing for Sutanto, who seems to have no issues jumping amongst various genres and age-ranges with her stories.

This is the 12th-novel that I’ve read from Sutanto and I’m always impressed with how easily I get drawn into her stories. I found this riveting. Her characters are well-developed and the drama is always delivered.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m sorry it took me so long to get to it. I had so much fun with it and definitely should have picked it up sooner!

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Review: Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell

~ megs14malloy

Matchmaking for PsychopathsMatchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alexandra works for a small, woman-owned matchmaking company, and her area of specialty is with clients who fall somewhere along the psychopathy scale.

Her clients aren’t the murdery-type of psychopaths, though, that we might all think of. At least she doesn’t think so. They actually tend to be quite successful individuals, who are just as deserving as love as the next person.

But what happens when the matchmaker is barely holding her own love-life together?

Alexandra thought she had found love for herself, but boy, was she wrong. A fact she discovered on her birthday, when her boyfriend, Noah, and best friend, Molly, revealed that they were now an item, leaving Alex out in the cold.

Alex has suddenly lost the two people she was closest too in the world, but as the old adage goes, there are more fish in the sea, both in the romance sea and the friendship sea.

Alex soon has a potential love interest, as well as a potential new best friend, but instead of stabilizing things for her, circumstances continue to spiral after her ex disappears, and she fears he’s been murdered on her behalf.

Much like Coryell’s previous novel, Love Letters to a Serial Killer, this story succeeds in pushing boundaries, and potentially Readers outside their comfort zones.

It’s a fun and edgy blend of Romance, Mystery and Horror, all rolled into one tidy little package. I enjoyed getting to know our MC, Alexandra. She certainly contains multitudes.

As the story unfolds, it’s hard not to try to figure out what is actually going on, but Coryell reveals things in such a way, that I found it close to impossible to guess. Sure, I had various theories throughout, but I was never confident, because there were so many darkly-delicious possibilities.

I found the concept of Alexandra’s job super interesting, and it was fun reading about various situations occurring in her workplace. Additionally, Alex has a fascinating history that definitely added its own level of intrigue to the story.

Overall, this out of the box, genre-blending, Romantic Suspense story, full of murder and mayhem, definitely kept me on my toes. I loved trying to guess what was actually going on. The characters were intriguing, and the plot, just wacky enough to deliver pure entertainment!

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to picking up more from Tasha Coryell!!

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Review: It Happened on the Lake by Lisa Jackson

~ megs14malloy

It Happened on the LakeIt Happened on the Lake by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Greetings again from Outlier Island!!

But this time I’m here, and I’m happy about it. I had so much fun with this, and I’m not getting that impression from many of my book friends who’ve read it.

This is a long one, I’ll admit. Coming in at well over 500-pages, that’s a bit unusual for a Thriller, or Domestic Suspense, but to me, it never felt too long.

I was so invested in all the juicy drama, trying to figure it out. My brain was spinning with all my theories…

I would definitely say it’s one of those books you just have to pick up at the right time, and luckily for me, I picked this one up at a time when it was exactly what I needed.

I don’t necessarily agree with the publisher comp to Rear Window, but in a way I can see what they were alluding to, as there is definitely a lot of ‘watching’ going on.

The drama of this story surrounds Lake Twilight, and the private island set in it, with its stately-Victorian home inherited by our MC, Harper Prescott. Even though Harper has an aversion to the property, she’s recently returned after some upheaval in her life, including a divorce.

When she was younger, Harper went through a lot of trauma on the property and the surrounding area, so it’s not surprising she hasn’t really wanted to spend much time there in her adult life.

While we don’t learn all that has gone on in Harper’s past right away, we are treated to past perspectives that help to fill in the blanks.

Harper’s present perspective is given as 1988, and the bulk of the action in the past occurs 20-years earlier in 1968. For me, I loved the back and forth, because it helped to slowly fill in the blanks and build out the story.

I say slowly, because it does take a long time to figure everything out, but not so much because the pace is slow, but more because there is soooo much to uncover.

Harper was considering fixing the property up in order to sell it, but being back stirs up so much unresolved issues and feelings, she’s not sure if she’ll actually be able to follow through with that plan. For now, she’s mostly focused on putting her past to rest.

Can Harper figure out the hazy puzzle that is her past before the island claims another victim, or will Harper finally be overcome by the things that have haunted her?

It Happened on the Lake features one of my favorite tropes and I think that’s part of the reason it was such a hit for me. I adore when a protagonist returns to their hometown, usually that they’ve fled years before, and ends up trying to solve some sort of mystery that’s been haunting them.

That’s exactly what this book is and I was in it with Harper. I also really enjoy Harper as a protagonist, because she was written in such a way that I wasn’t 100% sure how reliable her perspective actually was.

That sense of uncertainty had me questioning everything, and I think that upped the intrigue level for me. I wanted to trust her, but part of me wasn’t ready to let my guard down.

There were moments during the build that reminded me a lot of Riley Sager’s, The House Across the Lake. It has sort of similar vibes with regards to the lake, surrounding town, and the people watching people situations.

Obviously, the content of this is vastly different and it is more drawn out, but if you enjoyed that drama-filled lakeside setting, this could end up working for you too.

There’s a lot of moving pieces, particularly at the beginning, so it is the type of read where you have to be completely dialed in. If you miss anything, I can see it possibly getting confusing. Particularly due to the time jumps.

Regardless, I think if you’re in the right mood, and you have the patience for it, it’s a super fun and enticing read.

While it won’t be for everyone, I think for the people it hits with, like myself, it can be a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was hesitant to pick it up initially, because of that intimidating page count, but I’m glad I ended up giving it a shot.

It exceeded my expectations!

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