Another engrossing Gemma Monroe mystery begins at Lost Lake in Colorado.

Sari is reported missing during a camping trip with her boyfriend Mac, her best friend Ally, and Mac’s cousin, Jake. Detective Gemma Monroe is called to investigate. After questioning the three she concludes, “one of them is lying. Which one, and about what, I don’t know...but I was sure of it.”

Sari is an assistant curator at a local museum, where a recent theft has occurred. When another museum staff member is murdered, Gemma must decide if the three incidents are related.

Gemma is also facing some personal issues. Recently back to work, she is missing her six-month-old daughter Grace. With a troubling relationship with baby daddy Brody, Gemma still isn’t sure about marriage to him. Her partner, Finn, is grandstanding while presenting her ideas as his own. The police chief asks her to find a leaker within the police force, which makes Gemma feel like a rat.

In most police procedurals, there are few clues and fewer suspects. Lost Lake has a plethora of both. However, the clues are right in front of the reader making this tale great for armchair detectives.

Lost Lake is the third book in the series but can easily be read as a standalone. It is an enthralling police procedural with compelling characters and a challenging mystery. 4 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gemma's a cop in a small Colorado town that seems to attract a lot of trouble. This well written procedural starts with the disappearance of Sari, a young woman who works at the local museum, where it transpires, a valuable diary has been stolen. Sari, her boyfriend, her BFF, and her boyfriend's cousin were camping at Lost Lake, a spooky local attraction where five girls drowned many years ago. The next evening, Sari's boss at the museum is strangled. Do these three things connect? What about the murdered woman's two sons- one a felon, the other a very odd duck? Along the way, Gemna's also coping with a new baby, a partner who is in and out on his own business, and a grandmother descending into Alzheimers. Oh, and the Chief wants her to identify the source of leaks to the press. All in all, this is nicely done. My only quibble- and it's really minor- is that Sari went camping the night before the big museum gala she organized when most in that position would be checking and rechecking for the event. There are multiple threads here, all of which are tied up at the end. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a very good read- and it's just fine as a standalone.

A stolen historical diary, a missing girl and a murder victim -- Detective Gemma Monroe of the Cedar Valley Police department has her hands full. Along with her current partner, Detective Finn Nowlin, and Detectives Moriarty and Armstrong and their intern, they begin a painstaking and complex investigation into these 3 cases. It soon becomes obvious that they have no shortage of suspects, plenty of motives, and lots of opportunity. Can they sift through the red herrings to find the clues that will give them the answers and so that justice will be done?

This is the first book by this author that I've read and I was sorry to come in at this late stage to the third one in the series without having read the first two. I've probably missed some important pieces of backstory, but I was able to jump in and enjoyed this well enough on its own. I like Gemma -- she's more real with the first person narration. Although she has a healthy appetite and actually eats (unlike many where everyone is always skipping meals), she spends a lot of time at work and has little personal time or family time. The police investigation is at the forefront of the novel so most of the detail, action, and forward movement of the plot is focused on the tediousness of chasing down witnesses and suspects for information. There's a lot going on even aside from the 3 main cases and it moves at a fast pace that kept me turning the pages as I wanted to see the conclusion. I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series so I hope there will be more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

It's a bright May day when Cedar Valley Detective Gemma Monroe is called to Lost Lake. Sari Chesney, who was camping with her boyfriend, his brother, and her best friend, has gone missing. Sari hated the water, and the group is convinced she would never go missing on her own so near the lake. Sari was scheduled to work at a big gala at Cedar Valley's museum later that evening--a huge event she had been working on for months. Her friends insist she would never miss it. It's still chilly in Colorado in May, the lake still tinged in ice. Gemma begins the search for Sari, not realizing how quickly one woman's disappearance will lead to so much more.

"Later, much later, I would regret every decision I made that morning."

This is the third book in Emily Littlejohn's Gemma Monroe series, and I really enjoy both Gemma's character and the series. The books stand alone, but it's an enjoyable series, and I do recommend reading them from the beginning. At this point, Gemma has a six-month-old daughter, Grace, with her fiance, Brody, and one of my favorite things about the books is how realistically Littlejohn paints Gemma's struggles as a working mom. She loves her career and yet finds it difficult to leave Grace and juggle working and caring for her daughter.

Gemma is a great character overall, and I always enjoy reading a strong mystery that features a female detective. We find Gemma not only dealing with Sari's disappearance, but several more things that happen in the aftermath, which lead to her becoming quite busy, and allow us a solid set of cases to follow. This one kept me guessing the whole way, with a few good twists thrown in too. There's occasionally a bit of telling versus showing, but overall Littlejohn is a strong writer, and you can't help but root for Gemma.

