The Lake House Children - 3.5 Stars

It had been a while since I had read the blurb of this book so I went into the story pretty blind. It was not at all what I was expecting.

I actually really enjoyed the plot of this book. The focus on reincarnation was really interesting and unique! There were some great twists and turns towards the end. The first half of the book is where it kind of fell flat for me. I found the first 50% to be really slow, to the point where there were several times when I considered just giving up on it. That might just be me though.

I also found it difficult at times to read about Jack because his development didn't line up with the age he was supposed to be. That's something that probably won't bother most people, but as someone that is qualified in child development I found myself constantly being like 'That's not how a _ year old would act.'. Like one minute 4 year old Jack's development is similar to a toddler's and next minute he's actually acting like a 4 year old. Not a massive deal but I found that it kept pulling me out of the story.

I also had a bit of a hard time connecting to the characters. I found most of them to be irritating/frustrating at times. I know most of them were that way intentionally which makes sense for the story. I think Jack and Bea were my favourites.

Overall, the second half of the book was good but I'm not sure if it was worth getting through the first half.

Never read anything quite like this chilling take of Jack, a child who has memories of his prior life as a cousin. Excellent story and truly found this interesting and very well written. Jack is absolutely loveable and his take unfolds well with lots of intrigue about what will happen next.

Great character development. Story kept me engaged and wanting to know more. Did figure out two of the twists but not until right before. Authors note was lengthy but gave description of what lead to the writing and creation of this very imaginative plot.

Triggers: profanity, child drowning, reincarnation, cheating.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for my advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks for the complimentary ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher.

With all due respect the paranormal aspect of this story didn’t connect and I concede that for many it did. It just isn’t my kind of book I guess.

Little Ghosts by Gregg Dunnett was one of my favourite reads in 2023 so I was very much looking forward to reading The Lake House Children. This book did not disappoint.

The story starts off rather dramatically when a father gathers his daughters to his lake house home. He passes away while they are all in the home and the lake house is left equally to the three daughters. The daughters must decide what to do with the aging home which becomes one part of the storyline.

Moving along to the focal storyline, Kate's four year old son Jack has been saying odd things since he learned to speak and once his speaking became more clear, he has had many stories to tell about a past life he claims to have had. As any parent would be, Kate is skeptical and questions where he may have heard about this supposed past life before. Jack, however, is saying things she has never spoken about or even heard about herself and she finds herself drawing deeper into his stories. She starts to wonder, maybe Jack does have a connection to his previous life. Her husband Neil, however, is a Evolutionary Biologist who tries to find the logic in what is happening and does not entertain the notion Jack could be remembering a previous life.

I loved this book. The author's ability to weave suspense and emotion into the story, while sprinkling in a supernatural element made this book hard to put down. The writing style perfectly built up the tension and unraveled the mystery, holding my attention from beginning to end.

This is a 4.5-star read for me. The ending wasn’t as climactic as I had anticipated, which was a bit of a letdown after such a mesmerizing read. Nonetheless, it was still a great book. Gregg Dunnett is a brilliant author, and I look forward to more from him.

It is a suspenseful family drama with viewpoints after and leading up to tragic family events, which is enough to keep most readers engaged. This one has more, a supernatural twist that affects the outcome. It is pacy with flawed characters and sometimes toxic family relationships. I like the additional dimension, the complex characters, the family dynamic, and the immersive quality, which draws you in and makes you think about the issues raised.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Do you believe in reincarnation?

Kate never did... until her son Jack started saying things he shouldn't have known as such a young child. This made her start to wonder, and as time elapsed, she starts to make connections to what he's saying and a tragic death their family experienced before he was born. She realizes that Jack is saying he used to be someone else, and it throws Kate for a loop. Well written and developed story line, that is captivating from the beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Gregg Dunnett for the eARC.

Something terrible has happened to Kate Marshall's family; several people have died in a fire. The book alternates between the FBI questioning Kate about the fire and Kate recounting many events from the past.

Once I realized the book touched on the possibility of reincarnation, I almost tapped out. I am not into what I consider "supernatural" storylines as I don't find them believable. I'd like to think I'm not a quitter, so I pushed on. It took me 7 days to read this book, which is a VERY long time for me.

Admittedly, the storyline was very unique, but I also found the "whodunit" to be predictable. I really wanted to like this book, but I just didn't find it very enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

In The Lake House Children, the stories of three sisters and their families, their envy, jealousy, enmity and loss are intertwined.
The eldest sister, married to a successful businessman and mother of twins, lives to show off to her peers and to dominate her sisters.
The second sister is still grieving the death of her only son, Zack, who drowned years ago in the lake. As a result of this tragedy, her husband separates from her, although in a friendly manner.
Kate, the youngest sister and protagonist of this story, is the mother of a little boy, Jack, who was born several years after the death of her little cousin. She is married to a scientist.
The plot of this story revolves around the death of three family members during a fire at the lake house and the investigation she is subjected to, during which it is revealed that Jack is the reincarnation of his cousin Zack, and the boy tells facts that only Zack could know. A well-written story, with very human characters, that keeps the reader's interest from beginning to end, with an unexpected ending. Highly recommended.
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

The Lake House Children is my first book by Gregg Dunnett and it was an incredible ride! I loved the book so much and didn't see some of the final twists coming. Wow. Kate is married to Neil and they have a four year old son, Jack. Ever since Jack was born he's been terrified of water. He's so terrified that he doesn't take a bath and freaks out if they turn on the shower. Jack insists when he's able to talk that he used to be a big boy who died. Every kid says weird things and have active imaginations, but Jack can give details about how he died and where it happened. Kate takes it seriously, but Neil thinks it's crazy.

