Master storyteller, and bestselling author (a favorite), Christina McDonald returns following Do No Harm (2021), Behind Every Lie (2020), and The Night Olivia Fell (2019)—all five stars— with the introduction of her riveting new knock-out series, Detective Jess Lambert thriller #1, THESE STILL BLACK WATERS.

Emotionally complex, two mothers (detective and victim) struggle with past trauma and dark secrets while a mysterious killer is out for revenge in a race against time in this enthralling twisty whodunit new series with a sympathetic, highly relatable MC you will root for!

"Lyrical, immersive, hauntingly beautiful, atmospheric, and suspenseful with a sprinkling of supernatural. Top Books of 2023! You will anxiously await the next in this riveting Jess Lambert series." (Aug 2024) I loved THESE STILL BLACK WATERS!

There is a Boston home invasion (and gunshot wound) at a picture-perfect address of Neve Maguire (veterinarian, wife of successful Eli-husband, and mother of a teen daughter, Ash (Ashley Rose).

Suffering from trauma, guilt, and post-traumatic stress, Neve decides to take Ash away from the home setting to offer protection for her and her daughter, get her therapy, and move to the small lakeside community in Black Waters with a lake for the summer: A charming town (now a dead tourist town after the pandemic) and hiking trails. She will take a job as a local vet helping with larger farm animals. She leaves her husband and pets in the family home, thinking it will benefit them.

The large Victorian home is her mother's home (handed down from her grandmother), where Neve spent many summers. Her mother is now is suffering from Alzheimer's and in a memory care unit facility. It has been rented out as a vacation rental.

However, there is a dark past at the mysterious Dullahan House, and Neve will not enter the basement. A summer long ago with three best friends: Neve, Sandra, and Bee (boyfriend, Zach). What happened that night long ago? Things happened that can never be taken back. There are no do-overs. No one knows what happened, but do they? Nothing is as it appears.

Someone knows and is out to get REVENGE, one by one.

The day after they move in, there is a murder next door. The woman who owned the property management company for her mother's house. No wonder she did not show up, so they used the code to get in. The deceased is Bailey Nelson. Neve knows her but denies it when asked. It was her summertime best friend. She was manipulative and evil.

Did she make a mistake bringing her daughter her? How can they be safe here or at home?

Meet Detective Jess Lambert— assigned to the case. (husband NY criminal defense attorney, Mac, now separated after the accident). Jess has long dark hair, rides a motorcycle, and limps, walks with a cane. She experienced significant trauma in a car accident after drinking and driving, and her eight-year-old daughter Isla was killed.

She is a functional alcoholic to numb the physical and mental pain, the demons that haunt her daily; she is tortured—the guilt, regrets, remorse, the poor choices she made that fatal night, and grief she experiences daily from the death of her beautiful daughter. She cannot forgive herself.

Her boss is giving her a shot at this case, and she needs the distraction to keep her mind off her past as she goes through the motions with her partner Will. However, Will is concerned about her drinking, and she is seeing her daughter and talking to her. Is she losing it?

The investigation starts with the usual suspects of the husband and the neighbors, and then, when the body is examined, a strange message is carved into the victim's tongue. (M1237) There are also clues of photos of the victim and two other girls with friendship bracelets.

Is Neve a victim or murderer? Prey or hunter?

The past will not stay buried, and then a second woman is found dead with the same message (tongue), and Neve and Jess have more in common than they know. Jess feels like she is losing it, and her boss removes her from the case for desk duty, but she is so close —determined to save one girl since she could not bring back her own. The secrets of Black Waters are slowly unraveled!

In life, there are Debtors and Collectors. The people who want others to owe them. They will keep your secrets and do your dirty deeds, but only so you will owe them. They will own you. Bee was a collector. Manipulative, bold, powerful.

THESE STILL BLACK WATERS is told from alternating POVs, Neve (mother) and Jess (mother/detective) and the creepy, mysterious unknown killer’s chilling voice (in italics). The two women have a fierce love for their daughters and are haunted by the past.

The chilling voice of the killer is cleverly interspersed between Neve and Jess's POV, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, flipping the pages to determine the identity (whodunit and whydunit). You will be DYING to solve the mystery of the killer! I guessed wrong.

