Review: Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle

Charlotte didn’t know her greatest risk was saying, “I do.”

When Charlotte married the wealthy widower Paul, it caused a ripple of gossip in their small lakeside town. They have a charmed life together, despite the cruel whispers about her humble past and his first marriage. But everything starts to unravel when she discovers a young woman’s body floating in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned.

At first, it seems like a horrific coincidence, but the stranger in the lake is no stranger. Charlotte saw Paul talking to her the day before, even though Paul tells the police he’s never met the woman. His lie exposes cracks in their fragile new marriage, cracks Charlotte is determined to keep from breaking them in two.

As Charlotte uncovers dark mysteries about the man she married, she doesn’t know what to trust—her heart, which knows Paul to be a good man, or her growing suspicion that there’s something he’s hiding in the water. 

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Expected publication: June 9th 2020

by Park Row

3.5/5 stars

Kimberly Belle had me with The Last Breath, published back in 2014.  She is one of my go-to authors, I don't even need to read the blurb, I'll be reading her books. She has a knack for keeping me on my toes, with twists and turns.  Stranger in the Lake hits book stores next week.

Stranger in the Lake is a rag to riches story about a young woman, Charlotte. I loved the setting, the house overlooking the lake, taking the boat into town and lots of hiking/running trails. I could just smell the dirt and Mother Nature.

This is a book about the death of another young woman that sets in motion a journey of not just self discovery but of secrets . Drawing on a couple of story-lines Belle puts the puzzle pieces together in a way that connected them all. With the bodies of 2 women, close to the same age and found in the same spot, it’s an invitation for suspicion.

This is a hard book for me to rate. While I loved the writing and atmospheric feel I found the story a little predictable and just struggled to connect with the characters. Though I will admit to be suspicious of the whole lot of them, unsure who to believe and who could be trusted. So hats off to the author for creating that environment. The ending wasn't totally predictable, in true Belle fashion she threw a couple curve balls.

While this might not be my favorite Belle book - The Ones We Trust still holds that spot, this was a entertaining read.

My thanks to Park Row (via Netgalley) for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.