A keeper for the shelf. A wonderful story that I look forward to rereading and recommending to family and friends. Looking forward reading more from this author.

I enjoy this author. I think this is a nice gothic thriller that is multi-layered. The cover and title drew me in and the story kept me reading.

Not my usual genre but I enjoy Jaime’s books and this was a great story set in the north woods of Wisconsin. This is a creepy dual time lined story with suspense that takes place now and the 1930’s.

I also listened to the audio and feel like the narrator did a great job!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 5 April 2022.

A chilling read that binds the past and present day, in a dual-timeline novel of two women, filled with intrigue, secrets, and hope.

When a young girl goes missing in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, it dredges up more than a ghost story.

A captivating tale full of mystery and suspense as Wren searching for answers concerning her connection to the missing girl, and Ava Coons the woman alleged to have murdered her whole family with an ax.

A gripping tale that kept me hanging on until the very end. Ava and Wren are both two lonely women separated by time, but I like how they both had true friends who stood by them despite the craziness around them. There were also excellent themes of faith, forgiveness, and overcoming the past.

Overall, a well done read, engaging, with a masterfully entwined dual time -line. I loved Wren's strong friendships with Eddie and his mom, and how they were always there for her when she was growing up. Plenty of twists that kept me guessing, and afraid of accidently revealing any of them in this review! Great for fans of suspense and family secrets!


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Souls of Lost Lake was my first Jamie Jo Wright book and I can see why! It was wonderfully and vividly written and kept me on my toes as we went through Ava and Wren’s journeys. If you love clean mystery and suspense, you’ll love The Souls of Lost Lake!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions in this review are my own.

Jamie Jo Wright is known for writing Christian fiction with a significant creep factor. The Souls of Lost Lake has amped up the creep factor and is darker and gorier than Wright’s previous works. This fact will make TSOLL more appealing to some, and will deter others. I enjoyed the way that the story compelled me to keep reading in order to discover what would happen next, especially in Ava’s timeline. Wren’s story was less interesting to me, because I found Wren difficult to like. The romance aspect of Ava’s storyline detracted from the flow of the story for me. It just felt disjointed and a little weird to go from an intense, emotional scene where Ava remembers important, disturbing pieces of her history to a description of Ava’s unintentionally open buttons leaving no doubt that she’s no longer a girl, but a woman. The Souls of Lost Lake definitely ends with a bang, so the payoff is there if you aren’t bothered by the darkness of the first ¾ of the story. Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Both haunting and heartfelt, The Souls of Last Lake is a must-read. The story is split between two timelines, one present-day and one set in the 1930s. The narrative for the present-day timeline is through Wren Blythe, who switches her focus from working with youth ministry to search-and-rescue when a little girl goes missing near the youth camp. When Wren joins the search, she signs up for more than she bargained for—and the secrets she unearths may cost her more than she can pay. The narrative for the past day timeline is through Ava Coons, who was accused of murdering her family when she was only thirteen years old. When more people are found murdered the same way as Ava’s family was, the town of Tempter’s Creek is more than willing to pin the blame on Ava. The only problem: Before they can find her to convict her for wrongs she didn’t commit, Ava disappears. Where did she go? You’ll have to read to find out!

There were several things I loved about this book.

The first was the author’s writing style. Wow, it was so engaging! The way she worded everything and described the scenes made me want to keep turning the pages. Honest confession: I started and finished this book within a few hours, which goes to show how good it was!

The second was the way the author handled the balance between spiritual truths and spookiness. Not going to lie, a few times, my eyes bugged out when reading both Wren’s and Ava’s stories because, well, they were spooky! But the author handled this book with care, and I so appreciated that. I’ve read some books that were under the genre of ‘mystery and suspense,’ but to be honest, the spooky scenes were described in such a vivid/gory way that the book should have been under the ‘horror’ genre. While not making the story too creepy, the author certainly did make my eyes bug out a few times!

Also, it takes talent to balance spiritual truths and spookiness, but the author did a fantastic job of making both relevant in the story, not one or the other. I really appreciated Ava’s faith journey in the story and how she ultimately learned that she was not only worthy of God’s love and being defended by Him, but also by someone else (*hint* it may or not be the person Ava disappeared with!)

The third was the characters. Ahh, so many good ones. My favorite I’d have to say was Eddie. His relationship with his mom, with Wren, and the grief he wrestled with after his mom died just made his character so relatable and personal. I promise not to spoil anything, but when Eddie and Wren have a certain conversation about his mom, I may or may not have teared up a little.

The only thing that kept me from giving this book a full five stars was the love triangle between Wren, Eddie, and Troy. I’m just not the biggest fan of love triangles, usually because they’re portrayed in a way I don’t appreciate. The author handled this one really well, though, so that’s why I only docked as few points as possible. (This dislike is just my personal opinion and not a reflection of poor writing, plot, character-building, etc.)

