Three lifelong friends come back to their family lake homes for their annual vacation. Shocked when David has built a glass and metal monstrosity in between both Erika and Julias homes. He also brought along his new young girlfriend, his young twins and the quick hire nanny. unbeknownst to all, the nanny and the girlfriend have deep connections to Lake Timmeny. When the girlfriend, Fiona, disappears in the middle of the night- secrets start pouring out that no one would have guessed.

I had a hard time putting this one down. I stayed up late to finish the last 60% of the book. The pacing was good and I found myself pulled into each character's story. I found Izzy to be the most interesting. I liked the younger characters a bit more. Not only is there a mystery of multiple disappearances, but there is a lot with family and life long friendships. This year's trip to the lake house doesn't turn out like anyone thought. There was possibly be a killer and it's just the three houses/families there. There are some heavier topics, so please check for trigger warnings if you need them.

This is my second book by the author and I'll definitely read more.

I gave this book 4 1/2 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for my earc.

Another great story from Jamie Day! I absolutely love her style of storytelling.

Julia, David, and Erika are lifelong friends who share a tradition of summer retreats at their neighboring lakefront homes. This year, however, Julia is frustrated as David’s newly renovated property has obstructed her cherished view of the lake.

The story masterfully alternates between Julia’s perspective and that of Izzy, a determined college student majoring in journalism. Izzy has landed a job as a nanny for David’s five-year-old twins, despite lacking any prior childcare experience, which raises questions about her true intentions.

The lake holds a chilling legend, haunted by the mysterious disappearances of two women exactly thirty years apart. As the clock ticks on another thirty-year cycle, suspense builds: will the lake claim yet another victim? Are Izzy's hidden motives for coming to Lake Timmeny a threat to her own safety?

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the gifted ARC copy provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

I loved this! So twisty and didn’t expect the end at all. Great storytelling and compelling narrators! Thanks for the chance to read it early!

Jamie Day is doing what she does best — serving us another group dynamic thriller that’s suspenseful and filled with mystery and possibly murder. In “The Block Party” the gathering included drunken neighbors and in “One Big Happy Family” it was quarreling sisters stuck in a storm. Here we have three long time summer friends, all grown up, now with family issues and old secrets, inheriting their neighboring vacation homes on a rural lake in Vermont, and timing their two week vacations to be at the lake at the same time. The lake itself also has secrets: two women disappeared near it without a trace, thirty years apart; one vanished when the current owners were teens. It’s now thirty years after the second incident.

The primary trio, who treated each other as summer siblings, are Julia (social media conscious, but apparently with money woes); Erika (big time defense attorney); and David (venture capitalist). But this year’s Lake Gang has ancillary members:
Julia’s husband Christian (not being truthful about money, once was unfaithful and alcoholic) and their teenage daughter Taylor (unexplainably moody)
Erika’s husband Rick (outdoorsy guy) and their teenage son Lucas (budding musician)
David and his much younger girlfriend Fiona (enthusiastic drinker and sleepwalker)
Izzy (the last minute unqualified teenage nanny for David’s five year old twins, with some sort of true crime obsession related to the lake)

The POVs are only Julia (the Lake Gang insider) and Izzy (the outsider). Of course, someone goes missing.

As she did before, author Day has created another toxic atmosphere where it’s hard to decide who you despise the most. The story is usually redeemed by at least one sympathetic character, but not before even that person’s motivations are scrutinized. It’s a suspenseful and twisty tale, with lots of characters, cat fights and gossip among people who think they know each other well, but actually do not. My interest was kept up until the end, guessing over and over about how the conclusion would come about. 4.5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Erika and Lucas have green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Grace, however, is an impressive naturalist who can conjure up herbal poultices.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

I tore through this book voraciously. It was just simply that good. Apart from making me desperately want a lake house, it got me through a rough chronic pain day. The characters were so well written and I loved how entangled the plot was. I fully expected that there would be a supernatural cause but pleasantly surprised to find out that the killer wasn’t a demonic lake. It was twisty, tangled, and convoluted. I loved every minute of it!

