I couldn’t get into this. It sounded good but just fell flat for me. I tried reading at different parts but nothing gripped my attention. I feel like her other books do this as well.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

This has been by far one of my favorite books.. it kept me on my toes and kept me guessing 💜 when I thought i had it figured out, I didn’t and to me, that makes an amazing thriller!

Who doesn't love a good summer mystery? The Lake Escape brought back so many memories for me of my own time out in the woods every summer, soaking up the sun, meeting new friends, connecting with old ones, and breathing in that fresh pine smell. Of course, we didn't have a mysterious lake that took someone every 30 years, but you get the idea.

This was such a fun read that kept me on my toes and truly was so reminiscent of childhood summer days; with a sinister edge, that I couldn't help but just soak it all in and read it in one sitting. Fans of the genre, are going to love this one.

Jamie Day's latest novel, The Lake Escape, is a gripping summer read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story centers around three lifelong friends - Julia, David, and Erika - who return to Lake Timmeny every summer since childhood. But this year, their annual getaway turns into a nightmare when David's new girlfriend goes missing. As they search for her, long-buried secrets begin to unravel, revealing a web of lies and betrayals that span generations.

While some readers may find the ending a bit over-the-top, I felt that Day expertly weaves together multiple plot twists and suspenseful moments that kept me engaged. Although this one didn't hit me the same way as her previous works, I still feel the intense thriller vibe, complex characters, and well-developed setting made for a nice read and is definitely worth checking out!

The Lake Escape is about three friends who grew up together on the lake. Julia, Erika, and David vacation to the lake takes a haunting turn when David’s girlfriend Fiona goes missing. The story goes between two point’s of view Julia’s and Izzy who is David’s nanny. Izzy is David’s nanny who is at the lake for her own reasons.

I enjoyed most of the characters. Julie was annoying at times with her poor me stories. There did seem to be a lot or repeating in this book, so at times the story seemed drawn out. The ending did have some suspense but there were parts that seemed really far fetched.

Jamie Day's new novel The Lake Escape is the perfect summer read! The premise of the book and the twists that occur will keep any thriller reader hooked until the very end. The story centers on three lifelong friends—Julia Crawford, David Dunne, and Erika Miller—who have returned to Lake Timmeny every summer since childhood.

But the lake has a haunting history: two young women vanished there, thirty years apart, spawning a local legend that “the lakes take them.” This year, the past crashes into the present when David’s new, much-younger girlfriend disappears after a night of drinking and tension. As the trio searches for her, long-buried secrets unravel, revealing a web of lies and betrayals stretching across generations.

I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple points of view from the characters, and I believe this added a lot of suspense and tension in the novel. If you have enjoyed Jamie's previous books, you will love this one!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC for review. I have read other books from Jamie Day before so I knew this would be a solid thriller. There is a community of families who all have grown up spending summers together at their lake houses in
Vermont. Over the years, 3 friends, David, Julia, and Erika, have become especially close and their lives have intertwined. The lake holds secrets that these friends would prefer stay buried, but this summer, David has a much-younger new girlfriend and a new nanny. Secrets can’t stay buried forever.

I recently read this ARC, thanks to NetGalley, and have such mixed feelings.
The story didn’t grab my attention in an “unputdownable” way., and I didn’t really like any of the characters much. It was. A bit confusing because there were a lot of different narratives and timeframes. Despite those drawbacks, I DID want to find out whodunit and I DID want to find out what happened between Taylor and Lucas. And I DID want to find out what happens to Fiona. So overall, an entertaining read that scores a solid a 3.5.

This is a mystery without much originality. A good vacation read.

I felt as if I’d read it or something very similar before. The characters were pretty much stereotypes and mostly unlikeable with the exception of Izzy, the nanny. She has spunk and personality. We learn early on she's at the lake on false pretenses.

The three main characters are middle aged now with families but have spent summers growing up in adjacent houses on a Vermont lake. Julia, along with her husband Christian and daughter Taylor, are first to arrive and see that David, whose family owned the middle house has built a modern monstrosity that obstructs their lake view.. Erika, the friend from the other side, is not as enraged as Julia at the eyesore. Hmmm.

It seems that’s the least of their problems. David, brought his young twins to be cared for by a nanny and new girlfriend, Fiona. The first night is a rocky reunion and the next morning, Fiona is missing.

Coincidentally, two girls have gone missing, were never found, and presumed taken by the lake, each of the last thirty years. Unfortunately for Fiona, her disappearance fits the timeline.