A big theme throughout the novel is CHOICES
Choices have consequences.
"That's all life was: a series of choices. That is what it all came down to in the end. It didn't just happen. We made our choices. The good. The bad. The mundane. Free will. We made choices every day, both knowingly and unknowingly...Some choices we regret. Some we are proud of. Losses. Gains, Successes. Failures. Friends. Enemies. We have the power of choice. The only inescapable thing is the inevitability of choice. In other words, the past may be dead, but it is our choice if we bury it."

WOW! The author's writing is lyrical and hauntingly beautiful, with vivid descriptions, thought-provoking messages, clever plot twists, and well-developed characters. I bookmarked many pages. If you have read Christina's previous books, you know you are in for a rare treat! Trust me, set aside the time before you start reading, as it is unputdownable! I could not sleep and got up and had to finish it!

The author is a pro at writing and weaving complex mother-daughter relationships (her signature), and she dazzles in THESE STILL BLACK WATERS. Her best yet!

A killer out for revenge and two mothers desperately trying to protect their daughters—dark past secrets, demons, addiction, guilt, grief, regrets, poor choices, and remorse on the way to hope forgiveness and redemption. Gripping and thought-provoking, an ideal pick for book clubs and further discussions.

GENRES: From literary, psychological suspense, women's domestic, coming of age, detective, cop procedural, family drama, mother/daughter, sleuthing, serial killer, crime thriller, and supernatural, among others.

TOPICS: Choices, obsession, revenge, religion, grief, guilt, abuse, trauma, PTSD, divorce, marriage, motherhood, mothers/daughter, remorse, manipulation, psychological, sleepwalking, jealousy, privilege/class, addiction, alcoholism, and more.

This will be a top thriller of 2023. McDonald's fans will devour as well as new fans. For fans of Lisa Gardner, Karin Slaughter, Heather Gudenkauf, Kimberly Belle, B.A. Paris and Mary Kubica.

INTERVIEW: Stay tuned for my #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A with Christina on pub day, where we go behind the scenes of THESE STILL BLACK WATERS and this mega-talented author.

Thanks to the author and Thomas & Mercer for a gifted ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 1, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars ++
Oct 2023 Must-Read Books
Top Books of 2023

These Still Black Waters is a magical blend of thriller/paranormal with the emotional losses experienced with grief as an overwhelming presence throughout. Told from alternate points of view the story moves from the past to the present with revelations along the way. It was easy to identify with the two main characters, Jess and Neve, both dealing with grief in very different ways. I also felt the dark and brooding presence from Black Lake.
Not wanting to give anything away to future readers my very favorite takeaway from this story is the powerful descriptive writing of Christina McDonald. These are two powerful examples of the very many I noted throughout this read.
“I’m moving away from her now, the light and warmth and color of my body slipping away into a billion particles, like stardust or rainbow mist or the light scattered from a crystal.”
“And then I am glowing light, sharp and beaming, slipping through gaps in our world to the next, where I become dreams and memories and soft words and gentle tears tied to the hearts of those I loved and who loved me in return.”
This read kept me up for hours past my bedtime seeking answers to the many questions I had. The ending left me wanting to know more. Hopefully Jess will return in a sequel.
Many many thanks to Christina McDonald, Thomas &Mercer, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this read, to be published on August 8th.

⭐️3.75

I was so excited to get this advanced copy! I’ve read Christina McDonalds other two books and I really enjoyed them. But this one I didn’t enjoy as much. I pieced the puzzle together early on. It was good but just a little predictable for me.

I might have rated this a little low. I’m sure a lot of others will love it! So give it a read and let me know what you think.

Neve and her daughter return to Black Lake after a violent home invasion, hoping for a fresh start. But when a dead body surfaces in the lake behind her house, other past secrets start to surface as well.


Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a DRC. These Still Black Waters is available October 1.

Neve takes her daughter back to her summer home after a violent home invasion. Unfortunately for her, soon after arrival, one of her neighbors is murdered. Neve knew her from her youth and has secrets. The other protagonist is the detective, Jess.

