I absolutely loved The Lake House Children! From the very first chapter, I was hooked. This book not only kept me guessing, but it also motivated me to deep clean my house—I just couldn’t stop listening!
The characters are well-developed and relatable, each adding depth to the story. I find myself hating certain characters and connecting to others. If you're looking for a thrilling read that keeps you on the edge of your seat, look no further. Highly recommend!

Woof.

This book takes family dysfunction and drama to a whole new level. The Lake House Children are full of secrets. So many terrible secrets.

Add in some speculative elements and you have a recipe for mystery and intrigue. As a thriller, it's a bit of a slow burn. As a story, it presents complex characters and a ton of monstrous humanity.

I had the audiobook ARC and enjoyed the narrator.

I guess I'm speechless... 😮😮

Not sure what I was expecting with this one, but wow! This was NOT it!

We open with Kate, Bea and Amber getting together at their Dad's home on the lake...the home where they grew up. They are concerned as their Dad has them getting together, and there's a woman involved. Is he getting engaged? Is this serious? They lost their Mom a few years ago.

They have all now arrived with their own families, spouses, kids, etc.

From here, we go on many adventures...kind of...

Some I expected...some I was totally blindsided by...

We learn about this family, their history, their quirks... and some secrets...secrets that should NEVER have gotten out...

And then we have beautiful little Jack. Jack who has so many little quirks of his own, and at such a young age... Jack who seems to have so many memories for a four year old...

And so the question arises: Do you believe in reincarnation? And if so, how do you know if it's real??
And that would be quite the question to ponder!

4 healthy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

#TheLakeHouseChildren by #GreggDunnett and narrated nicely by #EliseRoth.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #DreamscapePublishing and #StormPublishing for an ARC of the audiobook which was just released on 9/18/24.

⭐️ Suspense
⭐️ Family drama
⭐️ Secrets
⭐️ Family hideaway

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This book was definitely a good read! I enjoyed it all the way through.
The good: Dunnett is a very good writer. His descriptive writing is excellent and I really felt like I could get lost in this world. I liked the imperfect nature of all the characters. Didn't love the main character, but in a well developed way. She made mistakes, made stupid decisions, and did things I disagreed with, but it made her a more complex and well rounded character.
The less-than-good: I sometimes had a bit of a hard time making sense of the reality that existed within this book. I understand it all contributed towards a greater message of "the truth of the world is ever changing and we may never know what the real truth is", but some things (without giving anything away) could have used a bit more lead up or explaining. In addition, it was clear that the author does not have much knowledge on child development as kids in this book often acted a much different age than they were meant to be.

A solid read! Would recommend for fans of more ~possible supernatural mysteries~.
*ps-- thank you Netgalley/Storm Publishing for giving me this the ARC in exchange for my honest review :)*

The Lake House Children sucked me in from the beginning! I listened to the entire audio book in one day (1.75 speed due to slow narration). The story follows a family who all meet at their family lake house for an important dinner, but no one knows why. After the big news and return to normal life, MC Kate has concerns about her young son and is forced to face some unusual dilemmas.

Partly Sci-Fi, part suspense, this story does into some parallel reality topics, which I won’t elaborate on to avoid spoiling it. While not outside the realm of possibilities, it is a book of fiction. The overall story was well written, though I do have questions on things not wrapped up by the end of the story. I do appreciate the authors note at the end that showed just how much research was put into the idea of this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Dreamscape Select for the ALC.

*4.5 stars*

Kate has a wonderful family with a few flaws, just like everyone. Until her 4 year old son, Jack, starts to have memories of someone else’s life. He starts to insist that he used to be this person and this person is someone who died tragically. And something he saw could really tear their family apart.

Wow! This was a very interesting and unique plot I have not seen done before. Which is always so exciting from a thriller! There was an intriguing supernatural element involved in the plot line.

Kate tells the story mainly from two different timelines. She is in the present being interviewed by two detectives trying to figure out how a fire happened. As they are interviewing her she starts the story in the past and builds up to the current point. I honestly don’t want to say anymore because I don’t want to take away from the experience of reading it.

The story had me hooked from the beginning and I didn’t want to stop reading until I knew what happened. The ending was satisfying and had an element I wasn’t predicting. This is a first for me by this author, but definitely not the last! Also, the narrator did a very good job with the audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the advanced audio version of this book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Elise Roth does a fantastic job narrating the audiobook! I highly recommend it!

