Detective Jess Lambert is looking into a murder but she is also grieving the death of her daughter years before. She has a drinking problem and doesn't want her coworkers to find out and think she is crazy as well. There is twists included.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to the publisher Thomas & Mercer.

🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
These Still Black Waters is the first book in a new series, with Detective Jess Lambert as the main character. She is incredible in this haunting new thriller by Christina McDonald!

Two women, Jess and Neve, trying to hide their own horrible personal events, guide us through this twisted and suspenseful story. A third narrator, the unidentified killer. This always adds a unique twist and intensity to a story! The Killer is one of my favorite narrators! I love being in their mind and seeing everything through their eyes.

Black Lake is described in detail. A dark, eerie place with few appealing qualities. And when I guessed one of the twists, the story took on a new essence. More of a tragic mystery than a thriller, but it is terrific!

Sincere thanks to Thomas & Mercer for this complimentary ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

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Wow is an understatement of good good this book is!!!!!!!!!!!! Could not put it down!!!!!!! Great book!!!!!!

I knew the twist and I was STILL bawling my eyes out at the end! I thought it was a thriller but what I got was so much more than that. OH MY GOODNESS. I can't wait for more of this series. This was fantastic.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Netgalley and Christina McDonald for an early copy.

After a traumatic home invasion, Neve returns with her daughter to her childhood summer home. Black Lake is supposed to be their fresh start. However, when a body appears in the lake behind their home, Neve begins to panic. Detective Jess Lambert is the head investigator of the case and can tell that Neve has secrets she has been keeping, so when a second body appears both are forced to confront their pasts.

I really enjoyed this book, and I really hope that this is just the start for Det. Jess Lambert. I found her character to be fascinating.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me.

Following a violent home invasion, Neve Maguire, accompanied by her daughter, seeks solace by returning to Black Lake, her childhood summer retreat, in the pursuit of a fresh start. However, her hopes are dashed when the lifeless body of a woman emerges, drifting amidst the reeds in the lake just behind her house. A dreadful sense of regret gnaws at Neve, prompting her to question the wisdom of her decision.

Neve guards her own hidden truths, and Detective Jess Lambert senses this all too well. Having returned to her duties after a deeply personal tragedy, Jess understands the weight of concealed secrets. She's convinced that Neve bears her own share of burdens.

As another woman's lifeless form surfaces, Jess and Neve find themselves compelled to confront a chilling reality. One thing remains unmistakable: the darkness of the past is lurking, and the secrets of Black Lake have only just begun to emerge.

The storyline, at its core, feels reminiscent of numerous other thriller and mystery narratives, and one might generously describe it as somewhat thin. The crux of the plot remains elusive until the unveiling of a significant twist, which transpires when the narrative is nearly 80% complete. The initial passages frequently shift back and forth through time, delving into Neve's history, interspersed with occasional italicized commentary from an unidentified killer, designed to keep readers guessing. While there were fluctuations in my. thoughts of the killer's identity, the eventual revelation failed to evoke a sense of astonishment.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

These Still Black Waters is out NOW and is the perfect book to kick off spooky season! This one is Book 1 in the new Jess Lambert series. The story is told in multiple POV's, which keeps things VERY interesting. Hearing from the killer's POV definitely gave me chills. I was hooked pretty early on and couldn't put this one down. It was super suspenseful and twisty!

Her marriage in shambles, Neve takes her daughter Ashley and runs to her childhood home. The property management representative never shows up with the keys...because she's been murdered in the lake behind Neve's childhood home, Dullanhan house. Neve needs to figure out who killed Bailey, because the same person is after her.

Oooh, this book was so twisty and turny and I just LOVED the main twist. I'm a sucker for paranormal books, and paranormal thrillers are one of my favorite subgenres. I love when the supernatural ends up actualy *being* supernatural. It is common for people to see their dead loved ones, so it's easy to dismiss Jess seeing her daughter Isla everywhere, but noooooo there are actual ghosts in this book!
The book was pretty well done, though there were some scenes that just felt...a little flat, and the killer could have been woven into the story a little more and a little bit more seamlessly, because it was pretty obvious from about 50% on whodunit. But overall, I loved this book and couldn't put it down.

I love that the end is leading us directly into the next book, and I'm hoping that the supernatural twist keeps going!

Christina McDonald is one of my favorite mystery/thriller writers. Her books always hold my attention to the very end. This one was possibly my favorite. It has some things that I would not have thought would be in it. Things that made it an outstanding story.

The story of two women. As different as night and day in many ways and a lot alike in others. One is coping with the loss of her daughter. Blaming herself. Beating herself up at every turn. While she is a functioning alcoholic who is also a detective, she's a desperate mother who is living the worst kind of pain. Jess is a cop. The other is running away from her life. Her and her daughter. Neve took her fifteen year old daughter away after a horrific home invasion. She needed time to think. To figure out what was going on. Why she did some of the things she did. Her daughter Ash wants nothing more than to go home. Go back to her dad and her life.

