Fast paced psychological thriller, full of twist and turns that had me guessing throughout the book! A surprise ending left me speechless! I was pulled in and invested in all the characters from start to finish. We follow Alice, trying to live everyday after being the sole survivor to a crash that killed her family. Expect, their bodies weren’t found. What really happened to Alice’s family and who’s hiding secrets? Detective Jess Lambert tries to solve the case while also dealing with her own secrets and demons.

I have found my FAVOURITE female detective!!! Jess Lambert is gritty, she’s flawed, she’s ballsy. But I’ve also found a new auto-buy author in Christina McDonald!!

This is the second in the Jess Lambert series - the first “These Still Black Waters” was absolutely super (and heartbreaking… it had me crying ugly tears at the end and I don’t cry easily…) and the prequel “The Stranger at Black Lake” was a cracking novella - are a must read if you want to enjoy this one to its fullest potential (it can be read as a standalone, absolutely but seriously… READ THE OTHERS!!!)

This one is the grown up sibling of These Still Black Waters. This is where the characters really solidify themselves in your psyche and will sit in your mind and heart for some time to come. Grief is the main driver throughout this series and McDonald’s writing is exemplary. It’s raw and hard hitting, laid bare and vulnerable. Like in her first book, I love how she has a second main character’s storyline running along side our main protagonist Jess.

With dual timelines, multiple POV, and an ending that will knock you into next week, I cannot say this loud enough - READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

This is an unusual take on a detective story. It was a quick and enjoyable read with lots of twists to keep you reading. This was my first book from this author, but will be reading more.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Words cannot adequately explain how much I loved this book. Not only did it keep me on my toes and keep me guessing until literally the very end, but it explained things from the previous book as well. I love how much more of Jess we got in this story and can't wait to hopefully get more. This was so well written and was extremely hard to put down. I literally had to stop and reread portions towards the end as my jaw dropped.

What Lies in Darkness by Christina McDonald is #2 in the Jess Lambert series but can be easily read ad a standalone. A great thriller with twists and turns that had me chomping at the bit to devour every delicious morsel until the very last sentence.

Christina McDonald has once again kept me on the edge of my seat. Detective Jess Lambert is paired up with a a young Detective to solve an almost year old case. They are tasked with solving the vanishing of a family after an accident that leaves just 0ne survivor the teenage daughter Alice.
In her usual style of story telling this book will keep you guessing.,it's many twist and turns. Will they solved it before the FBI swoops in and takes it way . Will Jess be able to keep her demons at bay. How will she handle the return of her estranged husband, and learning from the police report that Alice claims a child helped her who matches the description of her dead daughter.
Just as you think you know what is coming she throws you another twist until the very end. THIS IS A MUST READ. I can't wait to see what comes next for Detective Jess Lambert.

#What Lies in Darkness
#NETGALLEY
#Christina McDonald

Alice Harper and her family were in a horrific car accident on Christmas Eve, with Alice seemingly being the only survivor since the rest of the family can’t be found. One year later and new evidence has surfaced and Detective Jess Lambert is handed the case. Jess sympathizes with Alice since she knows how it feels to lose someone you love and is determined to find out what happened to this family. I absolutely loved this book could not put it down. I was blown away with the many twists and did not see the ending coming. I highly recommend this book if you like a good mystery with a touch of paranormal tossed in. Christina McDonald can’t wait to see what you have in store for Jess next. Thank you Netgalley for this arc.

This was my first Christina McDonald novel. The second installment in the Jess Lambert series.

Alice Harper survives a terrible car accident one night with the rest of her family. The thing is, the rest of her family, mother, father and young sister are missing from the scene when Alice comes to. Where did her family go? How could they just disappear into thin air?

A year later, and she she still trying to process what happened to her family. She’s a troubled teen, getting caught up in drugs and other mischievous friends. One thing I did not know about the story was that Alice sees dead people. People who are trying to give her a message.

Meet Jess Lambert, the detective on the case. Jess also sees the dead. She is struggling with her personal demons, Jess also lost her daughter in a terrible crash. She is conflicted with guilt and pain since she was the one driving.

I found in the beginning of the story, Alice’s character was constantly focusing on getting her hands on more Ativan. Taking more Ativan and how it made her feel. The constant mentioning of it on every other page slightly got on my nerves. Also, I’m not big on supernatural elements written into police procedurals. I know, it’s just a me thing.

Overall, I blew through this book. It definitely was suspenseful. We learn there more shady characters as the story unfolds and I was trying to guess who the culprit was. The reveal was not what I expected at all. One thing I’ll mention, I think I would have enjoyed this more had I read the first one.

I’d like to thank Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley, and Christina McDonald for the opportunity. All opinions are my own.
Expected publication date July 16, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ raised to 4

I enjoyed the dual POV's and different timelines. I was able to figure out a lot of what had happened (what the beeping was, etc.) but had to read the twist at the end twice to make sure I understood it. I liked that there were mentions of the first book but it wasn't overkill. I can't wait for the next Jess Lambert book!

