A quick read. Started off well but somehow the ending didn't justify the wonderful pace of the story. Very vivid prose.

Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator books for the ARC

The first couple chapters got my attention just because of Debbie and her past with the lake, but then it never really explained or developed. It was just not a great read for me. 3 couples go on a a trip to a cabin since the husband will be working together. Wasn’t really a thriller for me. Lacked suspense and didn’t really grab me. Struggled to finish reading. P

It just wasn’t for me but maybe it could be for someone else

°appreciate @netgalley and @inkubatorbooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
°Publication Date: March 19, 2023

The Lake was a sub par mystery that lacked any real excitement. In my opinion, not one character was likeable, which made it hard to really care about the story. The struggles of Debbie with the lake seemed under-developed, which made this part of the story almost pointless. Other important plot points that should have been explained more in depth were incredibly vague, which made the ending feel bland. Not my favorite read, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

The setup of this book was pretty good - 3 couples away at a cabin by the lake, spending some days getting to know each other better as the 3 men are going to be doing business together.

The story was told from Debbie & Jim's point of view (one of the couples), in alternating chapters.

The first third of the book or so was pretty good, but then I found it was extremely repetitive. I don't know how many times the thing with the keychain was told and retold and told again. And yet the missing knife was barely brought up at all.
While everyone was a suspect, the look at Steve & Brenda - the new couple that no one really knew well - was extremely cursory. One might think that the new people introduced into the dynamic might be worth a thorough look at least, but nope.

Despite the book being so repetitive, by the time we got to the resolution, there was very little reason presented for the motive. It felt very much like "Last chapter. Now it's time to wrap this thing up. The murderer is X and it was for reason Y (that's never been mentioned before). The End."

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent mystery. I had no idea who had actually done it until the end. I was interested, intrigued, and kept guessing. Great thriller.

A quick read that has you suspecting absolutely everyone! I really didn't see the twist coming and was kept on my toes the entire book. The characters were realistic and individual and the writing style makes the story flow so easily that this is just one of those highly enjoyable wee thrillers to lose yourself in for an afternoon

I got this book in exchange for my honest review from #NetGalley.I could not put this book down. I did not see the twist coming.This is my first book that I have read by Kevin Lynch and it will not be my last.

Thank you NetGalley, Kevin Lynch and Inkubater newsletter for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of “The Lake” due to be published March 19th 2023.

This is the first book I have read from this author but it will definitely not be my last. I was pulled in right from the very beginning. A group of 3 different couples is pretty much forced into going on this weekend retreat to a house on the Lake by George because he thought sense all the men will be working together soon why not get to know another better. Soon one of the members end up dead who did it? Why did they do it? Was it the creepy fisherman? The wife? The unstable woman ? These are questions you’ll be asking yourself as you read.

Really fast paced reading. The characters were built up nicely. And just loved the writing overall.

An interesting read that left me guessing and questioning each characters motive. Enjoyable read and definitely recommend.

A really good read, I’ve not read any books from this author but I can’t wait to see what’s next and hopefully will bring more out in the future

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, A crazy who done it and so many crazy twists and turns! It had me guessing till the very end!! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my Kindle! I will definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I didn't care for this one at all. The premise -- the story of a woman forcing herself to join her husband on a lakeside getaway despite her past trauma -- sounded great, but there's very little about Debbie and her struggles with the lake. There's honestly not a lot about the lake or its "sinister presence." at all. An extremely unlikable character winds up dead and the survivors spend the rest of the book trying to figure out which member of their group was responsible. Chapters are told in first person and alternate between Debbie and her husband. If I missed the name in the chapter header, which I frequently did, I'd have to flip back to see whose head I was in.

This was a quick read.

The story made each character a suspect throughout which is my favourite of never knowing who it could be.

There were twists and the ending is not one I guessed!

3.5/5
Debbie and her husband are going to a getaway with two other couples to a lake house. Debbie is especially fearful as her son drowned in a lake, and since then, she has avoided them. When one of the author guests is murdered, Debbie must investigate so that she can leave the lake.

I thought the part before the murder was more suspenseful than post-murder, but overall this was a good thriller.

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

Debbie is terrified of lakes after her son drowned in one, but she decides to face her fears by visiting a lakeside house with her husband and two other couples. Things quickly go wrong with a creepy fisherman causing problems, and then their friend George vanishes. When his body is found, everyone is under suspicion...

A tense and thrilling story that keeps you guessing until the shocking ending. Really enjoyed it! Full of secrets, suspicion and danger, a great read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

Three couples go on holiday to a cottage on the banks of a lake.
Debbie feels very uncomfortable so close to the water, as her son had drowned in a lake.
The host, George, who employs Steve and Jim is a very loud and competitive man, and whilst climbing a mountain, falls and dies.
It was so foggy, no one could see what happened, but they heard George shouting.
Who was responsible for George's fall?


This book was okay, but I wouldn't call it thrilling. Everyone is a suspect, but I didn't exactly feel satisfied with the detective work and the reason the killer murdered George. Although he was an annoying so-and-so.

I award this a 2.5 rounded up to 3/5.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book does not appear on Goodreads. As soon as it does, I will post the review there.
Unfortunately, I do not qualify to post reviews on Amazon. I do not have enough points.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

In regards to the writing, it was very easy to read in a breeze, but would appreciate more if the writing was polished a bit. I didn't get the thrill or excitement from the writing itself; it felt stagnant and bland. I wished it has more details regarding the 'mystery' person.

This book has dual pov; Debbie and Jim's dialogues were presented for us to read. I would say the potrayals were a bit lacking in terms of potraying character's action ; facial expression, inner monologue, emotions and feelings. It wasn't explained well. Example, when George death was announced, Susie being his wife doesn't really looked like she's mourning or sad for him. Neither does everyone else. I knew George is possibly not the best person there but at least a bit of sadness should be there. But I couldn't feel it from any character. They just pitied his fate and... that's it. Like how Jim confessed he had a fling with Susie to her wife, Debbie looked kinda accepting? Like, 'ok I'm mad but we have a bigger problem now so let's focus on that first and deal with your infidelity later'.. What?? I don't understand how their brain works.

And let me rant about Jim and Susie. It's sooo obvious someone wanted to trap Jim. But he was so dumb not to keep his mouth shut and dug himself deeper into the hole. Susie is play-victim like every page and had the decency to put the blame on Jim when SHE was the one started the infidelity. Like girl? Don't try to be a victim when you're the same as Jim. She just so annoying. Her personality seemed like someone written her out of spite without proper construction. Not a single character interests me. Not one. Even the villain's story was unsuccessfully executed. I don't get the motive. What pushed them to murder in the first place? And there is, then why? Why need to kill George? The reasoning doesn't seemed like a proper reason to kill someone; petty business argument. That's it.

The plot twist unsuccessfully fooled me. It was anticlimatic since I already knew who's behind the murderer, and it didn't take much convincing for the murderer to confess. I want more expressed emotions and reactions, subtle body language yet give a huge impact on the scene. But I didn't get any of it. It doesn't feel like a thriller or mystery book to me.

I was delighted to read this book when I first read the blurb, however everything else fell flat and uncompleted, too many loopholes, which rendered my mood down. I think more details in regards of expression, behaviour, elaborate chilling vibes and its settings, would boost this book's impression.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.