Wow this story was twisty! I had no idea what was going to happen for 36 chapters.That’s when I slowly started to piece things together. While I did figure it out, it did not ruin the book for me at all. Instead I thought to myself “that was genius!”
There are heartbreaking parts, but they just made the story that much better! I can’t wait to see what book #2 has in store.

I have been a huge fan of McDonald since the beginning and I was super pumped to get a new story! She always brings up thought provoking issues and not only makes you think, but throws in a bunch of twists along the way.
These Still Black Waters is the first in the Jess Lambert Detective Series. It reads slightly different then her previous novels in the sense that there is much more backstory to the characters and I think that is done on purpose.
I guessed one of the major twists ahead of time, however that did not ruin the book for me. It helped to increase my interest because I was curious to see it pan out. The mystery was great and I truly didn’t see the ending.
This is told by two POVs in alternating chapters and a third whose identity is unknown. I always enjoy a morally gray character and both Jess and Neve have their flaws. I am interested in seeing what happens next for Jess. Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy!

I found this twisty and intense thriller a quick and pretty addictive read which definitely kept me guessing throughout. I think These Still Black Waters is a promising start to what I’m hoping will be a series featuring Jess Lambert, a compelling and flawed character that I’d definitely like to meet again.

4.5 rounded up to 5

This book was so good!  The story was fast-paced and had me turning pages.  I was so invested that I actually lost track of time!  It was full of mystery, suspense, and revenge!

Neve Maguire decides to move to her childhood summer home of Black Lake after a violent home invasion.  She has brought her daughter Ash with her but not her husband.  She's hoping she can make a new life.  When a body is discovered in the lake, Neve starts to rethink her decision.
Detective Jess Lambert has faced tragedy and is now back on the job, trying to keep it together and find the killer.  When the two meet secrets start to emerge.  One of the secrets is deadly, and another body turns up.  Can Jess stop the killer before it's too late? 

Told in dual timelines and multiple POVs of Neve, Jess, and the killer, this book was well written and definitely kept my attention.  Part police procedural, part psychological thriller, this dark and twisty book had it all.  This was my 1st book by this author and most definitely will not be my last.  I would highly recommend this book.

This story alternates between the past and the present, and between Neve, Jess (the detective), and the killer.

We start out with Neve and her daughter moving into their holiday home after a traumatic home invasion that pushes Neve and Eli's teetering marriage to the brink. After a neighbor is killed and Detective Jess Lambert comes to investigate, we start to see similarities in their lives. Jess would love to reunite with her husband Mac, but not before she can rid herself of her guilt and sorrow over the loss of her child.

I was enjoying this atmospheric saga of friendship, secrets, and self-introspection, but at almost 90% into the book, I was blindsided by the turn the book took. I won't give away the spoiler, but to me, it was a deux ex machina that I felt should have been in the genre listing. Still, the story was suspenseful and the writing was good so I am not deducting from my rating for that.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance reader's copy.

I went in to These Still Black Waters fairly blind and I think that helped me enjoy the story. There are some serious triggers so I would check them out if you are interested in reading this one. I have enjoyed the authors previous works so I was excited to read a series by her and I will be back for the rest of the series.

Neve has come back to her childhood summer house to start fresh with her daughter but as soon as she arrives she is mixed up in a murder investigation. Detective Jess Lambert is returning after a personal tragedy and can see something is off with Neve's story.

I did guess the big reveal but overall the story was enjoyable.

Neve Maguire and her daughter Ash have returned to Black Lake, looking for a safe haven after suffering a violent crime. Neve spent her childhood summers in Black Lake where not everything was idyllic, and Neve’s past threatens to come back to haunt her after a body is found in the lake near the house with a cryptic message carved into its tongue. Detective Jess Lambert, no stranger to tragedy herself, is sure that Neve is hiding something. While battling her own personal demons, Jess tries to unravel the secrets of the past that are behind the terrible repercussions all these years later.

Wow!! To say this book is not what I expected is an understatement! This is the kind of book that will have you saying “what did I just read?!” but in the very best way! Cleverly told from three POVs (Neve, Jess, and the killer), this story sucked me from the moment the body was found floating in the reeds and kept me guessing the entire time. What is Neve hiding? Is she an innocent victim or something much darker? Despite my best efforts to figure it out, I didn’t predict the killer and I never saw the big twist coming.

