She thought she had gained her freedom from a monstrous husband and a fresh start in life. What the kind-hearted, slightly klutzy Vicki discovered was a dead body and a world where human law was superseded by Others law and justice comes in many forms.

The Jumble was part of Vicki’s settlement, purported to be a potentially valuable resort lodge nestled in the woods near Lake Silence. It was in the fine print that Vicki learns she has been taken advantage of again, by her ex. Enter the Others and Vicki is about to learn just what makes them tick when their lives and land are threatened by human greed.

Anne Bishop’s LAKE SILENCE is a fascinating and fun look into a world of shapeshifters, vampires and more, including quirky crowgards, a tough cop and a sweet and well-meaning, big-hearted woman who has been used as a doormat one too many times. I loved the character interaction, unique personalities, and moments of humor, attitude and darkness as each scene plays out in one more battle between greed and honor!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Berkley Publishing Group!

Series: The Others - Book 6
Publisher: Ace (March 6, 2018)
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Print Length: 414 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

I find it hard to review the books of this series because I have fallen in love with this world and the people that populate it to the point where I am not sure I am writing an unbiased review anymore. It still feels like I am reading a genre that is only populated by this series.

The writing alone is so exceptional that it pulls you in from the first page, I was addicted by the 15% mark and the story was revealed a bit at a time so you got to know the good, the bad and the Others a bit more intimately than before since in this book you are introduced to a new host of characters to love.

I have to say I was disappointed when I heard we were leaving the Lakeside community behind and all the wonderful characters we had come to know and was sure it would not be a good series without them ……. I was wrong.

In Sproing (no that is not mis-spelled and named after rabbit looking creatures that are probably NOT what they seem) we have an almost clear landscape for Ms Bishop to paint new stories in words and she gives us a bevy of new characters to root for or hate and the ever-present Others and we get to meet a few Elders (sort of) and our first male Elemental that we get just enough page time of to make me wonder if we shall see more of him in future books.

One of the few complaints I heard about the previous books was the romance or to be more exact, the lack thereof, this book is much the same, she plays with the reader to the point you are not sure if there is a small love triangle or just 3 people who become good friends as the story progresses. It worked wonderfully for me since I am curious to see if anything happens in that area in future books (assuming we stay in this locality for future novels). NOTE: As with Simon Wolfgard in Lakeside I get the vibe that perhaps down the road Ilya Sanguinati may be more involved with our heroine than at present but that is just my own imagination possibly but he is a true enigma in this novel as a bit Hannible Lector and White Knight wrapped up together with a positive result.

There are many mysteries and twists that you don’t see coming and I loved it all, but since I am a confirmed revenge-junkie, justice is served in a manner that put me into my happy dance.

Just for basic info we have a fairly large cast of characters but the plot revolves around these 4 mainly (bad guys not included):

Victoria “Vicky” DeVine – The slightly plump and mentally abused by her ex-husband for over a decade before getting a divorce and moving to Sproing to rebuild/manage The Jumble, a bit of a vacation cabin establishment.

Officer Wayne Grimshaw – Highway Patrol and temporary Chief of Police for Sproing (friend to almost everyone and really believes the “Serve & Protect” mantra)

Julian Farrow – Former cop, current owner of the local bookstore and keeper of a lot of secrets about himself.

Ilya Sanguinati – “Other” Attorney and seemingly mover and shaker for everything that goes on if he wishes to be. Only answers to the “Elders”

And as always, when I finished that line came to mind:

“So good I needed a cigarette when I finished”

I loved The Others, and when I saw that Anne Bishop was continuing the series with new characters, I was beyond excited. When I started reading Lake Silence, I was a little put off that Vickie’s chapters are 1st person POV,and everyone else is 3rd POV, but I quickly got over that. She is an emotionally wounded character, the 1st person POV let me empathize with her and her painful past. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down, and when I finished, I was bummed out. I did not want it to end, and I have come to like the citizens of Sproing and the Jumble, both human and Other. I wanted more!