Jamie Day does it again with the amazing The Lake Escape. Three friends, Julia, Erika and David have grown up on the lake of Vermont. They grew up as children together with their families coming every year and the annual trip is a special moment for all. Present day, Julia is the first to arrive at the lake only to discover that Davids renovations have taken over every view possible. Julia is furious as all she wants to do is relax and enjoy her friends as she and her spouse are having issues and her daughter has been very withdrawn. David arrives with his new girlfriend and the nanny that he hired last minute who applied for the job for her own reasons. Erika is there with he son and husband and is totally fine with the renovations that David has made. Julia is perplexed as the group tries to regain their normal fun. However, the next day David's girlfriend disappears on the exact day that two women have disappeared thirty and sixty years prior. The questions mount and friendships are tested and questioned as everyone is on the search for the new missing woman.

Julia, David and Erica return for their summer getaway on the lake at Lake Timmeny. They’ve grown up together and this is a family tradition that’s continued into adulthood. Two women have gone missing from the lake in years prior and David’s girlfriend now is nowhere to be found.

This was a great thriller! I remain impressed by Jamie Day’s writing. There are some twists for sure but the meat of the story is built on uncovering the lake Lore and finding out what happened to these missing women. Was definitely kept intrigued throughout!

I DEVOURED. I love a summer camp/summer vacation setting for my novels. I love when I am truly caught off guard with a twist or turn. There was a minor loose end I wish I had more insight on (specifically Julia's backstory/situation). But man incredible read, I love Jamie Day!

Thank you for allowing me to preview this story. The Lake Escape is an entertaining fun read. I loved the characters, the mystery plot, and twisting storyline that kept me captive until the end. Jamie Day is awesome!

This book is an awesome read. A thriller of regular people on vacation. What could go wrong! Told through several points of view, this novel takes us on a roller coaster ride at a lakeside vacation spot. I couldn’t put it down. It rolled along through plot twists until the surprise ending. Like all her previous books Jamie Day is a talented author who keeps us guessing. Don’t miss this one!

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day is a perfect blend of mystery and heartwarming drama set in a stunning lakeside retreat. Day’s writing is rich with atmosphere, bringing to life both the beauty and the tension of the setting. The characters are relatable and well-crafted, with their personal struggles adding layers of emotional depth to the plot. As secrets unravel, readers will find themselves immersed in a world of intrigue and introspection, making this a fantastic read for anyone seeking an unforgettable escape.

This book was so clever and made me keep wanting to read just one more page before putting it down. The characters were so well developed and the plot kept you on the edge of your seat. There were twists and turns without being gimmicky and the ending was satisfying without all being tied up in a bow. Truly a stand out for a genre that usually seems a bit repetitive!

I absolutely love the lake setting. Interesting characters and interesting plot. Definitely kept me guessing. I thought I had it figured out, but the twists kept coming! Definitely will be reading more books from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Lake Escape by Jamie Day is a complex psychological thriller about three childhood friends who really don’t know each other as well as they think they do. When Jane, Erika and David returned back to the lake for their two week summer vacation they could never have imagined the swift turn of events they would be made to endure. Izzy, the newly hired nanny for David’s twin five-year-olds isn’t really who she says she is. She dreams of being a true crime podcaster but will her dream also become her fate. Find out for yourself by reading this slow burn extremely complex suspense novel that I highly recommend to others.

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.

I love books about adults reuniting, with childhood secrets weighing on them and affecting their relationships, so I was excited to read this. Jamie Day has become one of my favorites for juicy, twisty, thrillers and this one didn't disappoint. I flew through the pages, invested in the repercussions of 30 year old secrets. I thought the characters were well written and the plot was fun, and I loved the setting. It's a perfect summer beach read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Jamie Day is becoming one of my go-to authors and her latest book "The Lake Escape" is a perfect example of why that is. What a great read!

