The Lake – ARC Book Review

The truth lies just beneath the surface…

Kate’s world falls apart when her teenage son drowns in the waters by his school. She’s convinced it wasn’t just a tragic accident, but no one will listen.

Then, six years later, Kate unearths Michael’s lost diary and realises she may finally be able uncover what really happened that night.

But as she delves deeper, she begins to realise that she didn’t really know her son – or the people in his life – at all. And that, sometimes, secrets are better left submerged…

An absorbing, emotionally-charged and addictive page-turner that will keep you gripped into the dark hours, perfect for fans of Linda Green and Teresa Driscoll.

No. of pages:- 397 pages

Date published:- will be published on 18th March 2021

Genre:- Thriller

Publisher:- Avon

Kate is still trying to get on with her son’s death, Michael, who died six years ago in a drowning accident. When Kate’s mother gets sick, Kate moves to her mother’s house and discovers a diary written by Michael. Then she discovers a deep dark secret in her own son’s diary that Kate suspects that her son’s death is more than just an accident.

This was actually a good book with a good plot. The emotions Kate is going through as a mother is real and raw. The characters are good, as the story is told from the perspective of Kate. I was actually glued to the story, wanting to know, who this Diving Fish really is and I couldn’t wait to read the ending. The author did a good job getting the reader hooked into the story! This was also quite unputdownable. There were no surprising twists or turns but nonetheless, it was actually a good thriller book. I also like how Kate would do anything, to find the real identity of who the Diving Fish, who supposedly had a relationship with Michael, even bribing a girl. It was intense, particularly the ending. I was holding my breath as I read the story. The only problem was, the story was a bit predictable and there were some unnecessary side story that was irrelevant to the story. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon publishers for granting me this ARC. This review is based on my honest opinion. Worth four stars!

Originally from Montreal, Louise move to the UK nearly thirty years ago after falling in love with a British sailor. She began writing short fiction, and in 2010 won the Woman & Home Magazine Short Story Competition. Her entry Black Rock, was subsequently published as part of an anthology, ‘The Best Little Book Club in Town’ (Orion 2011), alongside writers such as Ruth Rendell, Jodi Picoult and Lee Child. This gave her the confidence to embark on her first novel, a young adult dystopia, ‘The Time of Forgetfulness’, and then her adult psychological thriller ‘The Lake,’ which will be published by Avon Books in March 2021. Louise is fascinated with exploring ideas and themes around why good people do bad things, and her experience working with people who have experienced homelessness gives her work a strong humanitarian and social justice theme. Above all, Louise wants to tell a good story that is entertaining, thought provoking and well written.