Paul Keller had been married before. His wife died a little over four years ago.... in a drowning accident.

‘Surprise’, Charlotte was pregnant - not planned- with Paul’s baby - her new husband - eleven years older than she was. Charlotte had only known Paul for about a year. Everyone from their town said it would never work. We will soon discover much more of what will never work.

Paul was 37 years old, a wealthy widower, who owned Keller Architecture. His clients were privileged, demanding, and entitled. His clients liked Paul because he was one of them.
Charlotte had been a gas station clerk... ( a trailer-park girl), from the poor side of town of Lake Cosby, North Carolina.
She now worked part-time for Paul.....( her role was client relations), and Charlotte’s most important role was being Paul’s new young pregnant wife.

Paul’s mother and town folks won’t believe Charlotte’s pregnancy was an accident. They’ll say that Paul was trapped.
“Sugar daddy, sugar baby, baby daddy”.
The people in town think that Charlotte married Paul for his money. She didn’t.
Charlotte married Paul for love— and she loved all the things he could provide.

We get back story not only on Charlotte and Paul, butt also on Jax Edwards, and Micah Hunt, ( friend/ connections to Paul),
“Jax Edwards — was the local town loon, a “raggedy bearded boogeyman”, who lived in the woods. Most people turn away from him, either out of pity or fear, but not Charlotte.
“Micah Hunt - was the best underwater criminal investigator and hundreds of miles”.....but he’ll never be good enough for his father- Chief Hunt.
Charlotte liked Micah - he never made her feel Paul was slumming by choosing her - ( gas station attendant girl from a trailer park)....and he had more daddy issues than she did.

For Paul,......Jax was a painful subject, he didn’t like to talk about”
“Once upon a time, Jax had everything going for him. High school prom king and star quarterback, the golden boy with a golden future, and one of Paul’s two best friends”.
Paul, Jax, and Micah....were all close buddies in High School. We will see just how complicated those relationships were.
Other relationships- people in this town complicate things more

At the center of the story…a woman, “Sienna’, was found dead in the lake. Presumably.... whoever killed her lived in this town of Crosby Lake.

Kimberly Belle has a talent for intertwisted - tangly - mussed up storytelling. She’s becoming a psychological thriller-household name for readers who indulge pleasure into this genre.
Not sure this was Belle’s top rated book.... but we are drawn into a web of intrigue — with interesting characters:
Paul.....was out running all the time -
Jax....found solace in the woods -
Micah....wanted to be his own man- not have his father- Chief Hunt- dictate his life.
Sam Kincaid.... was a cop from Charlotte’s side of town....the ‘poor’ side of the mountain. He had been friends with Charlotte before she married Paul.
Chet was Charlotte’s - often needy - brother. But ...Charlotte loved him. He moved in with a woman named Annalee. They were constantly breaking up and getting back together again.

Lake Cosby was the only town in the southern Appalachians perched at the edge of the water, which made it a popular tourist spot. Most of the businesses were pretentious… Farm-to-table restaurants, a specialty fudge shop, and specialty boutiques.
I enjoyed the setting-landscape descriptions as much as the mystery thriller story itself.

This psychological mystery murder thriller had plenty to chew on...
Lots of gossip, secrets, lies, and rumors about who- what- and why Sienna was killed - how her death connected to Paul’s first wife’s death ...
Who lied
Who cheated
Who had an alibi and who didn’t

“Extenuating circumstance”.....are words you’ll find in this novel to explain why the past - and secrets - were not understood.

Great beach pick or ‘middle-of-the-night’ read for insomnia folks.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and Kimberly Belle

I had the opportunity to download this book from Net Galley as an early reader/reviewer. This is the first book of Ms. Belle's that I have read and I will be looking for more from her!

Paul, Micah, and Jax have all been friends since high school. Paul ended up wealthy, Micah an underwater investigator, and Jax homeless. Charlie (who changed her name to Charlotte) was a few years behind them and ended up married to Paul, four years after the death of his first wife, Katherine.