The book starts out like all of Anne Bishop’s Others books – slowly, methodically introducing the new characters and fleshing out their backgrounds. Vickie is the victim of spousal abuse, and the rundown Jumble is part of her divorce settlement. Grimshaw is a cop sadly lacking in people skills. Julian, owner of Sproing’s bookstore, is an Inuit and an ex-cop who was almost murdered on the beat – but he was saved by one of the Others. Ilya is a vampire who wants to see the Jumble restored and made into an outpost for the Others again.

Vickie’s trouble begin with an eyeball, a wave cooker, and murdered man. Thanks to Grimshaw’s timely appearance to investigate the murder, Vickie isn’t completely at the mercy of the bad guys. And the bad guys here are bad. Selfish, mean-spirited, willing to sacrifice their own family to get ahead in the world. The thing I love best about this series is that the horrid, evil villains always get their comeuppance. After trying to screw over the Others, they learn the error of their ways, far too late, when the Elders take umbrage with their behavior. In the real world, where victories by the good guys seem fewer and farther between, it’s reassuring to know that evil does not triumph in these books.

If you enjoyed the previous Others books, you will enjoy Lake Silence. If you haven’t read the first series, this is a good jumping on point, as it is mostly a stand-alone. I loved this book and I’m counting down the days until the next book.

Grade: 4.75 stars

As a reader who mostly enjoyed the original five stories of The Others, I was both hopeful and concerned about the direction the author might take as the series continued. Having finished Lake Silence, I still feel somewhat conflicted, even though there was quite a lot of time spent establishing the new environment and characters that will make up this part of the same universe. The glimpses of the wild country that were given before were both distant and brief, and there were even fewer details about what life would actually be like in small human (or intuit) villages, like Sproing.

Overall, I liked Vicki quite a lot. She’s strong, clever, has an internally snarky—if slightly manic—sense of humor that I appreciated, and does her best to deal honestly with everyone around her. She’s also survived an awful divorce from an unrepentantly loathsome and emotionally abusive scumbag whose arrogance is as inexplicable as it is intolerable. With that in mind, I found her wariness of men, in general, to be completely understandable, but I was impressed that her acknowledgement of her own limitations was rooted more in her ability to be logical and rational than any perceived powerlessness.

And that’s where parts of the narrative became problematic for me. Even though they have Vicki’s best interests at heart, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the “good guys” in the story—with the exception of Julian Farrow—“handled” her a lot during the course of the story. Vicki does have a moment or two of somewhat childish lashing out, but these instances are few when compared to her deliberate internal consideration of each increasingly alarming situation she finds herself in. Most often, she readily accepts that she needs help, and willingly lets her allies (nearly all men) take the lead. The Others, in particular, have never tried to assist any human, especially an “emotionally-scarred” one, but I think it would have been reasonable (and beneficial to Vicki in the long run) to treat her as a fully aware participant from the beginning, rather than a helpless victim.

As mentioned above, Julian, one of my favorite characters in Lake Silence, points out that very problem fairly early in the story. As an Intuit and former policeman, not to mention the ties he has to the terra indigene and humans alike, he’s a key element throughout the narrative, and one I came to respect a great deal. Other characters I liked tremendously included Aggie and the other Crows, Ineke Xavier, Cougar and Conan, the Lady of the Lake—and the Sproingers.

Despite a few issues that made it difficult for me to become completely engaged in Lake Silence, I think it has significant potential as a continuation of the world of The Others. While none make a direct appearance in this story, the residents of the Lakeside Courtyard/Ferryman’s Landing are still present in other ways, which I was very happy about—though I’d love to see even more of them. I also strongly recommend reading the other books in the series first, since that prior knowledge is necessary to understand the rules that govern this narrative and its characters. Given the previous stories’ focus on larger human cities, Lake Silence is a new beginning, and it’s something I’ll keep in mind as more are written in the future.

