This was my first book by Gregg Dunnett and I am excited to read more of his books. Kate’s 4 year old son Jack, who struggles to talk at his age level begins talking about things he has never experienced and events that happened before he was born. Kate and her husband Neil disagree about Jacks claims. Neil believes there is a scientific explanation for all the things that Jack is claiming but soon he cannot deny it anymore. This book kept me guessing until the end. I thought I had figured out the mystery several times but was pleasantly surprised at how unexpected it was. Dunnett did a great job with this dual time line weaving in the important events of the past that supported Jack’s claims. These claims will forever change the relationship of the Lake House Children.

TWs mentioned below: child death, assisted suicide.

Kate, husband Neil, & young son Jack are heading to their family's lake house. Kate's father has invited the entire close family for the weekend but when they arrive, a woman they have never met is there. Standoffish & a little cold, Susan is obviously their dad's new girlfriend, the first after their mother died, but Kate's oldest sister, Amber, is worried that Susan is after their father's money & the lake house. The middle sister, Bea, doesn't seem all that concerned but then she has little love for the lake house after her young son, Zach, drowned in a terrible accident several years before. The next morning, their father is dead & all hell breaks loose.

Shortly after these events Kate notices that her four-year-old son is starting to say strange things about being 'bigger before', he has an extreme phobia to being in water, & he seems to have a strange attachment to Bea. When he tells her one day that he used to be Zack & tells her details from Zack's life he couldn't possibly know, Kate is stunned but curious. Neil, meanwhile, is adamant that Jack is making it all up for attention. As Jack continues to give Kate further details, he reveals that Zack's death was not the accident it was reported as.

This was a really good read written in the style of main character, Kate, being interviewed by two FBI agents about a fire. The timeline swaps back & forth between the interview & past events. The plot may be a bit out there but I was riveted to find out if what I thought had happened was right (it was). It was fairly pacy, & well-written, although I do have a couple of thoughts about it. First of all, there's the whole big plot point at the start about assisted suicide & then it's barely mentioned again. What did it really add to the story? The plot then pivots to the paranormal angle which actually works pretty well. Secondly, why would you call your child Jack when your sister recently lost her child named Zack? Seems a tad insensitive to me. Overall though, there was enough here to keep me interested & I have a couple of the author's other books in my TBR pile, so I will be reading them in due course. 4 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Storm Publishing, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

This was a gripping story that I couldn’t put down. A case that seemed like it would be a simple last case for FBI Agent Jim McGee was anything but straightforward. I enjoyed that there was a supernatural element of the story. It started a little slow while the story was being set up but then it took off. This is the first book I’ve read by Gregg Dunnett but it won’t be the last!

Thank you to the author, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Most of this story was set in interrogation as FBI interview Kate. She survived a house fire that took a chunk of her family.
The story progresses with her memories as she goes back to in time bringing them forward to how they were all assembled in this house.
Ugly secrets are spilled and the mystery of her small boy and his odd memories.
It's very twisted and you can't put it down.
Is Kate a suspect or a witness or totally innocent?
It's possibly a crime that won't get solved...or will it?
I've not read this author before but I'm certainly going to check his other books.

I just enjoyed so much reading this story, for the first time I saw the question of reincarnation being interwoven with a crime mystery and the result is just overwhelming! Jack recalls his past life and the more his mother helps him understand what goes on in his mind the more problems will arise and shake the whole family. The "perfect relationships" have much more than what's seen and once barriers start to being broken there's no way to foresee which will be the outcome. The Lake House Children is a story of greed, familial relationships, deadly secrets, betrayal and finally reaching a time of recovery and acceptance even for those detectives that worked the case. I particularly enjoyed the way Mr. Dunnett worked the reincarnation theme as opposed to logic and scientific factors. Highly recommended!
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is an intriguing psychological thriller that will have you questioning your beliefs. Is it possible for someone to have knowledge of events that happened before they were born? Oh, and that person is only 4 years old so it's not like he read about things on the internet. There's a different dynamic in the Marshall family and as the story progresses, you can't help but wonder what is going on. What is the truth of events that have happened? And the closer the story gets to the end, the more secrets that get revealed. There were certainly some surprises that I didn't see coming.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author & the first book I’ve read with this sort of plot and it exceeded my expectations.
The story is clever, well written & thrilling. I loved the two timelines and thought it was executed really well.
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I want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

The Lake House Children is a little confusing at the start, it starts with a woman, Kate being interviewed by the police about a fire at the family home, what she retells suspends the detective beliefs, as she tells a story of murder and reincarnation, is she telling the truth or she the murderer.
The tale reminded me of the novel Audrey Rose, and it is definitely thought provoking about when we die. is that it or do we sometimes get a second chance.

