Sadly I feel like this title will fall victim to the misguided marketing campaign promising readers a Thriller where in reality it is a sleepy Mystery at best. The book isn't exactly bad overall. It is however way too wordy and too heavy on insignificant details.

An overused format of a dual timeline extends the plot to nearly 400 pages that feel twice as long. Rose's, in the present, a mother who is searching for her missing daughter Jules and Jules' in the near past, whose timeline neatly fills in the details of the story Rose is trying to uncover.

I don't recall ever reading a book that was so distinctly and separately two books in one. In fact, when I got bored reading Rose's parts I skipped over them entirely and just read Jules' parts without missing a tiniest bit of the story.

"The Deepest Lake" is badly overwritten with major plot points being weak and unconvincing. Which is unfortunate because it's not often we get heroines in thrillers who are not gullible and naive. These two are neither but the book is in a bad need of some heavy editing to keep it moving forward. As it is written right now, it stagnates and the parts of the grieving mother and the daughter who may or may not be dead are dueling with each other. The final result nearly put me to sleep.
For how to pull off a nearly identical format right see Lisa Jewell's The Night She Disappeared

4 stars

If you have seen every cult documentary or docuseries and have been wondering when you can next sign up for midnight volleyball now that you have exhausted all of the related media, this creepy mystery might just scratch your itch. While it's not quite a cult, there are PERSONALITIES at play here, and - much more importantly - there's some fascinating idol worship happening. These connections were unexpected but enjoyable for me.

Jules is a young woman spending some time in Guatemala, which scares her mom, Rose, based on Jules's past decision making (which hasn't always been excellent, in mom's eyes). Since Jules is at a bit of a crossroads - deciding about whether to continue to grad school, how to engage with her writing personally and professionally, etc. - readers also wonder exactly how much of Jules's own demise she might have played a role in (or not). Oh, and in the immediate present, Rose is in Guatemala trying to make sense of her daughter's drowning. Obviously, something has gone very wrong! The novel is told in present day and in flashbacks from mom's and daughter's perspectives, and this really helps the mystery come together nicely. Will there be the greatest twists and shocks of your mystery/thriller reading life here? Probably not, but I do think you'll enjoy the ride.

I enjoyed this listen and recommend the audiobook when and where accessible.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this book. Well written and easy to distinguish between the two timelines and points of view. Great narration. Just a well thought out book that hooks you in.

This was amazing. It was beautifully written. I wanted a different ending but I am glad that some of the things worked out. This was great! Thank you netgallery!

THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book. So well written and intelligent. Loved the dual mothet/daughter storyline. Narrators also did an excellent job.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

This novel should be studied in college courses as a wonderfully constructed mystery / suspense thriller. After reading it, I immediately searched for more from this author, and I was disappointed not to find other books from this author translated to English.

Truly, this is a captivating story about a mother's search for answers regarding her daughter's death, which took place in a foreign country.

As the mother carefully uncovers clues to her daughter's disappearance, the novel navigates back and forth writing from current and past times from both the mother and daughter's points-of-view.

I cannot describe exactly how meticulously this author weaves a captivating web as she wrote this captivating thriller. If you enjoy mysteries and/or suspense, this title should be among the top on your "must read" list.

One of the best mysteries I have read in years, this books deserves an enthusiastic 5 stars from this humble reader.

The Deepest Lake was a Netgalley audio arc for me, and, before you become skeptical that "aw, she gave 5 stars because of that," go look at my other reviews where it is clear I am not that sort of reviewer. I rarely give 5 stars. In fact, my last Netgalley was a 2 with a scathing commentary by me. So, for those of you who worry bad reviews means no chance of receiving more books from Netgalley, fear not.

I listened to this one over the course of 24 hours at ...... wait for it....... normal speed. I was enjoying it so much I was in no rush for it to end. It was an onion, unpeeled slowly and in such a way I truly was surprised not only at my investment in the 3(ish) main characters, but was casting in my head this one as a tv show. I will bet cash money this one gets picked up by a Hulu or Max and Nicole Kidman is main character author/diva Eva. With the exotic setting in Guatemala, its isolation for American women who perhaps do not understand safety, hero worship, a woo woo feel....to me this had nuances of Nine Perfect Strangers but with a female heavy ensemble cast like Big Little Lies. I found all of it entertaining.

The novel centers around an authors retreat where a group of hopeful writers (all women) gather at an extraordinary cost to work under the tutelage of famed writer, Eva Marshall. Her backstory is laid out in an interesting way and I appreciated the completeness of character development. Alas, not all is perfect in paradise, and an earlier session included the drowning death of young 20 something Jules. Romano-Lax also fleshed out this character in such a way that she fits the current vibe of young women boldly traveling the globe alone in search of something. Her something centered around Eva, her childhood hero. Unable to accept the death of her daughter drowned in that deep lake, mom Rose books herself into the retreat anonymously to figure out what happened.

The rest you'll have to discover on your own. I can highly recommend the audio, voiced by Susan Bennett and Rebecca Quinn Robertson.

After woman disappears at a memoir writing retreat, her mother goes undercover at the retreat to get answers in this thriller.

Since this is books about writers, I expected either an excoriating critique of vanity retreats, or a satire about women’s lit, or a heartfelt reflection of a writer about writing, or maybe a clever thriller where writers own works become clues. Last year I read a book where demonic rituals help writers produce — so,meshing out of left field cam be fun. But that’s not what this is.

This novel was easy to listen to on audio. It kind of washes over you as it takes its time getting to a story. I got through about 25% waiting for a hook to make me interested in what was happening beyond the basic premise but unfortunately for me it did not come. I tried another hour at a faster pace. I ended up skipping to the last hour. While I hadn’t predicted where it was going, it made sense and wasn’t out of left field.

There is a little bit of a 'And Just Like That' quality to it (the Sex and the City sequel) where you are interested in the privileged and faintly ridiculous issues of well heeled women mixed in with flashes of genuine pain and trauma. But it doesn’t have the wit. Overall I was a little underwhelmed, for me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers.

An atmospheric thriller with some feel good moments and an ending that surprised and delighted me!

Premise - when her daughter goes missing during a writing retreat in Guatemala, a woman travels to the same retreat to uncover the truth about her daughter’s last days.

This was so good! I absolutely did not see the twists coming and the story sucked me right in. It had murderous vacation vibes like White Lotus, so that’s always fun.

📚 Series or Standalone: standalone
📚 Genre: thriller
📚 Target Age Group: adult
📚 Cliffhanger: no

✨ Will I Reread: probably!
✨ Recommended For: fans of White Lotus (show), The Villa, Yellowface

💕 Characters: 5/5
💕 Writing: 5/5
💕 Plot: 5/5
💕 Pacing: 5/5
💕 Unputdownability: 5/5
💕 Enjoyment: 5/5
💕 Book Cover: 4/5

Thanks, NetGalley and SoHo Crime, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.