This is the second entry in the Detective Jess Lambert mystery series. Once again, Jess gets drawn into an unusual case. This one is involving a 16-year-old girl, Alice, who is found injured in a car crash by the side of the road. Her whole family is missing from the car and nobody knows where they were. Alice does not remember what happened.

I love the character of Jess! She is such a multilayered and complicated person. This book in the series goes even farther into her past and what made her the way she is today. This book was heartbreaking at times and thrilling at others. The case that Jess is working on is very unique and I don’t know how the author keeps coming up with such unique story ideas. I absolutely love Christina McDonald and will read her books without even checking what they’re about at this point. Do yourself a favor and read the series. I cannot wait until the next one comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of this book for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

What Lies in Darkness is a suspenseful, atmospheric thriller with plenty of surprising turns. It explores deep secrets and the consequences of hidden truths in a way that’s hard to put down.

I loved this book it was such a great read. Things the first from this author and I’ll be reading more in future.

What Lies in Darkness by Christina McDonald is a chilling and emotional psychological thriller that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. The novel weaves a gripping narrative that explores the aftermath of a tragic event and the consequences of buried secrets. McDonald’s ability to build suspense and deliver twists that keep you guessing is what truly makes this book stand out.

The story revolves around a woman named Emma, who, after years of living with guilt and trauma, is forced to confront a devastating truth from her past. When a body is discovered in the woods near her childhood home, long-buried secrets are unearthed, and Emma is drawn back into a web of mystery and danger. As she struggles to uncover the truth behind the death, she must face the consequences of the lies she’s been living with for so long.

What really sets What Lies in Darkness apart is its emotional depth. McDonald doesn’t just deliver a typical thriller; she weaves a narrative that dives deep into the psychological toll of guilt, fear, and the weight of past mistakes. Emma’s journey is both a personal and a suspense-driven one, as she seeks not only to uncover the truth but also to reconcile with her past. Her internal struggle adds complexity to the plot, making her an intriguing and empathetic character.

The pacing of the novel is well-balanced, with just the right amount of tension to keep you turning the pages. The alternating timelines and perspectives—between Emma’s present-day investigation and flashbacks to her past—are effectively employed to keep the suspense high. As Emma digs deeper into her past, McDonald reveals layer after layer of deception, building to a climactic and satisfying resolution.

McDonald’s writing is sharp, with vivid descriptions that bring the story’s atmospheric setting to life. The dark, moody tone of the book enhances the sense of mystery, and the setting in the Pacific Northwest adds a layer of isolation and foreboding. The emotional stakes are high, and McDonald effectively uses this tension to keep readers engaged.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book overall, there were a few moments where the pacing slowed, and the plot veered into slightly predictable territory. Some readers might find the twists toward the end a bit contrived, but they still manage to pack a punch emotionally, even if they weren’t entirely surprising. Regardless, the book is a compelling read, and McDonald’s ability to create a tense atmosphere and deeply flawed characters keeps the story moving forward.

Overall, What Lies in Darkness is a captivating psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of mystery, suspense, and character-driven stories. It’s a thought-provoking, emotionally gripping tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to piece together the truth behind the darkness. Christina McDonald has once again proven her knack for crafting twisty, thrilling narratives with emotional depth.

**Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I requested this book not realizing it was a series. So I read the first book and loved it! Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for this one. I loved the characters but the story was kinda eh. I found myself putting it down and reading something else several times.

What Lies in Darkness by Christina McDonald is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows Kate, a woman searching for answers about her past and the truth behind her mother’s mysterious death. McDonald’s fast-paced writing and expertly crafted twists create a tense atmosphere, while her complex characters add emotional depth to the narrative. With its suspenseful plot and dark secrets, What Lies in Darkness is a compelling, page-turning read for fans of thrilling mysteries.

I enjoyed reading this 2nd installment to Jess' life. While the story seemed to be slow in the building (it could be the stuff of the holidays distracted me) the end was quick but not quite unexpected. Seem of the resolution seemed contrived and just a means to a quick end (Alice's hallucinations, for example).

However, my lack of focus does not mean this is a bad book. It was good. I would recommend it (and the first) to someone who enjoys this genre.

I was hesitant going into this sequel, and I should have gone with my gut. It started off strong but quickly fell off as too much came into play. Too many storylines were crossing and it many times feels farfetched. There continued to be a supernatural theme, which I could not get behind.

I want to thank Thomas & Mercer & Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this mystery/suspense! I read (but am terrible at remembering) the first book in this series, and this was equally enjoyable. Tearing open a previously-closed wound is hard for everyone involved, and reopening a cold case is the same. The teen depiction seemed realistic and based on every teen I know lol.

Perfect way to complete a series.
As much as I loved the prequel, this was a thrilling twisty page turner that I couldn't put down.
The characters were fantastic and the settings were perfectly set up.
The twists were twisting and the end was a non stop nail biter.
Can't wait to see what other gripping reads this author puts out for her fans!

