Thank you to my partners, Thriller Book Lovers Promotion and NetGalley, and the author. I appreciate the gifted eARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 - Alice has quite the devastatingly awful past to grapple with. How can one even fathom losing your entire family and not even knowing what happened or where they went. The mystery begs to be solved!

2. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 - Even though this is the second book in the Jess Lambert series, I found that it was easy to read as a standalone. Now, with that being said, I highly recommend reading the first one first because this series is just too good to miss any of it! I’m going back to read it ASAP!

3. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞 - Wow! As the story began to clear up, I was completely blindsided how one part of the story connected to the big picture. I mean HOLY COW!

4. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐰𝐨 - And then, a little bout of whiplash came around and got me with the next whopper of a shock. Just when we think we know, we find out that we really don’t! Thank goodness for the repression of memories for these characters!

5. 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 - Yes! And then the 360° turn came to full tilt with the next twist! The last chapter sure leaves the story hanging, but also got me thinking about how I really did let my mind fill in the blanks. The wrong blanks apparently!

What Lies in Darkness is the second book in the #jesslambert series but could easily be read as a stand alone. While I was a fan of the first book, I thought this one was even better. A missing family, one survivor of a horrific accident, dual time lines and a perfect blend of mystery and suspense with a hint of supernatural. Definitely worth a read.

Christina McDonald's 'What Lies in the Darkness' is the second book featuring Jess Lambert. McDonald does a great job summarizing the first book, making it easy to dive into this one. The writing is smooth, drawing you into the story effortlessly. Jess is a strong character with a well-developed background. If you enjoy intense mysteries, this one's for you!

In the next installment of the Detective Jess Lambert series, we meet the Harper family who resides in Black Lake. The story was a prequel, but do not need to read the first book. Jess Lambert will do what it takes for the case to be solved.
Told in multiple POV and dual timelines to keep you on your toes.
Alice, the lone survivor of the crash is still having nightmares one year after the crash.
This is a page turner that keeps you guessing. I honestly did not see that coming. Please @christinamac79 give us more of Jess Lambert!
#thrillerbookloverspromotions #thrillerbooks #bookstagramfeature #reading
5 ⭐️

Christina McDonald did it once again! Pushed me out of my comfort zone. I typically do not read series books until the whole series is available for me to plow through. I'm so glad I read this book, the character development and storyline are gripping. I felt like I was IN the book, I laughed and cried a bunch. I'm not sure why but this one, even though it's a thriller it made me feel all the feels.
Thanks you to netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this advanced copy.

Told from multiple perspectives and alternating timelines, What Lies in Darkness starts out by basically yanking you by the hair and pulling you in! Yeah! It was that kind of beginning! And the creep factor was high which of course I absolutely loved!

However, it kind of lost me in the last 3/4 of the book. Seeds of implausibility began to curl their way into my brain and it also felt like it had 3 different endings. Like it juked you over and over, but not necessarily in a "WOW, you really pulled that off" kind of way, but more like an overzealous way. At least for me.

Regardless, would I recommend this? Absolutely. Thrill seekers will love this trip which is chock full of misdirection, ghosts and backstabbing!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this arc in exchange for review!

Pub date: 7.16.24.

This book was full of twists to the very end! The second Jess Lambert book, continues with Jess’s story after completing rehab and returning to work. I love a redemption story and a strong woman and Jess has both going for her. Full disclosure, I went into the first book completely blind and was not prepared for the paranormal aspect, this time I was prepared and enjoyed it more.

I want to say I’m pretty good at guessing what happened during thrillers but this book had several twists I didn’t see coming! I liked it a lot more than the first book, mostly because of Jess’s development.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. What Lies in Darkness is out July 2024!

What Lies In Darkness is the second installment in the Jess Lambert series and let me tell you it was truly AMAZING. For the full experience I highly recommend you start with These Still Black Waters to fully grasp everyhing. I was hooked from the first page up until the last. The suspense, the build up, the twists, the plot everything was all on point to make the perfect thriller. It will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I truly love Jess, I love digging deeper into who she is, why she does the things she does. She is so complex and the more you read about her the more you love her. Following her from book to book and revisiting her is great.