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book. I would absolutely recommend it to those who love spooky, faith-filled stories that are absolute page-turners!

I tried to read this one, but I just could not get interested in it. I usually really enjoy this author's books. I'll give her next book a try.

This was a crazy read. You will not want to miss this amazing book. Add it to your next book. Definitely well worth your time.

Jaime Jo Wright is the queen of spooky, and The Souls of Lost Lake is no exception! The dual timeline features a young woman who everyone suspects of murdering her family, yet there’s no evidence and plenty of skepticism that a child could carry out such a heinous crime. Years later Ava Coons has become a campfire story to scare the daylights out of kids! Wren grew up with the stories, but now suspects that a missing child is somehow tied to the legend. I loved both stories as told by Wright. To get the scoop on what really happened decades before, and have a modern mystery to solve, was a treat for this reader. And when I say spooky, I mean it! Especially a creepy porcelain doll that shows up in unexpected places — shiver-y goodness. The title is appropriate as people can be lost in so many ways. While throughout their lives, Wren and Ava feel disconnected from others, they find a sense of place and acceptance. Wright kept me guessing until the very end of the book. I didn’t see either ending coming!

The Souls of Lost Lake is perhaps my favorite of all of Wright’s books, and that is saying a lot. It definitely is a highly recommended read. Just make sure you keep the light on. 😉

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

To say that this book is a page-turner is an understatement! I was Immediately captivated by the 'ghost story' being told around the campfire, and I couldn't wait to learn more about the tale of Ava Coons. But wait...The Souls of Lost Lake isn't just Ava's story! It's also the story of Wren Blythe, and she and Ava are linked in a dual timeline tale that will long remain in my memory. Two women, separated by 90 years but both plagued by the same emotions: fear, uncertainty, feeling unwanted, wanting to be loved, and needing to believe that they matter. This book is a compelling story that can be gruesome at times, but there's also a beautiful spiritual thread that touches your soul.

In 2017, I read a debut novel, The House on Foster Hill, and I became a fan of author Jaime Jo Wright, but she's outdone herself with this book. It has suspense with strong Gothic vibes, twists and turns that you never see coming, a love story that is more than romance, and a faith message filled with hope, grace, and redemption. I can't say enough good things about The Souls of Lost Lake!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

LOVED this book! I had so much fun reading this slowly with my mom (who also loved it), discussing all of our thoughts on it along the way.

"The Souls of Lost Lake" is creepy in the best way, without too graphic of details. It grabbed my attention from its first pages... with the setting of a present day summer camp in rural Wisconsin, and a haunting campfire tale told of a young girl emerging from the nearby woods bordering a small town in 1930. Thin and dirty, the girl was covered in the blood of her murdered family, dragging a heavy bloodied ax behind her. While this tale of Ava Coons is mostly true, what led up to this scene and her eventual fate isn't quite as it seems.

The mysteries that surround Ava Coons are the main focus of this book, with an interesting connection to present day. I love how Jaime Jo Wright seamlessly merges stories set in dual timelines.

As I was blessed to be a part of the launch team for this book, I'm so grateful to the author and publisher for sending me digital (via NetGalley) and paperback ARC copies to enjoy and review. I also pre-ordered a copy of this book to give to my mom.

Oh my goodness! This is the perfect read for Fall! I thought that the author did a wonderful job of writing a creepy, time slip story that kept me guessing.

This book wasn’t that riveting to me. I skipped a big chunk of the middle to find out what happens but even then I didn’t love it. Didn’t feel connected to the writing or characters.

Be sure to read this one with the lights on! It’s creepy in the best sort of way, the sort that keeps you flipping pages and glancing over your shoulder.

I loved the historic thread most. I’d honestly give that one five stars...I found Ava easy to sympathize with, as it was clear that she was in terrible circumstances and that the town thought the very worst of her. How miserable must it be not to be able to remember the event and to wonder about one’s own self being capable of that! And then the town begins to have murders again...what if she’s really the guilty woman the town believes she is?

Overall, a great read and another winner from Jaime Jo.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

I read this book while at my old summer camp. It definitely added to the reading experience to read it in a similar setting. This is my third Jamie Jo Wright book and she is becoming a favorite of mine. I love how she wove the two timelines together in this one.

In the past story line 13 years old Ava Coons walked out of the woods covered in blood and dragging an ax. It's soon discovered her family are all missing and her house is burned down. She lives the next decade or so in Tempter's Creek where so many assume she killed her family. When a couple people die in town she is suspect #1. In present day Ava has become camp legend, the creepy story told around the campfire. But when a young girl goes missing in the same woods Ava is said to haunt, the legend becomes more real to Wren. Wren takes part in the search teams, but is battling her own nightmares at the same time. She comes across the old Coons cabin and finds an old doll with her own name etched in the foot.

