With the podcast style book I waited for the audiobook to tandem read. I did know by the end what was going to happen but this book is more of a story of what family can make you do. More than the mystery of it all. I did enjoy all the twists and turns of lies and having Lindsey so involved.

It's hard to keep multiple timelines going but Greene makes it work. It's a very nice book and I highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lake of the Lost Girls has everything you love in a thriller. Podcast...check, sisters with huge age gap...check, dual time lines...check, dual POV...check. Jessica disappeared from college 24 years ago along with three other girls. The cases had gone cold that is until a podcast had brought them back up. Jessica's younger sister was 6 when she disappeared and now Lindsey is ready to uncover the truth and figure out what happened to her sister 24 years ago.

I loved this book, from the moment I started it. I love when books add in podcasts and facebook posts. I had a lot of theories about what happened to the girls and enjoyed changing my theory throughout the book with all the new clues and discoveries. Lake of the Lost Girls had a lot of twist and turns and I enjoyed the ride from start to finish.

Thank you Katherine Greene, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I finally finished this! I have to say I loved the whole story line. The mystery and all the twists and turns. It kept you suspecting everyone. I loved the dual timelines. Seeing how much this affected Lindsey’s life as a child and into adulthood was attention grabbing.

Lindsay is the younger sister of Jessica, who disappeared during her freshman year in college. Lindsay was six years old when Jess disappeared, and her whole life has been overshadowed by this. Even though she is now thirty and has a full time job as front desk manager at a luxury hotel, she lives at home, and is in touch with her mother several times a day. Almost a quarter century after the disappearance, remains are found at a nearby lake. They could be Jessica's, or one of the other three girls from her college that also disappeared that year.

This story is told in alternating timelines of Lindsay in the present, and Jessica the year she disappears. I love a dual timeline book, and getting to view how the timelines finally intersect. The author does a good job of giving you just enough in each timeline to want to get back to it as soon as you can! Because of this, it was a quick read. I really enjoyed the character development of Lindsay, but I felt that I didn't get to know Jessica as well, mostly because had I learned much more, it would have revealed too much too soon. I will look for this author's other work, and definitely recommend this book.

Thank you for NetGalley. the author and publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

So much to love about this thriller, particularly the audio production!

Mixed media, which was excellent on audio but even more fun to read along with on the digital copy
Multiple POV + full cast narration
Dual timelines done in a way that wasn't confusing at all
College campus vibes which, for me, are always perfect for fall
Lots of suspects, red herrings, twists to keep you flying through the pages

I went back and forth between audio and physical for this one and both were great, but I HIGHLY recommend on audio. I mean, who doesn't live a nice full cast??

This thriller wormed it's way into my brain, I couldn't stop thinking about it and had to keep reading. Each twist packed a punch, and while I thought I knew a few things early on, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how any of it came together. Katherine Greene did a great job of weaving this story together, and layering the mysteries. If you're looking for your next bingeable thriller, here it is!

There were a few things that held this book back for me, and that's why I couldn't rate it higher, despite really liking it. There were a few elements of the mystery that were a little too unbelievable, and a couple of plot holes or inconsistencies that took me out of the reading experience. There was also a really odd choice the author made near the end of the book regarding POVs that threw me for a loop. These things definitely impacted my overall feelings about the book, but they didn't really hinder my experience reading it, and I still recommend this one.

torn on this one because I liked the premise a lot and the split povs added to the story but the whole trusting the reporter then figuring out he dated her sister was a lot. it felt rushed in the beginning but then I wanted more in the end.

True crime podcast aside, which this book could have left out without losing anything, this book was pretty gripping. I read it in one afternoon. There were a lot of red herrings thrown in. Some were extremely obvious and who-dun-it was also easy to guess. I had kind of wished it wasn't those it turned out to be. Still, a nice book to read on a cold day.

This was a great read. The character development was brilliant and the story kept you guessing and wanting to keep reading late into the night! I will be looking for more books from this author.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy for thrillers by the book MKE!

I wanted to love this book so much and, in some ways, I really did. I was super enticed start to finish -- from the very first page to the end. There were a few great surprises and shocks throughout that kept me interested and some well-done red herrings. You're really going to suspect everyone by the time the book is over! Unfortunately, though, I predicted something major almost immediately, which was a huge let down. There's a balance between fun foreshadowing and it being too obvious, and, for me, this was the latter. The red herrings were redemptive in this way, because they at least had me questioning myself at times, but still not enough in the end. My only other real complaint is that the time jumps could be confusing and, at times, the pacing felt chaotic. Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading this book, but feel the execution could have been done a little bit better. I would still definitely recommend it, though, and I look forward to discussing at book club this week!