This is a thriller that you will want to binge. With it's dark atmospheric setting, you won't be able to put it down. McDonald has a way with words, with unfolding the plot to give you just enough until the final bang, which truly left me shook. Her writing style is captivating and engaging. The way everything and everyone connected in such an unexpectable way was amazing. With that ending I am truly hopeful for a third book.

One of the best thrillers I've read recently and I highly recommend it ! I am obsessed.

✨️Thank you to @thrillerbookloverspromotions, @netgalley, Thomas & Mercer & @christinamac79 for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!! Christina McDonald really can write a great book! In What Lies in Darkness, we meet up again with Detective Jess Lambert who has a new case to solve about Alice's missing family. What we don't expect is to learn even more about Jess's daughter's death while trying to solve the missing family's disappearance. McDonald keeps the reader guessing throughout the entire book and delivers an amazing amount of twists and turns. Just when you think you know, you realize you don't! This is definitely a must read!

What lies in darkness is the second instalment in the detective Jessica lambert series, (although it can easily be followed as a stand-alone).

The story follows Alice, a teenage girl who is involved in a car accident with her family, only when she awakes, afraid and injured, her mum, dad and younger sister are not inside the car and no where to be found.

A year later Alice is still reeling in the trauma and abandonment and unable to get any closure from the “missing, presumed dead” cold case. That is until her sisters backpack, blood and an arm in a suitcase is discovered in their garage as she’s clearing it out.

I really enjoy the unusualness to the plot, the mystery surrounding her missing family is so peculiar. You would assume her family would be severely injured if not deceased following such a serious car incident, so how is it that their bodies are no where to be found? And If they left somewhere, or where taken, why was Alice left behind?

I had absolutely no idea what the answers would be or where this one was going. I really felt for Alice, and I enjoyed the back and forth POV between her and Jess Lambert as fate brought their paths together.

The pacing flows nicely, there is lots of mystery and suspense and I found it super easy to read. If you are looking for a quick read this is a perfect book for you!

Thank you to Christina McDonald, Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC

This was full of intrigue and had me guessing to the very end.
There are multiple POVs that are woven together seamlessly. The writing is what made this a fast read.
Highly recommend this for lovers of thrillers with a dash of horror. Even though I usually don't go for stories with ghosts, this is definitely an excpetion. It was done so well and I hope there will be more books in this series.

This is a book where you simply can’t put it down or on pause. So much crazy twist and turn. So engaging and good at keeping you on your toes. I had the time of life reading this! This book is definitely for all the mystery and thriller lovers out there.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such a fun ride! I love me a good thriller so you bet I had an amazing time with it indeed. What Lies In Darkness is the second book in the Jess Lambert series. To fully enjoy this book, I do recommended to read the novella called These Still Black Waters first. However, it can also be read as a standalone.

This thriller has everything you would expect and need. Because who doesn't love short chapters?? Not me. It also has multiple perspectives, which i am not a huge fan of usually but in this book it surprisingly worked for me! And also has unexpected twists!!!

The setting of Black Lake adds an atmospheric and eerie touch to the story. The author, McDonald, introduces some horror elements, effectively creating a creepy atmosphere.

The story begins with the mysterious disappearance of 16-year-old Alice Harper's family after a car accident. A year later, Detective Jess Lambert takes over the case when new evidence emerges. Determined to find out what happened to the Harper family, Jess uses her emotional strength and resilience to solve the unsolvable. The theme of grief plays a significant role in both Jess and Alice's characters, highlighting the intense emotions that come with losing a loved one. And I think that gave the story such good depth and I could connect to the story more!

The book's ending is mind-blowing, with unexpected twists that make it a must-read thriller. Overall, McDonald skillfully combines suspense, emotions, and mystery in this gripping novel.