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of What Lies in Darkness.

I didn't realize this was the second book in the Jess Lambert series but it worked well as a standalone.

I was drawn by the premise and I was pleased my request was approved.

One year ago, teen Alice was injured in a car accident with her family, except her parents and younger sister were never found.

As the anniversary of the tragedy draws near, Alice realizes the only way she can move on with her life is to find out what happened to her family that fateful night.

Detective Jess Lambert is called into the investigation when a clue relating to the accident is discovered. A recovering alcoholic, traumatized by guilt and a recurring injury from her own tragedy, Lambert soon realizes she has her own demons to face, but will it lead her down a path of no return?

Alice and Lambert are similar characters; resilient, strong, tough, self medicating in their own ways as they dealt with their personal tragedies.

I enjoyed the police procedural aspects of the mystery but I wasn't a fan of the supernatural elements, even though I like supernatural/horror novels.

I prefer my mysteries and police procedurals to be grounded in reality,

I wasn't a fan of Lambert and Alice "seeing dead people" since it felt more like Alice's visions was for a shock factor.

Lambert's visions was due to her guilt and sorrow over losing her daughter and that I understand and sympathize with.

I'm not a fan of the ending; it was far-fetched and difficult to suspend disbelief for, especially as the author kept throwing twist after twist at the reader.

What lies in Darkness is a compelling thriller and follow up to These Still Black Waters. Teenager Alice is driving home with her parents and sister on Christmas Eve when they have a serious accident. When Alice comes to, her family have disappeared, and no trace of them is found with subsequent investigation. The story is set in the present day, as Detective Jess Lambert picks up the case, triggered by a new discovery.

I picked up this book soon after reading The Stranger at Black Lake. I can’t get enough of the atmosphere that Christina McDonald creates in her books. Black Lake is part dark and eerie, made the more unsettling when contrasting with its otherwise small town charm, and warm holiday vibes. I normally avoid supernatural elements in books, but love a story where these plot devices serve to forward to mystery without being overwhelmingly terrifying. This was the perfect balance and helped heighten the sense of being unsure who to trust.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for an engaging thriller with an intriguing premise and a great pace. This one had me hooked. While not essential, I’d also recommend reading the first book before this one, as it adds additional depth to the storyline.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

This book was amazing!

A paranormal thriller that is so suspenseful, dramatic, tense, and twists that you won’t see coming.

Some parts took my breath away, it was so captivating, incredibly written, with multiple POV’s so well developed.
The ending just blew my mind!

I really loved this second book in the series and I hope that we can have more in the future.
I highly recommend this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Coming out July 16, 2024

Grief stricken police detective Jess Lambert is back with another case and once again relies on the dead to point her in the right direction. And this time, she has help in an equally grief stricken seventeen year old, Alice.

Alice lost her family in a car crash a year ago and is trying to piece together the fragments of that night while living with her aunt and uncle (her mother’s brother). Partying in abandoned houses and abusing prescription meds doesn’t help the visions Alice has suddenly started to see. While her therapist refers to them as “grief hallucinations” Alice feels they are much too real to be mere hallucinations - a man with half a head, dripping blood is a little more than Alice can take.

Jess is determined to help Alice because she knows what it’s like to lose family and feel lost. Her partner Shane continues to warn Jess about not making the case personal. But how can Jess not take it personal when Isla reaches out to her yet again?

I absolutely loved the first Jess Lambert book and even put in my review that I couldn’t wait to read the next one. So I’m gonna say it once again, I absolutely loved the second Jess Lambert book and can’t wait to see what case she takes on next! I appreciate the character growth I’ve already seen with Jess and can’t help but cheer her on. I felt the story unfolded in a steady and suspenseful way that kept me flipping page after page. If you’ve not read the first book yet, you have to check it out! And make sure to pre-order this one that comes out July 16th!

I have not read the first book of the series, but I assume it can be read as a stand alone. I love a good ghost story that keeps me on the edge of my seat from the beginning. There are so many twist and turns &I stayed up way past my bedtime just to finish. Definitely going to read book one next!

I am love, love, loving that paranormal aspects of this series! Reminds me a bit of Simone St James books, which I love!
I am so glad that I was able to jump right into this story after reading book number 1. This one did not disappoint either! For this one, we get the perspectives of Jess Lambert, Alice and Laura. This is so well written and woven together. I didn’t want to put it down. Fast paced. Just like with the last book, the author has me guessing almost the entire time. So many twists and turns. I highly recommend this story to others that love ghostly type stories, police procedural, characters that are flawed and dealing with their own issues while also tying to help others.

📚PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW📚

"What Lies in Darkness"
By Christina McDonald.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Synopsis:

Late Christmas Eve, the Harper family’s car crashed on a desolate stretch outside Black Lake. 16-year-old Alice was found injured by the side of the road—alone. It was as if her parents and younger sister, Ella, had simply disappeared. One year later, Alice is still dealing with nightmares and unanswered questions when she and her friends find Ella’s bloodstained backpack in the basement of an abandoned home. As Detective Jess Lambert investigates, she uncovers dark secrets that put her on a collision course with her past.

