THE LAKE OF LOST GIRLS was a twisty atmospheric novel of suspense that I couldn’t put down. A college freshman who was spiraling at the time disappears and no one knows what happened. Twenty-four years later her sister uses the momentum of a new podcast to try to figure out what happened to her sister. The body is her sister turns out to not be the only one as more start to pop-up. I have to say even though I don’t listen to podcasts, I love the podcast platform in books. KATHERINE GREENE had me fooled because I didn’t know who the culprit was. When you start this book you won’t have a clue either. This book is perfect for fans of thrillers, podcasts, and true crime fiction!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I couldn't put this book down and never saw the twist coming. That being said, I felt slightly misled by the clues that pointed towards Jessica being abused by her father and found the lack of police investigation slightly hard to believe. Still, that did not distract from the core of the book and its wonderful examination of the unique ways women are victimized by both crime itself and the true crime entertainment industry.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

I really loved the alternating time lines of this book, with the podcast dialogue sprinkled in. It gave a unique perspective to the story. I also felt the author gave a lot of small breadcrumbs along the way, which gave me an idea to the ending while still being a page turner. Based on the epilogue, it appears there may be a sequel which I will be looking forward to reading.

Usually when I love a book I binge it and read it as fast as I can but I actually took my time and savored this one! Each chapter reveals an important clue to the story keeping the pace perfect. When I saw ‘podcast’ I was worried because there are a lot of books featuring podcast elements these days and they come off as cheesy. This one had the perfect amount of podcast scripts making it a nice break between the other POVs. One POV takes place in the past and the other in the present from two different main characters. This book was so good!!

From the moment I started the first chapter, I was captivated by the gripping storyline.
There are podcast episodes, flashback chapters from alternating perspectives, and even social media posts scattered throughout the book.
Each chapter seamlessly flows into the next, making it impossible to put the book down!!!!.

I was drawn to this ominous cover and title about missing women. Missing and murdered women is an all too real occurrence. This book tackled that, the world of true crime podcasting, and the dangers women face in a world of men. I think this author made attempts at feminism however, the execution completely lacked. There were plot inconsistencies, so many contradictions that it frustrated me and discounted me from the characters. Speaking of the characters, we have two POV’s between Jessica and her sister Lindsey. Both women were very unlikeable so I was unable to feel attached to this story and invested in the outcome. The chapters felt very long and the writing came off as quite clunky. It was heavy with useless descriptions that I ended up skimming over. The ‘study’ of true crime and the podcasting world was hardly touched, save for a few comments from Lindsey towards the end. Overall, I’m disappointed in this one and it was lacking in intensity, thrill, and suspense.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to review this book!

Whew. This was a doozy. Every time I thought I knew what was going on and whodunnit, turns out I was WRONG. I loved the podcasts and posts integrated into the book. This really kept things going and held my interest. I did feel like things went a little slow from time to time, which is what held the book back from 5 stars. I love a good small town murder.

This was a great whodoneit!
It’s about a sister who disappeared along with 3 other girls.
This book kept me highly entertained. I was invested in the story and I would highly recommend.
Thank you

Using suspenseful podcast clips to weave a twisty tale of a missing student and her sister who is desperate for answers, The Lake of Lost Girls is twisty engaging read. This a book is a unique mystery alternating between two sisters and multiple timelines as one is trying to solve the 24 year old mystery of her sister's disappearance. I couldn't put this book down and read it in a day.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the first book that I've read by Katherine Greene and I must say that I did enjoy it. It was a very compelling fast paced murder mystery book filled with twists and turns that made you want to keep reading. I also enjoyed the mixed media aspect to this book as it did feel like we were learning about a 'real life' case, and the dual timeline, podcast & journalistic elements helped moved the story along well.

Whilst I did enjoy my time reading this book I will say that I had a few issues with it. Firstly, I did manage to guess who the perpetrator was pretty early on in the book and whilst I will admit that I didn't know the full extent of the reveal, I felt like it was a pretty basic story line. The ending wasn't as strong as the rest of the book either which was a bit of a let down. I feel like a lot of reveals happening too fast and it was just so easy for our characters as it wrapped up pretty nicely. I thought we were going to have more of a stand off between different characters or maybe a clearer explanation so unfortunately it did fall flat for me. The male characters in this book are AWFUL, even the ones you think are nice have ulterior motives which really didn't sit right with me. I was under the impression that this was meant to be a feminist thriller however all the author did was make the male characters the worst people she could in order to support this narrative and once again it was the young girls that suffered. No matter who a murderer is, they can NEVER be a 'good person' in my eyes.