I'm going to be honest, when I saw that Lake Silence wasn't going to be about Meg and Simon I was kind of upset. Not upset enough to not pick up the book the first chance I had, Anne Bishop's novels are always at the top of my TBR pile. But I was still kind of sad that we weren't going to be following the characters that we have come to know and love.

Having said that Lake Silence exceeds my expectations and I was hooked from the beginning. Lake Silence only vaguely references character's from the novels BUT it is just as interesting. The wolfgard take a back seat to the crowgard and the sanguinati and the humans play a much larger role.

ake Silence, by author Anne Bishop, is the 6th installment in the Others series. Bishop leaves Meg Corbin and Lakeside Courtyard behind for an entirely new cast of characters including Vicki Devine, Agatha "Aggie" Crowgard, Ilya Sanginati, Julian Farrow, and Wayne Grimshaw, while also introducing a few new and terrifying terra indigene including the Lady of the Lake and the Sproingers. Let's start out by introducing Vicki first since she gets most of the storyline.

She's the current custodian of what the author is calling The Tumble near Sproing & Lake Silence in what is actually the Fingerlakes Region of NY State. The Tumble may have a few humans interspersed here and there, but it is a terra indigene community. As part of her divorce settlement, Vicki is supposed to have the property free and clear. She knows that she can only managed to upgrade the property, but not actually go any further since the land isn't hers. Then one day, her renter, Aggie discovers a dead body on the property.

One thing leads to another which leads to a whole lot of trouble for Vicki and a rallying cry, of sorts, for those who refuse to allow anyone to damage someone who is already damaged and has her fair share of panic attacks after years of abuse. Let me just say that Vicki is NOT Meg Corbin. While the Others seem to gravitate towards her and protect and support her, she has no special powers to see into the future, nor does she have the ability to become a Terra indigene.

I have to admit that I loved Ilya Sanguinati, leader of Silent Lodge and Vicki's knight in shining armour. He's a fantastic character who takes zero prisoners and makes the most stoic character tremble in their feet. Yes, he does in many ways remind me of Vlad, but Ilya is a strong presence throughout the story. Wayne Grimshaw is a high patrol officer and the first on the scene after Aggie discovers the dead body.

Thanks to some political nuisances, Grimshaw ends up temporarily assigned to Sproing Station where his friend, Julian Farrow, owner of the book store called Lettuce Read, is currently living. Julian is a former cop & Intuit who has the ability of sensing danger. An ability that actually saved his life. Grimshaw and Julian are thrown together when things seem most desperate for Vicki thanks to a nasty group of humans.

There is no romance between any of the characters in this book. This is no Meg and Simon who eventually get together as a couple, although an argument could be made for Ilya and Vick if this becomes a series. This is a cast of characters who have live in a wild country where the terra indigene and elders have a tendency of playing with their food, and protecting what is theirs. When outsiders arrive in an attempt to disrupt things, well, I shall leave you to your imagination.

In the end, Lake Silence is a predictable story in many ways. You also have a lead character who isn't perfect in any way or shape. Yes, that's what I said, shape. Vicki is a character that will appeal to those of us who have a bit of cushion to our bodies, and that is absolutely okay. In many ways, Lake Silence could be a standalone. I am not sure what the author's plans are, or if she intends to write another trilogy, but I'd be fine either way.

Fabolous beginning!

When Meg and Simon's arc was done, I was so sad to see one of my favorite series EVER come to an end. So many of the characters had endeared themselves into my heart but Anne Bishop knew she had gold in her hands (or I should say in her brain) and she was willing to continue the series to the great happiness of this reader.

I have anxiously been waiting for Lake Silence, a continuation of the same world with different main characters. My first shock was that the main character is nothing like I thought she was going to be. Next, the main three characters are all human. So different than life in the Lakeside Courtyard!

