The lake escape by Jamie Day

This summer thriller is set in Vermont, this novel will keep your head spinning by people missing and the secrets that others keep.

The story is told and dual point of view one of Izzy, who is babysitter and one is from Julia who has been coming to this vacation spot for years. Two worlds apart in perspectives but they join together beautifully in the end!

What a killer read and it kept my mind guessing where the author would take it next. Thank you NetGalley and St Martins press.

This was such a fun, twisty read—the kind of summer thriller you fly through while side-eyeing everyone around you. Jamie Day nails the "secrets among friends" trope and brings just the right mix of scandal, suspense, and dark humor.

I really enjoyed how the story slowly peeled back layers of tension and betrayal. It kept me guessing without ever feeling like it was trying too hard. Also, the setting? So vivid. I felt like I was right there by the lake, watching everything unravel. Perfect for fans of domestic suspense who like their thrillers with bite and a little gossip on the side.

3rd book, cemented Jaime Day as a new found favourite author. Did not disappoint!

—Set on a quiet lake in Vermont, The Lake Escape is a tense, atmospheric thriller that unravels when a young woman disappears during a reunion among old friends. Newcomer Izzy, the nanny, is thrust into the drama, offering a fresh perspective on the group’s secrets and tensions. Jaime Day delivers a slow-burn mystery full of suspicion and sharp twists. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Megan Miranda, and Lucy Foley

Lake Timmeny hold lots of fun, memories, and questionable disappearances for the people, Julia Crawford, David Dunne, and Erika Miller who have vacation residences there. It's been a pace where they return yearly for some fun, frolic, and sunny days.

However the lake holds some mystery as well since two women have vanished thirty years apart in the lake's region. It lends an air of foreboding to the area and then something awful happens again that sets these friends against one another and provides a story filled with old passions, deceit, envy, and mystery.

Their struggles to keep their precious place in tact is for naught as all of them nurse secrets and lies. Will they be able to get back to where they once were or will the lake break them apart into unimaginable pieces.

I enjoyed the story but will say the ending was somewhat questionable.
3.5 stars.

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day is a suspenseful and atmospheric summer read that blends nostalgia, mystery, and a hint of sinister. Set by a quiet Vermont lake with a history that lingers beneath the surface, the story centers on longtime friends Julia, Erika, and David, who return each year to their lakeside homes. But this summer is anything but routine, when David’s much younger girlfriend disappears without a trace, the cracks in their seemingly peaceful lives begin to show.
One of the book’s strengths is how it’s told through multiple perspectives. The shifting viewpoints keep the story dynamic and give readers insight into the tangled web of relationships and secrets. The pacing builds steadily, with a second half full of twists and turns that kept me HOOKED.
I absolutely love Day’s writing, I’ve been a huge fan of every book I’ve read from her and this one was no different. The large cast of characters can feel a bit hard to keep track of, but she writes in such a skillful way that you don’t lose engagement with the overall plot of the story.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this one in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially drawn to this book by the eerie lore of Lake Timmeny and the promise of dark secrets surfacing among lifelong friends. I found the premise fascinating, and I was excited to see how the mystery would unfold. I enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions of the lake and its surroundings; I could almost feel the tension creeping in with every chapter. I appreciated how the relationships between Julia, David, and Erika were layered with years of shared history and hidden betrayals. I felt invested in their personal dramas and was eager to see how their individual secrets would unravel. The disappearance of David’s girlfriend added an extra layer of suspense that kept me intrigued. That said, I struggled with some of the pacing. I felt that certain parts dragged on, with too much focus on the characters’ internal struggles instead of advancing the mystery. At times, I was frustrated by the way the plot seemed to stall, and I wished for a more consistent sense of urgency. While I was intrigued by the complex web of lies and deceit, I found the ending a bit underwhelming. I expected a bigger twist or revelation, but instead, I felt like the resolution left too many questions unanswered. I appreciated the effort to delve into generational secrets, but I thought some threads could have been explored more deeply.

Overall, I had a mix of feelings about this book. I loved the setting and the premise, and I found myself hooked on the mystery at times.

Three families head to Lake Timmeny for two weeks every summer. This summer though, everything has changed. David, Julia, and Erika grew up together out there on the lake. As they’re back with their families, and David’s new girlfriend Fiona, tensions are high. When Fiona goes missing, the cracks in their friendship really begin to deepen.

I wanted to like this book way more than I did. The first 70% was so slow I don’t think you could even call it a thriller. The last 20% was where it all came together at once and it was a pretty good twist. Overall, the writing just wasn’t there and the plot lacked a lot.

This book has it all! The story between these best friends is long and winding. There’s history, relationships, and deception that is very deep. I really enjoyed this book and I think you will too!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

I enjoyed this, but it just seemed to drag on a bit by the end. The author can write, clearly, and knows how to construct a good story which keeps the reader involved.

Good cover. Would I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

This was another great book by Jamie Day; the author is worthy of being on any psychological book lover's list!

My favorite character was definitely Izzy and a good bit of the book is told from her point of view. I won't tell you why she took a job working as a nanny, when she didn't particularly like children, you'll find out by reading this. But she manages to become quite fond of the children she is watching along the way, and ended up in the middle of more than she bargained for.

