This sixth installment in Ann Bishop’s The Others series is like a spinoff and a reboot all in one. It feels almost just like the first book, with a kind, emotionally damaged heroine in a new terre indigene community where the monsters learn through her that some humans are worth not eating. There is a very very very slow-burn/ might-be-a-romance one day. And a cop who doesn’t want to be there, but feels compelled to do the right thing. The only things different from Written in Red are the names and the particulars of the bad guys who threaten the peace of the community.

The new heroine is Vicki. She is a frumpy human divorcee. She was emotionally abused by her ex to the point where she has terrible panic attacks, is largely intimidated by men, and thinks very little of herself. She inherited the Jumble in her divorce settlement. It’s basically a bunch of cabins surrounding a rustic main house where she can rent rooms along the lake community largely populated by Others. The almost-love-interest is Julian, an Intuit and former cop who runs the local bookstore. Wayne is the highway patrol officer sent in to investigate a dead body Vicki reports as the story begins.

Aggie, one of the Crows from the earlier books, is the one who found the body. She is also one of Vicki’s borders. The story follows the investigation into the dead man and his connection to a plot to take the Jumble away from Vicki. This, as she develops deeper ties to the community and the Others deem her worthy of their protection.

I liked this book for all of the same reasons I liked Written In Red, which was my favorite in the series. The writing is great and so is the world-building. The monsters, especially, are fantastically drawn. And the humans making trouble basically deserve to be eaten, so it’s fun to watch them get what’s truly coming to them. There is an awesome cast of supporting characters, from the Crows (and Bears & Cougars) to the Sanguinati to the Elementals. I loved Julian and Wayne. I liked Vicki well enough too, though it was hard to read how little she thought of herself. On the flip side of this same coin, there’s nothing really new here, no real surprises. It doesn’t really hit on any emotional buttons, but it’s a fun ride. I enjoyed watching everyone learn each other, even if the patterns felt familiar. The pacing was better than in some of the more recent books in the series, and I didn’t want to put it down.

I’m very curious about where this series will go next.

Rating: B+

Vicki DeVine didn’t realize her lodger was one of the Others until the day she finds Aggie Crowe about to heat up an eyeball. Unfortunately, the eyeball is the least of her worries as Vicki has a dead man on her property. Vicki has been trying to settle in at The Jumble, slowly renovating the property under the requirements set forth through her divorce decree. Now, Vicki has detectives investigating her for murder and the suddenly quiet world she’s been living is full of chaos and confusion.


LAKE SILENCE is the sixth book in <i>The Others</i> and the first book in the spinoff series, <i>The World of the Others</i>. Unlike the previous five books which focused on the Lakeside Courtyard, LAKE SILENCE introduces us to a whole new set of characters. As much as I love Simon and Meg and want to see more of them, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Vicki, Ineke Xavier, Wayne Grimshaw, Aggie, and a whole host of other new faces. The tension starts with the very first page (and the discovery of an eyeball) and doesn’t relent one moment as we see humans and Others navigating a very sticky situation.


Anne Bishop is nothing short of amazing! Her gift for world building leaves me stunned even now, as the brilliance of LAKE SILENCE only serves to enhance the overall haunting and dangerous beauty we’ve fallen in love with through her Lakeside Courtyard stories. The world the Others and the terra indigene inhabit is deadly and nightmare worthy- and yet it captivates me like no other world I’ve explored. I want to see more of the Elders and the Elementals, even as I would fear meeting them as just one accidental brush from them can kill.


And oh, the Sproingers! I have fallen in love with the Sproingers and want to know everything there is to know about them. Anne Bishop has created one of the most unique creatures with the Sproingers, crafting them with an air of mysterious cuteness that you can see turning deadly. In a way, they are the Others’ version of the Tribbles I dearly love from Star Trek (and yet they are nothing like the Tribbles; I envision them more as mini kangaroos).


Anne Bishop proves once again what a masterful storyteller she is! LAKE SILENCE is a must read for any dark fantasy fans. Anne Bishop’s exquisite use of language paints a hauntingly dark tale where hope still thrives, even as humans and Others seek to find some sort of balance in a clearly unequal world. If you read just one dark fantasy series, make it this one by Anne Bishop!