I am someone who scares easily, so there were parts that were just the right amount of creepy for me. I loved the mystery in both timelines. I loved the camp/woods setting. I thought Eddie was such a great character and friend to Wren. The ending might have been a bit unbelievable, but when I think about it there were clues leading up to that reveal. I was hooked by the writing and pacing. This definitely won't be my last Jamie Jo Wright book.

Where to start? This was typical of all Jaime’s books that I’ve read so far. I wanted to put it down at the first chapter because I was already creeped out, but fully mesmerized so I kept reading. Her books are the ones that I have to have a free day for because I MUST keep reading until I find out how it ends. Otherwise I get zero sleep and startle at every sound.

I love how she blends history with modern day characters so you feel like whatever it is has lived through time for their story to be told. As always, the conclusion tied up all loose ends and was very satisfactory. I scare easily and this was not at all my original cup of tea but my reading taste has been developed for it since I first read her other book, the Haunting of Bonaventure Circus.

I will say this book does go to some dark places and could be a trigger for some. I was not surprised by that as I have read other books by her. But this was a different sort of darkness that made me really consider putting it down. I wanted to know the ending so I kept reading. Some of the descriptions and content matter was pretty gory and sickening. If this is your usual reading fare it may not bother you. As I’m a pretty tame reader, some of it was disturbing to me.

There were several troubling that I feel are worth mentioning that could possibly be a trigger for some. I get why they were in the story, but these are heavy things and I feel readers should be aware.
Multiple miscarriages.
Loss of a child.
Abduction.
Body decomposition.
Mental Illness. (Undiagnosed)
Poltergeist (this creeped me out)
I know several other reviewers were troubled by the way mental health was blamed for the murders. It is indeed troubling because there is a stigma around mental health. Some people are just wicked and it’s a cop out to use mental health as an excuse. So I can see why that would be troubling. Had I known this would touch on miscarriages and the loss of a child, I honestly would not have read one page. Those are sensitive topics with me. Once I had started reading it, I had to keep reading to learn the ending.

There is a beautiful theme of redemptive grace woven throughout the story. Because as one character eloquently puts it, aren’t we all a little lost? Fans of Tolkien and LOTR will enjoy the nod to his work. The romance was beautifully written and I was happy with how all of it concluded.

Three stars for the excellent writing & plot.
Negative two for the heavy content.

Beginning the book with the strange and creepy campfire story of a young girl accused of killing her family with an ax, disappearing into the woods, and possibly still roaming there........is a great opening to a dual time-period story bringing together the story of Ava Coons and Wren Blythe. The story of each girl holds a mystery about their family, disappearances into the woods, and bodies found. Just how can the author bring these two story-lines together to make an interesting book? Well that is exactly what Ms. Wright was able to do by giving us characters who bring the reader into their stories and carry us through to the sometimes startling actions and conclusions that make this book a "need to find out what happens" type of a book! Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House/Bethany Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #TheSoulsofLostLake #NetGalley.

Delightful and creepy, with a dash of romance and a heap of epic storytelling. I could not read this book fast enough. The characters are some of my absolute favorites, and I couldn't wait to see how the author would tie everything together. The depth that Ava has as she attempts to pursue the idea that truth will win regardless gave me hope as the story progressed, but there were a few nail biting moments along the way. I connected with Wren and her feeling of being lost as she dreamed and searched for Jasmine and for the end to her own questions. The atmospheric energy in the book kept up throughout and had shivers going down my back the entire time. Absolutely loved it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Wright's time slip stories just get better and better. I was riveted from the first pages. A creepy ghost story from yesteryear takes on its own life in the modern day as Wren Blythe wrestles with the abduction of Jasmine, a little girl she doesn't know. Wren lives in a small town and as rumours swirl about an old town tale of a young woman, Ava Coons. she grapples with her own identity and place within her family.

Wright brilliantly intertwines both Wren and Ava's stories as we see first hand the psychological strain on the young ladies as rumour, innuendo and family secrets continue to plague their sanity. They are excellent portrayals of two individuals who aren't given the freedom to be themselves. A wide supporting cast of worn down townsfolk, rumourmongers and gossipers plus two families grappling to cope with the loss and soon to be lost mothers adds to this story's strength and beauty.

We're constantly kept on our toes and frankly, I had no idea where it would all end up, which makes for a great thriller. Wright pulls it all together masterfully at the end.

It's a tragic tale of sorts of small town gossip and fear mongering but there it is also a beautiful story of the power of grace and love to redeem and restore hope to seemingly crushed lives.

I feel very fortunate to have received an early ebook copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this had no influence on my review.