When a woman named Vicki DeVine obtains a property, The Jumble in Lake Silence as part of her divorce, she pours all of her energy, resources, and money into fixing the resort to open it up to the public. Now, the property is in a town not controlled by humans but by the Others. Vicki has been careful about following the rules and so far she only has one guest, Aggie Crowe. Soon after, Vicki discovers that Aggie is not human. When a dead body is found close to her place, and detectives come asking questions, Vicki's anxiety and distress escalate. Thankfully, she will get the help of many new friends: humans and non-humans too.

I was completely lost in the story. I loved Vicki, her sense of humor, her innate understanding of how to handle the Others without trying. In a way, she exudes the same innocence that Meg had. As with Meg, the Others take an unusual interest in Vicki and her protection becomes a priority.

"he was so yummy. And really, what's a pint or two of blood between a girl and her attorney when she gets to have her neck nibbled by that mouth."

What was not to like? I enjoyed it all! Love the new characters and the plotline. In the end, Julian Farrow, Officer Wayne Grimshaw, Aiden, Robert "Cougar" Panthera, Conan Bearguard, Ilya and Natasha Sanguinati, Ineke Xavier and her family, The lady of the Lake, the ponies, all contributed to the success of the story.

I wanted the Others to grab the bad humans and destroy them. Yes, I was clamoring for the Terra Indigene type of justice.

"So they're what, the world's hitmen?

I'm dying to read the next book in this series. I hope a year goes by fast.

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

I always enjoy Anne Bishop's books so I don't know why it took me so long to read this series. The Others series is probably my favorite series by Anne Bishop and while I like this book in the series I miss Simon and Meg. As a whole though the characters are great and the world is fascinating. This series reminds me a bit of her Ephemera series mixed with Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series and Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. I am reviewing this book based on an ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

The town of Sproing sits on the shores of Lake Silence in the Wild Country, land controlled by the terra indigne, or the Others, the shifters, vampires, and much larger, fiercer predators that were the planet’s first inhabitants. Generations ago, they made an agreement that allowed humans to use the land and its resources as long as they followed certain rules. A year ago, a group of humans attacked the Others, breaking the agreement and resulting in “The Great Predation,” which left Sproing (and many other towns like it) largely abandoned.

Vicki DeVine is among the first humans to resettle in Sproing, having received a run-down lakeside resort property called The Jumble in her divorce settlement. Vicki’s spent months rehabbing the property so she can open for guests. Then she finds a body. It might be connected to her ex and a plot to reclaim The Jumble, but most of the police seem more interested in blaming Vicki. When her neighbors rally to her defense, she realizes that she’s been surrounded by Others the whole time, and by claiming The Jumble she’s become part of their world.

Unlike in earlier books, the primary POV characters in Lake Silence are all human. Vicki is sometimes cheeky, often referring to her vampire attorney as yummy, but she’s also insecure. She suffers from anxiety, and possibly PTSD though she doesn’t use that term, due to years of emotional abuse from her ex-husband. I love the way the Others deal with her condition though. We also follow Officer Grimshaw, the one cop who’s on her side. He has a great bromance with Julian, Vicki’s friend and former cop. And we follow “Them,” the villains. Vicki’s first renter, Aggie Crowe, who turns out to be a shifter also has a few short POV chapters, as does her lawyer Ilya Sanguinati.

Other than those two, I didn’t feel like I got to know the Others very well. However, the Elders and Elementals play a much bigger role than in previous books. Since The Great Predation they’re taking a more active role in the world, which definitely makes things interesting. Still, I hope that some of the shifters will be developed more in the next book.

Lake Silence begins a new arc in The Others series. It acknowledges that the world has changed, but doesn’t refer to events in the previous books much. Characters from the Lakeside Courtyard are mentioned, but mostly in the “I know a guy who knows a guy” sense. I think you could easily start the series here without getting lost. (Though the rest of the books are awesome and we highly recommend you read them.) In fact, I wonder if the story would have been more suspenseful if I hadn’t read the previous books. I felt like I knew exactly what would happen to the bad guys, just not when.

