Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the multiple POV/timelines and the podcast aspect in The Lake of Lost Girls. I love true crime podcast and that was probably my favorite part of the book. I thought the story was enjoyable and had me guessing who did it the entire time. I wasn’t a fan of some of the traits the main characters had. I realize the situation is serious and would be hard to be a likeable person if this actually happened but I think Jessica and Lindsey could’ve had… more. Overall, loved this thriller and would pick it up if you’re also a fan of podcasts.

Review: you know I love dark academia, so I was extremely exciting to read this!

This book follows the story of Jessica, a student at Southern State University in the 90s. While visiting home, she completely disappears while getting something from her car. A journalist comes to town and is trying to figure out the truth and connects with her sister Lindsey to investigate this case, and all the other missing girls from the same year.

The story is told in a dual POV with Jessica in the past, and Lindsey in the present. I enjoyed the dual POV, with each chapter building upon each getting closer to solving the mystery. In Jess’ story, there are not only missing students, but a lot of incidents with older men commenting on the misogyny on campus. I found her story interesting with all those elements intertwined. I felt Lindsey’s story could have been better developed, I felt it was a little shallow. I wanted to get to know her better.

The book also had podcasts and new articles throughout. While I enjoyed them, I thought it could have been better integrated.

The best past was the ending. The last 30% the book really picks up and it really becomes an intense whodunnit. It kept me on my toes and I kept changing my mind on who was responsible for all this! I really enjoyed the ending. There were a lot of plot twists and great pacing throughout the book.

If you like whudunnits with dual POV and dark academia, pick up this book! It comes out on November 5th. Thanks to Netglley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced copy of this book.

This book was entertaining, fast paced, but left me wanting a little more.

Jess suddenly disappeared in 1998, and the case has yet to be solved. Fast forward to today when her sister, Lindsey, suddenly gets thrown into her sister's disappearance investigation after a podcase reignites interest in the case.

The story is told through several perspectives- past, present, and a podcast, which will entertain any true crime lover.

The story is thrilling, keeping you hooked until the last page. The characters are really what makes this book work- everyone is interesting, yet there's an unease with each person and each interaction. Just when you think you've figured it out- bam- it's not it. You'll need to pick your jaw up off of the floor and an entire week to recover. It touches on themes that will be familiar to most women, which can feel both uneasy and enlightening at the same time.

The weakest part of the book was the writing style. While it was easy and quick to read, I feel like the writing was too simple at times. However, that does not take away from the story. The writing feels more like a diary written by Jess and Lindsey, At times, it almost feels repetitive and juvenile.

The Lake of Lost Girls is a fast-paced mystery set in a small town in North Carolina. In 1998 at Southern State University, girls have started to go missing, but the police can't find anything to link them together. The final lost girl, Jessica, disappeared in a moment when her younger sister, Lindsey, looked away as Jessica was getting a birthday cake out of her car. Now, twenty-four years later, human remains are discovered at Doll's Eye Lake just down the road from the university and a true crime podcast is trying to uncover what really happened. Lindsey is still living in her hometown with her parents, working at a local hotel, when she gets dragged into the investigation to discover what really happened to her sister all those years ago.

The story is told through alternating perspectives and timelines with Lindsey's perspective focusing on the investigation in the present and Jessica's showing the events leading up to her disappearance in the past. There are also podcast scripts and social media posts in between the chapters, which I found to be a unique touch. The pacing was great, as it felt like they were new discoveries continuously throughout the story. These discoveries also revealed new depths to the characters, which really made them come alive. This will be a great one for mystery fans and those who enjoy true crime podcasts. The novel also briefly touched on how damaging true crime podcasts can be and how hosts might be able to do a bit better, which was a nice sentiment.

Four girls went missing from Southern State University in the late 1990's. There never seemed to be much of an investigation at the time. But a new podcast and the discovery of a body brings the Police back in to solve the mystery. Lindsey's sister Jessica is one of the missing girls and we follow her quest, along with Journalist Ryan Mackay to discover the truth.
Whilst there are some pretty unsavoury characters, and plenty of suspects this book really grabbed me. I liked the differing timelines and the thoughts of Jessica. The inclusion of the podcast and social media posts made it more realistic.
I only wish there could have been a little more at the end about the victims families and thoughts, i felt it ended a little bit abruptly. However this didn't spoil my love of the book

A definite read if you like a good whodunnit.
A group of girls who all know each other who are all somehow connected on different levels all go missing while in college. A 24 year old cold case gets opened up when a body is discovered. So many suspects who all had motives. Just when you think you figured it out. It turns on you again and again.
A great story for anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

Without a doubt, I did not see that ending coming at all! This thriller/mystery kept me on the edge of my seat struggling to put this down. I was determined I knew who did it but boy was I wrong!

I loved the mixture of flashbacks, present day POV, podcast script, and social media posts. It was so well done and put together. Chefs kiss!

*The Lake of Lost Girls* follows Lindsey Fadley as she finally gets a shot at solving her sister’s cold case—thanks to a true crime podcast and the discovery of a body near the town where the girls disappeared. The story’s told through the podcast, Lindsey’s investigation, and flashbacks from Jessica’s college days.

The small-town vibes are perfect, and Lindsey is such a relatable lead—she’s grieving but also bitter about how her life turned out, and she’s not afraid to show it. My only gripe is that the flashbacks kind of spoil the suspense by giving away twists before Lindsey finds out. Even though I guessed the ending early, the eerie atmosphere and strong character work kept me turning the pages.