Not only is the plot taut and intense, but the writing is smart and wonderfully descriptive, and the character development is top notch. Jess is exceptionally well written, a tough detective and tortured soul, drowning her sorrows in alcohol but also determined to solve the crime. She really grew on me as the story progressed, and I’m excited to see that this is just the first Jess Lambert book and we’ll get to see her again in the future!

Also, can we just take a moment to talk about this cover? If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m a sucker for a pretty cover, and this one is gorgeous! I love the symbolism of the pretty bloom on the still surface of the water with the dark tangle of weeds lurking below – a fitting metaphor for a sinister hidden past!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Wow 😯 this book left me speechless! I went into this only knowing a little bit and I’m glad because this book was such an amazing read. I did not see any of the twists coming! I was left with my jaw dropping at the end. This book is told by multiple point of views and one being the killer. I loved the killer’s point of view as I’ve never read anything like it. The character development throughout the book was spot on. If this book is not on your radar it NEEDS TO BE!!!

This one started off pretty slowly for me but picked up a lot about half way through . It’s definitely got some unexpected twists that will surprise you . And well there may or may not be a ghost 🤷🏼‍♀️. Or perhaps the detective Jess is just a drunk and hallucinating 🤔 You gotta read to find out !

I added this book to my TBR as soon as I knew about it. I have been a fan of Christina McDonald since her first book, The Night Olivia Fell. I've since read all of her books.

These Still Black Waters is a little different because it is the first in a series, all the others have been standalones. In this book we meet Detective Jess Lambert. Jess is a grieving mother who is not in the best headspace when we meet her. She is struggling with grief and alcohol, leaving us to question if she is a reliable narrator.. However, she is determined to continue her job and help solve a local murder (or two).,

In this book we see how guilt and past actions can reek havoc on those that we care about. One young woman fled home to Black Lake after a violent attack/home invasion. When a young woman is murdered, the one clue is a friendship bracelet from the past that could tie them together.

I was intrigued by Detective Jess Lambert. She is a likeable main character who clearly struggles with alcohol. You can't help but to root for her and to want her to come out on t0p. The town of Black Lake is definitely a little eerie. Overall, I enjoyed this story. I did guess the ending kind of early on. I am looking forward to the next book in the Jess Lambert series.

These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald is a fantastic fast paced thriller that I really enjoyed.

I have loved all of this author's books since reading The Night Olivia Fell

About the Book:

After a violent home invasion, Neve Maguire returns with her daughter to Black Lake, her childhood summer home, hoping for a fresh start. But when the body of a woman is found floating among the reeds in the lake behind her house, she fears she has made a horrible mistake.

Neve is hiding secrets, though. Detective Jess Lambert can tell. Recently back after her own personal tragedy, Jess knows what it’s like to live with skeletons in your closet, and she’s sure Neve has a few of her own.

When another woman’s body is found, Jess and Neve are forced to confront a horrible truth. Because one thing is clear: the darkness of the past is waiting. And the secrets of Black Lake are only just beginning to surface.

The characters were well written, complex and fleshed out.
The mystery was filled with twists and turns.

I really liked Detective Jess and hope there are more books featuring her.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Christina McDonald for an ARC of this book!**

Being a parent can bring out the fiercest protector in you, and Neve Maguire is bound and determined to keep daughter Ash safe. A horrifying home invasion is all the impetus she needs to venture to Black Lake, a place she summered as a girl...even with some long-buried secrets causing fear and alarm to surface in her heart. However, the duo isn't there long before Black Lake no longer seems so safe: a body surfaces in the water behind Dullahan House. Neve begins to panic, and wonder if her past is quite literally coming to the surface.

Jess Lambert has been assigned to the case, and she's feeling desperate to prove her mettle. After a tragic car accident left her using a cane and also took her daughter Isla's life, she leans heavily on liquor to get through the day. When she interviews Neve, however, her instincts tell her that nothing is quite as it seems...and that she is working this case for a REASON. But can Jess discover the truth about the twisted past of Black Lake before ANOTHER body comes to the surface?