The series’ first arc did such a great job of revealing the world one small piece at a time. And it had the slowest burning romance ever! I’m pretty excited to get to know a whole new cast as this arc progresses.

Another solid entry into the world of the Others by Anne Bishop. Bishop introduces us to new characters and a change of setting focusing on the interactions between, Others, Elders, and the resident humans of Sproing and how they band together to protect Vickie DeVine as she renovates the Jumble, discovering what it was originally meant for as well as what some ne'er-do-wells intend for it.
This book leans harder on mystery than romance for those who care - personally I just enjoy the interactions between all the different characters Bishop brings to life on the page :)

I was so excited to start Lake Silence by Anne Bishop. I loved the first part of The Others, and I was curious to see where the author would take us next. I wasn’t disappointed 😀

Welcome to a small town in the middle of Wild Country off the coast of one of the Finger Lakes, Lake Silence. Vicki DeVine is a recently divorced woman trying to make a go of the property she inherited in the divorce, The Jumble. What Vicki doesn’t realize is that the Jumble is actually a terra indigene community. This makes for quite the surprise when the book opens with one of her residents warming up an eyeball in the microwave.

Vicki is not all that different from Meg. She isn’t a “sweet blood,” but she is damaged mentally and emotionally thanks to her ex. However she is trying to make a life for herself and I have to give her props for that. Vicki is a fairly independent woman and is embarrassed that she allowed her ex to control her like he did. I think fans of the series will enjoy Vicki and her interactions with the terra indigene.

Like the previous books, this one is told from multiple POVs with Vicki being the main focus. Grimshaw works highway patrol and is sent to investigate the eyeball and dead body found near the Jumble’s property. I like Grimshaw, he reminds me a little of Lieutenant Montgomery in that he is very aware of the terra indigene, enough so that he knows when to fear them and when to back down. What I didn’t care for with Grimshaw is that he was standoffish at times and didn’t seem to want to develop a working relationship with the terra indigene beyond keeping humans (even bad ones) safe. The other two main POVs (there are more but I’ll only touch on these) were Ilya Sanguinati and Aggie Crowgard. Aggie is young, even for a Crow, and I like her devotion to Vicki. She is the resident that warms up the eyeball but she is also a kind, inquisitive teen in her mannerisms and interactions with humans.

Personally I was excited to have a Sanguinati as the lead terra indigene in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Simon and the Wolfgard. BUT there is something mysterious about this race of terra indigene that intrigues me. Maybe it’s because of how relatable they are to humans. Maybe it is Vicki’s reaction to this particular Sanguinati and his reaction to her. Who knows! I really enjoyed this character!

The plot unfortunately was very predictable and very slow. I had a really hard time completing the book. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, because I did. It was just really long. I think some of that is due to the fact that the author is introducing new characters and new setting. Also if you are someone who hasn’t read the previous books of the series, you can read this one without going back to the previous books. I think that is a plus, though I did get excited when a character from the previous books was mentioned.

Overall I enjoyed Lake Silence. I didn’t love it, because it was just so slow and I missed Meg, Simon, and the rest of the gang. I do like Vicki and the Jumble. I’m curious to see what is in store as the terra indigene return to the community. If you enjoy dry humor, a little horror, paranormal urban fantasy, I highly recommend this one.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

