This is the perfect summer thriller! I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading STRANGER IN THE LAKE and just love the way Kimberly Belle writes!

While I predicted the first twist early on, I was definitely shocked by the second! I have said it once (or three times ;)) and I'll say it again - thrillers with more than one twist are the way to go! Thank you so much to Park Row and Netgalley for the advanced copy. This comes out June 9 and you will definitely want to add it to your Summer TBR. I finished it in less than 24 hours - I just couldn't wait to figure out the ending!

Charlotte and Paul's marriage is perfect until she discovers a young woman’s body floating in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned four years prior. Could this just be a terrible coincidence? When Paul disappears for 2 days after the body washes up in their yard, he starts feeding Charlotte lie after lie that make her question everything. Who can she trust? And more importantly, who is the Stranger In The Lake -- and who put her there?

What I enjoyed most about Stranger in the Lake was the creepy atmosphere. Maybe it’s because I just finished the TV series Ozark (highly recommend if you haven’t watched it yet), but I found myself picturing an Ozark like community when reading and it just put me in the right mood for a mystery. Side note: was a bit disappointed that there was no shady business deals.

I was entertained by the mystery (2 women are found dead under a dock), but found that the characters were lacking. The story is told through Charlotte (or Charlie) and I just couldn’t connect with her. She is dealing with the pressures of being a new wife to a rich man and now with a husband who may be guilty of killing women. I wish we got to know her a bit more, especially prior to her relationship with her husband (ie. before she was wealthy).

3 calculators out of a potential 5. Just an average read for me, but still enjoyable. Would recommend if the blurb sounds interesting to you!

Thank you to Netgallery and HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a decent psychological suspense novel, but not the best book that I've read by Belle. Mostly because this one didn't hold any major surprises for me. It was fairly straightforward without any good twists or intriguing turns of event.
I didn't really connect with Charlotte, and I think that might have been the problem. If I would have been able to get to know her gradually and then the woman had been found in the lake, I could have felt more for her and been on her side. As it was, I thought Paul's choices were pretty off-the-wall and her blanket acceptance (by lying for him when he took off) just didn't sit right with me. I would have been hysterical had my husband done some of the things he did, but she acted pretty naively.
I did like her interactions with her brother, I think those were my favorite parts of the book how the two worked together and presented a united front.
Overall, I thought that the way the story was told was predictable. Not bad, but not memorable. If it would have been told through episodes of the podcast researching the old mystery, or given another sort of unique twist, I would have liked it better.

Charlotte has married up to her rich, older husband, Paul. She awakes one morning to find a dead woman floating by their dock. Four years ago, Paul’s first wife was found dead in the same place. What is going on? Is it possible this could be a coincidence? Charlotte doesn’t know what to think...or who to suspect.

Belle gives us a great, gritty protagonist who comes from a hard upbringing and knows it. Charlotte was very likeable to me and probably why I liked the story as much as I did. Stranger In The Lake explores loyalty as we learn about Paul’s two childhood friends who are now estranged and seem to have something to do with what’s going on. The plotline was a little difficult to follow as it weaves but the ending has an extra twist which left me feeling very satisfied!

Early one morning, newly married Charlotte discovers a drowned young woman in the lake near her home. "Who is the stranger in the lake?" And was she murdered? How concerned should Charlotte be that her husband, Paul's, first wife was found in the exact same spot?

I've absolutely loved, loved, LOVED many of this author's previous thrillers including The Marriage Lie (5 stars), Dear Wife (5 stars), and Three Days Missing (5 stars). This one, however, was missing the tautness and urgency that made my heart beat faster. The first half moved at a snail's pace with lots of set up and backstories. Once it finally picked up speed, there were quite a few surprising twists. I had guessed WHO fairly early on, but not WHY. Since I am not a murder mystery fan, I never felt truly invested in the story. If I had realized this was more mystery than thriller, then I would have skipped it altogether.

Location: Lake Crosby, North Carolina

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Atlanta author Kimberly Belle is back with a riveting new domestic thriller that will have you thinking twice about what lies beneath the surface of your favorite lake. When Charlotte married wealthy widower Paul there was local gossip, but now a body has washed up under their dock—in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned. What first seems like a horrific coincidence quickly becomes a matter of life and death when Charlotte discovers the woman in the lake is not a stranger.
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Holy crap! This was so good! I am a SUPER skeptic when it comes to thrillers, especially for the last year or two (there have been some terrible releases), but I loved Stranger In The Lake. The writing kept me totally intrigued and I was so thankful that I didn't have it all figured out in the first 50 pages!

A murder mystery close to the home of Paul and his new wife, Charlotte.

It happens to be the second murder near Paul's home.

I had this one figured out early, but wasn't sure I was right.

