Day: June 9, 2020

Carefully plotted and intricately woven this tale of long-buried secrets was a definite page-turner.

Everybody loves a good Cinderella story, and the author wisely uses both Charlie’s background and current situation to explore how the grass isn’t always greener…and to be careful what you wish for because it’s not always the right thing.

I liked Charlie has a heroine. She felt natural and honest. She had the worst upbringing but wasn’t going to let that stop her from being better than her beginnings. Who could blame her for being swept off her feet by rich, charming Paul, right?

I also appreciated her strength, especially as the truth started to coalesce. She didn’t always make the right choices, but her actions and reactions seemed to be what any person in her situation would do.

The overall plot was extremely well thought out, as was the mystery/investigation. I found myself second-guessing who was guilty or responsible for events up until the very last pages. I will say that I had an inkling about one of the characters early on (and I was right), but I’m not saying which one. You’ll have to read it and figure it out for yourself.

Mostly I liked how the author spaced the clues and pertinent plot points evenly throughout the book. While there was a big confrontation at the climax (and yeah, I read that faster because it was filled with tension and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen), there wasn’t a lot of half-hearted twists and turns. Sometimes those work, and sometimes they feel manipulative. None to be found here…everything was evenly placed.

I would say that this is a great summer read because of the setting of a lake. But if you’re reading this by a lake, you might think twice about stepping foot in it (just kidding). It’s tense, intelligent, and realistic. Who could ask for more a book?

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About the Author: Kimberly Belle is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of six novels, including the forthcoming Stranger in the Lake (June 2020). Her third novel, The Marriage Lie, was a semifinalist in the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Mystery & Thriller, and a #1 e-book bestseller in the UK and Italy. She’s sold rights to her books in a dozen languages as well as film and television options. A graduate of Agnes Scott College, Belle divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam.

Thanks for stopping by for the first entry in the Harlequin Mystery & Thriller Summer Reads Blog Tour. Be sure to check back in throughout the summer for reviews of these intriguing titles!