I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed reading it the plot was interesting and the characters made me want to know more about them. I highly recommend.

Synopsis: Another strong outing for the Joanne Kilbourn series by Gail Bowen. In this installment summer is coming to an end and Joanne and Zack are looking forward to a new grandchild being born. The six-part series, Sisters and Strangers, about Joanne and her sister's early life that was filmed during the last book, The Unlocking Season, is about to air on tv and Joanne steps into the fray of provincial politics again by becoming interested in a female candidate that has a solid chance of becoming the next premier.

My thoughts: The book was quite slow paced and not a lot of tension/mystery at the heart of it but I still found it a very engaging read as I just enjoy hanging out and spending time with these characters. Well worth your time.

It's the second book I read in this series and found it engrossing and entertaining.
It's a sort of family story with some mystery, it kept me guessing and hooked till the end.
The character development is excellent and I liked the plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Joanne Kilbourn-Shreve and her husband Zack are enjoying the summer and awaiting the imminent birth of a new grandson. Sisters and Strangers, the six-part TV series Joanne co-wrote that focuses on her early life and that of late artist Sally Love, is the flagship of MediaNation's fall programming. Their adopted daughter Taylor is romantically involved with the show's lead Vale Frazier but a bombshell video will threaten their relationship. Meanwhile, Joanne is also interested in the political campaign of Alison Janvier, a gifted politician with a solid chance of becoming Saskatchewan’s next premier.

But the team at MediaNation is on shaky ground. Longtime producer Rosemary Morrissey has a nervous breakdown, resigns and disappears. Another producer, Ellen Exton, is also terminated after some nasty videos surface. In desperation, the MediaNation head brings back Jill Oziowy, Joanne's ex-best friend to lead the fall programming launch. But Joanne and her family are not ready to welcome Jill back into their fold after learning about her long-time affair with Joanne's first husband Ian Kilbourn. And some of MediaNation's journalism interns are involved in a cliquey plot to publicize Alison Janvier's teenaged rape-pregnancy so that her campaign is derailed.

I have enjoyed the long-running Joanne Kilbourn series but this book did not work for me. The storyline was very slow-paced without much tension or drama to engage the reader. The underwhelming truth about the 2 missing women is revealed about 90% into the book and is not satisfying at all.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and ECW Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

This is best read by those who have at least some familiarity with Joanne Kilbourn. I do not and I felt quite lost among the weeds of her family, Media Nation, and so on. There's a good cozy mystery in there for those who know the characters but I gave up. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm sure her fans will be pleased.

Gail Bowen is something of a publishing phenomenon as, by my count, this is the 25th book featuring Joanne Kilbourn (Shreve) and the goings on around MediaNation and the town and district of Regina in Saskatchewan, that she has produced since 1990. Joanne is billed as a solver of mysteries and there certainly are some mysteries in this book, but they are, in some ways, peripheral to the continuation of the family saga in which it is interpolated. The whole thing reads rather like a soap opera, with a huge number of characters who will be familiar to readers of the series and a few new people who carry the mystery section. The difficulty (for a new reader) of juggling all of these, is off-set by the provision of a cast list with brief descriptions.
At the broadcasting network, the big new Fall program will be Sisters and Strangers, based on the life of, and partly written by, Joanne. This runs essentially as a separate plot line, but interacts because, in a short period of time, two women involved on the administrative and production side are dismissed on what seem spurious grounds and then disappear. There is at least a suspicion that the four young interns (three lads and a charismatic, but deeply troubled, girl) had a part to play in the dismissals. Why were they dismissed, why did it happen, where are they now? In a conventional mystery story Jo would set out to answer these questions. Here the solutions come out almost coincidentally.
I can see that dedicated fans will love this book as it adds to the saga, but I read mysteries to solve mysteries so I struggled to get through this. In fact I gave up twice. The solutions are consistent with the tale but barely surprising, and then vanish back into the melange of Joanne’s world.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Unfortunately, this didn’t really click with me! I found I had some issues with the pacing of this novel and I wasn’t really invested in the narrative or any of the characters. I still think it was enjoyable and easy to read, but it did leave me wanting. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Joanne Shreve and her husband Zack are enjoying the last days of summer, determined to spend more time together and less time at work. But strange things are happening at MediaNation. They are about to air the line-up of fall programs which includes Sisters and Strangers, a six-part series co-written by Joanne about her early life. Then people start to disappear. Joanne and Zack are drawn into the search for answers.

As the situation worsens at MediaNation, Joanne’s family is confronted by the return of a woman who betrayed them all. Joanne and Zack’s daughter becomes the target of someone close to the network. And information comes to light about a group of four young people who are prepared to break the law in their quest to get to the top.

An Image in the Lake is classic Gail Bowen. Plenty of colourful and familiar faces show up, and we catch up with Joanne’s children and grandchildren. The meandering twists and turns that make Bowen one of Canada’s best mystery writers lead us on a slow but dark and entertaining path to the truth. Joanne (Kilbourne) Shreve is one of my favourite fictional characters. There is a calmness and a self-assuredness about her that is immensely appealing. She’s a wonderful example of a woman in her fifties who lives life to the fullest. Her life is never perfect but it’s always compelling.

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.

Excellant summer read, there is lies, and feeling that have taken a toll on others that become hard to looks away?

Bravo Gail Bowen, An Image in the lake keeps the reader on the edge and guessing the whole way through the novel. I have been fortunate to have read the entire series of the Joanne Kilborne Shreve books and her latest book does not disappoint. Her books are about family and friends and a little bit of mystery on the side and dark at times. I can imagine the art her daughter Taylor paints in my mind and the characters in her books are explored in great depth and I can’t wait to read her next book.📚👏

This was a good quick read!
Thank you NetGalley and ECW Press for this advance ebook copy!

This was a fast-paced book with well driven characters! I found the story to be a bit intriguing and honestly it held my attention!. I really enjoyed the story that was being told!
Looking for a good quick read with good writing read this!

Another first rate mystery from one of Canada’s finest!
This is a great series that I encourage you to read from the start.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

This is the first book in this series that Left me unsatisfied. It was an easy read but I expected more. There was some suspense and emotion but with no intensity to create the adrenaline rush that makes the book a great read. Joanne Kilbourn felt more like a supporting character, not the main character that the series is named for. Others may enjoy it but it wasn’t my taste.