This is a difficult review to write, because I honestly had such different expectations for McDonald after the twisty, thoughtful, and emotionally impactful experience after finishing my first read from her, Do No Harm. If there's one thing McDonald does beautifully, it's weaving in emotion amidst a thrilling plot. But in the case of These Still Black Waters, the time required to get to this place in the narrative felt nearly interminable, and for me, it was almost too little, too late.

The plot itself felt reminiscent of SO MANY other thriller/mystery tales, and could be kindly described as thin at best. The meat and potatoes of the story can't even play out until the Big Twist is revealed...and this is nearly 80 PERCENT of the way through the book. Most of the early passages jump back in forth in time, through Neve's past, and there's also some italicized commentary from the unnamed killer along the way to keep you guessing, and while I admit I changed my mind several times about the killer's identity, I didn't feel 'wowed' at all by the reveal.

McDonald also leans into some flowery language, with similes that were a bit off putting and odd at times. Not only were they unnecessary, but many of them sort of broke the flow of the story and didn't feel natural (especially when they were presented as character's observations, or even worse, as dialogue.) There is also a passage from the past where there are a LOT of OTT references thrown in to MAKE SURE you know it's the 90's. I mean, I adore the 90's, but a little subtlety would have gone a long way. All of this was such a surprise because I didn't feel such a heavy-handed, in your face sort of style from McDonald in the past and I'm not sure what inspired the change.

If you CAN exhibit the aforementioned patience, I will say the last 20% of the book almost makes up for everything preceding it, and while the villain reveal is lackluster, the emotional gravitas is certainly there. I almost bumped up my rating based on that alone, but sadly I know this book probably won't stick with me the way it could have, had the focus and the writing been different. Jess Lambert is an interesting character and while the jury's still out on whether I want to buckle in to watch her solve her next case, one quote from The Santa Clause sums up this journey, in a very succinct way:

"Seeing isn't believing....believing is seeing."

3.5 stars

A digital copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer. The opinions are my own and freely given.

This is the first in the Detective Jess Lambert series.

Detective Lambert is recovering from a tragedy that left her struggling, both physically, emotionally and mentally.

Neve Maguire is recovering from a home invasion, that also turned her life around.

Neve and her daughter Eve go to her childhood summer home of Black Lake to regroup her life. Her daughter seems like a typical teenager in that she just wants to go home and can't understand why her mom brought her there. She then discovers that her next-door neighbor, who was also her childhood best friend has been murdered. Enter Detective Jess Lambert. Jess is searching for the murderer and meets up with Neve a couple of times. Neve never gives Jess her history and whatever dark secret she may be hiding. Jess suspects Neve of being involved in the murder. Jess is also a functioning alcoholic, at least she thinks she is.

This book has a little touch of paranormal, crime and drama all blended together perfectly. This book shows a great relationship between mothers & daughters. I didn't figure out who the murderer was until very close to the end. It also took me a while to figure out what was going on with Jess.

This was a really well-done story and I look forward to #2!

I guess I didn’t realize this had a supernatural element, but I found this slow and not captivating. I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters and considering this is the first in a series, I’m confused why Jess is important enough to hold more than one book. I won’t be tuning in to the next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a 3 star book for me and it wasn't the author's fault! The writing, story, and characters were great except I really really don't like the paranormal in my thrillers! Why wasn't this bit of information included in the summary? I have enjoyed all of this author's previous books but this was a step outside her normal genre and this fact wasn't included in the book summary or any information I received prior to requesting the book from NetGalley. Had I known, I wouldn't have requested it. Now there are tags and blurbs (if you read them) pointing this out. I won't be reading the upcoming books in the series since I know they aren't for me and that is too bad because I really would like to see what happens to Jess as she deals with her alcoholism and solves crimes (but not with ghosts and other paranormal activity).

These Still Black Waters, publishing Oct 1st
This was my first Christina McDonald novel, which quickly led me to her backlog, in which I dove right in!
I love a good ghost story and wow, did she deliver In These Still Black Waters!

Neve had an idyllic life as a wife and doting mother. Until the night of the home invasion in which her daughter was hurt, shattering their dynamics forever. She wanted to take her daughter someplace safe - to the childhood home in which she spent her summers. Her mom still owned the property but was currently in a memory care facility. After unpacking and swimming in the lake, they came home to discover the police surrounding the property. A dead body was pulled from the water and detective Jess Lambert was on the case. She had demons she was running from, and she desperately needed to solve this crime in order to keep her job. As it was, the local department was giving this case to her to get her back on her feet. Lambert found help from unexpected places — but quickly realized other forces were keeping her from the truth. All this to say, Neve also realized her past finally caught up to her. The third POV is from the killer — an intriguing beginning that kept me going and wanting more.