The story ambles along, backstories included—a troubled marriage, financial issues, a fraught relationship between Julia's teen daughter and Erika's son, until it reached a very quick conclusion. The reveal came fast and seemed a bit much to me given the story’s meandering flow. The book ends with transcripts of a true crime podcast describing the aftermath. Perhaps the entire book would have benefited from that format.

I’d say if you’re looking for a TV show type mystery, this book might be a good choice. I would have liked more intrigue threaded through the story, rather than piled on at the end.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jamie Day can do no wrong, each and every book is better than the last. I was hooked from the very beginning.

We find a trio of old friends who spend two weeks every summer at their lake houses, now with their own families in tow. A woman goes missing, and we’re introduced to the lake lore…every 30 years a woman is “taken by the lake”

This was an edge of your seat thriller with SEVERAL layers that made it so fun. I highly recommend!

I've really like the other books by Jamie Day but i didn't think this one was as good. It wasn't bad at all but I just didn't care about any of the characters.

Every summer, Julia and her two childhood best friends meet back up at their summer house compound for a couple weeks with their families. One of their girlfriends disappears after a shouting match one night. Coincidentally., every 30 years, a woman disappears from Lake Timmenay in Vermont. Did "the lake take her," or is one of them more sinister than they seem?

This one completely missed the mark for me, and I will not be recommending it. I found myself starting to skim 25% in because I was bored. What did an entire chapter describing arts and crafts with the children do to move the plot along? The characters are boring and I didn't care about any of them. Too much carrot-danging "secrets to be revealed later" phrasing instead of letting the readers wonder for themselves. Too much info dumping. Too many cliches. Maybe this book would have been more of a thriller with better editing.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read The Lake Escape by Jamie Day.. Good one! Enjoyed it from Page one till the end.

3.5 stars for author Jamie Day's latest, "The Lake Escape". I read her other two titles & really enjoyed "the Block Party", this one did not quite live up to her debut - it's an overall fairly average suspense-thriller type story. And while I did like the Vermont lake setting, I felt the ending was just a bit over-the-top and that ruined a four-star review. Plus, some of this was also poorly plotted & too easy to figure out and I did not find any of the characters very interesting, so overall a miss for me. My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my advance review copy - it is always appreciated, even if the title is not.

Jamie Day keeps you on the edge of your seat with The Lake Escape. The story centers on three families who vacation at their lake houses each year, This year is different though as everyone is a little strained and on edge. When David's girlfriend disappears, it dredges up secrets better left buried.
This is an intense thriller. Everyone is hiding something and you don't know where it all will lead. The twists keep coming as the story unravels. In the end, no one is left unscathed.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day is a wild, suspense packed ride. Three childhood friends reunite at their Vermont lake houses, but things take a dark turn when one of the girlfriends goes missing after a fight. As secrets from the past resurface, the tension builds, and you’re left wondering who’s lying and what’s really going on. Perfect for anyone who loves a good thriller with twists, shady characters, and a creepy vibe. You won’t want to put this one down.

OOF.

This might be the last book I read from Jamie Day. I really enjoyed the debut- The Block Party. The second book fell a little short for me, but that often happens with authors and I was excited to read The Lake Escape. Boy, was that a mistake.

The premise is that three friends who grew up on the lake come to it every year for a two week vacation. They are now in their 40s, so this has been a long-standing tradition. You know from the beginning that something is up, as one of the POV characters is a nanny who is hiding something. The other POV is one of the original three friends, worried about her marriage. Everyone is acting strange, and suddenly, someone goes missing. The friends and their spouses know one of them must be the culprit.

Sounds intriguing, but boy oh boy, it's a rough ride. All the characters felt like copy+paste tropes with no depth and I didn't care what happened to a single one of them. Any time someone was in danger or hurt, I was hoping they'd die so the book could end.

It felt like the author threw in every kind of twist and turn to make you gasp, but it just made me roll my eyes.

I wouldn't tell anyone to bother with this.

Thank you to NetGalley, for the ARC!!

This book begins when skeletal remains are found near a lake in Vermont. Then we meet three couples who have beautiful houses on the lake and love to spend summers there...until one of them David, builds a three-story all-glass house that obstructs their view. Why would he do this as they've all been friends? We also learn of the legend that the "lake takes them." What could that mean; but legend has it that several women from the past have disappeared. So when David's hot new girlfriend disappears, everyone wonders...is the legend true?? It's a crazy, wild ride to the end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I have to say this was an ok read for me. I enjoyed the lake setting and the multiple view points of all the characters. The secrets that each friend were keeping kept invested into the story and finding out how it ending. Overall I really liked it and would recommend giving it a chance. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.