Enter a dead body found under the Kellers' deck (Paul and Charlotte).

Enter an unsolved case from 20 years ago ... tied together with the most recent death by a necklace.

Mix two unsolved murders in with a whole bunch of lies that are hard to keep straight.

Just when you think you have figured out who the bad guy is ... the whodunnit ... Ms. Belle throws in a twist for an ending you aren't expecting. Well done, Ms. Belle, well done!

Another great thriller by Kimberly Belle which I quickly devoured in 2 days. Full of suspense with old secrets and new secrets from the very first page. Did not want to put it down and I found myself sneaking around to read it. And the twist at the end was the “icing on the cake” that I did not see coming. Very well done Kimberly Belle! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
I absolutely devoured this book - what a page turner -
Charlotte who came from a horrible childhood marries Paul, a widower who the gossips thought murdered his wife for her money.
And then another body is found in the water and signs once again point to Paul.
What secrets is Paul hiding? Does Charlotte need to worry? Is there more going on here than one knows?

Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle was one of my favorite books of 2019! I remember sitting on the couch reading it one afternoon and not getting up until I was done reading. So, of course, I was eager to read her follow-up, Stranger in the Lake.

Kimberly is a talented writer who knows how to keep a reader guessing and wondering what is going to happen next. In this book, the main character Charlotte is married to Paul, a wealthy older man. His wife died in the lake behind his beautiful house and when Charlotte discovers a woman dead in the water much like his first wife, the alarm bells start sounding and its just too much of a coincidence. Is she in danger? And who is this woman?

When Charlotte married the wealthy widower Paul, it caused a ripple of gossip in their small lakeside town. They have a charmed life together, despite the cruel whispers about her humble past and his first marriage. But everything starts to unravel when she discovers a young woman’s body floating in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned.

At first, it seems like a horrific coincidence, but the stranger in the lake is no stranger. Charlotte saw Paul talking to her the day before, even though Paul tells the police he’s never met the woman. His lie exposes cracks in their fragile new marriage, cracks Charlotte is determined to keep from breaking them in two.

As Charlotte uncovers dark mysteries about the man she married, she doesn’t know what to trust—her heart, which knows Paul to be a good man, or her growing suspicion that there’s something he’s hiding in the water.

The story alternates between present-day Charlotte and the murder mystery surrounding this woman, and twenty years ago, when Paul was close friends with Jax and Micah. Back then, an accident took place that they buried in the past but is it coming back to haunt them?

This book is a solid mystery and I liked it. I enjoyed the present-day parts more, I was wondering who Charlotte could trust and I didn’t want to believe that Paul was a murderer. I had a lot of questions that were ultimately answered. I have to point out that the setting of this story was great, I felt so cold and damp and shivery with the backdrop of the woods and lake.

Coming out on June 9! Pre-order here.

What another great book by Ms. Belle! I know when I get a Kimberly Belle book in my hands that it won't take me long at all to devour it. Over the span of two days, I was pulled into Charlotte's world... starting with her telling her husband she's pregnant, to finding a dead girl under her dock (the 2nd one to show up since her husband has lived there). Is it a coincidence? Why is her husband acting strangely and lying to the police and why does Charlotte cover for him? I thought this was a really good story. Although the surprises weren't earth-shattering, I still needed to know the whys behind them all.

Wow! I would love to see this novel as a movie!
This is a suspense, murder (more than one), thriller that I zoomed through to find out "who done it"!
I could not believe the ending and the entire story was amazing!
This book is told in a dual timelines to add more suspense and anxiety as I was attempting to solve the puzzle.
I always enjoy Kimberly Belle's books and have now read five. They just get better and better!
If you enjoy great mysteries, read it. You will not want to miss "Stranger in the Lake"!

Charlie, “Charlotte”, a young girl marries Paul, a wealthy widower from the wealthy side of town. Newly married, she finds a body underneath their dock, the same place is deceased wife was found.

Another hit by Kimberly. I thought I figured it out, but not a chance. Wonderful character development and beautiful writing.