*review is in the editing queue of Fresh Fiction*

I adored this book. It was an interesting take on The Others world. It was nice to move away from Lakeside and Meg and focus on something different. This one was more of a mystery (almost like a cozy mystery.) as opposed to a romance. And romance really wasn't the point with this book. I liked the crows and the Ilya and the Inuit.

Vicki DeVine had received The Jumble as part of her divorce settlement, a rustic resort on the edge of Lake Silence in the town of Sproing. There are lots of Others in the area, supernatural creatures and beings, that don't always hold to human law, but there had never been a problem until her tenant Aggie Crow finds a dead body. Suddenly she's in a lot of trouble, and the Others are not happy with that status quo being disrupted.

While this is a book within a series of others about the Others (haha, pun absolutely intended), it was easy to drop into this world without having read them. It's a parallel world to ours, in that there's an Atlantik Ocean and other recognizable parts of geography that are twisted in small ways, but the biggest difference is that the supernatural exists alongside humans. They're described in rather clever ways and have their own quirks and personalities separate from the mythologies that we know.

The mystery surrounding the dead body that Aggie found unfolds with the help of a number of investigators. Some are human, and some clues are found by Others. We also see into the characters' backgrounds in a very fluid way, so that it doesn't feel like a massive infodump of backstory, and we get more of an idea about their motivations. I cared a lot about Vicki, Wayne, Aggie and the rest of the werekin, and found it fascinating to see their friendships and Vicki's interactions with the Others develop. It's a great story and makes me want to find the rest of the books in this world and read them as well.

Lake Silence marks the next story arc in Anne Bishop's The Others series. And while I recommend that you read the first five books in the series, I think you could easily start with this book without getting lost. This book acknowledges that the world of The Others has changed after the first arc, but it doesn’t refer to events in the previous books much other than that.

The story is a bit different this time around. Where the first arc was mostly told from the points-of-view of the Others in the Lakeside Court, Lake Silence deals more with the human side of Thasia and specifically, it's a chance for us to really see the consequences from The Great Predation especially what it did to the smaller settlements. In addition to focusing more on the human side, we also get a lot more focus placed on the Elders and Elementals which were more on the side lines in the first arc. They're still super creepy, in my opinion.

This book introduces us to Vicki DeVine, a human living in the little town of Sproing. She received an old run-down resort known as The Jumble in her divorce settlement and has been fixing it up and getting it ready for guests. Soon after she's completed renovations, a dead body is discovered on the property. The body could possible connected to her ex-husband and a plot to reclaim The Jumble. Unfortunately, most of the police are wanting to blame Vicki for the murder. When her friends and neighbors come to her defense and help her investigate, she realizes that she’s been surrounded by more of the Others than she ever thought she was. By claiming The Jumble as her own, she’s become part of their world.

I really liked Vicki! She's a woman who has been through a brutal marriage and still struggles daily to get past the poison her husband ingrained in her throughout the years of their marriage. But she is moving on albeit slowly. I loved the glimpses we get of her unguarded thoughts that show us how spunky she is. It makes the brutality of what her husband did her stand out more because she's so unsure of herself and she censors herself because she has been told repeatedly that her place is to be unseen and hidden. I look forward to the series continuing and seeing Vicki break out of that shell she's formed around herself. Also, it looks like we're going to get another great slow burn romance in this arc and I am totally here for it!

Vicki's only paying lodger Aggie, a Crowgard, is also a wonderful addition to this series. She's inquisitive like the Crowgard we met in the first story arc, but she seems to understand the humans a bit more than other terra indigene in this series. That understanding comes through in her investigative skills when she's able to put herself into the mindset of the humans in certain cases. I loved the parts of the story that were told from her point-of-view! I'm interested to see where her character goes from here.

Lake Silence drew me in like all the other books in this series and I can't wait to see where this new story arc goes from here.