Another reviewer called this “both predictable and out of nowhere,” and I have to wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I saw exactly where this was headed, but it still felt so weird and random.

The suspense keeps the reader interested, but ultimately, you can easily figure this book out with just a little bit of critical thinking early on. I still enjoyed reading and watching the story unfold, but would not recommend it to anyone else. Unless this is your first time reading a thriller, there are better books than this that are much more worthy of your time. With that being said, I do think this could make an interesting mini-series on TV (a way I often find myself feeling about mediocre books).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.75/5 stars

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books for the copy of The Lake Of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene. This had so many elements I loved: a podcast, bodies found in a lake, family issues, academia. Somehow it all fell short because the writing never engaged me. All of the men were reprehensible and the women were all needy, so I would have liked better characterization. The story itself was intriguing and I think readers who love to be shocked at the ending will love this. I just wish I had enjoyed reading it more. 3 stars

I really need to stop trying to read books that use the gimmick of a podcast surrounding decades old murders. They're all pretty much the same. Although this one was more contrived and hokey than the others I've read. And this book is seriously missing it's biggest descriptor: Romance. Everybody is "gorgeous, handsome, very good-looking" - all the attractive females in the story do are get mesmerized by every attractive guy. And, as usual, there's a journalist who is annoying AF, but he's handsome! and charming! So of course main character Lindsey keeps talking to him no matter how much he ticks her off, breaks her rules or doesn't give back as much as he gets. I didn't get too far in before I had to skip to the final chapters to see how it ended. I completely saw through a blatant attempt to distract the ready very early on from an obvious clue as to who the sister's killer was and, sure enough, pegged the killer and the terrible misdirection. I'll admit that there was big twist in the story I would likely never have guessed, but this is at best popular potboiler and doesn't stand out among the myriad thrillers out there. Not terrible, but 1* per Goodreads's "I did not like it."

Quite good, I think the swirling of suspects was quite convincing. Just when you get to the end and think you've figured out the twist, it ends with an additional twist. I do wish we had a little more info about what happened to the characters after the final bomb was dropped but alas.....

When a true crime podcast focuses on four college students who went missing in Mt. Randall, North Carolina, between 1998 and 1999, you’re trying to solve the case in real time with the hosts.

This story was woven in such an interesting way through the podcast script, present day, flashbacks, instagram posts and police reports, it felt like you really did get to learn a lot more about the characters, city, and case. This was well written and had me guessing whodunit right up until the end.

this book kept me on my TOES!!!!! when I tell you I felt so incredibly uneasy during this entire book, front to back. everyone made me suspicious and everyone invoked insane amounts of doubt and I still didn’t see the actual twists coming!!!!! this was so incredibly fun to read and was very intriguing in regards to true crime podcasts/sources and their effect on cases old and new.

Wow, I’m speechless. I’ve been in a reading slump lately, but this book snapped me right out of it! I absolutely loved it. Although missing teenager narratives aren’t new, this one is extraordinary, vividly brought to life through the diverse perspectives of its characters. The pacing was spot-on, and the ending was remarkable. Typically, I can predict endings, but this one kept me guessing until the very last moment, packed with twists, turns, and red herrings. At just under 300 pages, it’s the perfect length for a single sitting, and with such a gripping plot, it’s nearly impossible to put down. I haven’t read anything by this author before, but this was a fantastic introduction, and I’m definitely eager to explore more of their work.

Great read. I was surprised until the very last word. I read it in one day and thought for sure I knew the ending of the story three different times! Well written and delivered to perfection, easy to follow with the flashbacks.

Jessica has gone missing, a few years ago. What is going on in this story? Jessica wasn't the only girl to disappear. Her older sister Lindsey is trying to put the puzzle pieces together.

While this novel kept me guessing till the end, I did find some problems with the writing. While it wasn't bad by any means it was just every character seemed to be and or sad. Things were a bit too literal for me and took me out of the novel just a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this novel

Enjoyed the mystery/thriller plot but had a few issues with pacing. Characters could have been more fully formed.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/207571151

A good time- that is how I sum up this book. A quick easy read that kept me engaged. Yes, I guessed who did it pretty early on, but isn’t that half the fun of the “who did it” books?

I really enjoyed reading about Jessica, I wish there was more in depth development of what she was experiencing.

When I read the summary for the book, I thought it would lean more into the podcast. However I’m glad it didn’t because I personally didn’t like those parts in the books (or the random photos of posts). I feel like the book needed to lean into the podcast aspect and the commentary on true crime or follow the family.


content warning:
-murder
-mental health/addiction
-dysfunctional relationships

True crime has been a popular subject in pretty much all things for a long time. Lately, thriller books have been taking advantage of that craze and changing up the genre by writing books that feel like true cases. Books like Murder in the Family and Listen for the Lie include podcast episodes, tv episodes, social media posts and more. The Lake of Lost Girls also uses these to tell the story of 4 missing girls in a small town.

I was able to read the book in a matter of a few hours so obviously I enjoyed it. Not everyone likes books with additional formats mentioned above but I think it helps break up a story and make it more unique. I like getting the bigger picture. Sometimes it can come off as purely gimmick but I think the authors did a good job making it feel more organic. It feels real.

If you enjoy thriller and true crime, check out The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene. Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Greene, and Crooked Lane Books. I have written this review voluntarily.