Agent Jim McGee is weeks away from retirement when one last case come across his desk. The case is a house fire that killed half of a family. Agent McGee spends his last few weeks interviewing one of the survivors, Kate Marshall, and the story she tells is out of this world.

There was a lot of switching back and forth from past to present with seamless transitions that made it easy to follow. This is a well written and enthralling story.

I do not read many supernatural books but this one has just enough supernatural elements in it to make it believable. I didn’t find the story predictable like some mysteries and thrillers tend to be. Every time I thought I was figuring it out, something proved me wrong. I was hooked from the start and flew through the second half of the book as I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend!

This was my first book by Gregg Dunnett and it won't be my last!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning and when everyone was sitting at the dinner table was interesting and conveyed the unpleasant atmosphere really well.

For me, however, things then developed in a different direction. I don't like books with a lot of police/detective work. There was nothing in the blurb about police/detective investigation.

For those who like it, the book will be good. Unfortunately not for me.

"The Lake House Children" is a gripping and eerie thriller that kept me hooked with its mysterious premise of a young boy recalling a past life and a long-buried family secret. It’s an entertaining read and I just love the spooky vibes, perfect for late summer and early autumn. And the book keeps the tension high from start to finish.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

THE LAKE HOUSE CHILDREN by Gregg Dunnett

Narration by, Elise Roth, was very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ARC ebook

Set near the east coast in a beautiful old lake house - the childhood summer home of three sisters, Amber, Bea, and Kate. We meet them in adulthood with families of their own. We meet Jim McGee an FBI agent ready for retirement, who at the start of book is interviewing Kate about something that just occurred at the lake house. We meet four-year-old, Jack, Kate’s son, who has memories from before he was born. Jack reveals something that he saw at the lake house years before. What did Jack see? How did Jack see things before he was born? Why is Kate being questioned?

I’ve never read any of Gregg Dunnett’s books prior to this. I enjoyed the writing and the quirky story, and look forward to reading his other books. The audiobook of, The Lake House Children, was really good and thought Elise Roth did a fine job.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

As someone who generally prefers thrillers grounded in reality, I tend to steer clear of books with supernatural elements. I wish they were more clearly marked as such, but I suppose that’s life. If you share this preference, you might want to skip this one. However, once I accepted the supernatural aspect, I found The Lake House Children to be a gripping read—I genuinely didn’t want to put it down.

Unlike other thrillers where the supernatural twist is a late reveal (and also share the lake house theme… looking at you, Riley Sager), Dunnett makes it clear early on, which I appreciated. The story is told through the lens of investigators interrogating Kate, whose family has tragically died in a fire. Her responses unfold as a series of detailed flashbacks. Initially, I was concerned that this back-and-forth format might come across as corny or overdone, but I was pleasantly surprised by how masterfully it was executed.

One thing that caught my attention was the characters' diction. Despite being set in Maine, some of the phrasing felt distinctly British, which puzzled me until I confirmed in the "about the author" section that Dunnett is indeed from across the pond. It wasn't distracting, but rather became a bit of a fun game for me as I read along.

Overall, despite my usual reservations about supernatural elements, I thoroughly enjoyed The Lake House Children. It’s a well-crafted story that kept me hooked from beginning to end.

4.5 ☆
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I don’t even know what to say, except to READ this book. 📚 Once you start reading this book, it will be difficult to stop. I need to sit and think about this review! But READ, READ, READ this book. 📖 The audiobook was good and easy to listen to and pay attention to. 🎧 Kate’s son, Jack, insists that he used to be someone else—someone who died tragically. 😱 At first, Kate is confused about what he’s telling her. Don’t little kids say the weirdest things? 🤔 #bookstagram #bookreview #mustread #thriller #suspense #mystery #audiobook #netgalley #dreamscapeselect
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Thank you, Netgalley, and Dreamscape Select for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I just listened to a thrilling audiobook. The Lakehouse Children by Greg Dunnett was an enthralling lesson that I definitely recommend.