In Lake Silence, Bishop takes the reader away from the familiar Courtyard to visit another community within the control of the Others. Vicki DeVine, runs a rustic lodge near Lake Silence. The lodge is a place for the Others to learn to safely interact with the humans in the community. When Aggie Crowe brings home an eyeball and asks Vicki to cook it in the wave-cooker (that's a microwave to the rest of us), Vicki gets pulled into a murder scene on the edge of her property and life gets much more complicated.

Although I was a little sad to see a departure from the Courtyard and it's familiar faces, it was interesting to see a cast of new characters. Like all of Bishop's books, this one is filled with rich storytelling and a biting sense of humour that makes it difficult to put down.

Reader's unfamiliar with this series would fine Lake Silence a good place to start if they are looking for a taste of the world of the Others.

It was great to revisit Anne Bishops very unique world but I missed the original characters. It would have benefited from more crossover to help the story along.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley for an honest review.

Vicki has settled in the Territory in a rustic resort she was awarded as a part of her divorce settlement. The resort has been in her ex-husbands family for generations. There are specific instructions that must be heeded to own it. You can not build any new structures. Aggie Crow is one of her lodgers. She is there to learn how to interact with humans. When a dead body is found on her property, she has to report it to the authorities. Things just get worse when her ex-husband shows up to dispute her claim on the property. More bodies or pieces of bodies show up and the Elders show up. This is a great book to the Others series. We have new characters and story arc to love. I recommend this book and series to everyone. I give Lake Silence (World of the Others, The) 5/5 stars.

Fans of The Others series will not find anything new in LAKE SILENCE, but the story is no less enjoyable for that familiarity. Bishop’s Others are given a brutal fairness and dignity, and her humans once again fall into bianary camps of good and evil.

Of course, evil brings to mind serial killers. The villains in LAKE SILENCE are more akin to the cruel, misogynist, entitled, racist businessman caricatures we can all love to hate. The skirmishes between Others and humans feel more realistic on a small scale, and it is almost more satisfying to see venial hubris laid low than having to read along with the greater crimes of prior books. Still, reading from the perspective of main characters that are voyaging deeper and deeper into the world of the Others, it makes the oblivious behavior of the villains all the more hard to understand. LAKE SILENCE tries to address this disconnect by explicitly describing the experience of most humans, either insulated within city centers or willfully blind to the Others around their towns.

But perhaps these efforts are unnecessary. A love child of fairy tale and morality play, LAKE SILENCE is about rooting for your heroes and seeing bad guys humiliated, punished, and sometimes eaten. For fans of Bishop’s brand of justice, LAKE SILENCE will not disappoint.

I loved that this story was a branch off from the rest of The Others books, we get a view of the world outside of Lakeside, which really adds a depth to the series. I love Simon, Meg, the SweetBlood thread, and all the others (lol) in Lakeside, but knowing more about their world and the rest of the Others who are adapting is super interesting.
Vicki DeVine is trying to start over. After divorcing her husband she received The Jumble, a ramshackle collection of cabins around Lake Silence as her sole settlement. She spent months working to get the cabins and main house up to some semblance of comfort and has her first official tennant- Aggie, a Crowguard. But then Aggie finds a dead body and Vicki calls the police. The responding officers aren't all that they seem and humans, a threat against The Jumble, and The Others all come close to ending a tenuous peace.

I love this series!!!!!! Anne Bishop has made me fall in love with this fictional world and characters. Lake Silence did not disappoint!

Review will go live on The Blogger Girls on March 31, 2018

4.5 stars

I'm going to be brutally honest here. This review will be far from biased because I absolutely love The Others series. So it's hard for me to provide an objective review because I've honestly loved every single book I've read by Anne Bishop. This one was no different. While it's still set in the same world as the story around Meg and Simon, Lake Silence actually revolves around the village of Sproing and Vicki, the caretake of The Jumble, instead of Meg & Simon. It takes place about a year after the decimation of certain human run towns. I won't go into much detail about the story itself but I do believe readers should read The Others series before they read this one. Technically it can be read as a stand-alone but it would make much more sense in not only what's happening in the world but just how fierce and dangerous the others are if you read the series from the start.

