I really enjoyed this book! I will have to check out other books by this author, I enjoyed the writing style and flow of the story.

You ant to root for Hazel but I guessed one of the people involved pretty early on. She is so desperate to have a better life that she is blinded by the trouble signs she should be seeing.
Good read but I will warn in advance of trigger warnings.
I feel like the book drags but then when it gets to end it is over too quickly.

Hazel Cho is a private investigator who’s hurting for business. That is, until Madeline walks into her office and offers her an obscene amount of money to find her goddaughter, Mia, who disappeared from a girl’s home upstate. The catch is, she disappeared three months ago, and Hazel only has until the end of next week to find her. But Hazel takes the case and immediately realizes something is wrong. Not only does no one seem all that concerned about Mia’s vanishing, but all signs point to her voluntarily leaving the school. Undeterred, Hazel keeps investigating, and what she uncovers is far more than she bargained for.

I loved both Hazel and her roommate Kenny. They really made this book, IMO. The mystery itself was good and intriguing, but it was really the two main characters in this book that made it super special. They were hilarious and serious friendship goals.

I also loved the mystery and the various twists and turns along the way. Some I guessed, some I absolutely did not. The plot definitely kept me on my toes as it went along, waiting to see what would be revealed. It was good, however, if a little guessable.

There’s a bit of an indication that this could be a new series, and I wouldn’t mind that at all. I’d love to see these characters again!

Id give this book a 3.5/5. The book had a over all interesting plot. I would have never guessed the ending. The second half of the book was a 5/5. The beginning was kind of slow pace for me personally. It took me longer to finish this book than normal. Once I got half way through I finished in 1 day cause I was finally immersed into the story. Overall good experience thank you for taking me along the ride before publishing!! Ill be posting a review on tiktok soon!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Daniel Miller for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Orphanage By The Lake coming out February 26, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I read by this author. I was really intrigued by the summary I love detective stories, so I thought this would be a really good one. I really related to Hazel as a character. I loved that she kept it real. She struggled with her job, but she wanted to prove that she could do it. She worked really hard and I think she was a really smart character. The mystery part was really interesting to me. The ending did have some twists overall, I really loved the book. It sounds like there will be other books in the series so I will be checking them out!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys private detective stories!

Great mystery and easy read! Many girls go missing from an orphanage over the years, it does not appear the police are doing everything they can to find them, and seems everyone has some skeletons in their closet. Each chapter kept me guessing on who was going to be behind the disappearance.

Well written. There's a Gothic atmosphere throughout and an eerieness that really got to me. The story is much more thanni expected. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I really enjoyed this book, it gives off a police-procedural vibe but from a private investigator's POV. Going through the motions with the MC, Hazel, was a lot of fun. Overall, I think this was a solid thriller!

Oh the ending!!

We follow a Private Investigator named Hazel Cho, who is hired by an extremely wealthy socialite who wants answers to where her “goddaughter” has disappeared to. She was last seen tucked up in bed within the walls of her strict and old fashion orphanage. The next morning she had vanished.

Hazel meets rich businessmen, bent coppers, glamorous mentors and skittish teachers but how do they all fit together and which parts do they play in the infamous theatre that is Saint Agnes.

This read was slow to start, explaining the settings and characters more than anything else but once you hit the 60% mark, things speed up and you are thrown into a spin of curiosity and suspense. I didn’t see the end coming at all and it certainly packs a punch.

Thank you to Daniel G Miller and NetGalley for allowing me to read this title before publication.

The Orphanage by the Lake was an interesting read from the perspective of a private investigator. The main character, Hazel, is a private investigator in Manhattan that is sought out by a filthy rich woman, Madeline, to help track down who kidnapped her goddaughter, Mia, from a prestigious orphanage in upstate New York. Hazel initially thinks it's a simple missing's persons case, but early on into the investigation she begins to realize there is something incredibly sinister brewing at The Orphanage. Her investigation leads her down a road of police corruption, a bizarre headmaster, eerie staff members of the orphanage, a questionable detective, a lying woman, and a conniving man.

I love the ending (although it took a deep, dark turn rather quickly and unexpectedly). There were some spots in the book that were a bit slow, but otherwise, I loved the plot. I never suspected the ending and never saw it coming, so that was an awesome twist.

Oh my gosh. Soo good. I couldn't put the book down. I loved the characters and all of their quirkiness. Hazel, the lead is such a great character and it was fun to watch her grow and mature as the book progressed. Definitely keeps you guessing. Lots of twists and plot turns through the book.

Hazel Cho, a down to earth PI who is just trying to be true to herself even if it disappoints her family. She takes a case searching for a young orphan but hits wall after wall while investigating. It seems no one cares like she does. The people in her the young girls life seem to hinder more than help. Can Hazel find the truth when everyone seems to have something to hide?

I enjoyed this story. I was even surprised in the end. I did not want to put this book down. A Must read for anyone that enjoys a good mystery with lots of suspects. The story gives lots of case details, lots of suspects, and makes you question who you can trust.