What a treat to be back in Anne Bishop’s The Others fascinating world. In LAKE SILENCE, a new story arc begins with different characters in another place as book five was the culmination of the Lakeside Courtyard storyline including Meg and Simon’s relationship. While the people are different, the world of the terra indigene or earth natives known as the Others and their relationship with humans is not. After the Great Predation of the previous summer when much of the population of Thaisia was taken out by the Elders, the survivors are still figuring out how to live in this radically changed world. Because of the Lakeside Courtyard’s newly evolved relationship with humans including the blood prophets and Intuits, more of the terra indigene are redefining how they interact with those previously only considered prey. Lake Silence features a small community named Sproing; it is completely surrounded by the wild country. Vicki DeVine moved there after a divorce settlement ceding her a rustic resort which needed much renovation. After ten years of an unhealthy marriage, she has begun to find her albeit shaky footing. Her only lodger who becomes a close friend, Aggie Crowe, turns out to be one of the Others called the Crowgard. Aggie introduces Vicki to the terra indigene world in an intense way when a body is found on her rural property, The Jumble. The Sanguinati are the terra indigene in charge of this village led by Vicki’s “yummy” attorney, Ilya. As always, the Elders and Elementals are about watching the humans who when they get out of bounds, sometimes become lunch. Denial is not just a river in Egypt; the humans still like to pretend the Others are “out there” instead of RIGHT HERE.

Vicki’s life once again takes a turn to a major upheaval when it seems someone wants to pin the blame on her for this suspicious death. Anyone familiar with The Others series will know what happens when humans fail to follow the rules set by the terra indigene for appropriate behavior on their land. Essentially that territory is all of Sproing in the area known as the Feather and Finger Lakes. Sproing gets its name from the sproingers who are interesting little hoppy creatures with cute smiley faces. They comprise the literal eyes and ears of the terra indigene in town. Cute does not mean safe in the terra indigene world.

Vicki’s relationship with her ex-husband, Yorick, and his cronies is the backdrop for this story. Her philandering ex is described as having a wondering “vigorous appendage.” Ms. Bishop has a talent for blending wicked humor into potentially grim situations where people can easily end up a meal for the Others and have readers rooting for the them against bad humans. For those wondering about what is happening back in Lakeside, references to some folks are made from the Lakeside Courtyard, but no characters appear in this story. I thoroughly enjoyed being back in this creative and very entertaining world and look forward to the next book featuring the community of Bennett that featured in the previous books.

Lake Silence starts of the spin-off to The Others series with a bang! I loved The Others series, and Meg and Simon and the rest of the cast are some of my top characters of all-time, so there was a bit nervousness on my part going into Lake Silence. I had nothing to worry about though because Anne Bishop knocked it out of the park. 

Lake Silence centers around Vicki DeVine, a human woman with a heartbreaking human past. She's just won her ex-husband's property in a divorce settlement and is in the process of renovating it when she discovers the actual worth of the property to the Others. Vicki had the perfect balance of vulnerability and strength. Life had not been pretty for her, but she's working through her issues, and rising up to become the best version of herself. Vicki goes through hell and more, but throughout Lake Silence she remains this resilient woman, who you want to root for. Her only lodger at her resort is Aggie Crowgard - who can turn into a crow. I loved Aggie. She was so funny, and had me cracking up with her love for all thing "shiny". I also loved watching her bond with Vicki and become incredibly loyal to her. We also get to see the Sanguinatis, vampires, and other paranormal creatures. They were all great additions to Lake Silence, and so entertaining in their cluelessness when it comes to all things human behaviors. These might be wild creatures, but they possessed a certain curiosity and sense of right that made them better than most human beings.

As always, Anne Bishop is stellar when it comes to world building and story-telling. I was already familiar the world in The Others since I had previously read the other books, but Bishop does a great job at making sure that new readers won't feel lost. It was interesting seeing this new town, and the new creatures - the Sproingers! What I liked the best about Lake Silence was seeing the dynamics between the humans and the Others. I was fascinated by it in the previous books, and yet again, it was another element that I thoroughly enjoyed. I especially love despite how The Others are considered to be the primitive race, they show far more humanity, kindness and loyalty than some of the humans. It's a stunning contrast, and I like how Bishop weaved that into the story - the villains are the absolute WORST, and you'll love hating on them. The plot was also great. It's not the most fast-paced, but I was still left on the edge of my seat from the minute Aggie discovers a dead body and is attempting to feast on said dead body's eyeballs - now, isn't that a great image? :D The plot definitely has a slow-burn feel to it, but it's really entertaining. 