Vicki was an interesting characters as she was very open to the situations that were happening. Yes, she had some issues but she ended up embracing the role that she found herself and really seemed to care for her lodgers and all the others. Wayne was a great character, though. I loved that he started off a reluctant cop and turned into the Chief of Police without realizing it, which was quite funny. Julian, the owner of Lettuce Read, was an intriguing character too. We've seen a few intuits through the series but this felt like the first time we could really experience their abilities aside from a few impressions. I loved reading those moment.

There's, honestly, a ton of characters in this book so really hard to go into all of them. The story isn't really focused on one character, it's focus felt more on The Jumble and how important it was to the community. It kept the piece between the humans and the others. I loved that we got to see how the others reacted to protecting Vicki and I loved seeing the murder mystery unfold. It was a little predictable and there are definitely similarities between Vicki, Wayne and Julian with Meg, Monty and Simon but it was a read I couldn't put down once I started it! Plus, this one really delved into different kinds of other creatures than previous books, which was quite fascinating to me and I loved getting to explore a bit of what other creatures are Namid's teeth and claws.

My only issue with this one was Vicki at times. I liked her as a character but sometimes I wanted to smack her for how naive and ignorant she was being. For Meg, I could understand why she had those traits as she grew up in a compound and didn't know any different but Vicki grew up around humans and married a manipulative man but she still couldn't tell when she was being used and manipulated. I get that she was traumatized but I wish she didn't act so naive and confused on why others would do certain things.

In the end, I really loved this book. I was hesitant to start it because I was afraid I wouldn't like because I"m a little sore that Meg and Simon's storyline has ended but once I started it, I was drawn in and couldn't stop reading. I'm curious to see what the author writes about next in the series because this one tied up quite nicely so not sure if we'd see more of Lake Silence or another town. Either way, I'm eager to read what comes out next!

While reading LAKE SILENCE I felt just a bit of deja vu, but in the best possible way. Many elements of the story felt similar to the first set up in the Others world. Everything was different, don't get me wrong, but similar feeling all the same with each setting bringing something different to the table. I had worried a bit that I would miss Meg and Simon and the Courtyard immensely, but these new characters and the Jumble pulled me in right from the start, making it feel like coming home again.

Just like in previous books in the series the main characters are fantastic, but the supporting cast is just as three dimensional and enjoyable. Our caretaker of the Jumble is Vicki. Like Meg, she's rather damaged, but very strong inside, and endears all of the Others two her. It put a huge smile on my face to see just how quickly the Others adopted her as well. Then of course you have all of the various humans and their shops on the good side of things. Plus a gruff but great cop named Wayne, and a seeing Intuit, Julian Farrow thrown in the mix that I really adored. Then getting into the Others, both large and small, they added a rich depth to the book. I particularly enjoyed the Sanquinati, Ilya, and the role he played in this book. He's scary but noble all at the same time, and I loved the juxtaposition. Add in the larger role the mysterious Elders play, and the Lady of the Lake, and LAKE SILENCE had one heck of a cast.

Then you have the plot, and oh boy was it a doozy. Vicki's claim on the Jumble is threatened, and to put it mildly, the Others do not take this well. You would think by now humans in general would know better, but I guess there's no limit to some people's greed. Their idiocy and shenanigans made for an interesting read, just seeing how bad things could get.

All in all LAKE SILENCE was an incredibly enjoyable read. Fans of the first books in this series will be more than pleased with this new direction. I can't wait to see where things go next.

Urban fantasy is one of my favorite genres, and I especially like books by Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, and Anne Bishop. Lake Silence, Anne Bishop’s newest, however, was not one of my favorites. Vicki DeVine received the property known as The Jumble in a divorce settlement. Her ex--who consistently called her fat and ugly, saying she was lucky he stayed with her as no one else would want her—was almost like a one-dimensional Snidely Whiplash type villain.. I thought her memories of his demeaning comments were mentioned much too frequently--they started to overpower the story of The Others who lived on the land. (The Others tolerated humans, but had no qualms about brutal retaliation when their rules were violated.) I’m hoping Bishop’s next one will have less about the evil Yorick and has nasty bad-guy cronies, and more about the denizens of Sproing—human, vampire, shapeshifter, and Other.

Four and half stars: An engaging spin off with entertaining characters, fantastic settign and more of The Others.

