Soul crushing and emotional. A great redemtion aech. I probably would've liked it better if I didn't find the twist out so early on but it was still raw and compelling and emotional and glued me to my kindle.

Neve visits her families vacation house with her daughter and things don’t start off well when the property manager does not show up on time with the keys. Neve finds out the next day that the property manager is found dead. Detective Jess Lambert enters the story to solve the crime but she has her own issues from the past that won’t leave her alone. The story as a supernatural element as Jess keeps seeing her daughter, who we quickly find out is dead.
I loved the story and the never ending surprises. I read this series out of order and didn’t have any spoilers so it can be read as a series or as a standalone.

I highly enjoy books by this author and this novel was no exception. An enjoyable read that will have you hooked until the end.

AMAZING.

i love every single book this author puts out. she is one of the few authors who keep me going the whole time i'm reading.
most of her books i can read in one setting and this one was no different.

just when i thought i knew what was going to happen, it definitely did not happen LOLOL something else spectacular did.

I loved this one as I have all the books I have read so far by Christina McDonald! I like that she always puts a twist to what she is writing and it is revealed at just the right time in the book to really bring the storyline full circle! I loved the characters and this one had two strong female leads. Told alternating POV's from Neve and Jess with a few chapters from the "killer" and the chapters weren't too long which I always hope for so I can pick up and leave off easily.
What do you do when your marriage is falling a part, you don't know what direction you are steering your life to, and then a home invasion happens that shatters everything around you and now you have pieces to pick up.... you go to the one place that seems right... back to your childhood. Neve retreats with her daughter Ash back to where she spent summers with her family in Black Lake. She just needs some time to process and cope with all that has happened and try to keep Ash safe at the same time. Not even twenty four hours after arriving in Black Lake a body is found in the water behind her family home that belongs to her neighbor Bailey or as she knew her Bee her summer childhood friend. Detective Jess Lambert shows up to the scene and when she talks to Neve she feels like she knows more than she is telling. This leads Detective Lambert to be suspicious and start investigating every lead even Neve who said she hadn't arrived until the night before. Things aren't adding up so it's up to Detective Lambert to find out what Neve is hiding.
Detective Jess Lambert also has some of her own ghosts to confront and deal with while being involved in this case which gives her a very new direction to being a detective. This is a twisty thrill ride but I also loved the paranormal take that was incorporated in. I didn't expect to love it this much, but I liked how much you could delve into this book and immerse yourself into this story of two women in the middle of murder both trying to also fight their own demons while being strong to help and protect the ones they love the best they can. The end as the story was unraveling was my favorite part when Neve was really talking about life and death and that void in between when you have questions, and are trying to understand where you fit into everything that is happening. I liked the uniqueness while also still being a type of mystery I'm here for!! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted copy to read and review with my own opinions.

I'm a huge fan of Christina McDonald's work, so I devoured this one as soon as I got it! This is different than her other books but no less page-turning — the suspense and twists were incredible!

Not at all what i expected. Such amazing twists and turns. Such tormented characters with hearts that are still good.

This was an enjoyable thriller- it lost me a bit when it became a paranormal thriller but it was still good.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read all of Christina McDonald’s books, and 'These Still Black Waters' stands out from her previous works. It incorporates elements of suspense, grief, trauma, and the resurgence of the past. It's one of the most thrilling page-turners I have read this year. The atmospheric setting adds tension to the story, and the clues and hints are layered well, giving the story believability. The reveal is unexpected, unique, and exciting, bringing the story together seamlessly. Christina McDonald always knows her characters well, giving them intriguing and complex conflicts and creating compelling characters through their actions and motivations. While I'm not usually a fan of the damaged, self-harming detective trope, Christina McDonald executed it well, especially by giving the character a physical disability.

This book is an excellent mystery thriller which will grip you. Excellently paced and twisty, books of this genre are rarely any better than this. If you’re looking for a light summer read that will keep you on your toes, this one is worth considering.

Neve Maguire is a woman on the run following a violent home invasion. Detective Jess Lambert is a troubled cop fighting her own demons, as well as those currently haunting Black Lake.