After a woman is found dead under the dock, Charlie starts to wonder who is the man she married? Who killed this woman? Everyone is hiding something and feeling guilt.
This was a quick enjoyable read. I didn’t like it as much as I like the other Kimberly Belle books, I just couldn’t connect with the characters. But it was still thrilling and enjoyable and I still couldn’t put it down because I wanted to know who done it. Highly recommend this book if you love books that book you in and you can’t put down.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this and leave an honest review.

This fast paced and intriguing book is fantastic! It will keep you on your toes and guessing the answers to many secrets hidden in this lake town. Be ready to drop everything else to finish this engaging thriller!

An edge of your seat, whodunnit mystery! I couldn’t put this down. Ms Belle is amazing! Great character development. I couldn’t figure this one out! 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley.

Stranger in the Lake is a very suspenseful story and one that has lots of secrets going on. The story has many characters but the two main characters are a married couple, Charlotte and Paul.
What would you do to keep a 20 year old secret?
If you like to read intense psychological books with a intriguing twist at the end, this is a book you will want to read.
Kimberly Belle’s writing draws you in and you just have to keep reading to the very end.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this book. This is my honest true and honest opinion.

I’ve read Kimberly Belle previously but this book didn’t quite measure up to her past titles. It had a great twist @ the end & I didn’t figure out the “who” until it was pretty much revealed but ........after her earlier The Marriage Lie & Three Days Missing, I just expected or wanted more. Still a pretty good read.

3.5 stars

When the novel begins, readers learn that the m.c., Charlie, has been married to her husband, Paul for just over a year. Here are some other points we learn: (1) Paul is SO MUCH OLDER than Charlie (10ish years - the emphasis is hers) and (2) everything Paul owns is VERY expensive. There are so many references to both of these points that I found myself exhausted by this, "Okay! I get it! New money! sentiment in this character. For me, this was totally overcooked.

Also near the start, readers learn that Paul's first wife died in a drowning accident in the lake that their home borders. What a coincidence! ANOTHER woman ends up dead there, too (hence the title). But his current wife? No. According to her, he couldn't have anything to do with this. These aren't spoilers. Really, these are just the bizarre disconnects the characters initially experience.

This is not a terrible book, and I'll add that I liked the twist and growth at the ending (which is how I got to 3.5). I am getting a bit burned out by these marriages/romantic relationships of any kind in which there are incredible red flags, but the other partner just thinks, "Hmmm. Weird!" and goes on about their life with this person. Am I somehow missing this in reality because it is constantly present in modern fiction, and I worry for both these characters and the models they sometimes set.

Overall, this is okay on the thriller front, but for a more gripping thriller with slightly stronger characters and a far better inclusion of the podcast side plot (though it's still not perfect), check out Goldin's _The Night Swim_.

Another hit for Kimberly Belle. While my favorite is still DEAR WIFE, this one was very good too. It had a fun and original premise, full of lots of secrets, and lots of people that are guilty in some way of something. Belle knows how to weave a tangled twisted web, and allow the readers to untangle it. This book, as well as her others show just how well she is at this! Thrills, chills, twists & turns, shocks, and lessons learned are bound to accompany you while reading this book! I don’t think the writing was worse than DEAR WIFE, but I do think I had a harder time connecting with Charlotte and agreeing with her decisions. I think this impacted my choice on my favorite by Belle, because most of her characters you can completely understand their actions, but I don’t know if I feel this way about Charlie. I can’t explain without giving any spoilers; but can say I think it was very intense enjoyable, realistic, and unputdownable! Highly, highly recommend!
Will make sure to buzz it up on all the different platforms.

Hmm, okay, images of Lind Chocolate boxes, fondues, Swiss Army knives, Rolexes, Alps start to appear on my mind which means a Switzerland kind of I’m in the middle, I don’t like it and I also don’t hate it, I’m just dumb cow, three solid starred book review is coming up!

Oh, it is already here. My fingers are moving faster than my mind, what do you think my friends?