This book is filled with ghosts. With lots of what ifs and who did its. It's a bit different from the author's usual books but it's so good. It's filled in parts with a lot of darkness to keep you guessing. (I guessed two major things. It didn't spoil it at all.) You get to know these two women intimately. Their ups and downs. Their loves and losses. Their good and bad. You'll find out exactly what happened to Jess that makes her so destructive. You'll also find out what happened with Neve and why. Why she blames herself for so much. She will do anything for her daughter. She would give up everything for her. She's a mother who loves her child more than life itself. As is Jess.

There is a few things going on in this story. A couple of murders. Trying to figure out who the murderer is and why. Getting to know Neve, Bee and Sandra. Three childhood friends. One is pretty much evil. One is just lovely to everyone. The other is hiding a secret. Actually two of them hid secrets but this is about one of them. It goes back and forth between before and after. Between when the girls were teens and after the horrific murder. This book is an edge of your seat thriller and a gut-wrenching heartbreaker. A story of love, loss, murder, intrigue, friendship, and much more.

I can't wait for the next book to see what happens with Jess and possibly Isla. Isla is Jess's deceased daughter. While I don't believe in ghosts this gave me a bit of hope that if they do exist maybe they are here to help. This was a fun read. A wonderful read. The next to last chapter made me weep though. It's never easy saying goodbye....

Thank you #NetGalley, #ChristinaMcDonald, #ThomasMercer for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and a very high recommendation. It's good.

A new Christina McDonald book? Yes, please. A first in a series? Absolutely! I love Christina's past books and this was no exception. This was a great thriller with paranormal aspects. I cannot wait for the second book!

This book seems like a great start to a series! Or at least a great 1st book in a 2-part series. I have been a fan of Christina since The Night Olivia Fell and have since read all of her books. This story opens with Neve trying to move froward after a traumatic event. She takes her teenage daughter, Ash to Black Waters to stay in her mother's old Victorian house where Neve spent Summers as a child. Something bad happened there and that event rears its head once again and women are being murdered. Enter detective Jess Lambert. Jess is trying to move froward from her own traumatic events. A barely functioning alcoholic, Jess is being given one last chance with this case. Along the way, we hear from Neve, Jess and the killer. I really loved the character of Jess and could not turn the pages quick enough. Cannot wait for the next book!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Christina McDonald and Tomas & mercer for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Christina McDonald has done it again with her latest novel, "These Still Black Waters" which follows Neve, a mother recently separated from her husband who has returned to her family's summer residence only to discover her old friend, Bee, has been brutally murdered. Neve, who is recovering from recent trauma herself, struggles to piece together who the killer is and whether or not they are after her (and her daughter). Meanwhile, the detective on the case, Jess, is struggling personally with the guilt of a car accident that she caused that claimed the life of her 8 year old daughter. McDonald weaves these story lines and the lives of the characters together in a spectacular manner. Overall, this novel was addictive!

4.5 stars

These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald is a dark psychological thriller, beautifully written and packed with suspense and emotion.
The two protagonists are women damaged by recent traumatic events and the story is told in their first person voices. Neve, a veterinarian, and her teen daughter Ash, have retreated to her family’s summer home at Black Lake to recover from a frightening event at their home near Boston. Shortly after their arrival at Black Lake, Bea, Neve’s old summer friend, is discovered dead in the lake. Local detective Jess is the lead investigator. She is suffering from PTSD and lasting leg injuries, as she recently experienced a terrible auto accident in which her young daughter was killed. Her guilt and grief hallucinations have her turning to binge drinking to dull her emotional pain.
I really liked the first person narrative by these women, as it is a look into their souls and minds in the most personal way. They are intelligent, successful women but have been brought to their knees by their post-traumatic stress and guilt about their perceived failures as mothers to protect their children.
The mysterious killer’s point of view is represented by occasional chapters whose main message was: “Choices have consequences….they chose wrong.” I was surprised when the killer’s identity was revealed.
The prose is beautiful and paints evocative pictures of the settings as well as the characters, both in the present and in their past. The plot is mind-bending, as the lines are blurred between reality and hallucinations and/or dreams. Suspense builds rapidly and the final plot twist was surprising.
This is the first novel by Catherine McDonald that I have read, but it will not be the last, especially if there is another entry featuring Detective Jess Lambert.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC. This my honest review.

I have read Christina McDonald’s earlier works and enjoyed them so I knew I had to read this one. Overall I was pleased with it and thought it was a pretty good thriller. It took me a little bit to get into the story because I didn’t really care for either of the two main characters/narrators. Jess is a cop struggling with trauma and drinking on the job, going rogue, and hiding things from her partner. Neve has brought her daughter back to her childhood summer home since she and her husband are doing a trial separation. Neve and her daughter Ash aren’t there long before a dead woman is found in the lake and Neve is disturbed to realize it is a girls she was friends with as a child. Neve and Jess are both desperate to find out what happened to Bailey. The strong was well written and while I did figure out where the twists were leading it was a fun thriller with a good reveal at the end.