I was!

I liked the premise, but wanted more suspense and parts of the story dragged as the plot played out. I was hoping for more oomph from this author. If you're looking for a slow burn mystery with a bit of a detective feel, this might be one for your shelf!!


Thanks to Netgalley and Park Row for my advanced copy!

4/5 Stars - An atmospheric thriller with plenty of twists!

This book reminded me of a dark Cinderella story. Charlotte marries into money After growing up on the wrong side of the mountain (literally!), but not everything is happily ever after, as it turns out.

It had such a great setting and atmosphere - a remote mountain town, with a lake that  is deep enough to hold plenty of secrets. And as this book shows, there are plenty of secrets buried in it. Perfect place for a mystery.

The story really interweaves several mysteries and they fit together really nicely. I did not figure things out until the very end and it was really satisfying to see it all come together. I was happy with all the little twists the author managed to fit in there. Things aren’t all that they seem and it was a real page-turner.

Charlie was an interesting character as well, because she wanted to do better than her mother, but she was flawed in some ways. However, things seemed to work out nicely in the end, but man was it a journey to get there. I wouldn’t mind seeing more from her in the future, though I can’t say much else without giving anything away, so I’ll stop right there.

Overall, this was an excellent thriller with a great atmosphere and some cool twists. Fans of dark mysteries and domestic thrillers for sure should pick up this book!

I am so glad I had the opportunity to be a part of the blog tour for Stranger in the Lake. .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 they 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 a female floating in the same spot where Paul’s 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. This was my first-time experiencing Belle’s writing, but it will not be my last.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable and one I recommend to fans of mysteries, which feature unreliable characters.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charlotte grew up on the wrong side of the tracks so when she marries Paul, a wealthy widower, their small lakeside town can't help but gossip. Despite what the people of Lake Crosby say about her upbringing, and the death of his first wife—it is rumoured that Paul drowned her—they live a charmed life. But when Charlotte discovers a young woman's body floating in the same spot where Paul's wife died, things begin to unravel.

It seems at first that this is just a horrible coincidence. But the woman is no stranger, Charlotte saw her husband talking to her the day before. She is stunned when Paul tells the police that he has never seen the woman before. This lie causes the first fracture in their new union, but Charlotte is determined to keep it from breaking apart.

As Charlotte begins to uncover things that Paul has been hiding from her, she realizes how little she knows about her new husband. In her heart, she truly believes that he is a good man. So then why is her head telling her that there is something he's hiding in the lake?

Off the heels of the highly successful Dear Wife, Kimberly Belle is back with another mesmerizing psychological thriller. She ratchets up the suspense with a repertoire of secrets, lies, and perfectly executed twists.

Set in an idyllic and atmospheric locale, the isolation adds yet another layer of doubt—it is the perfect location for this narrative! Told with alternating storylines from the past and present, Charlotte is an indelible heroine that readers will get behind.

There's not one, not two, but three deaths that twits the plot up in knots. Bell completely blindsides her audience with her stunning conclusion. Rich in character development and plot, Stranger in the Lake will be on all the best of lists this summer.

Charlotte has pulled herself away from the wrong side of the tracks. She and her brother Chet have worked hard to shed their hard upbringing. Charlotte, working her job, met Paul, the local millionaire. Charlotte knows people look at her with disdain. The local townfolk think she must have just married Paul for his money, but it isn't true. Charlotte truly loves Paul and shares happy news with him. She's pregnant.

However, another obstacle that Paul has had to overcome is that he was once married before and his wife was found dead in the lake surrounding the town. Her death was suspicious because she was an expert swimmer. Paul was cleared of her death, but the town has never forgotten.

Then something happens: another woman is found dead in the lake, under Charlotte and Paul's deck. Charlotte knows this will automatically thrust Paul back into high suspicion. Two dead women in the lake? It's a mystery for sure. And matters are made worse when the police come to question Paul and he lies about knowing this second woman. Charlotte doesn't know her, but she saw Paul talking briefly with the stranger in the lake the day before in town.

This book alternates between present day and several decades prior when Paul was in high school and secrets that were kept between him, and his two friends, Jax and Micah. Secrets that Charlotte doesn't even know.

This book kept me entertained and wanting to know what was going on, especially how the past was going to catch up and tie into the present. I thought it was a good solid story, but I still had had one pretty big question at the end. I won't ask them here but it was something that really nagged at me. It was probably something very obvious, and I missed it. Anyway, I enjoyed this story and I think a lot of others will, too. I think it will be a good summer read that possibly won't wrap up the way you think. I'm not saying a twist, but still maybe a little unexpected. Releases June 9th!!