Vicki Devine isn’t looking for trouble. She is busily trying to renovate the land left to her after her bitter divorce from her controlling ex husband. She inherited a piece of land called the Jumble, nestled next a lake, but it is smack dab in the middle of the Others territory. Vicki is following the rules and doing what she is supposed to, but danger finds her when her her lodger, Aggie Crow, tries to cook an eyeball belonging to a dead man found on the boundary of Vicki’s property. That brings Officer Grimshaw to the area, another man who wants no trouble from the Others. Things quickly spiral into dangerous territory as Vicki and Officer Grimshaw, along with some of the Others, uncover a conspiracy aimed at Vicki and her land. Will the Others be forced to retaliate again against the meddling humans?
What I Liked:
*I was delighted to dive back into the world of The Others even if it is in a new territory with different characters. This one doesn’t disappoint. It delivered all that I love in Bishop’s series. Top notch characters, outstanding setting, thrilling story and plenty of paranormal. If you haven’t tried Anne Bishop’s books, what are you waiting for.
*This latest book introduces us to a new cast of characters. It took awhile to get to know them, but I enjoyed them just the same. The book centers around Vicki Devine, a woman who is damaged an emotionally unstable after years of abuse by her ex husband. Vicki is kind and big hearted, but she is also naive, bumbling and she is quick to speak her mind. She reminded me a bit of Meg with her naivety. Officer Grimshaw is a police officer assigned to the area. He is a good cop, one who takes his time to investigate, and he is motivated to do the right thing, he is much like Monty in the previous series. Julian is a retired police officer who has the gift of prophecy. He wants nothing more than quiet and solitude, but quickly finds himself pulled into the mystery. There are also many new faces courtesy of the Others. I had a great time getting to know these new faces, and I certain in time, they will grow on me and become favorites.
*The Sproingers were something new and different. They are a hundred furry rabbit like creatures that serve as eyes for some type of Other. I am anxious to learn more about these furry guys.
*I liked that the plot of this one was not overreaching like the previous series. The story stays confined within this book, so everything is easy to follow.
*The bad humans are as bad as ever, and they make stupid mistakes that cause them to come face to face with the Others, including the deadly Elders. There is something so satisfying about a bad human getting what is coming to them at the hands of the Teeth and Claws.
*The ending is satisfying. It ties up the story without leaving much undone. I am eager for more, but happy this was a complete story.
And The Not So Much:
*I have to admit, I was disappointed that there wasn’t a tie in with the characters from the first set of books. There are mentions of Meg and some of the Others in the Lakeside Courtyard, but they never come into this story. I was wanting to catch up with all my favorite friends.
*I was confused going into this one. During the last book in the first series, there was set up I thought for this book. Characters were being introduced and set out in another part of the land. I thought for sure these would be the characters featured in this book, but alas, they were not. Not sure what is up with that?
*Even though I loved this book, I felt there were too many similarities to characters and events that occurred in the first books. I wanted more diversity.
*I was hoping for a bit of romance for Vicki. Perhaps it will come later?

Lake Silence is a promising new start in The Others spin off series. I enjoyed the characters, the setting and the story. I just wish there had been more originality and diversity, it felt like a revision of Meg. Still, I love this series fiercely, I am more than eager for the next book. If you haven’t treated yourself to this series, do it!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I Was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

I am a big fan of Anne Bishop’s The Others series. It’s one of those paranormal series that has next to no romance but somehow, for me it is incredibly readable and enjoyable. I absolutely love the world that Anne Bishop has created. You can find the series listing here if you’re interested. This is a series that in my mind, should be read in order because it really helps set the stage for Lake Silence. These are different characters than the original five novels so in that sense you are starting with a clean slate.

Also of note, this is not a romance book. It is paranormal/urban fantasy so if that’s your jam, you may enjoy this story.