Jamie Day never fails to deliver a psychological thriller with a ton of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Three friends that grew up at the lake together come back each year as adults with their families. It's a time for them to reconnect and just relax for a few weeks. This year starts off different when tensions start high right from the start. David brings his high maintenance girlfriend, Fiona, long with a new nanny to take care of his twin children. Jessica and her family are running tight with emotions of a failing business, a recovery alcoholic husband and a teenage daughter that is retreating more into herself every day. Then you have the final friend, Erica, that seems to have the prefect life with her husband Rick and son Lucas. Then Fiona disappears after the first night and everyone thinks David did something to her......

The nanny isn't who she seems to be and has a much more invested interest in the lake than it would seem as well.

The story then just spirals into one thing after another and you will keep turning the page to find out where it is all going.

Definitely add this one to your TBR list!

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was an ARC read. Thank you so much to St Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this. Wow! I could not put this down. This book had so many twists and turns, I had no idea where we were going to end up.
“There was the beauty of the breath. Each one gently reminded her that she was still here, that she had another chance to make her inner world calmer, more centered.”
And trust me, when you finish this book, you will be taking those calming breaths just as the character in this book did.

I love all of Jamie Day's books they are written so we'll that they demand your attention from the first page all the way until the end. I love books that give different points of view then as the book continues they blend together with events still providing different views of the same event. This book took me for a ride and is one I will be buying when released. The character and background information was beautifully written to a point where you personally connected to the characters and felt like you at the lake house with everyone. If you haven't read any of Jamie Day's books this is one to start with.

I was immediately drawn in by this book's title and cover, which depicted one of my favorite settings—summer lake homes. I loved the web of secrets woven into this story and the parallels between the past and present timelines. This book would be the perfect beach read for the summer!

I love Jamie Day's books so I couldn't wait to read The Lake Escape. Her writing just flows so smoothly for me. Three friends have coming to Lake Timmeny in Vermont since they were born. They've grown up together and their kids know each other well. The lake has a dark past and three women have disappeared each at 30 year intervals. When David's girlfriend disappears all kinds of secrets come out. There are lies and betrayals going back generations. Will the friendships survive this lake vacation? Thanks @NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it.

I've always enjoyed Jamie Day's books so it was a no brainer for me to request an ARC of The Lake Escape, especially after reading the description. Once again Jamie Day delivers an exceptional domestic thriller -- with three main characters, Day provided the perfect amount of backstory/complimentary characters for each and also wove together past and present drama seamlessly. The perfect lakehouse read this summer!

I don't necessarily love playing favorites, but I have to admit that of the three books by Jamie Day, this was by far my favorite. (Don't get me wrong, though- I really enjoyed the other two, as well!). This book has it all though- a beautiful, serene setting; a mysterious disappearance/possible murder; two ACTUAL murders from years before; marriage problems and secrets; secrets amongst friends; familial drama.... and I could keep going. It's told in alternating chapters- in first person through the eyes of Izzy, the nanny and third person from the prospective of Julie, one of three now-adult friends who spent their childhood summers at the lake. When David's beautiful new girlfriend, Fiona, disappears, secrets come out of the woodwork like termites. What I enjoyed most was how, in the end, everyone truly got their just desserts.... despite the fact that I didn't see ANY of the reveals coming. I like to think I'm smart (a genius, in fact) especially when figuring out how a book will turn out, but Jamie Day got me. And being got was a while lot of fun.
Definitely plan to recommend this- obviously! And definitely plan to read anything else Day writes. For my purpose- which was to be entertained- this easily bags 5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher, and to NetGalley, for allowing me to read this early in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

This is one of those books where you can easily see it as a movie. From the nanny who isn’t really a nanny to the three childhood friends who meet at their lake houses every year. A rich man’s girlfriend goes missing and the mystery snowballs into an amazing who done it or where is she, story. Very good!

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!

Give me all of the authors books. Engaging, witty, twisty and fun. I loved the plot and characters. I had my suspicions as to where it was going by I still was engaged.