I'm so glad that Anne Bishop has decided to return to the world of the Others, especially because she did it so well! If you're already a fan of The Others, you won't want to miss Lake Silence. It's got that perfect balance of dark fantasy with elements of humor. I hope we'll see more of these characters because I need to know more and I already miss them!

Although I miss Meg and Simon and he Lakeside Courtyard, I am so totally invested in this world and this book was just as addicting as all the rest. I enjoyed getting to know a new part of the country and following Vicky, Aggie, Grimshaw, Ilya, Julian and all the rest of the cast of humans and Others. I especially loved the new addition of the Sproingers. I will read anything set in this world.

Love Triangle Factor: None - <spoiler> A very small romance is hinted at here, but it's a tiny side element</spoiler>
Cliffhanger Scale: This is a fully complete story/companion in The Others' world.

*NOTE: I will release a longer review on my blog http://www.loveisnotatriangle.com, closer to release date. I will also post on major retail sites like Amazon*

I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book, having loved the other characters/books in this world. But it was fantastic! I'm looking forward to more in this series and will recommend it as I recommend Written in Red.

I have read everything from Bishop and while there are some titles I have liked better than others, I have always been absorbed in her writing and world building. I wasn't thrilled with leaving the Others from Lakeside. Meg and Simon's story still doesn't feel finished to me which is disappointing. So I was not sure how a new group of characters would work in the Others world. However, I do like Vicki. She seemed to quickly accept the Others hanging around and spying on her when the vast majority of the humans are terrified of them. I don't suppose she has a choice but it was an almost too easy acceptance to show how "different" Vicki is from the rest of the herd. The new cast of characters Vicki meets are interesting and I liked how each chapter changes from character to character to see their viewpoints. I also like that Vicki thinks of the things, we as readers, actually think. Like what would it feel like for a vampire to take your blood? How big do the Elders actually get? What exactly are the Sproingers and does anyone really want to be around them when they take their Other form? Yet I wish that all the human women in the series didn't have to escape a horrific situation, and need the new men they meet, in whatever forms, to save them.

After finishing the story of Meg and Simon, I was really curious to discover this first spin off. How not to be? I loved all the novels and was really excited to see what the author was going to present us.

Vicki has managed to rebuild her life since her divorce. This is not easy because she keeps the consequences of moral harassment that her husband has made her suffer and she is not very comfortable with men. But she has rebuilt herself and she is trying to create a kind of little inn for everyone. Yet nothing is simple and when she discovers a body not far from home, it’s the beginning of trouble. It seems that her ex-husband is related to this story and that he is part of a group that wants to acquire her land. They seem to have forgotten the rules that govern this place or the fact that Vicki is helped by Others who have attached themselves to her.

I had a great time with this story but I must say that I found it a little below regarding the previous ones. Vicki is finally, when you think about it, pretty close to Meg on several points, but it’s true that no one in this style can surpass the original heroine for me. I really liked following the investigation and seeing what the characters were going to do next. It was also very nice to see some links with the first volumes even if it’s really very light. This novel is finally quite a standalone and the story is self-sufficient.

I wonder if the author will propose anything else, but in any case I was delighted to immerse myself in the universe and to discover new characters that make us travel!

Lake Silence by Anne Bishop is the first book in her new arc within her wonderful The Others series, which continues in the same world as the first arc. This arc is in the terra indigene controlled Finger Lakes region of Northeast Thaisia. Those of you have read my reviews; know that I am a huge fan of Anne Bishop. I have read every series & books she has written, and loved them all.

Vicki DeVine, our heroine, is the owner of The Jumble, a rustic resort in Lake Silence. Vicki, was given the rights to The Jumble, as a divorce settlement and has worked hard to try to bring the resort, with its cabins near a private beach next to the lake, up to par. The town (Spriong) surrounding Lake Silence has human residents, but is controlled by The Others. Vicki’s lone lodger is Aggie Crowe (a crowguard shape shifter), and one day Vicki catches her ready to eat an eyeball. Who does that eyeball belong to? Aggie takes Vicki on the trail where a dead body is found, and from that point on, everything in Vicki life will change.