These Silent Black Waters is told from multiple perspectives in multiple timelines. But it made sense. Neve is a young mom who has suffered a terrible home invasion with her family. She is suffering from PTSD. She returns home to her mothers house while her mother is in a home suffering with dementia. This is supposed to be her and her daughter's fresh start. Jess, a local policewoman who has been dealing with her own tragedies, she is an alcoholic and has lost her daughter. Both women are facing the consequences of their actions! We even hear from the killer's prospective, which I love! It adds an extra touch to the book! Soon after Neve returns home, the body of a young woman is found. As they catapult into the investigation, it brings up the past. Loved this book! If you are looking for a twisty fast paced thriller, grab this book!
Wow! I was taken by complete surprise reading this book.

There were elements that I was not aware of and don't typically read. The book was captivating from start to finish! I loved that both Neve and Jess were so realistic and had both good and bad qualities. Their character development from start to finish was a welcome transformation. I can't wait to read more Jess Lambert books!

Thank you to @christinamac79, @thomasmerceruk, @netgalley and @thrillerbookloverspromotions for the chance to read this book. My opinions are my own.

This is a story of revenge and a story of ghosts. A poor decision has haunted Neve since the summer she was 17. And now someone is extracting vengeance based on that poor decision.

I figured out the premise about halfway into the book and that ruined some of the suspense for me. I am a big fan of Christina McDonald but this one was not her best.

This was my first book by Christina McDonald and it was disappointing. It took me a week to get through a 320-page book which usually takes me two to three days, so this one was much too easy for me to put down. Detective Jess Lambert is back at work after the tragic accident that killed her young daughter and left her severely injured. The body of a woman is found floating in Black Lake, just behind the childhood summer home of Neve Maguire. Neve has just arrived with her daughter after a violent home invasion. I can’t really go into detail about what bothered me about this book without including major spoilers, so I’ll just say that the story was way too far-fetched for me. I don’t recommend this one. Thanks to #netgalley and #thomas&mercer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Neve Maguire and her daughter, Ash, make a hasty retreat to her childhood summer home after a violent home invasion. The morning after their arrival, their neighbor’s house is swarming with police after a body is found in the lake. This sets off a series of events that are questionable. Things just not what they seem. Jess Lambert is the Detective in charge of this case. She is dealing with her own pain and uses alcohol to deaden the pain. This really makes to reader question everything!

Part thriller, part paranormal mystery. This book is not at all what I expected, but so much more. Love this author for her storyline twists and this one did not disappoint. Story told in 3 voices (Neve, Jess and the killer) which adds to the suspense. A little slow moving in some parts but the last 25% takes off. I love when I can pick up a book and it’s over before I know it. First in a series and I’m already looking forward to Book 2 and more of Jess’ story. This books gives you a lot to think about. Two women with secrets, guilt and nothing but love for their children. While I enjoyed Neve’s story, Jess was so easy to connect with. The ending was emotional.

If the author's name didn’t already sell me on the book, the eerily beautiful cover would. I’m a sucker for a great cover and this one isn’t disappoint. The beauty that is seen on the outside isn’t the same as the pain hiding underneath.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

If you tell yourself a lie for long enough, it becomes polished with the sheen of truth.


Don't you just love it when you pick a random book and it totally compels you?
Compelled. This is exactly how I felt when I read the first couple of chapters of These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald.

After a series of life events, Neve Maguire moves back to the place where she spent her summer days as a young teen. Although many years have passed, there still are some things that Black Lake
keeps as a secret, buried deep inside.

It's sure that "if you tell yourself a lie for long enough, it becomes polished with the sheen of truth." But no secret stays hidden forever, and no matter how many times we repeat something to make it sound true, there is always the possibility that the actual truth will float to the surface and break the silence once and for all.

Detective Jess Lambert has one job: to find out the truth. No matter what, no matter how the case must be solved. She also has some struggles of her own, but that doesn't matter when she feels she's on the right track to reveal something that will permanently change the big picture.

Both women get intertwined with each other, and each piece of the puzzle slowly finds its way.

I love how the author pleats a tapestry of behaviors, life situations, tragedies, endings, and beginnings. The writing flows easily, and the pages turn on their own. There is no urge in you to rush just finish the book, but to go through it and absorb all the feelings the characters experience. It was such a good story, and although I don't prefer series at all, I will definitely stick with this one just to see how it will progress.

Many thanks to the publisher, who provided the digital ARC via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! Not only is Christina just a genuinely nice and caring person, but an amazingly talented author as well! I was captivated by this book from the beginning, and loved seeing view points from multiple characters (those kinds of books are my favorite to read). This book was eerie, thrilling, and yet a little sad all around when you read about what characters have been through and what happened to others. But I guarantee that you'll never have a dull moment with this read and it will keep you guessing, with such a big twist at the end that even a thriller lover like me never saw coming! I truly hope everyone picks this book up and gives it as much of a raving review as I did because this book deserves it!