OMG! I loved THE LAKE HOUSE CHILDREN by Gregg Dunnett so much, I couldn’t put it down.

Kate Marshall’s family has been torn apart by tragedy…angain! After her mother’s death when she was younger, she and her sisters step in to help their father. Then tragedy struck again seven years ago when Bea’s son, Zack accidentally drowned while at the lake house. After that, the sisters tried to move on and basically went their separate ways. When their father summons them to the lake house when Kate’s son Jack is 2 1/2, the sisters are sure that he is going to tell them that he is remarrying, putting their inheritance at risk. However, that is not how the weekend comes to pass. As Jack becomes more verbal, Kate seems to be the only one who can understand his mumblings. Then he starts saying very odd things that make no sense to her husband, Neil, an evolutionary biologist, but Kate begins to wonder when Zach starts saying he has been here before. Kate continues to question Jack about his likes and dislikes, etc. and even contacts a researcher about what Jack is reporting.

Meanwhile, rich, successful sister Amber is in the process of renovating the lake house and shaping her college aged twins, Aaron and Eva, with husband, Brock. Bea continues to deal with her grief and has divorced and withdrawn from the world since Zack’s death.

The backdrop of the novel is Kate’s police interrogation with Detectives McGee and Robbins after even more deaths in a fire at the lake house. While Kate understands that what she has to say is unbelievable, she tells detectives what led up to the fire.

This one had me hooked from the first page! I couldn’t get through the pages fast enough. Could re-incarnation be happening all around us? My pulse was racing and my breath was catching in my throat as the final culmination of all Kate has learned comes to the forefront in the most shocking conclusion. The writing was clear and concise which led to an enjoyable read. I am glad to see that Mr. Dunnett has other psychological thrillers and I will certainly be looking into them also.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

When a young boy drowns, an entire family is shaken. That horrible death is followed by a few more. Grandma passes away, and then, within a short period, the grandfather follows as well. However, his death is not as calm as the grandmother's. Questions, anger, and shock grab the family as they try to cope with what has happened. But all that will seem like nothing as the next family drama unfolds....

As Jack grows up, there seem to be little things that do not make sense. He says things he shouldn't know. As his parents argue over the best way to figure out what is going on, questions about the past are being recalled.

When the family gets together for the grand reopening of the Lake House, everything seems perfect, pretend perfect. As the allegations from Jack begin to come out, it could lead to one unforgettable explosion.

This was a fantastic book! I really enjoyed it. Once I got into the first couple of chapters, it seemed to not want to let go, demanding a one-sitting finish. Get ready for one family reunion that no one will ever forget.

TW: Child Drowning, Reincarnation

“Katherine Marshall” began Agent Robbins as he formally began the interview of the Suspect they believe is responsible for the Arson-“you should be aware that providing false statements to a federal agent, is a Federal offense-including those made today…”

But, how did we get to the point where Kate is the Suspect sitting before agents McGee and Robbins, still smelling of smoke from a fire that most of her family perished in?

WELL-it all started when a summons from her father gathered Kate-her two sisters-Amber and Bea-and their families-to a weekend at the Lake House-presumably to meet his new “friend” Susan.

And, it all ended with a fire at that same Lake House, two years later.

But between those two events are many TWISTS and TURNS that I promise you WON’T see coming!

And, many of the CHILLING SECRETS that will be revealed will come from Kate’s son-a toddler named Jack-who struggles to explain what happened from when he “used to be bigger”…

Kate’s husband Neil, is a scientist who doesn’t believe that reincarnation is possible but Kate knows that the things Jack is saying didn’t come from her, and their opposite opinions make the family dynamics throughout the story ring true.

I have never read a book by Gregg Dunnett before, but I am thrilled to have discovered his work. It was the perfect start to 2024 SPOOKY SEASON, and it kept me engaged from the first page through the last.

I can’t wait to discover his backlist.

AVAILABLE NOW!

Thank You to Storm Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.

Well, the story was quite a surprise. It is an investigation by two FBI agents, and it is full of family drama. I enjoy reading, as I generally enjoy investigative stories. There are some unexpected twists, and the last 10 percent of the book has an incredible flow of events.