Imagine having a child who can tell you things they remember from before the time they were born. Jack reveals a memory he has from the family lake house that contradicts the story that everyone was told. If what Jack is saying is true, the family Kate thought she had will be no more. Should Kate keep quiet or blow it all up with Jack's memory? This book grabs you and will make you think about it a lot. I look forward to reading more from Gregg Dunnett and don't want to say more about the book as I want everyone to have the same experience I had. I rate The Lake House Children 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Gregg Dunnett for an advanced copy of The Lake House Children in exchange for a fair review. #TheLakeHouseChildren

The Lakehouse children is a family drama wrapped up in a procedural mystery and I was here for all of it. I love that the story slowly unfolded yet there was never a dull moment.

The past and present intertwined very well without any confusion. I dont know what i would do in their situation but lets hope I never have to find out!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the great book!

Fun read with surprising and original twists. Didn't put it down for 2 days. Love, love, loved it!

Review was also posted on goodrrads

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

This was definitely a unique book. It's got some creepy elements because kids really can be creepy and say the weirdest things. It's got a lot of police procedural elements and it's one of my favorite styles: the post incident interrogation where you are figuring it out a long the way. Plus of course the thriller elements.

I really enjoyed the storyline and the journey. I knocked down to a 4 star because I did figure out all the ending twists early. However the beginning and middle twists I don't think I could have seen coming. I also did like the end and it made sense.

Overall this was a unique and creepy journey. This isn't horror but one of the creepier thrillers I've read.

This book was very well written! It kept me guessing and flipping pages until the very end!! Highly recommend!

The Lake House Children by Gregg Dunnett delivers a chilling and unique story line centered around a mother, Kate, and her son Jack, who claims to have lived a past life. The premise of reincarnation immediately hooked me, as it’s something I’ve never encountered in a suspense thriller before. The idea of a young child having memories from before he was born set the stage for an intriguing mystery that only grew more intense with each chapter.

The dual timelines added depth to the narrative, switching between the past and present to slowly unravel long-buried secrets. I found myself audibly gasping when the twist hit—it was one of those moments that made me sit back and say, “Whoa!” Even after finishing the book, the story still lingers in my mind.

Dunnett's characters are multi-layered and relatable, making the situation feel like it could truly happen in real life. The dark, suspenseful setting amplifies the tension throughout the story. While the pacing was quick and kept me engaged, the atmosphere was what really sold the tension—especially as it built toward the final revelations.

Overall, this book offers a fast-paced, twisty plot with believable characters and an eerie, dark atmosphere. A perfect weekend read if you're in the mood for suspense with an emotional edge.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book and provide my feedback!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this proof. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were several different plots that kept me engaged throughout. What a family! Each character was well developed by the author.

I loved Gregg Dunnett’s book Little Ghosts so I was really excited about THE LAKE HOUSE CHILDREN! I was thrown for a loop with this book and didn’t know where it was going. This was one of those books where being patient paid off. As I got further into the book it became a page turner that I couldn’t put down. This was well worth the read and was full of plenty of surprises!

The cover and title were what really caught my attention with this book. It definitely was not what I was expecting, but in a good way. I was trying to figure things out the whole way through. I love a story with a lot of mystery and twists. And oh what surprises there were! That little surprise toward the end, WOW, I definitely did not see that at all!!! This was a great book and will definitely be looking into more from this author. Thank you for the opportunity to read the advanced copy to both the author and NetGalley!!

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"But that's just how it goes sometimes. Not everything in life makes sense."

What does make sense is that mystery author Gregg Dunnett knows how to write contemplative stories surrounding children, their innocence in believing what we as adults become too serious, and perhaps too scared, to acknowledge might be truths we can't explain away with science. In his latest mystery novel, The Lake House Children, we see his talent create a surprisingly highly entertaining page turner.

We meet Kate being interviewed by FBI Agent McGee and his partner Agent Robbins. McGee is feeling something is off with this case; his last before retirement. An intentional fire at a family lake house. Four family members died, quite a few suspects, including Kate. She seems almost calm when she starts telling her story. But he never expected it to start 3 years ago with the death of her father and end with the claims of her 4 year son Jack and the death of a cousin he never knew.

Fortunately, I got to read and listen to the audiobook performed by the astonishingly skillful voice actress Elise Roth. Each character was easily distinguishable, acted flawlessly and her ability to make young Jack so innocently believable is a testament to not only her acting ability but to this writer's accomplished creative storytelling.

I think going in mostly blind is the way to go. Just remember where it starts is so far from where it ends. The Lake House Children will grow on you. Some of them you will love, others not so much, but either way you will be left contemplating Jack and his truth.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

“The Lake House Children” is an exceptional mystery/thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The short chapters were a brilliant choice, maintaining a brisk pace and high tension throughout the story.

I was particularly impressed with the depth of the characters.. Their rich backstories added so much to the narrative, making them feel incredibly real and relatable. The way Dunnett handled the emotional weight of involving children in such intense situations was both sensitive and powerful, adding a poignant layer to the thrilling plot.

The twists and turns were masterfully executed, keeping me guessing until the very end. This book is perfect for autumn reading, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. Dunnett has crafted a truly compelling thriller that I would highly recommend to any fan of the genre.

Mr. Dunnett has found himself a new fan. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions and I don’t even have children. This story will grasp you from the beginning and you won’t want to put it down until you get to the end.