Herein lies a novel that I won’t soon forget. The writing is smart and the location is a character in and of itself! Pacing is fast — I did not want to put it down! The last line in the book tells us there will be a sequel and it will be an auto-buy for me.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and the author for an advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I just did not click with this book. I have read several of Christina’s prior novels and loved them. I almost felt like I was reading a different authors work in These Still Black Waters. Maybe it just wasn’t for me. I seem to be in the minority here. And I will definitely give the author another try with a new release because as I said above, I did like several of her previous books.

***thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy in return for an honest review***

Thank you to @amazonpublishing #thomasandmercer @thrillerbookloverspromotion @christinamac79 for the #gifted copy. Making bad choices have consequences. Eventually the past will come back to haunt you.

After a home invasion Neve moves back to her summer home at Black Lake with her daughter, Ash. A day later a body turns up in the lake. This is when Neve realizes she will never outrun her past.

The detective on the case, Jess, is haunted by her own tragedy. One margarita and deer causes a crash that kills her 8 year old daughter. She will never forgive herself.

Two women brought together by tragedy find common ground but can they stop a murderer?

I loved the twists in this one that kept me guessing. There are paranormal elements in this book. You don't want to miss this Crime thriller!

It publishes on 10/1/2023.

“These Still Black Waters” by Christina McDonald is a multifaceted and gripping tale that seamlessly blends elements of a brutal crime thriller, psychological mystery, and the paranormal. However, it’s also a deeply emotional story that delves into the lives of two broken women ensnared in their dark pasts, searching desperately for redemption. Neve, the primary character, is an incredibly well-drawn character, and her resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity is both admirable and heartbreaking. Her trauma, coupled with her unwavering determination to protect her daughter, creates a powerful and emotional undercurrent throughout the narrative. On the other hand, Detective Jess Lambert, who has her own share of personal tragedies and ghosts to contend with, adds depth and relatability to the story. The parallels between these two women and their struggles make for a compelling and engaging read.

The plot unfolds with a sense of impending doom and a sinister atmosphere that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The author’s writing is both lyrical and haunting, with vivid descriptions that draw you into the story’s eerie world. The story tackles a wide range of topics, including trauma, guilt, grief, addiction, and the enduring effects of past decisions. It’s a dark and thought-provoking exploration of the choices people make and the consequences that haunt them.

While the book’s overall quality is excellent, some readers may find certain elements of the plot predictable. Additionally, the pacing occasionally slows down during dialogue-heavy scenes, detracting from the overall tension. Nevertheless, “These Still Black Waters” is a gripping and emotionally charged read that showcases Christina McDonald’s exceptional storytelling skills. It’s a story that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy complex, character-driven mysteries with a touch of the paranormal.

From my blog: Always With a Book

This is the third book I’ve read by Christina McDonald and it just might be my favorite one so far, though I have to say the other ones I’ve had have been very good. And I love that this new one is the start of a series…you all know how I love my series!

This is the type of book that is so hard to say much without giving any spoilers. I loved how fast-paced and addictive it was. I found myself immediately pulled in and ended up finishing it in a matter of hours. I became so invested in what was going on and so engaged with these characters that I could not stop reading until everything was resolved. This is such a layered, atmospheric read and I loved that there is an air of unreliability and just a hint of the paranormal floating around.

I love a book with flawed characters and that is what we find with both Detective Jess Lambert and Neve Maguire. Learning about their backstories really makes this book work the way it does. The twists come hard and fast, and I wasn’t expecting them at all but when they happened, I loved them. I have a feeling Detective Jess Lambert is going to become a favorite character as this series progresses and I am all for it. She is definitely a troubled character, but I also loved her fierce determination to get to the bottom of this case.

This book is part police procedural, part psychological thriller that touches on themes of guilt and grief in such a touching way. It is the perfect book to add to your spooky reading list. I’m already counting the days until the next book in the series comes out! In the meantime, I’ll be reading the one book on Christina’s backlist I havent’ yet read.