This is another of those books where your thoughts are sent on a roller coaster ride because it's hard to say who killed 2 women 30 years apart and now a third one is missing at a time when it is once again 30 years from the last disappearances.

This was well done and neatly wraps up by the end.

I really enjoy Jamie Day's thrillers! I thought this one was great and while it was a teeny bit predictable it still kept me hooked to the end. I finished it in two days :)

Thank you to Netgalley for this e-ARC.

​The Lake Escape by Jamie Day is about the complexities of lifelong friendships, family secrets, and the eerie lore surrounding a lake. Taking place in Lake Timmeny, Vermont, the story follows Julia, David, and Erika—three childhood friends who reunite each summer at their neighboring lake houses. This year, however, their vacation takes a turn when David's girlfriend, Fiona, disappears just like two other women in the past.

We hear perspectives from Julia, a longtime friend of David's, and Izzy, a college student who David hired to be a nanny for the trip. Nobody knows who to trust, and everyone is very suspicious of David. Are they jumping to the wrong conclusions, or are their instincts right?

I loved the suspense of the story, however, the plot became a bit chaotic when random themes were introduced. I did enjoy the book and would recommend to friends.

Another great read from Jamie Day. I love Day's stories, set in picturesque New England locations, with something dark always simmering just below the surface. I didn't see the ending coming, which is always the best praise I can give a mystery. I liked the characters, whether it's despite of or because of their flaws, I can't tell. A quick, fast-paced read perfect for poolside and beach reading, maybe you'll be lucky enough to bring this one along on your lake vacation...

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advanced reader's copy.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Pub Date: 7/15
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This is my third Jamie Day book, and I will always read her work, it's that simple. She writes such multilayered stories that will just entrance you from the first page. The Lake Escape is a story involving a decent number of characters. But don't worry, they are easily distinguished, hard to forget and sometimes even harder to love.
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I was immediately hooked to the drama of this one. Told in a dual POV this story is told between Julia, one of the house owners and Izzy, one of the college students nannying for one of the other house owners. Like I said, I never once wasn't sure who was who, it is very easy to follow. The pacing was fast right from the start, and it maintained that pacing throughout. There was the perfect amount of ick, of deceit, drama, suspense and mystery. I love how I thought that I had everything figured out but I, in fact, did not and Jamie Day managed to pull the rug out from under me.
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This is the perfect beach read for the summer. Thriller / mystery fans - you do not want to miss out on this one!! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Jamie Day and St. Martins Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read this in close to one sitting. It was simply unputdownable. Strong pacing and character building. Izzy is a fan favorite, and I found myself enjoying spending time in her company. She was interesting and relatable. The twists keep happening, and made the read a thrilling ride.
I also enjoyed some of the heavier topics explored in the book, though trigger warnings helped prepare.

This is my second book by Jamie Day and I'll definitely read more. She's now on my autobuy/autoread list.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my early read of this gem.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Just as Day’s previous books, this one was twisty, engaging, and suspenseful. I really didn’t have a clue where this one would take me.

Erika, Julia, and David have been spending summers together at their families’ respective lake houses for as long as they can remember. Now adults, they arrive one summer with tensions already high, and many secrets amassed. When David’s new girlfriend goes missing all of their lives turn upside down.

The intricacies of each of the three friend’s family drama and secrets, along with Izzy the nanny’s, were entertaining and kept a fast pace. It made me think back to the innocence of annual childhood vacations and the friends you met there each year; it made me think about what web of secrets they may keep today.

With the dual POV rotating between two FMCs, one told in first person the other in third, kept the pages turning. Izzy, the nanny, was likeable and relatable; she had flaws and was able to move forward and achieve personal growth through her journey to uncover the truth about what happened to the missing girls from the lake’s present and past.

The middle was a bit meh for me, but the final few chapters and epilogue were equal parts satisfying and chilling, and truly had my jaw on the floor. The juxtaposition of the cold case plot and serene, beautiful Vermont lake setting really worked here.

Jamie Day delivers! The Lake Escape will sweep you away, the smell bonfires, the sound of waves lapping the shore and the wind rustling the trees. Rich , well developed characters (bravo for the strong, smart females!) tell the saga of missing women at Lake Timmeny and the three neighboring cabins and the dark secrets kept within. A quick read with twists and turns and a truly satisfying ending. Perfect for reading lakeside, beachside or pool side, just in time for summer vacay!

this book was just okay. I a good amount of it rather predictable and the characters uninteresting. the set up had such potential, but due to the factors just mentioned, it fell flat for me. the story is told from two perspectives: izzy’s and julia’s, which doesn’t really serve to strength the story in my opinion. overall, strong set up but weak execution.

Like Jamie Day’s previous books, this one is a thriller that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The pacing was on point, and I got into the story pretty quickly. It had just the right balance of suspense and intrigue, making it an enjoyable read that keeps you turning the pages. Definitely a solid pick for thriller lovers who want a quick and engaging story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this thriller. It is set on a lake in Vermont with 3 families that have been going to the lake their whole lives and are now going with their families. Every 30 years a woman disappears without a trace at the lake and this year marks 30 years and another woman disappears. They start to question their long standing friendships and find out their friends aren’t who they thought they were.