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle is a gripping, unputdownable domestic thriller. This is my third book by this author, I had previously really enjoyed Three Days Missing and Dear Wife, so I was expecting another great read from Kimberly Belle. I was not disappointed!
Stranger in the Lake had me hooked from the get-go. I was sucked into Charlotte's Cinderella story right away. How she had married widower, Paul, who had lost his first wife when she drown the lake in front of their home. Many people suspected that Paul had something to do with his first wife's death, but Charlotte didn't believe those rumours. Her and Paul were happily married, lived in a beautiful house and were looking forward to a great future together....until another woman turns up dead in the lake in front of their home, just like Paul's first wife. Charlotte wants to believe her husband had nothing to do with either of the women' deaths, but why can't he account for his whereabouts at the time of the woman's murder? It seems as though he's hiding something and Charlotte would like to find out more.

There were a fair number of twists and turns in this book, enough to keep me interested, and I thought the ending was well done. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a good domestic thriller.

Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle is a captivating thriller that I LOVED! I have read every single one of Kimberly Belle's books and this one is as amazing as the others. Kimberly Belle is one of my go to authors and I was excited to receive an advanced copy to review.

Stranger in the Lake is about murder (MULTIPLE murders!) , secrets, lies, and lots of history.
The characters are well developed, complex, flawed and complicated.

Paul is a rich man who married Charlotte, aka Charlie who is from the wrong side of the tracks. Paul lost his first wife and it seems as if Charlie and Paul are happy until Charlie finds a body in the lake.

The supporting characters are equally compelling. I really enjoyed Charlie's brother Chet, who is used as a sounding board for everything that is happening.

The story is perfectly paced with multiple twists and turns and an ending that will leave you shocked.

I read this addicting book in one day ! Highly recommend

Okay, as I was reading this book I kept thinking of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. No, there was no gaslighting. Nothing like that. But, what came of this chilling book by Kimberly Belle is that Charlotte is the second wife of a wealthy widower. Her life is perfect now. From working in a diner married to a rich man - one several years older - who seems to adore her as much as she does him makes things just right. Or are they?

Charlotte has had to contend with a lot of gossip after marrying Paul. She soon has news to share with Paul that will make their life even better. However, a body is found in the exact same spot where his first wife's body was found drowned years ago. Not only is far too coincidental, but then Paul immediately begins to change.

For starters, when the police question Charlotte and Paul, one question they ask Paul garners an answer from him that makes Charlotte take pause. The question is, do either of you know this woman? Paul says no, although just the day before the woman's body was found, Charlotte saw Paul talking to her.

It is at this pivotal point in this new marriage where cracks begin to form. And, let me tell you, they are wide. Cavernous. Charlotte is now forced to dig deeper into Paul's past, and what she finds leads to suspicions on a grand level.

What a thrilling premise to a story that is certain to make the back of your neck tingle - at least that was the response that I had. Who to trust in this story?

Now, why did it remind me of the classic that I mentioned? Because there was just something about Paul that never felt right from the very beginning of this book. Then there were the supporting characters in this book. Are they trustworthy? Who is lying and who is telling the truth? If this story doesn't grab you like it grabbed me, then the shocking conclusion certainly will.

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Kimberly Belle can do no wrong!

Stranger in the Lake is a dark and atmospheric look into a picture perfect life that may not be that picture perfect after all.

When Charlotte marries Paul, she marries up. WAY up. Paul is the town’s wealthiest man, and quite a catch, but with this huge upgrade comes a lot that Charlotte didn’t bargain for. Paul is a widower, and his first wife drowned under suspicious circumstances. When another woman’s body is found in the exact same spot, things start to unravel around Charlotte, and she must figure out who to trust. Her life depends on it.

This one had so many twists and turns that I was guessing the entire time. I did not see that explosive ending coming!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this book early. I will be posting a review to my Instagram closer to pub date.

A story that twists and turns with unexpected revel after unexpected reveal, Stranger in the Lake is the perfect read for the thrill-seeker at heart.

What I Like

The novel has so many themes that give it layers and a depth that is compelling to read. Most prominent among them is the theme of relationships, particularly mother and child. The story gives us two mothers who are bad but for opposite reasons. Charlie's mom is so hands-off that it is a wonder Social Services never stepped in. Then there is Paul's mother, who is so involved; it crosses the line in terms of healthy relationships. Both mothers left their scars and impacted the decisions of the main character in profound ways.

The theme of friendship runs throughout the novel and is just as important as the mother-child relationship theme. Paul, Jax, and Micah have been friends since childhood. They stick together through thick and thin and try to stay loyal above all. On the one hand, that's heartwarming and even admirable, but what will happen if they have to make morally wrong choices? How will that impact your loved ones? Do two wrongs ever make a right?