This compelling mystery introduces Hazel, a thirty-year-old single woman on the brink of closing her private investigation business. Her luck takes an unexpected turn when she's offered an enticing job by Madeline Hemsley, a mysterious socialite. Tasked with finding a missing orphan girl from The Orphanage By The Lake, Hazel soon discovers that this seemingly standard runaway case hides darker secrets.

As Hazel delves deeper into the investigation, she uncovers unexplained blood stains, cryptic symbols, and sinister figures trailing her every move. The narrative skillfully weaves a suspenseful tale, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The Orphanage By The Lake emerges as a place harboring chilling secrets, and Hazel must confront not only the mysteries surrounding the missing girl but also the enigmatic Madeline.

The author expertly builds tension, creating a riveting story filled with twists and turns. Hazel's journey to uncover the truth takes unexpected and chilling turns, making this mystery a must-read for fans of suspenseful and atmospheric storytelling.

I love a good psychological thriller!
This book is being released on Feb. 26th 2024

We follow an investigator - Hazel - as she takes on a new job that FINALLY is something interesting. She is hired to find this woman's missing (orphaned) granddaughter. To do so, Hazel has to find a mysterious orphanage haunted by a dark past.

If you're looking for a thriller that keeps you guessing, this is it. It's fast and enjoyable.

Thank you, NetGalley, for sending me this ARC - my opinions are my own.

My 1st read buy this author and very much enjoyed. Hazel is doing her dream job. as a private investigator she good at it but not very many clients the bills are amounting up, until one morning Madeline Hemsley walks in her office. And wants her to find her goddaughter. Has gone missing from the children's home. But as Hazel starts digging someone does not want her to find anything out at all Lies greed this book has it all and Hazel is one firecracker loved it

It’s a race against time for Hazel Cho in Daniel G. Miller’s novel, "The Orphanage By The Lake." When a twelve-year-old girl goes missing,the girl’s godmother seeks the services of a private investigator, Miss Hazel Cho, and wants a positive result in the next 10 days, failure to which she’ll find another investigator for the job. Caught up in financial troubles, Hazel must solve the case. She’s already gotten attached to the missing girl after listening to her sing Cyndi Lauper's song: “If you’re lost, you can look, and you will find me. Time after time.” If Hazel fails, she will go back to working for scumbags like Gene Strauss. Or marry Dr.Lee, as her mother wants. But how will she solve the case when the parties involved present obstacle after obstacle, beginning with the missing girl’s headmaster, Dr. Thomas Mackenzie and the detective previously assigned the case? Even worse, the girl’s godmother, Madeline Hemsley, isn’t forthright with Hazel.

As far as investigative books about missing persons go, this book checks all the right boxes. First, readers will no doubt love the protagonist and follow her adventure till the end. On the book’s first page, Daniel presents the readers with the protagonist’s status quo, which makes the readers sympathize with the protagonist and root for her. About the characters, they’re relatable, especially Kenny, Andrew, and Mackenzie. Daniel’s writing reads effortlessly. Regarding the investigation, it’s done the old way: Hazel asks questions, tries to get CCTV footage around the crime scene and attends a gala wearing her detective hat. Interestingly, Daniel explores a common theme in investigative writing: the idea that the enemy is always close and usually too clean to fit into the list of suspects.

Overall, "The Orphanage By The Lake" is wonderfully written and professionally edited and is sure to win over fans of investigation novels.

This was too much. Too much that didn't have anything to do with the main story, too much unnecessary. The client in the beginning and anything to do with her parents. And there were too many love interests in too many directions. The one she chose was not believable at all, he would never choose her to sleep with.

This pulled me in from page one. From the easy, flowing writing to the relatable, believable main character, I was captivated and devouring every chapter. The cast if suspects are unique, refreshing, and their roles and suspicious activity are nothing short of riveting. I was desperate to solve this case and searching for clues at every turn right along with Hazel. Kenny added a delightful and quirky relief from the suspense. I absolutely lived this book and will be looking for more from this author.

Hazel is a plucky young investigator. She has been successfully running her business for a few years but never had the opportunity to investigate anything INTERESTING. Insurance fraud and cheating spouses have been her break and butter for far too long and she is barely paying her bills because of it. When a mysterious woman offers quite a bit of money to find a missing orphan that she claims is her goddaughter, Hazel snaps the job up right away.

The Godmother is very high maintenance and the orphanage/school is quite mysterious. Miller creates a great gothic feel with just. hint of violence in the background. Hazel realizes pretty quickly that this case is not open and shut -but is it worth her life?

Join Hazel in a great fun mystery ! #theorphanagebythelake #danilegmiller #houndstooth

These characters made me so mad, but in a good way. It made me invested in the story. Overall the plot was ok, it was very fast in the beginning but I felt that it slowed down through out the book and I began to lose interest. The main antagonist was predictable and came out of nowwhere, “raising his brows” at literally everything Hazel said. No poker face