This is the fifth and last in the Stillhouse Lake series.
So sad that author, Rachel Caine], pen name for Roxanne Longstreet Conrad lost her battle with cancer on November 1. 2020. Yes! She died months before the release of this novel.
Be sure to read the Author’s Note at the end of this novel. I guarantee it will bring tears to your eyes.

When I started this series it evoked every emotion in me. I could not put it down. My comment after reading the first was that I was glad it wasn’t super long as my heart couldn’t take any more!
I continued the series with the next two; which were also good but by the fourth I was ….when is this family going to find a safe place to live?
This was a Great final story! Recurring characters added something special. However, the evil trolls was extremely clever in this one.

Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 9, 2021

I loved this book!!! The funny thing is I haven't read any of the others in the series, but had actually found them before I received the 5th installment to the series. I will be definitely getting the rest of the series and start from book 1 and re-read book 5 again!! this series is right up my alley with thrillers! The killer is almost non-existent in this book except for the murders and it is pure genius her writing skill and bringing these stories alive and have a creep factor off the chart! Gwen seems to be such a well developed character, I can't wait to go back and see how she starts. I love female leads and having two women work together gives it such a great feel, Kezia seems like a well developed character as well, and what a great team they make. This story doesn't hold back from finding the two young girls strapped in their seats in the car that was submerged in the water, to all the questions that follow how they got their, where is their mother, who would do this unspeakable thing, and where will this lead? So many questions and such a suspenseful thrill. Thank you Netgalley for the read and to give an honest review and to Thomas and Mercer, as well as the author Rachel Caine this is a fantastic book and from reviews I have read of the previous books in the series do not disappoint!

I love this series! When “Stillhouse Lake” was published I was skeptical of the reviews until I read it myself. That’s when I was hooked. Some series burn out quickly after the first premise has been exhausted and the author struggles to keep the readers interest.
Well, that is not the case here. I have loved every book in this series.

Addendum: I just read the heartbreaking news of Rachel Caine’s death.

I am devastated.

Rachel was not only extremely talented but a warm, caring, compassionate and wonderful person.

The world is not as bright anymore.

Rest In Peace dear Rachel.

Not going to lie. My heart is breaking a little as I write this one last review for Rachel Caine and the Stillhouse Lake series. Knowing Caine is no longer with us and will no longer be writing hit me hard as I finished Heartbreak Bay. While this book was a fitting end for Gwen Proctor, family, and friends, I would have loved for this series to gone on longer. It takes a lot for me to stay confined to my seat with a thriller, and Rachel Caine has always managed to do that with this series. Heartbreak Bay was no different. I was taken on a stressful but addictive journey to find another killer taunting Gwen and it was everything I hoped it would be. Rachel Caine finished up this series on a high and I will forever be grateful to her for writing a thriller series that kept me always coming back for more. Fans of this series won't want to miss out on this spectacular ending.

I finished Heartbreak Bay on the day Rachel Caine (pen name for Roxanne Conrad) passed away, which was heartbreaking for me as I absolutely love this series and eagerly anticipated new book in it. It is a wonderful, unique concept and the books are well written and compulsively readable.

The Stillhouse Lake series is focused on Gwen Proctor, formerly Gina Royal, the ex wife of a prolific serial killer. Many members of the public and loved ones of her ex-husbands victims believed she was involved in or at least aware of the horrific crimes and have stalked and harassed she and her children.

In the ensuing years, Gwen has become a tough, badass private investigator who can hold her own in protecting herself and her loved ones. When her friend Kezia is called to a horrific crime scene, she asks for Gwen's help in looking into the disturbing crime - someone drove a car into a pond with twin toddlers strapped into their car seats. As Kez and Gwen investigate, they stumble onto a serial killer unlike any other who has taken an interest in Gwen.

It looks like this will be the end of the Stillhouse Lake series and it was finely crafted end to an excellent series. I will miss this author and this series. If you enjoy a good mystery or serial killer fiction, I highly recommend this compelling series.