I really enjoyed this book, from the setting, to the characters, to the supernatural elements as well. It was a fast and fun read that kept me on my toes, guessing what would happen next. Detective Jess Lambert is a fascinating character and I can't wait to see what's next in the series.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Neve Maguire has a secret. When she flees to her mom's summer home on Black Lake with her teen daughter, Ash, after their home was invaded, she is flooded with memories of past summers and friendships. Then, a body is discovered behind the house, and Neve is concerned that she and Ash are in danger, as the dead woman is someone that Neve was friends with years ago, and who also held the secret.
Detective Jess Lambert is wallowing in guilt after a car crash that caused her injury and the death of her daughter, Isla. Jess sees Isla talking to her from the grave and helping Jess to solve the case.
I am not a fan of the alcoholism and the ghosts depicted, but it was still a very good mystery.

I am not normally a fan of books with a paranormal presence, but this book won me over. Not totally surprising since I have liked a few of the author's previous books.

The two main characters, Neve and Jess, were intriguing and I wanted to know as much as I could about them. And luckily this is the start of Jess's journey. The story is atmospheric and almost gives off a light horror vibe.

My mind knew there was more to this one but couldn't quite figure out what it could be. Was Neve or Jess unreliable? Or maybe they were just holding out on some details. I wanted to see if I could figure it out or if I couldn't I wanted to know what it was. And it was a slow build but wow, that twist was worth it.

Seriously if you like atmospheric mysteries with a slight paranormal presence with great characters, pick this one up. Don't read a lot about it. Just believe me that the end is worth any questions you have.

I really enjoyed this one and will definitely read the next installment coming out soon. I either missed a key element of this story in the blurb or it was not mentioned, but I was pleasantly suprised the way it went. I did find this to be wordy at times, which slowed down reading.

I am thrilled this book has gotten so much attention - but this is one of those that fell flat for me. This book has some paranormal elements which I wasn't expecting. I loved Jess had issues - a real person with real issues. Some of the plot was a stretch for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eARC.

"These Still Black Waters" by Christina McDonald is a riveting addition to the Jess Lambert series that delves into the murky depths of the human psyche and the shadows that linger in the past.

Set against the backdrop of Black Lake, a place that holds numerous secrets, the novel follows Neve Maguire, who, after a traumatic home invasion, seeks refuge in her childhood summer home with her daughter.

However, the discovery of a body floating in the lake sets off a chain of events that forces Neve to confront the ghosts she's been trying to outrun.

Enter Detective Jess Lambert, a character whose own personal tragedy has left her with a keen understanding of loss and the hidden torments that drive people to desperate acts. As Jess digs deeper into the case, she finds herself entangled in a web of deceit that threatens to consume her.

McDonald masterfully weaves a tale of suspense with a touch of the supernatural, as some characters grapple with visions that blur the line between the living and the dead. The narrative is gripping, with a pace that builds tension and compels the reader to turn page after page in search of answers.

The strength of McDonald's writing lies in her ability to create complex characters that are both flawed and relatable. Neve and Jess are portraits of resilience, each battling their demons while trying to make sense of the chaos that life has thrown at them. The supporting cast is equally compelling, with each character adding layers to the unfolding mystery.

The novel's atmosphere is one of its standout features, with McDonald's descriptive prose painting a picture of a place where beauty and danger coexist. Black Lake is almost a character in itself, its still waters a mirror reflecting the turmoil of those who live alongside it.

"These Still Black Waters" is a testament to Christina McDonald's skill as a storyteller.

This book had me gripping the edge of my seat and kept me engaged from beginning to end! I loved both Neve and Jess. The characters were relatable & I am excited for the next book in the series!

This was okay - I have family that works in law enforcement so I didn't like the theme of all cops being bad. I also found the main character Neve to be very uppity and having a superiority complex for no good reason. Overall it wasn't my fav, and I probably wouldn't recommend.

Is anyone else tired of reading about crappy cops? Enough with the stories about the alcoholic cops who are still on the job instead of working on the alcohol addiction and are allowed to make a mess of every investigation. We have so much trouble with cops causing real trauma in communities, please let's stop glorifying bad cops with these books.

Meanwhile, the other MC, Neve, is hard to like with her holier-than-thou attitude. This was unfortunate because two unlikeable MCs detracted from a decent plot. I didn't figure it all out and I appreciated that.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I honestly felt like it was so trope heavy. It really just felt like it was a mashup of every single police procedural/thriller ever. It wasn’t bad but it just didn’t feel original at all.