Christina McDonald does it again! Could not put this down and I couldn’t wait to find out what was after each twist and turn in this book! A definite read for all of you like like the suspense of a well written mystery!

The one year anniversary of her families passing is approaching leaving Alice feeling empty and lonely.
…
It was Christmas Eve and the road they were on stretched through the forest near Black Lake, a place known for being haunted. Now it’s known as Killer’s Grove.
…
Jess Lambert is back as a detective this time to help Alice find out what happened to her family. Jess still suffers from the loss of her eight year old daughter Isla who died one year ago in a car accident which Jess blames herself. Alcohol was the reason then and the reason she has had to go to AA meetings to help her learn better coping mechanisms for her pain.
…
Christina McDonald writes a captivating and intriguing thriller using a paranormal element in the investigative process where Jess sees Isla’s ghostly image. Isla assists Jess in investigating the case of finding Alice’s family. Jess isn’t a medium, yet Isla shows up. She isn’t the only one who can her.
…
I enjoyed the unique technique used to investigate this case. Anytime a writer can introduce original ideas into a story is going to gain my attention. Christina McDonald gradually feeds readers clues about that night Alice’s family crashed on Christmas Eve. She does this by revisiting the past through the eyes of Laura Alice’s mom.
…
Wow! What an an amazing story. The entertainment was endless with one shocking revelation after another. Splendid ending to a very unfortunate situation. It still blew my mind.

My Review:
OMG, LOVED!!!!! When is the next book in this series coming out. I’m very impatient so hopefully it won’t be too long. This series keeps getting better and better with each book. It’s definitely the characters that do it for me. I love the main detective Jess. She’s had to deal with so much yet she still gets the job done. She’s a wonderful detective who treats each case like it’s her own family that it happened to. I loved seeing this and this is exactly why these books are great. It also helps that you have so many twists and turns that it almost gives you a heart attack. I never know what’s going happen next. Each chapter leaves you wanting more and it’s hard to put it down once you start. I know I read this one quickly and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. It left such an impression on me. Don’t even get me started on that wow of an ending either. Did not see that coming at all. I can’t get enough of this series. Kudos to Christina McDonald for writing such awesome books. I’m looking forward to the next one.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Twist and turns, turns and twist. This series just keeps getting better. A must read for all who enjoy putting the pieces together page by page. Only to be thrown for a loop. The characters in this story will keep you guessing. As always, Christina McDonald does not disappoint!

What Lies in the Darkness is the second book in the series but I read it as a standalone. A year earlier, teenage Alice Harper was found by the side of the road after a horrific car accident. Her parents and younger sister were missing from the car. Now, the case is still unsolved and Alice is living with her aunt and uncle, suffering from the loss of her family. Enter Detective Jess Lambert who is also suffering from unimaginable loss. She is determined to discover what happened to the Harper family and develops a bond with Alice. There are many moving parts to this story, which make it even more interesting and mysterious. I’m not a fan of ghosts used in books, however this story is beautifully and sensitively written, so it does not distract from the plot lines. The many characters are cleverly depicted and engaging. Grief and loss are the primary themes, yet the mystery has many twists and turns. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. With thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. My opinions are my own. Susanh_bookreviews

"What Lies in Darkness" is an engaging thriller full of twists, turns, and a surprise ending. It was hard to put this book down and not finish in one sitting. Great lead female detective and interesting characters/family. I will be following McDonald and reading the first and prequel to this one. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #WhatLiesinDarkness #NetGalley

Fast paced psychological thriller, full of twist and turns that had me guessing throughout the book! A surprise ending left me speechless! I was pulled in and invested in all the characters from start to finish. We follow Alice, trying to live everyday after being the sole survivor to a crash that killed her family. Expect, their bodies weren’t found. What really happened to Alice’s family and who’s hiding secrets? Detective Jess Lambert tries to solve the case while also dealing with her own secrets and demons.