My Review:

THIS BOOK. Whew. You know how there are some books you read that stay with you for a while? This will be one of those books for me. It was gifted as an advanced reader's copy from Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer Publishing -- and I will be buying a copy when it is released on July 16, 2024, because I MUST have this book in my library!!

I absolutely devoured this book. Y'all, it was GOOD. The way McDonald consistently dropped little morsels of mystery throughout this story was incredible! She provided little clues consistently but I was kept in complete suspense for the entire book. I will tell you this: I didn't figure it out until the end. And even when I realized what was happening, I was NOT prepared for the twists and turns and backflips this story was going to take in its last 20 pages. I yelled out, "What?!" AT LEAST 3 times as the book concluded. And I never saw ANY of it coming. My favorite kind of book.

There was also a very personal grief connection I made during an interaction between Jess and her daughter, Isla, near the book's end. I re-read the words several times and was a complete puddle of tears for a minute or two. Even in the midst of mysteries being solved, my heart filled up with impactful words. 💙 #thankyou

If you can request this book through NetGalley, DO IT. Put down whatever other book you're reading, and immediately dive into this one. You will NOT be disappointed! I mean, this is easily one of my Top Ten Books of 2024... And it isn't even published for 5 months. Bravo, Christina McDonald, bravo.

𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕......

Special thanks to @thrillerbookloverspromotions @christinamac79 @amazonpublishing & @netgalley for this #gifted eARC & opportunity to be included on this EXCLUSIVE Thriller Book Lovers Promotions book tour! 😘

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

MY REVIEW::
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First off, I adore Christina - she is the sweetest human and has this incredible brain to pump out these amazing books. I could never fathom putting the pieces together to make these stories make sense.

Then she writes a prequel, which is amazing. BUT WAIT, she also writes this second installment in the Jess Lambert thrillers, and I'm beyond blown away. How does the story keep getting better?!?!?!?
The amount of time my jaw dropped and I audibly gasped.... I mean, I lost count. And that ending *as I fake faint* oof..... it all👏🏼
comes👏🏼
full👏🏼
circle👏🏼

If you haven't read any of the Jess Lambert books, go, run NOW! 😆
---

This book brings us back to Black Lake and into the turmoil of a tragic family loss. Jess is now guided by her daughter Isla on many accounts and is determined to find the truth. This story is told in dual timelines and multiple POVs, which I personally love. As this can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading book 1 as a lot of the ending is intertwined with this installment and its storyline that Jess is battling.

PUB DATE:
Jul 16, 2024

QOTD❓️⁉️❓️I don't wanna ask the cheesy weekend question, so ask me something!

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillerbooklovers #thrillerbookloverpromotions #exclusivebooktour #tblpexclusive #tblp #thrilleraddict #bookaddict #bookbuzz #tbrpile #arcpile #giftedarc #whatliesindarkness #christinamcdonald
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Alice Harper has lost her entire family in an accident where she is the sole survivor. The problem is, her parents and younger sister disappeared from the accident site, their bodies have not been found, and no one seems to know how this has happened.

Conspiracy theories abound, but Alice cannot believe that her family would abandon her and seek out a new life elsewhere. Nor does she believe the popular theory that her father is a family annihilator, responsible for the deaths of her sister and mother, while for some reason sparing her. But Alice is desperate for closure.

Police officer Jess Lambert is haunted by her own tragedy, and blames herself for the car accident that took the life of her young daughter Isla, when Jess was driving. So, she understands Alice's situation better than most people would, but Jess is fighting her own demons. Is she really in any position to help herself, let alone Alice?

This is a thriller with elements of the paranormal deftly woven in throughout the story. Haunting and atmospheric, it is a very cleverly plotted story, and I say this as someone who doesn't particularly like reading paranormal thrillers! Well worth a read.

How is it possible that book 2 is better than book 1?!? The twists and turns, the second guessing yourself, the blurry line between reality and your mind playing tricks on you! Is the past ever really in the past? You are not going to want to miss this series!

What Lies in Darkness had a mysterious premise, and I really liked the main character, Alice. The ending was surprising.

The Harper family’s car crashes on a desolate stretch outside Black Lake. Sixteen-year-old Alice was found injured by the side of the road—alone. It was as if her parents and younger sister, Ella, had simply disappeared.
One year later, Alice is still dealing with nightmares and unanswered questions when she and her friends find Ella’s bloodstained backpack in the basement of an abandoned home. Detective Jess Lambert investigates and uncovers dark secrets that put her on a collision course with her past.

The detective has demons of her own and is a solid character. I liked her interactions with Alice. The plot was twisty and intricate; you really had to pay attention, and sometimes, I had to go back and re-read passages to make sure I understood what was happening or how it all connected. Sometimes, it got confusing about what occurred.

Overall, What Lies in Darkness was a fast read with a good plot and interesting characters. I would recommend this book and this author.

#WhatLiesinDarkness #NetGalley @AmazonPub