The setting is perfect. The mountains of North Carolina are known for having unique citizens who keep to themselves and are wary of strangers. Folk tales and ghost stories run rampant, and a distrust of anyone with money is universal. There is an otherworldly quality to it that adds to the Lake's mystique, which is the scene of not one but three unsolved murders. There is a theme about the disparity between the haves and have nots that works perfectly in this setting. The people who live in the trailer park feel marginalized, and I am sure this is true in real life as well. This presents an underlying conflict that runs through the novel – deep in the background – providing a valuable tone throughout the book.

There are many mysteries to be solved, and the same person may or may not have committed all three. I loved that there were so many puzzles to wrap my head around and figure out. I did not correctly figure out any of the three murderers, but they all worked just right with the plot.

What I Wish
I wish that Charlie's reaction in the last part of the book had felt more genuine to the character and her feelings. I felt like she understood morally gray areas and even lived in a morally gray area, but suddenly, she became very black and white. I just found that very hard to believe and ended up getting very frustrated with her.

To Read or Not to Read
With multi-dimensional characters, relatable themes, and plenty of thrills and suspense, A Stranger in the Lake is the perfect summer read.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on June 9th

Stranger in the Lake was a very good read, it was unpredictable and action packed. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I am sure I will be reading many more. Suspense/thrillers are one of my favorite genres and this one definitely fit the bill it was very suspenseful and I wasn't sure whom was guilty of what in the book. A young woman from the wrong side of the town, meets and marries a wealthy man from that point on many secrets come to light, whom can she trust only time will tell. This was a hard book to put down, once I started reading it. I would definitely recommend this book to others that enjoy the genre.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle was a great thriller! The plot gets you hooked and there are so many good twists that you don't see coming!

I've read two of Kimberly Belle's books before this one - The Marriage Lie and Dear Wife. I enjoyed both books very much, and through these stories Kimberly Belle proved that she is a master at writing psychological suspense. She has a knack of weaving likeable characters into a riveting plot that builds slowly but surely with plenty of twists and turns from start to finish.

The atmospheric setting in this book is incredible and is the highlight of the book for me. The story takes place near the winter, and Kimberly Belle knocks it out of the park with her amazing descriptions of the Appalachians, Lake Crosby, the cold gray days, the deep dark woods, and the grand steel and glass houses along the lake. She creates a feeling of gloom, doom, and a sense of foreboding throughout the book. The descriptions of Lake Crosby seem so real that I had to look that place up. It's not real, but Kimberly Belle definitely fooled me!

Kimberly Belle's descriptions of the mysterious dead woman made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Her writing style is very similar to Megan Miranda's, who is an expert in building creepy vibes that make you want to check if you locked your doors when you are home alone at night. If you've read Megan Miranda's work you will know what I mean.

This book is about marriage, secrets, lies, betrayal, murder, memories, money, and family. It's a page-turner and kept me guessing until the very end. I liked Dear Wife a little bit better, but this book is the perfect thing to drop into your beach bag or airplane tote.

Stranger in the Lake is an entertaining thriller about murder, long-hidden secrets and old and new lies in a small Appalachian town. If you look hard enough, every character has a connection to every other character, and nothing is what it appears to be at first glance. Old grudges hang on, and you can’t always successfully cross from the wrong side of town to the right side.

There is a rich cast of characters. Paul seems like a good man who’s found love and happiness again after losing his first wife. Charlotte loves Paul and feels protected and safe in his wealth after her anything but easy childhood. They are surrounded by Charlotte’s brother Chet, Paul’s childhood friends Micah and Jax, Paul’s mother, Micah’s police chief father, Charlotte’s old friend Sam from the days she was just Charlie. And then a mysterious women comes to town and begins to shake things up. Until she is found floating in the lake. Paul was accused and exonerated of killing his first wife, but this death is nearly identical. Is there really any such thing as a coincidence?

I had a hard time rating this book. On the one hand it was a gripping story and once I started reading I didn’t want to stop. Author Kimberly Belle’s writing style flows smoothly and is easy to read. On the other hand, although there was a large cast of characters, it seemed like their stories dropped off just as they were getting interesting. The narrative switched from Charlotte’s telling of current events to Jax’s story from 1999, the summer before the boys were to go to college. The switch wasn’t always very smooth and at times it took a minute to place a character from the past in the present.

As soon as the body was discovered there was a sense of danger and uncertainty surrounding Charlotte and she began to question what she really knew about Paul and his past. What caused my difficulty in reviewing and rating was that the mystery and actual events were pretty easy to figure out early on in the story. My desire to read on through was more to see how the author would wrap things up than to learn who did what.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I do recommend it and will read more of what she writes. It’s a good read and the deep dive into the psychological motives of the characters is very interesting. Thanks to the author and publisher for providing an advance copy of Stranger in the Lake via NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own.