I found this one to be a little slow overall. Do I regret reading it? No, it was probably worth it. Do I think I’d pick it up again? No, probably not. I found the twist to be predictable by the time it got to it, although I think some will be shocked by it. The whodunit was also ok for me.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

A story about revenge for a long-ago bad deed, with some paranormal activity mixed in. Alternating narrators with one becoming unreliable. Got about 70% of the way through before figuring out what was up/whodunnit. Good pacing, strong characters, but not sure I would read the next one in the series since I'm not a fan of supernatural stories.

I was startled by the major plot turn in this story.
I was not expecting the character who is the deranged one to be the villain.
I liked the strong characters and the spooky Victorian house.
If you’re looking for a fresh new story, check this one out.

This was a quick read for me with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed the dual perspectives of Neve and Jess and how the plot intertwined between the characters and their connections. Neve and her daughter Ash return to Neve’s former town following a traumatic event and find themselves in the middle of tragedy that sends Neve back into her past. Jess is a detective facing the realties of her own tragic past who enters a murder investigation not truly knowing how far the plot thickens. I enjoyed the last several chapters where all of the underlying pieces come together to bring closure to these characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

An intriguing tale about grief, revenge and mothers featuring the flawed Detective Jess Lambert. One mother is trying to protect her child while the other battles with her guilt and her own sanity. While a third person seeks revenge for a crime twenty years earlier.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

I found the murder part of this story to be fairly average, but absolutely loved the twist. It puts the whole book into a different perspective. It also looks like this may become a series with Jess as our main character and I would be excited to read the next one!

Would recommend!

This book is told from the perspective of two different women, Neve Maguire and Detective Jess Lambert, both of whom have suffered tragic experiences. Neve moved back to Black Lake with her daughter, Ash, for a fresh start after her tragic experience. We meet Detective Jess when Neve's neighbor is brutally murdered. Jess is an alcoholic because she is trying to numb herself to get through her tragic loss. The story shifts between the present and the past in order for us to learn more about how these tragic experiences have shaped the lives of these women, while the murder investigation is ensuing. We are also hearing the thought and feelings of the killer at several times through out the book. This book would be book for those who love to read mystery thriller and supernatural books. I was drawn into the story in the beginning as I tried to figure out what made these women tick. In the middle of the book, I got a bit bored and considered giving up. I am so glad that I stayed with it because the ending had several good twists in it. I did end up figuring out what was going on beforehand and I also was able to deuce the identity of the killer. I enjoyed the story and would like to read the next book in the Jess Lambert series.

These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald is a fast, enjoyable read. I was hooked immediately. The oppressive feeling of fear is unsettling in the best way and found myself shaking more than once. I felt for Neve and Jess and was hoping that things would work out in their favor. I didn’t see any of the twists coming and since I read a lot, this always makes a book more fun for me. This book feels epic in the way that this is Jess’ origin story. I’m really excited that this is going to be a series so that I can read more about her life. I’m completely invested!

Psychological trauma from a recent home invasion runs deep for Neve McGuire. She returns to her family’s lake house with her teenage daughter, and everything and nothing seems normal. When an old friend living next door turns up dead, Neve wonders if it’s somehow related to the attack she just experienced. Neve knows why someone would want to kill her and feels horrible about the things they did. It was another lifetime ago, though, wasn’t it?
Detective Jess Lambert is finally back at work after a horrific car accident. Still broken, she’s barely able to stay sober. Daily alcohol consumption is only a symptom of something deeper going on. Something too terrifying to talk about. Guilt isn’t the only thing haunting her. Her young daughter died in that accident and at times, she sees her child exactly the way she was on the day she died. It’s as if she’s trying to tell Jess something important.
When Jess and Neve meet, they are drawn together by the murder and by their intensely heartbreaking experiences. Jess pushes forward on the investigation. The alternative, doing nothing, would kill her. But the closer she gets to answers, and the more she drinks, the more often her daughter emerges from the ether. Then another body is found. She’s forced to hear the terrifying things her daughter has to say.
These two female characters lured me in and pulled me deep into the story. Their paranormal experiences carried emotional weight. McGuire does a fabulous job of making it all believable. I highly recommend this book.

These Still Black Waters by is a gripping suspense novel that will have readers on the edge of their seats from the first page to the last. The story is centered around Neve Maguire and Detective Jess Lambert as they try to unravel the mystery behind a killer who is avenging the sins of the past.