In this one, I especially felt like Gemma was growing as a person, as we find her struggling in her partnership with Finn (her fellow detective) and second guessing some of the decisions she makes in Sari's case. It's nice to see a story where everything isn't easy, cut and dried, and our heroine seems so human and regular. One of the things I like so much about Gemma is that she seems like someone you could befriend (if maybe she let her walls down once in a while). It leads to an insightful and thoughtful book coupled with a good mystery (or two) as well.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. I feel like I can always count on Littlejohn for some excellent characterization with Gemma, and I found the plot to be interesting. It kept me engaged and guessing. 4 stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 11/06/2018.

This is the third in a series and I didn't read the first two but didn't feel like I was missing things, so that's good. The pacing was a little off here, too slow, but I still enjoyed it.

Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley , St Martins 's Press and Emily Littlejon for the ebook arc in excange for my honest review.

The 3rd in the Series of Det. Gemma Monroe. But you could read this one as a stand alone.

In the small town of Cedar Valley , Colorado Det. Gemma Monroe gets a call about a missing person at Lost Lake from a group camping there. Sari Chesni has dissapeared and her friends have no idea what happened
Sari works at the art museum as a curator.
Gemma Finds discovers a valuble piece of the museums history is missingn and now the murders start adding up..
This was a good read with Gemma and a lot of colorful characters. It was easy to follow and had a lot of twist''s and turns. Recommend adding to your to read list if you lke mystery and cime with a strong female lead.

I love when a book has a great female lead character. The detective in this story was well created and very believable. Could have been my next door neighbor!

The book begins with a missing persons case and a mystery surrounding Lost Lake. This was an engaging story. I read it within a week and really enjoyed it. Would recommend as a good mystery.

A missing camper, an old diary missing from a museum and then a murder victim will make readers wonder if all these are connected. Detective Monroe is back in another murder mystery with lots of turns and twists. Juggling her job, new baby and fiance, will she be able to solve these crimes? This is third in the series but could easily be a stand-alone.

Gemma Monroe is a detective with the Cedar Valley, CO Police Department. Gemma is called in to investigate the disappearance of a camper. Sari Chesney was camping at Lost Lake with 3 friends. She disappeared overnight without a trace. Her friends say they have no idea what happened to her. Sari is assistant curator at the local historical museum. With a big gala event at the museum celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of Cedar Valley coming up in just days, it's doubtful Sari disappeared of her own accord. When the head of the museum is found beaten and strangled to death, Gemma knows there is more to the story than just a missing camper.

This story is so suspenseful and engaging! This is the 3rd book in the Detective Gemma Monroe series. I'm definitely going to backtrack and read the other two books, Inherit the Bones and A Season to Lie. I like Gemma as a main character. She is intelligent and very good at her job. I liked the setting. Cedar Valley has the beauty of Colorado, the complex characters and vibe of a small town, an interesting history....and a lot of hidden, dark secrets.

The plot moved along at a nice pace with plenty of description, character development and suspense. I liked the tie-in with the historical museum, history of the lake and town, and the case. Already have book 1 in this series checked out at the library! Can't wait for the next book! :)

*I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from St. Martins Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Lost Lake – Emily Littlejohn

I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley.com as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Gemma Monroe is a detective with the Cedar Valley PD, whom, after a rough night with her teething infant daughter, is up on Lost Lake, where a young woman, Sari Chesney, has gone missing from her camping group. She, along with partner Finn Nowlin have been tasked with finding the missing woman.

Shortly thereafter, Sari’s boss at the Cedar Lake History Museum, Elizabeth, is found murdered inside the museum after an event, and after a famous artifact, a diary, has gone missing. With no obvious leads, and no suspects for either case, Gemma and Finn have their work cut out for them.

Meanwhile, there’s a leak at the police department. Someone is funneling information to a local reporter, which is compromising the case. The police chief tasks Gemma with finding and stopping the leak, causing Gemma to take a hard look at the people she works with – even her own partner.

As the search continues for Sari, and for Elizabeth Starbucks killer, Gemma begins to suspect that all is not as it seems with Sari’s friends and Mrs. Starbuck’s sons. As they dig deeper, a suspect comes to the forefront, but he quickly sets his sights on Gemma…

I very much enjoyed this mystery by Emily Littlejohn, and I hope to see Gemma and Finn continue as a series. Filled with intrigue, personal strife in the detective’s lives, and the perfect mix of’ who-dun-it’, Ms. Littlejohn has herself a winner, and I look forward to reading more!!

A missing person call has gone out and Detective Monroe responds. A hiker has gone missing at Lost Lake. Later that weekend, a person is murdered. Is there a connection between this and a missing museum artifact.
An enjoyable well-written mystery, which contained some decent characters. For me it was a good solid read.

3 stars. Lost lake is a who-done-it type novel with lots of twists and turns. The story had multiple layers, characters and story lines, but the plot kept me guessing until the very end. The book is part of a series, but can easily be read as a stand alone novel.