This one was bittersweet so much so I read it twice. I was always blessed to get to read and review this author's but have adored the novels since the first elemental one I read years ago. So now onto this one. The suspense you are getting from this series is a winner for suspense lovers. This one being silent as it is said makes it more suspenseful. Gwen and Kezia have their hands full with this one. It is kinda sad also. Gwen is also in the crosshairs of danger that has us sit straight up. The both of them have us holding our breaths also. This is the kind though that us readers search for when we look for our suspense mystery reads. They consume us and twist us until we can not see straight. This is one not to be missed as this author will though be missed.

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine is a true, fast-paced, read that keeps you hooked from the very beginning. Rachel Caine has effectively expanded upon her characters as they grow through experience and age. I enjoyed reading from the changing perspectives of Gwen, Sam, and Kezia and can clearly distinguish between each one. I felt the emotion in my blood while reading these pages and so much so, I was a little creeped out to walk to the bathroom at night and even felt goosebumps with the lamp on. Talk about intense! My only negative for this read is that the "bad person" was incredibly obvious from the moment they entered the book. I predicted it from the get-go. That being said, the storyline was well thought out and the way everything weaved together from beginning to end was exceptionally done. Overall, I think this is one of my favorites in the Stillhouse Lake series and hope that Gwen carries on.

After reading the author's note, I send my prayers and love to Rachel Caine and her family. It is crazy how one can become attached to an author and their books without ever meeting them. Thank you for sharing you gift of writing with the world.

Rachel Caine was an absolute master of weaving a creepy, twisted story and making it seem almost comforting. The title of this installment in the series is perfect, as this is the most emotional of the Stillhouse Lake books. Gwen and family are GOING THROUGH IT from the beginning of this one. Normalcy is just a hypothetical for Gwen, Sam, Lanny and Connor. They expect each day to greet them with a suspicious eyebrow raise and an accusatory finger, and they get nothing less in this book. Melvin continues to haunt and taunt from the grave, another new town turns on them, and their best efforts don’t make a dent.

It’s sad to say goodbye to Rachel Caine. She was an amazing storyteller.

This author is absolutely one of my favorites. I think these books are fantastic and I usually stay up all night trying to desperately finish reading. This particular storyline broke my heart quite a bit and was a little morbid for me but I think it was well written and there was justice. There’s a certain nonchalant attitude that I had a hard time swallowing, I wish the deaths had been given more reverence but that wouldn’t have made the book, THE BOOK. It was everything I needed from it in the end. The storyline is easy to follow and i appreciated the extra POV of Kez and Sam without being overwhelmed. My heart always hurts for the agony this family went through as social media and online presences can be so absolutely cruel so I usually have to remind myself that this isn’t real life but it sure seems like it could be. I can always picture these Reddit trolls! Another home run for this series.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

Rachel Caine is a wonderful writer of fiction. Her novels always draw you in and keep you guessing. She writes wonderful suspense and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

I received this book through "NetGalley" Read Now program.

This story has you guessing right from the beginning. It is introduced by a woman driving who winds up driving her car into a pond and drowning he two babies who are in the back seat. Kezia is called to the scene and eventually draws Gwen there as well. As the story progresses, it intersects with Gwen's marriage to a serial killer. This event as it is being investigated brings danger to Gwen's family from an unknown party. As the investigation continues, both Gwen and her common-law husband Sam, meet the culprit who is overall responsible.

Ultimately Gwen is given an ultimatum that has her leave Sam in charge of her family and also brings Kezia along on the trip.

To determine what ultimatum Gwen received and who the main culprit was and why the trip had to be made, then you must read this book. You won't believe the ending!

3 for neutral. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize this was a series prior to requesting and when trying to start, it was just too obvious I needed to read prior books. Will update when I read all.

4 stars.