I lately read so many dark, intriguing, stressful stories so I think I already exceeded my pain tolerance level. And I also read previous works of Kimberly Belle including “Marriage Lie” and “Dear Wife” which I highly recommend you to read but when it comes to this book’s story, something was missing.

I think Ms. Belle a little failed to build the mystery between the characters. The chapters mostly ended abruptly and haphazardly. The story has two timelines and told by two narrators: Young pregnant wife who thinks her husband might be killer and husband’s old friend Jax who turns himself into caveman meets wolfman hiding in the woods, losing the last traces of his humanity. Maybe because of the word choices, slow pacing or uninteresting characterization or all of them made me lose my interest and I continue to read it like an obligation or task because something could change at some part and maybe I can get some surprising ending.

So let’s talk more about the plot:

We’re introduced to Charlotte, new, young, called “trophy wife” by her old acquaintances, pregnant, finds a dead woman at the lake, the very exact spot her husband’s ex had been drowned and her husband Paul lies to the officers that he’s never seen her before. But actually Charlotte saw them talking animatedly one day ago and Paul disappears to find Jax, leaving his wife alone with suspicious officers and talkative, irritating mother.

Then we’re going back 21 years ago, young Paul, Jax and police officer Micah’s storyline: Three young kids get bored, jumping into their car, hitting the road but their night ends with an unexpected event.

And yes, ending was predictable which kills my last hopes so I finished the last page and wiped the disappointment from my face. So this is not so thrilling, shaking, solid, mediocre thriller for me. I actually enjoyed author’s previous works more. Of course it was not bad, boring or pointless reading. Especially I enjoyed the flashback parts about Jax more than Charlotte supports her brother’s culinary skills storyline. So
I’m giving 3, not bored me to death but also not excited me stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and HARLEQUIN/Park Row for sharing this ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

Jumps up and down up and down. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC of one of my newest favorite suspense writers since last year. I read the Marriage Lie last year and since then I have read every book of hers, and have yet to be disappointed. She keeps the pages turning and the thrills coming.

Charlotte comes from the wrong side of the mountains and was raised in poverty. She pulls herself up and meets a wealthy widower named Paul who comes from money but also a past that is worth whispering about. His wife drowned and was found beneath his dock. You can't ever get away from small town gossip and whispers but Charlotte is determined to do just that until she finds the body of another woman beneath her dock. One she saw her husband speaking with the day before. How is this connected to Paul and why does it seem like the past is about to rear it's ugly head. Is lying or ignoring things worth her stable marriage? Charlotte must put her life at risk and put together some tough clues to figure out if it is.

I couldn't put this book down and read it within a day. If you know this author already you know that there is usually a shocking twist at the end, and this book is no different. Indulge yourself and grab this book when it comes out.

Kimberly Belle does it again!! Beautifully woven tale from a small town where everyone knows everything... or do they? So many dark and disturbing relationships passed down generations.
Loved the complex characters and the mystery that surrounds them.
Highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!!

She grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, a trailer park kid, but Charlotte has married up. Now the wife of a very wealthy widower, Paul, Charlotte is thrilled to finally have a safe and secure life. The fact that she is pregnant is just icing on the cake. But her new life is threatened when Charlotte finds a woman’s body underneath the dock in front of the home she shares with Paul. The woman is found in the exact same place as Paul’s late wife, who supposedly drowned. With the police and community questioning whether Paul had something to do with this death, and his first wife’s. Can Charlotte trust her husband or has she married a murderer? This is a pleasant read, with a lovely setting, if few surprises

Fans of the emotional page turners (think Lisa Scottoline, Kate Moretti and Gillian Flynn) and of page turning thrillers with a dark twist (Michael Connolly, James Patterson) should not miss this novel.

Kimberly Belle has become a master at her craft and this novel should not be missed. Perfect beach read

Thank you to @kimberlysbelle @parkrowbooks @netgalley for the early read. Kimberly is a must read author for me and this novel has surpassed all my expectations