I enjoyed this book. Well written. Good plot. Somewhat predictable at parts and a little over dramatic at parts but all in this was a good and entertaining read.

Within the space of two days, a young woman camping with friends goes missing, an antique diary disappears from a museum where the woman works and the head of the museum is murdered. Are the events connected or random? Is there really a curse involved with ownership of the diary?

This is the third in the Detective Gemma Monroe series. I have not read the prior two books but didn't feel at a loss for not having read them. There are plenty of suspects here and each seems to have some dark secrets.

Gemma is a decently fleshed out character. She’s a new mother, her relationship with her fiancé seems to be lacking something and she doesn’t really gel with her new partner. And her boss keeps adding to her workload.

This is a straightforward police procedural. It’s all told from Gemma’s perspective. It felt very realistic, including the lack of manpower, the delays in getting information and the need to juggle multiple balls in the air.

This is a fast read. It’s good but not great. The ending felt forced to me and I’ve lowered my rating by ½ star for that reason.

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Lost Lake is situated near a small town in Cedar Valley, Colorado. On a spring morning, Detective Gemma Monroe responds to a missing person call. Lost Lake is a popular camping destination during summer but this time in the Spring, ice still covers the lake. Sari Chesney was on a camping trip with three of her friends when she went missing. She is an assistant curator for a local museum and has to host a gala that same night, which makes her disappearance very intriguing. As Gemma works on solving Sari's disappearance, she realizes that some of Sari's closest friend are lying to her and may hide more than we think. What happened to Sari? How does Lost Lake come into play with her disappearance?

This was a well written book. I haven't read the previous 2 books in this series and I'm normally not a fan of police procedural books and even less of those with supernatural but still enjoyed this one alot. The author did a great job in showing how slow things can go during an investigation and how hard and confusing chasing down clues can sometimes be.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Without having read the first two books in this series, it was still quite enjoyable and easy to follow. A cozy-mystery, Gemma is a great character for this story line.

So, upon requesting this title I didn't realize that this was a.continued series. I was a tad nervous since I don't like reading series out of order.

Lost Lake is the third book in the Gemma Monroe series. I really enjoyed Gemma's character and felt that she was a very strong and confident female detective. This is a typical police procedural novel with a chilling mystery on Gemma's hands.

Gemma responds to a call about a missing woman named Sari Chesney at a Lost Lake in Colorado. I fell in love with the beautiful descriptions of the lake right away. It made me feel at home with such beautiful visualizations and imagery throughout the novel. The history of the lake and the history of the town are closely linked to the plot. Although during the winter time the lake appears to be a very different place.

The missing woman Sari is also the assistant curator at the town's museum and somehow the diary of the founding father goes missing. Can these be linked somehow and tied together?

Bodies start to pile up and Detective Monroe doesn't know who to trust, believe, or look to for answers. It appears that this quant and beautiful town in Colorado may not be as it appears with secrets unfolding out of the seams.

This was a very good police procedural novel with murder, lies, unreliable characters, and even a tad bit of supernatural.

4 stars for Lost Lake!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins/Minotaur books for an advanced arc in exchange for my honest review.

Publication date: 11/6/18
Published to GR: 10/15/18

Pretty decent read about a female detective who manages to solve a mystery involving hikers at Lost Lake, a missing diary , three connected deaths and a mole in her department. Lots going on but gets connected at the end. Characters are typical in a murder mystery in that they all have secrets and are deceitful. Gemma , the detective seems to be super human as she solves this fast paced complex mystery with a six month baby and a grandmother dealing with Alzheimer’s.

A woman named Sari is missing at Lost Lake and Detective Gemma Monroe is called to the scene. Upon arrival, the three people who were camping with the missing woman state that Sari has disappeared…she seems to have left the camp site during the middle of the night. When Gemma arrives at the museum where Sari works, she finds that a rare artifact, The Rayburn Diary, has gone missing. Are the two cases connected? When a murder occurs at the museum, Gemma now has three cases to investigate as she continues to question the three people who were with Sari at the camp site. Gemma must determine how this one missing woman seems to be involved in the three cases. Gemma has a lot on her hands right now as in addition to her work as a detective, she is a mother and soon to be married. This is book number three in the series and you could be comfortable in reading this as a standalone as Ms. Littlejohn provides enough back story to the previous books. I have read the previous two books and look forward to book number four. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Gemma Monroe is called to the beautiful waters of Lost Lake. Four friends went camping, but when morning came only three people remained. The missing person, Sari Chesney worked at a museum where later a famous diary goes missing. Then Sari's boss is found dead. Is it all connected?

The third book did not fall short. I'm so happy that this book is on netgalley and that I didn't have to wait till November to read it. Now of course I'm left with a hangover because I have no idea when the fourth book will be released. Does Fiinn have feelings for Gemma? If he had kissed her she wasn't sure if she would have stopped him. What does it all mean? Cant wait for more!