Vicki DeVine is happy to be in a new place after her divorce. She didn’t get much out of the divorce (which she is more than fine with), just the Jumble, a resort on Lake Silence. She has been renovating it and making it livable again. She is a bit nervous that it is controlled by the Others but she is open to making friends and community with them. At least until one of her lodgers discovers a dead body and suddenly her new home is becoming anything but welcoming. At least, it’s becoming unwelcoming by her fellow humans (of course). Suddenly, she is being accused of a murder she definitely did not do and she has no idea how to get out of this mess. Thankfully, the Others step in and offer assistance and the situation goes from complicated to more complicated but working with the Others ensures that Vicki will get to the bottom of what is going on.

My favorite aspect of these stories is the world building. I love getting to know the many creatures and entities that make up the Others. I don’t mind the humans obviously and I quite liked Vicki. She is a sweet woman who is rebuilding her life. Her ex-husband was cruel to her in every way possible so Vicki doesn’t always have the best self-image but I really liked how this new job and role with the Others was helping her to find herself again. Obviously this is not an overnight change but as the story progresses, Vicki takes control of her life and she proves that she is not someone to be walked over.

One of my favorite aspects of the Others stories are the disaster scenes. That may not be the right terminology but the scenes I love the most are when the Others are in attack mode and are protecting their territory and tearing humans apart for their awful behaviors. These types of scenes are included in Lake Silence so don’t despair if you, much like me, enjoys the disaster scenes. I think of it as nature restoring order.

I know there aren’t a ton of details in this review but for me, much of the fun of this series is reading and getting to know the characters, human and Others. I think Anne Bishop does a good job with this first book after the original five. Yes, there are new characters but a few familiar faces pop up also. No, this book isn’t quite as good as the Meg Corbyn books (at least to me) but I can’t say I regret visiting the world of the Others. I enjoy getting immersed in their world for an afternoon!

While i was a little disappointed to hear that Meg's story has come to an end, i am so glad that the world that Anne Bishop has created in her Others series has not. I loved getting back into this world with brand new characters. And there may be a cameo or two from characters that we already know and love. A little bit of mystery and lots of adventure, this book won't let you down!

This is the first book I have read in the world of the others, and I loved it. It did take a moment to catch on to the cultures of the world being a new reader, since there was no blatant backstory but it didn’t take long to catch up and there is a glossary as an aid. What I loved most was the heroine. Vicki is a victim of severe emotional abuse and probably physical abuse (she denied it but…). She has a journey over the course of the story that leaves her stronger and more confident, but not in an unrealistic way. She isn’t magically healed by love or some creature, but has to wade through the emotional muck like in real life. I also like that romance was hinted at but that was it. All of the supporting characters were great. And everyone had a backstory. The cop, Grimshaw, wasn’t just reluctantly in charge, he prefered working a certain kind of beat that was not this. Julian had his own trauma, and fought threw it to help others. He like Vicki has issues, but wasn’t a perfect hero. He made mistakes and admitted his weaknesses.

Also usually when we meet shifters, vampires, and other beings in urban fantasy they are more human than not. But her The Others, really are other. They need to study and consciously work to mimic human behavior. Aggie was adorable and it was fun seeing her translate human behavior into her own cultural language. I am a huge fan of this book, and can not wait to read more in the series.

Lake Silence is being called The Others #6, but it’s really more of a spinoff series. It focuses on completely different characters, with only a few minor mentions of our friends in Lakeside Courtyard. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s good to know up front.

For some reason, I just didn’t connect to this story as much as I did the original Others Series—I think that’s mostly due to the fact that I didn’t connect to Vicki, the MC, nearly as much. She’s got a lot of trust issues when it comes to men (familiar, since Meg did too, but in much different ways), but other than that, she sort of felt a little boring to me. I did love seeing more of the Others, the Elementals and the Elders though—when there was supernatural activity in the book, it was pretty extreme and spectacular. But the story itself just didn’t draw me in as much as I hoped. I couldn’t get over the fact that the people who were trying to take advantage of Vicki were just being incredibly stupid. I mean, Others who can eat you are on her side—there’s no contest!

Still, I didn’t dislike the book. I just wasn’t incredibly excited about it. And I’m holding out hope that this new twist on the series will get better as it continues. I gave this installment 3/5 stars.

A companion story to the stories from the Courtyard. The Elders want to see The Jumble back in operations where the Others can mix with humans and learn from them. Vickie has to fight for her world with the help of her friends.