Every time I dive into the new installment of the Stillhouse Lake series, I know exactly what I am going to get.
Gwen performs her usual badass-ery and her family faces some kind of threat.
This book opens on a grim scene that will make your stomach turn, The case has landed on Kezia to investigate, with Gwen dipping her toe into the avenues that are in the grey area of legality to keep the case moving forward.
What Kezia & Gwen don't realise is that they are chasing a very bad person with some warped ideas about justice.
There was lots to love about this book , I always enjoy more of Gwen and her family, but I did have a few issues. For once, I would love to see a book in this series that didn't involve the fear and consequences that arise from being the former wife of a serial killer. I know that this is a major contributor to why Gwen and her family are the way they are. I get that. But I would like a book (or two) where that gets put on the back burner and is not an integral plot device in every story.
Basically, if you enjoyed the other books in this series, you will enjoy this one to. Books 1 & 2 are in another stratosphere, but the rest of the series is still a worthy use of your time.

A true fan of Rachel Caine's Gwen Proctor series - this one again does not disappoint. It is helpful to read the series from the beginning, I think it would be odd just picking it up here. There is a lot of history needed - although there are attempts to fill it in. Gwen, her kids and Sam continue to battle to past in order to move forward. I have recommended this series to many.

I received an ARC copy of #HeartbreakBay from #NetGalley.

I have greatly enjoyed the previous books in the Stillhouse Lake series, and this one was every bit as good as those. This family never seems to get a break and it seems as though they will never escape the shadow of Melvin Royal. This time, a man sees fit to test Gwen to see if she was really guilty of helping her ex-husband with his horrific crimes. She eventually leavs her family and finds her way to his deranged torture chamber/maze with Kezia, who just found out she is pregnant, by her side.

It was a very suspensful story with a lot of twists and turns. I read almost all of it in one sitting because I could not put it down. This novel is also bittersweet as Ms. Caine announced in her author's note that she is battling an aggresive form of cancer and expects that this is be her last book.

4 chilling stars

I started this series about 3 years ago and I have eagerly read each one and grown to love Gwen and her two children and now Sam. This one is #5 in the series. Filled with murder, danger, mysterious events and the trademark Rachel Caine easy-to-read and get engrossed in writing style.

Now a private investigator, Gwen has put her difficult past behind her and is building a great life with her two children and Sam. They have some typical teenage difficulties, and then before you know it, danger lurks again!

Gwen’s good friend Kezia is a police officer who has a difficult case that she just can’t let go of because of the horrific nature. Kezia calls in Gwen to help and soon the women are being targeted by a stalker who seems to know all about them and those they hold dear.

I did like that the women take charge in this one, it’s great when that happens instead of waiting for men or needing them to swoop in and get things done. I rooted for them to survive as the showdown with a killer packs a powerhouse punch.

Don’t miss the author’s note in this one. My thoughts go out to Rachel Caine in her health battles and I hope this is not the end for Gwen and this series. I do recommend starting with #1 in the series.

Heartbreak Bay is the 5th installment of the Stillhouse Lake series. I have read them all and have enjoyed each one of them. This one is not a disappointment. Gwen finds herself helping her police officer friend Kez investigate the death of two children found in a submerged car. The mother is missing. As they investigate the mother and those around her, Gwen’s family finds themselves back in the spotlight. Gwen’s ex-husband was a serial killer and there are those that think Gwen helped him murder young women. As the case continues, we learn that someone close may be responsible for a lot more than originally thought. There is some great cat and mouse situations that bring everything to light. I hope the author is able to continue this series. Godspeed Rachel Caine.

I was so happy to see this book on Netgalley. I have not read all of the books in the Stillhouse Lake series, but I did not have any trouble following along. It is a fast paced thriller will pull at your heartstrings and keep you turning the pages.

Thank you Rachel Caine, Thomas and Mercer, and Netgalley for this ARC.

We are praying for you Rachel.

I've read several books by Rachael Caine and have enjoyed them all. Her books are easy to follow and very fast paced. Many times I had to stop reading and didn't want to. I highly recommend this book and anything else that she's written.