All in all, I had a fun time reading this book and flew through it however on reflections I did have some issues with it which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. I would be interested in picking up another book by this author in the future though.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book.

I really liked the idea of incorporating a true crime podcast into a thriller/mystery book. I usually really enjoy those books. This book fell flat for me. I thought the story had a lot of potential, but the characters felt flat and I never really connected to them. I was able to predict the ending very early on in the book, so the twists were not there. I did enjoy the dual point of view with the flashbacks but I was ready for the book to end.

Katherine Greene's "The Lake of Lost Girls" is a compelling thriller that masterfully weaves the modern fascination with true crime podcasts into its fabric, creating a dynamic and engaging narrative. The novel smartly employs a dual timeline, which adds layers of intrigue and depth as it explores a chilling mystery spanning over two decades.

The story kicks off with a startling discovery at a lake near a university campus, where the body of a woman surfaces, rekindling the cold case of four young women who vanished 24 years ago. This incident pulls Lindsey, whose sister was one of the missing girls, into an emotional quest for truth aided by the clues unearthed through a fictional podcast. This element not only modernizes the narrative but also enhances the suspense and complexity of the plot.

Greene's ability to maintain a fast-paced narrative through the clever use of multiple perspectives is commendable. The shifts between past and present keep the tension high and the readers guessing. The integration of the podcast is not just timely but executed in a way that enriches the story, providing a fresh lens through which the investigation unfolds.

While the novel delivers well on suspense and engaging plot twists, some characters seem a bit underdeveloped. However, Greene handles this gracefully by ensuring that even these less fleshed out characters contribute meaningfully to the twists and turns of the plot. This minor flaw is balanced by the book’s many strengths, including its solid plot structure and the seamless merging of different narrative elements.

The twists, though somewhat predictable for seasoned thriller readers, are crafted with enough finesse that they complement the story's build-up rather than detract from it. The ending, while brisk, ties up the narrative threads in a satisfying conclusion that most readers will appreciate.

Overall, "The Lake of Lost Girls" is an absorbing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Greene's narrative is crisp, her plot well-constructed, and her novel's embrace of contemporary elements like podcasts will definitely resonate with many readers. This book is a strong recommendation for those who love a good thriller with a modern twist. The slight predictability of some twists does little to diminish the novel’s overall charm.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Fans of mystery and thriller genres, especially those who enjoy innovative narrative formats, will likely find "The Lake of Lost Girls" to be a gripping and worthwhile read.

I enjoyed the twists and turns of this one . I like the addition of the podcast to storyline but felt some of the characters could have been fleshed out more as they fell flat but overall a good read
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for review copy

Such an awesome thriller! There were so many twists and turns, and it kept my attention the whole time. Definitely pick this one up!

I really liked the premise of incorporating a true crime podcast into a thriller/mystery book. Unfortunately for me this book didn't hit the mark. Overall I thought the story had a lot of potential, but the characters felt flat and I never really connected to them. And I predicted the ending very early on in the book, so the "twists" were far too obvious. I did enjoy the dual point of view with the flashbacks, but was ultimately skimming pages by the end.

24 years ago, 4 young women went missing from their university campus with absolutely no trace of them but plenty of suspects.

Today, a body re-surfaces in the lake nearby the campus. Lindsey, the younger sister of one of the missing girls is once again drawn into the mystery.

Set in two timelines - then and now - as well as a dual POV, this has the potential to be a fast paced thriller but it kinda fell flat for me. Loads of twists and turns that keep you guessing but the ending was rushed and I didn't get any kind of closure.

3.5 rounded down.

As an avid consumer of ‘Thriller’ books, I am seriously impressed with this title from Katherine Greene. The intense, the intrigue, the level of investment I had in it… unparalleled.

I particularly loved the formatting and thought it was a refreshing way of presenting such a pulpy, ‘who dunnit’ thriller. The characterisation was spot on, I couldn’t guess who the killer was, so was shocked and left reeling in the big reveal.

5/5 star read, will recommend to everyone!

This book was surprisingly good! I will say it starts slow and I did think about DNFing it, but in all honesty I’m glad I didn’t! I did guess part of the ending but not all of it! This was such a good read and I’m sad I didn’t finish it sooner!

I liked the plot and wanted to know what happened and “who-dun-it.” But I felt the story was a little basic, and I didn’t like the ending. I wish it would’ve given a little more in backstory and ending. I would’ve liked if the book was longer- it would’ve felt smarter and more interesting if there had been some more surprises and more history with the characters. Some parts felt a bit predictable- especially the reporter being Jess, the main characters, boyfriend at the time of the disappearance.. It wasn’t the worst mystery I’ve read, but I wouldn’t want to read it again.

Thank you for letting me read and review early!