Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. I love thrillers, so the premise sounded intriguing, but there were several things that bothered me about the story.

1. The inclusion of the true crime podcast felt underdeveloped. At first I thought it would offer social commentary, juxtaposing the wine-guzzling girls with the devastated victims of the family, to highlight how disturbing our society's obsession with true crime is. Instead, the podcast seemed to offer absolutely nothing to the story. It was lazily written, corny, and did not advance the plot. I felt the same way about the random social media posts at the end of the chapters - instead of affecting the story at all, they were merely props to "age" the book to this exact decade.

2. The twists were too predictable. Ryan being Jess' boyfriend was immediately obvious, and I am not usually able to figure out thriller plots in advance. The identity 0f the killer was also too predictable for me. Ryan and Dr. Daniels felt like clear red herrings, whereas the entire time I knew that the story would end with Jess and her dad and their twisted relationship.

3. I don't think we need any more books about creepy adult men preying on pretty college girls. It's been done - too many times. And the only thing that made this one different, is that we are somehow supposed to see Jess (a victim) as the "monster" in the end? And feel some amount of empathy for her disgusting father? For a book written by women, I was shocked to find the tone so misogynistic.

I do genuinely appreciate the chance to review this book, and I apologize for writing such a negative review. I felt the need to be honest, because it is just so EASY to write a thriller these days that echoes exactly what is happening in the real world, with no added creativity or nuance or social reflection.

I loved Greene's The Woods are Waiting with its creepy, atmospheric vibe, so I had high hopes for The Lake of Lost Girls. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite match that same eerie feeling, but I did enjoy the way it captured some aspects of university life. It’s a solid thriller that revolves around Jessica, a college freshman who vanished without a trace in 1999, and her sister Lindsey, who’s determined to uncover what really happened.

The story alternates between different POVs and timelines, with little breaks for podcast transcripts, Instagram posts, and news releases about the case. I didn't particularly like the structure, and some of the twists felt too obvious— I saw parts of the final twist coming within the first couple of chapters.

Greene does call out how some true crime podcasts can sometimes be more about the drama and less about respecting the victims and their families. It’s a quick read, and it’s set to drop on November 5. Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

I loved the setting of the book! I love a good campus mystery. I really loved everything about this book!

This was so good! Only problem for me was that it was pretty predictable, but I did still enjoy the elements and the twist and the turns. The writing was good too. I would recommend it!

Dang, Jess! What a mess!

It’s the first year of college for typically straight A Jess but something is making her cuckoo! Her drinking is out of hand and her grades are gone. And now three girls from her campus are missing.

20 years later and they are still playing whodunnit. Who could it be? The creepy older professor? The ex?

This book hinted at creepy supernaturalness but didn’t deliver. Makes you think about all those cold cases we will never solve because we weren’t there thanks to handy alternating timelines.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

This was good. Not perfect and not a favorite of the year but the storytelling was good and it deserves a good rating for that.
I loved the use of mixed media elements including the podcast transcript, newspaper articles and police interviews.
The mystery did not bring anything new to the genre and was definitely predictable but as I said the journey and storytelling was good.
The writing did at times feel choppy and only after reading did I find out that this is authored by two people.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!

This was a twisty, engaging book to read. The suspects were very obvious from the beginning, but it kept you guessing between them the entire time. There was a twist at the end that didn’t surprise me, but was still well done. Definitely recommend!

An interesting & exciting whodunnit. I loved the addition of the podcast element.

Twisty & fast-paced this will grab your attention & hold on to it.

I received this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review.


Overall I liked this book. I thought the way that the different types of media were incorporated into the book was really inventive and overall I liked the plot. Toward the end I was able to guess the ending so unfortunately the big twist didn't really twist for me.

It's 1998 and at a small college in North Carolina, female students are going missing. First, Tammy, then Phoebe, and then Meagan. Jessica Fadley doesn't know it, but she's next.

Now, Jessica's younger sister, Lindsay is still living in the town, working at a high-end boutique hotel. When a new podcast releases coverage of her missing sister's case, Lindsay's life turns upside down as the truth comes out and the bodies start being found.

Lindsay isn't the only person concerned about the podcast and the renewed interest it brings to the case. Ryan, an award-winning journalist, comes into town to start his own investigation.

The two timelines start to catch up, and the details start emerging. Was it the handsome boyfriend? Was it the pervy professor? Was it someone entirely unknown?

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The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene is a thriller about missing women, terrible men, true-crime podcasts and the burden of secrets. I enjoyed it, for the MOST part, however it did feel a little long and drawn out.

I really enjoyed the various media aspects - old police reports, news articles, podcast transcripts - it added a bit of movement to the story. Some of the back and forth felt unnecessary, I wanted more of Jess's deterioration/secrets as the conclusion felt rushed and completely unexpected.

Still, this was something I couldn't put down, reading during lunch times and on the commute.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Holy cow! What an amazing mystery. This is such a twisty story that would make such a great movie. At one point I actually yelled out loud “WHAT???” when a particularly shocking event happened. Can’t wait to promote this one!

I love alternative timelines and this one was well done. I was looking forward to the podcast aspect, but it didn't bring much to the story; it was almost only filler. It dragged on at times, and should've been edited better (how many time must I read that "he dug his fingers in her arm"). It's still a pretty solid read and even though I feel like the twist should've been predictable, I didn't clock it.

I love an alternating time line and whodunnit story. The story felt immersive with its use of different outlets such as social media, news articles etc to blend in with the narrative. It’s a sad, gripping story where most of the characters are unlikeable but you still want to read and find out what happened

I enjoyed the podcast element and the eerie atmosphere but I struggled through this at times, as the characters felt flat.

I love multimedia uses in books. It really spices them up and makes them feel fresh. Sadly, i found this book to be pretty predictable and it dragged until about 75%.

Predictable, but loved the way the story unfolded thru then and now different points of view as well as thru a podcast and different multi-media avenues. Great read!

The Lake of Lost Girls follows Lindsey Fadley as she dives into the cold case of her sister Jessica's disappearance, reignited by a true crime podcast and the discovery of human remains near the college town where several girls went missing 24 years ago. The story unfolds through a mix of podcast episodes, Lindsey's present-day investigation, and flashbacks from Jessica's college days.

The small-town setting adds an atmospheric charm, and Lindsey's raw, relatable character—still grappling with grief and resentment—draws you in. While the flashbacks reveal some twists early on, the novel maintains a chilling atmosphere and strong character development, keeping mystery lovers engaged until the very end.

Thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Katherine Green for this ARC!

I love the multimedia elements. It was an entire experience. I didn't feel bonded to the protagonist but I liked the experience of reading this.

The Lake of Lost Girls offers an atmospheric and eerie mystery set in a small town shrouded in dark folklore. Greene excels in creating a haunting setting, and the suspense around a missing girl keeps the reader engaged.

While the protagonist is well-developed, some side characters lack depth, and the pacing drags in parts. The twists, though intriguing, can feel predictable, and the ending leaves a few loose ends.

Overall, it’s a solid, suspenseful read with a chilling atmosphere, but it doesn’t fully stand out in the mystery genre.

I received a complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are mine.

If you love thrillers with multimedia elements then this book is for you. The book follows Lindsey who is searching for answers on what happened to her sister Jessica. With the aid of a true crime podcast she tries to solve the case. This is the perfect read for true crime podcast fans.