Mae teuluoedd yn bethau cymhleth, ac wrth i ni gael ein cyflwyno i deulu Kate mae hynny'n dod i'r amlwg am ei theulu hi yn eithaf cynnar yn y nofel hon. Cawn fynd i dŷ'r teulu sydd ar ymyl llyn, cartref tad Kate a'i chwiorydd, lle daw'r teulu i gyd ynghyd a chyn bo hir mae'n amlwg nad un teulu hapus yw hwn. Mae Jack, mab Kate, yn dechrau honni ei fod yn arfer bod yn rhywun arall, rhywun a fu farw mewn trasiedi yn y tŷ hwn, ac mae Jack yn gwybod llawer o bethau na ddylai bachgen bach pedair oed eu gwybod na'u cofio. Mae'r stori yn neidio rhwng y presennol yn dilyn trasiedi arall yn y tŷ,a'r gorffennol wrth i Kate adrodd eu hanes mewn cyfweliad gyda'r heddlu. Mae nifer o gymeriadau lliwgar o bob oed yma, a sawl cyfrinach i'w datgelu. Nofel ddirgelwch gydag elfen o'r paranormal wedi'i hysgrifennu gyda llinyn storiol cryf, cynnil a gafaelgar ond fe wnes i ddyfalu beth ddigwyddodd yn y gorffennol o ran bywyd blaenorol Jack, ond roedd tro yn y gynffon ar y diwedd a oedd yn gwbl annisgwyl.

Families are complicated things, and as we are introduced to Kate's family it becomes obvious that this family is no exception quite early on in the novel. We are taken to the family's lake house, Kate's father's house, as Kate and her siblings come together and before long we can clearly see this is not one big happy family. Jack, Kate's son, starts to claim that he used to be someone else, someone who passed away in a tragedy at the house, and Jack knows many things that no four year old should know or remember. The story jumps between the present following another tragedy in the house and the past as Kate retells the family's story in a police interview. There are many colorful characters of all ages here, and many secrets to be revealed. A story full of mystery with an element of the paranormal written with a strong, subtle and gripping storyline, although I did guess what had happened in the past in Jack's previous life, but the twist at the end was completely unexpected.

This was a very unusual story with lots of moving parts. It was intriguing and tense. There were hair-raising and spine tingling moments that will leave you breathless with a clever cast of characters and a haunting plot filled with twists that you may, or may not, see coming. You may have to use your imagination a little, but that's what is so fun about reading a fictional book, anything is possible.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

oh my gosh <i> The Lake House Children </i> has become a top five favorite read of the year for me. It was seriously <b> that good </b>. I wasn't sure how I felt about the creepy child/child with issues tropes (I've previously only read two, <i> Hidden Pictures </i> and <i> The Push </i> )and I loved one and did not like the other, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. But let me tell you, I couldn't put it down.

Gregg Dunnett has expertly crafted a storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's eerie, atmospheric, and downright creepy, but all in the best way. I was deeply invested and sorry to see it end.

There is a supernatural trope which can be hit and miss with me but if you're on the fence about it, I'd definitely choose to read this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review :))

3.5* rounded... This story definitely took some turns I wasn't expecting. It was an interesting perspective...a fire has killed four people in a lake house, and then it hits rewind and takes the reader on a journey back to other tragic and mysterious happenings at the same house. I could not have predicted where it would all lead! Dunnett did a stellar job laying out the storyline with details and timelines in great detail. I was wondering where we were going for a little while...definitely a supernatural twist in there...but it wasn't sensationalized. It just left you wondering...hmmmm.
Definitely recommend for those up for a thrill and untangling some deceitful webs and mysteries.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARL. All opinions are mine.

Wow! Engrossing from the first chapter. I was completely hooked. The way the story unfolds through the timelines is intriguing. Kate was such a strong character and I felt her struggles right alongside her. When things start to be revealed I was left with my mouth hanging open. I really enjoyed the writing style. And the ending felt particularly satisfying.

Three words: BUT. THIS. BOOK!!! It’s so unique and grabbed my face from the very first page. I could not for the life of me put it down and I wish I could forget it and read it again for the first time! This book is going on my permanent list of book recommendations! I loved the nonlinear timeline and alternating chapters between characters! So fascinating!

Whoa. This story took some majorly unexpected turns that I never saw coming. I read it pretty quickly because I just had to keep reading to find out what happened next. I'm not a huge fan of books that switch between past and present as I tend to forget which timeframe I'm reading. Kate is dealing with something no mother should have to deal with and my heart went out to her as I read. Such a great weekend read - make sure you have time to read it, you won't want to stop until you hit the last page!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

I have read a number of Gregg Dunnetts books and enjoyed them. This book is different to the others with its focus on reincarnation and testing the readers imagination and thoughts on the subject. Deeply researched and challenging the reader to make their own mind up as to if reincarnation is possible or if they are just being tricked. Makes for a different and interesting book that I enjoyed. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.