Stranger in the Lake

by Kimberly Belle

'An OUTSTANDING 5 star read.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

How well do you know your husband?

When a young woman's body is found floating in the lake behind Charlotte's home, it feels like a cruel twist of fate: her husband's first wife tragically drowned in the very same spot.

But this woman is no stranger either - Charlotte saw her husband Paul talking to her the day before. So why does he tell the police he's never met her?

As dark secrets about her husband begin to come to light, Charlotte has to ask herself the most dangerous question of all. Can she really trust her husband, or is he a stranger?

Readers LOVE Stranger in the Lake!

'Thrilling... A spine-tingling story... Exhilarating... If novels with oodles of secrets, lies, misdirection and surprises dripping from the pages give you a buzz, then look no further.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'Loved it!... Plenty of twists.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'A book that I just could not put down from the very start... Full of many twists.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'Just brilliant. A must read.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

A five-star thriller that I couldn't put down and read in less than a day!' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'A fantastic murder mystery... Brilliant. Read this in one sitting.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'A great read... Will hold your interest to the end with plenty of twists and turns.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'Captivating... I really loved this book... Mysterious, thrilling twists... Wow.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'Entertaining read that I was reluctant to put down.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'Brilliant... Had me engaged from the start.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

• ISBN10: 0778309819
• ISBN13: 9780778309819
• Publish Date: 9 June 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Park Row
• Edition: Original ed.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I am so glad I chose to be a part of the blog tour for Stranger in the Lake. Based on the synopsis .I figured this would be an engaging read and the author did not disappoint. I was quickly pulled into the story trying to decipher truth from lies.

In this story the reader met Charlotte, who believed her dreams came through when she married Paul Keller. Charlotte, a former gas station attendant, grew up in a trailer park, neglected by her drug addicted mother and forced to raise her brother by herself. Paul an architect came from wealth, so for Charlotte who knew nothing but poverty to marry someone like Paul was indeed a dream come true. However, not all that glitters is gold. Paul’s first wife died under mysterious circumstances and he was a suspect, but the evidence was not enough to implicate him. The gossip mills were hard at work when Paul and Charlotte got married and not everyone approved. Charlotte refused to allow the malice to upset her after all they loved each other and nothing could shake that foundation. Then she found the body of the woman she saw her husband speaking with the day before floating in the same spot where his first wife was found. At first it appeared coincidental, but when the lies began and her husband left her to field questions from the authorities and their colleagues, she begins to question his actions.

I had a hard time warming up to Charlotte in the initial stages, but she grew on me and I ended up rooting for her.

Now the story was far from suspenseful, but the mystery kept me engaged. It had me turning the pages because I needed answers. It was hard deciphering between the lies and the truth and I didn’t know who to trust, be it the main or supporting characters. As the story delved deeper into Paul’s past, suspicions are raised. Suspicions that led to doubts on Charlotte’s part and created holes in the marriage. As we all know, a relationship built on lies has no leg to stand on.

The story was well paced and there was never a dull moment. It provided flashbacks of Paul’s and two of his friends’ past. At first, I wondered at the significance, but as the plot evolved it established the connections, which led to a jaw dropping conclusion.

Stranger in the Lake depicted the extent a person or persons would go to keep their secrets hidden. This was my first-time experiencing Belle’s writing, but it will not be my last.

This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading

[Jeff Sexton]

The Good Life. This book has a few intriguing storylines deeper than the primary mystery - which itself is compelling and very well told. One of which I know well the temptation of, because I'm actively living a version of it. (Though in my version, I didn't marry into it but instead created it for myself.) And here the subtle commentary (well, in some cases not quite so subtle) is pretty spot on in my own experience in a similar region (a small Southern US town on the shores of a large lake). Still, the commentary is (again, mostly) subtle enough that if you didn't live that life, you might not catch just how true it rings, and instead the focus of the tale is the central mystery of the description: who is this stranger, how did she get in the lake, why are so many bodies being found in this lake, and why do they all seem to be connected to Charlotte's husband? Very well told and with Belle's usual swerves even until the last pages, this is one you're going to want to pick up. Very much recommended.