4.25⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Publication date ~ September 18, 2024
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Select
Est Page Count ~ 358 (52 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 11 hours 3 minutes
Narrator ~ Elise Roth
POV ~ single 3rd & 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ dual timeline, assisted suicide, deceased child

We begin with a FBI agent named McGee as he investigates a fire that took 4 lives. Who started the fire and why? Kate narrates the family drama tale between her sisters, Amber and Bea, and their families, which led up to it.

Kate’s son Jack is only 3 with limited vocabulary, but he’s trying to say something that’s difficult to comprehend. He seems to know things about Zack. How can that be when Bea’s 8 year old son Zack died before Jack was even born?

Wowza, what a unique premise, which is really hard to come by these days. It was really fast paced with its captivating story line. I know it’s awful to say, but I was quite pleased with who died in the fire.

There’s a lengthy author's note at the end that discusses why this book came about.

Narration notes:
She did a pretty great job. I have no complaints.

Cover gripe ~ love the eerie vibes of it, but that certainly does not look like it’s “a colonial style with high ceilings and big windows and surrounded by porches and balconies” as described. Pretty much looks like a standard cabin to me.

WOW!

Kate's son Jack claims he used to be someone else who died tragically. At first, Kate is skeptical, thinking it's just a child's imagination. But as Jack reveals details he shouldn't know; Kate starts to believe there's more to his story. Jack shares a disturbing memory from the family lake house that could threaten their family's unity. Kate is determined to uncover the truth and must decide how far she's willing to go to get answers.

Finally, a refreshing change of pace! The topic at hand truly captivates me, and I recently delved into a fascinating read titled "Many Lives Many Masters." The book delves into the intriguing concept of uncovering one's past lives but different to this one.

From the very beginning, this book had me hooked. It started off slowly, meticulously laying the groundwork to explain the events that unfolded. The writing style was unique and engaging, offering a fresh perspective that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters were intricately developed over time, with a tantalizing glimpse into their lives provided during a family dinner.

The plot was rife with unexpected twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout. The conclusion of the last family dinner left me utterly surprised, a testament to the clever and suspenseful nature of the book. It was evident that the author had conducted thorough research, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative.

If you appreciate a thought-provoking thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end, this book is a must-read!

The narrator was a great choice, because I just couldn't stop listening!

Thank you, Dreamscape Select | Storm Publishing for ARC digital copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I REALLY enjoyed this book! The spooky undertones were just enough to keep me hooked, but not too much to scare me away. The twists and turns of the book were perfectly thought out and made the story line that much better. I can’t wait to have my friends read this book so we can discuss it!

Lake House Children by Gregg Dunnett is an absolute emotional whirlwind! From the very first page, this book gripped me with its heartfelt storytelling, and by the end, I was in tears—both of sadness and joy. The twist at the end left me completely stunned, in the best possible way. I can’t remember the last time a book evoked such a powerful range of emotions: happiness, sorrow, frustration—it was like living through the characters’ experiences myself.

What really sets this book apart is the way it delves into life’s biggest question: what happens when we’re no longer here? Dunnett answers this in the most adorable, tear-jerking way, crafting a vision of the afterlife that is as tender as it is thought-provoking.

The narrator was phenomenal, bringing so much passion and life to the characters. It was as if I could see them playing out the story right in front of me. Every word, every sentence was so vividly delivered that I felt entirely immersed in their world.

If you’re looking for a book that will move your soul and stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page, Lake House Children is it. Absolutely compelling from start to finish!

I think Gregg Dunnett writes engaging stories and I'm always happy to read them.

This one explored the theme of reincarnation and past lives, whereby a young child began retelling memories of how he died. He's talking about his cousin which was an apparent accidental drowning but turns out that might not be the case.

It goes on to create a divide in the family unit of three sisters after their dad commits suicide at the lake house which is where the story begins.

I enjoyed this book, not as much as his previous work but still found it interesting and entertaining. Gregg is a must read author for me.

Thank you, Netgalley, Gregg Dunnett, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook. A great listen narrated by Elise Roth. This was a great thriller. I loved the story line of the child who had memories from a past life. It is something I can't say I've seen much of, and it was intriguing and so interesting. Had lots of twists and turns and a great ending!

This was actually such a really good thriller. I thought it was going one way and then it turned and was about something totally different. You’re hooked the entire time trying to figure out if what you’re hearing is true.

I also loved the explanation from the author at the end on the research behind the book too. So cool.