Review of The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene

4 Stars

The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene is a chilling, dual-timeline thriller that skillfully combines the mystery of a true crime podcast with the haunting tale of a missing college student. The story follows Lindsey, who is desperate to uncover the truth about her sister Jessica’s disappearance 24 years ago. As bodies start turning up near a lake connected to Jessica’s last known whereabouts, Lindsey dives deeper into the secrets of Southern State University, guided by clues from a popular true crime podcast. Meanwhile, in the late 90s, we see Jessica’s own descent as her life spirals out of control, leading to her ultimate fate.

Greene does an excellent job of weaving suspenseful podcast excerpts with the alternating perspectives of the sisters, creating a layered and haunting atmosphere. The twists and the realism of Jessica’s struggles on campus make this story both engaging and unsettling. The exploration of true crime culture and its impact on families searching for closure adds depth to the plot. Though it slows at points, the buildup to the conclusion is well worth the wait. Fans of academia mysteries and true crime will find The Lake of Lost Girls an unforgettable read.

Thank you @netgalley for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

WOW was this good. I thought I had it all figured out and wow was I wrong. This book was gripping and kept my on my toes. I loved the podcast and social media element. If you love a missing woman thriller, grab this.

first book by this author and had a great time, will pick up future work. thankyou all for the early copy

The Lake of Lost Girls is a fast-paced story that starts with a skeleton being found near a lake in a small town where girls attending university have disappeared in the past. That find is just the beginning of the mystery as two more skeletons were found at the bottom of the same lake. There are the podcasters divulging details of the case, there's the sister who barely remembers the one long gone, there's a family that tries to be perfect but is far from it, there are three probable culprits, but definitely more than one is responsible for those murders. This book is a roller coaster of emotions and very entertaining!
I thank the authors, their publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

First of all I would like to thank Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a copy of The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene in exchange for my honest review. This book is now available for purchase where ever books are sold or can be find at your local lending library.

Lindsey has always lived in the shadow of her older sister, Jessica. Not only was Jessica smart and beautiful, but she went missing without a trace on the night of Lindsey's sixth birthday party. For 24 years, Lindsey has lived with the ghost of her sisters and the disappearance dictating every moment of her life. Until a podcast starts digging into the details and new information is found in their small town.

Jessica is attending college only a few miles away from her small town. She wants to break free from who she has always been but there are things she is hiding that are eating away at her. The endless nights of partying and skipping class are doing nothing to help her feel numb, until she decides things need to change.

If you love a good twisty thriller then I recommend The Lake of Lost Girls. The ending will leave you speechless.

Katherine Greene’s The Lake of Lost Girls is a twisty thriller that hits all the right notes for fans of true crime and mysteries with complex family ties. Set in both 1998 and the present day, it follows Lindsey as she digs into her sister Jessica’s disappearance from Southern State University decades earlier. This isn’t just a cold case—Lindsey’s investigation is sparked by a viral podcast and a shocking new discovery near a lake in their hometown. The way the story weaves in podcast transcripts, old news clippings, and social media posts makes it feel like you’re right there, piecing together clues.

What really stands out are the characters. Lindsey and Jessica are both flawed, real, and relatable, each with their own vulnerabilities and raw edges. Greene pulls no punches in exploring the unsettling themes of family trauma, secrets, and the darker side of small-town dynamics. I found myself completely immersed in the alternating perspectives, especially as the suspense ramped up and new twists unfolded.

If you love thrillers that keep you guessing and are packed with suspenseful, page-turning moments, The Lake of Lost Girls is a must-read. Greene manages to balance emotional depth with a chilling plot that’s hard to put down. This book kept me reading way past bedtime, and I’m still thinking about the ending!

I really was interested in the story-young woman trying to live her life when the story of her teen sister's disappearance becomes news again, 24 years later. The characters were not well developed in my opinion--they kept changing and doing things out of characters, and I felt like I didn't get to them that well. Lindsay, the main character, made me roll my eyes a few times as she tries not to fall for the creepy reporter who knows quote a lot about her sister. Satisfying ending, though a bit predictable. Liked the mixed media additions (podcast, newspaper article, etc.).

I’m a little late to give a review as this took me a little time to get through. While the story was enjoyable I found the podcast part to be a complete waste and not necessary. I also felt it was obvious that it wasn’t the boyfriend or the teacher. It was pushed too hard in my opinion. I figured out who it was about half way. It was such a slow read.

Oh.my.ever.thriller.loving.goodness.
This was a good one.
Loved everything about this book.
The podcast views.
The way you just don’t see it coming.
5 solid stars.
Will recommend.
Obsessed.