The setting of the book is a picturesque summer home near a lake, but the beauty and tranquility are overshadowed by the darkness of the past. Author Christina McDonald does an excellent job of creating a tense and eerie atmosphere that is sure to keep readers engaged throughout the book.

The characters in the book are well-developed, and their struggles and secrets add depth to the story. Neve and Jess, in particular, are relatable and easy to sympathize with as they try to navigate the dangerous journey they find themselves on.

Overall, These Still Black Waters is a masterfully crafted suspense novel that will appeal to fans of the genre. The book is filled with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a thrilling and engaging read.

3.5⭐️

After a traumatizing home invasion, Neve Maguire moves with her daughter to Black Lake, the location of her childhood summer home. Very soon after they moved in, the body of a woman was found in the lake. And that woman is the connection that could unravel all of the secrets Neve has been keeping since childhood.

Detective Jess Lambert has just recently returned to the job following a horrific car accident that killed her daughter and left her leg permanently crippled. Being the cause of the accident, Jess throws herself into her job and bottle in equal parts to deal with her guilt. She soon learns that she’s not the only one drowning in her own guilt.

This is definitely the kind of book that the less you know going into it the better. I think the twist was surprisingly, but mostly because I’m a cynical person who tries to find as many other possibilities before believing an ending like this. I also feel like the pacing was great with this and kept me engaged.

I didn’t really care for any of the characters, though. A lot of the issues could have been avoided if Neve had just came forward while she was still in high school. The night of the accident that started this, Neve had the least involvement and coming forward she likely wouldn’t have gotten into much trouble. I also wasn’t big on the biblical connotations used to justify the killers murders.

Thanks Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC to me!

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald. This book started out great and the writing was drawing me into the story of high school friends who grow up and become embroiled in murders. I was loving the book then it veered toward a genre I don’t enjoy. The book was really good except for those parts though and I’m probably too sensitive to unexpected genre surprises! I wouldn’t read this book again, but I’m not sorry I finished it because the main plot was solid! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Goodness this book was a departure from what we’ve seen from Christina McDonald in the past but what she did was start a new series with a broken main character that I’m ready to continue reading. I’m all in on our drunken detective Jess and can’t wait to see where this series goes.

And the twist at the end? It took me a minute to catch up - and boy did it get me! Well done!!

From the very beginning there's something dark going on...you know something bad happened but you don't know what or how it all relates to the present...At some point, I suspected the twist but I never guessed the whodonit. I really enjoyed this book.

Definitely recommending to my friends once it comes out! Looking forward to another Jess Lambert book.

Thanks for this ARC NetGalley, Christina McDonald, and Thomas & Mercer

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas an Mercer and Christina McDonald for a copy of this book for my honest review.

Neve and her daughter Ash flee to Neve's childhood summer home on Black Lake seeking safety after a home invasion. Neve also needs time to reflect and plan her life after having asked her husband for a divorce. Fear soon creeps into the women again as a body is found in the lake. Neve realizes that she knows the dead woman and saw her alive after she was supposedly dead. But how could that be? The death brings unpleasant memories rushing back to Neve and she receives threatening messages. Det. Jess Lambert is investigating the murder. Jess is just back to work after suffering a personal tragedy. She thinks Neve knows more that she is saying about the dead woman.

I liked this story but did not love it. Neve and Jess are both strong women but the author shows they are real and have many flaws they are struggling with. I really liked them. Although the ending had a great surprise, I thought something was just missing. I am sorry to say I haven't been able to nail down what I think that something is.

These still black waters.
By Christina McDonald

The perfect psychological thriller.


Another fabulous book by Christina McDonald
Each book she writes is wow amazing..

A twist so good you never see it coming.

there's a killer who's out for revenge, Sometimes revenge is sweet, Coming from the past no one saw anything. No one expected what was coming next..


Thank you, Christina, for another fabulous book. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
This is one you will not want to Miss A highly recommended This one...

Chilling. Riveting. Startling. These Still Black Waters is the best kind of suspense, twisty and jaw-dropping. It is also a heart wrenching tale of loss and revenge. The characters are multi-faceted—from the victims to the suspects and the detective working the case. This is the start of a series, which is exciting news for everyone who reads this book.