Thank you to both NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC copy!

I really enjoyed this installment of the Jess Lambert series. It packed as much of a punch as the first did and I hope we get more!
I love the alternating POVs and thought the twist at the end was truly astounding!

As the follow up to These Still Black Waters, McDonald writes a fast-paced thriller about a family gone missing after a car accident - except for their teenager daughter. Alice woke up after the accident on the side of the road, van turned over, smoke coming out of the engine but her parents and little sister are nowhere to be found. Are they still alive?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to be able to read and review this book!

Actually got scared and had to put it down. So 4/5. Loved it.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of What Lies in Darkness by Christina McDonald.

This book has such a strong start when Alice wakes up from a horrific car accident to find her entire family missing. She seems to be the sole survivor of the crash, but where did everyone go? Enter Jess Lambert, the protagonist in this second installment of the series. She is also suffering a terrible loss, a person who, supernaturally still stays with her, offering up guidance when it is needed.

I was pretty hooked initially, but the story started getting too jumbled and contrived for me. I don't remember there being such a supernatural element last time, but it's not really my jam.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This is the second book in a series that follows Jess Lambert, a detective who has a traumatic past and some vices. In this book, she is following the case of a whole family that goes missing on Christmas Eve after a car accident. The teenage girl was the only one they ever found. Like other detective books, I don't think you need to read the first one before this one but it does help to build the character.

I enjoyed this book! I liked the investigation and following Jess. She is a good character and I like her. I also like how this book has a touch of supernatural in it. I won't say much more than that since it'll spoil the book but just know that this one is a bit different than other detective books.

I also enjoyed the other characters that we followed and the different POVs. It really helped to build the story and the background.

This wasn't quite a five star for me because I didn't really like the reveal. It just felt a little lack luster to me.

However, I would still recommend this book because it is a solid crime book and I enjoyed it!

First off Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishing for this ARC!

This was one twisty, hold one to your seat, thriller!! Jess Lambert is not your typical detective protagonist, she’s a hot mess but has been through some sh*t. And I loved her for it!!

Loved the different POVs and the paranormal aspect was perfect and soooo creepy. The characters were very well written.

4/5 ⭐️

I did not know this was a series when I went into it, and I don’t feel like that impacted my experience at all! I absolutely loved this story. I loved the spooky aspects, twists, characters, and just everything!

An enjoyable read that had me hooked until the very end. I enjoy novels that keep me guessing and on the edge of my seat and this book did just that.

I recommend this title.

It’s a well-layered thriller that I couldn’t wait to finish. As each chapter progressed, there were more clues and more puzzle pieces that started to shape up into the shocking finale.
This was my third book by the author, and I think it was my favorite so far. The multiple twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. Plus the character development was so well done, by the end of the book I felt I knew Jess. Although this was the second Jess Lambert series, it can read well as a standalone. Her previous novel, These Still Black Waters, came out in October of last year, while What Lies in Darkness was published on July 16th 2024.
Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, as well as Christina McDonald for my advanced reader’s copy.

Another fantastic pick by Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse.
What Lies in Darkness is book 2 in a series, but can be read as a standalone. There is also a prequel to book 1 available.

It’s been a year since Alice was found on the side of the road after a Christmas Eve car accident, her parents and little sister missing from the scene. Living with her aunt and still working through endless questions, Alice struggles to move on. Then, she and a friend find her little sister’s bloody backpack in an abandoned home where they were partying, causing the case to be reopened.

Detective Jess Lambert was out of work dealing with her own tragedy last year, so the case is vaguely familiar to her but she’s yet to put her skills to the test in solving it herself. As she digs deeper, she deals with her own wounds that still haven’t healed and her past is reaching out to Alice to try and help her - help them both - receive a resolution.

Okay wow, what a story. It’s so so SO rare that a thriller leaves me in tears. I can count on one hand the ones that have, and that list is bigger by one now, thanks to Christina McDonald’s incredibly difficult and emotional journey.

This book is very dark, there’s little to no comedic relief, and the happy ending is still sad. So don’t go into this expecting to close it and smile at the end because you won’t, but I will recommend it for years to come because it’s just that good.

The characters are developed so well. Everyone (seriously, everyone, not a soul spared) is tortured by something in this book. I did not read the first book, which features the detective, Jess, and even though I didn’t read it I felt more than caught up to her story and understanding her character. But because I loved this one so much, I do plan to go backwards and read both the prequel and the first book.

Be forewarned, there is a little paranormal aspect to this series, however it’s done in a way that complements the story and just furthers the complexity of the characters. I do like to throw that out there though so no one is blindsided and turned off because that’s such a tricky element to include and it needs to be done right or not at all, in my opinion. And Christina does it so right.

I do hope that Christina isn’t done with Jess Lambert because I am dying for more.