The police from a distant town come and take Vicki to be questioned, and those nasty men threaten her. But Aggie will alert the Others and Ilya Sanguinati, a vampire and the main overseer in Lake Silence, will come to her rescue, as he is a lawyer. We will also meet Wayne Grimshaw, a good cop who will be assigned to be chief in Sproing and surrounding territory of Lake Silence. Julian is another ally for Vicki, as he is an intuit (they have the sight to sense something happening), as well as running a book store. All of them, as well as the Others, will become very protective of Vicki. But the men, including those policeman are determined to force her out of The Jumble, and her ex is part of the ruse. To keep her safe, she is told to leave, and let them move in. Of course, these evil men do not know what they are in for, as no one will ever survive The Others & Elementals, unless they feel you are good humans. Along the way we are introduced to other shapeshifters that will befriend and protect Vicki, such as Aggie, Ineke, Cougar, Conan, Ilya, Natasha, Lady of the Lake, Aiden, just to name a few. I got a kick out of the Sproingers, with their happy smile (unless you were the enemy).
What follows is an exciting enthralling story that will also be deep in a mystery as to who and why these people are threatening Vicki. Almost from the start, we become invested in Vicki, who was used to being pushed around by her ex, and lacks self confidence. The Others will sense her vulnerability, making them more conscious of protecting her. Vicki becomes a bit more comfortable to deal with the strange people who are not human, but who she has befriended, and they in turn will be her protectors. It was cute to watch Vicki become “the reader” for those she would read three evenings a week, murder mysteries outside her house, with many from hidden spots and from afar listening.

The last half of the book, was very intense, pulse pounding, especially when the evil people were determined to bring harm to Vicki. As the unseen Elders come out at night, those threatening Vicki will pay the consequences. It is just amazing how Bishop brings us in to this amazing world, and you are so deeply engrossed into the story, that you cannot put the book down. No one does Fantasy in so many different types of worlds then Anne Bishop, and I look forward to anything she gives us. She is a master at her world building and great characters. Lake Silence is a fantastic start to this new arc, and I for one cannot wait for the next one.

Lake Silence is book six in the Others series, but the first book that features characters other than Meg, Simon, and the residents of Lakeside Courtyard. When it was announced that the series would continue, but would focus on different characters and settings I was kind of thinking that meant characters we already knew and towns and settlements that were already familiar, but once I opened Lake Silence I realized I wasn’t familiar with any of the names or places mentioned. Which I have to admit was kind of exciting.

Sproing is a small community located on the Finger, or Feather, Lakes. Specifically Lake Silence. When Lake Silence opens readers are introduced to Vicki Devine, nee Dane, who is the owner of The Jumble, a resort like facility with a main house and cabins right off a private beach on Lake Silence. Vicki received The Jumble as part of a divorce settlement and has worked to upgrade and improve the facility since taking over its care. She is hoping it will soon become a money-making venture and a way for her to support herself. She isn’t aware that it is a terra indingene settlement until she happens upon her one guest… doing something a human would never do. That is when she discovers there is a dead body on her land and that the Others are closer and more involved in the town of Sproing and The Jumble than she, or any other human, knew.

It’s easy to like Vicki. In the very first chapter, while introducing herself and The Jumble, she gives the impression that the main reason she left her husband is because of his philandering ways, But as the book progresses readers soon learn there is a lot more to it than that. Her ex used words to abuse her in the worst ways and she still suffers from panic attacks as a result. She also has an extremely low self-esteem and tends to blame herself for things that happen, even if she had no control over the outcome. She has made friends with a few people around town. Julian is an Intuit and the owner of the local bookstore, and Ineke runs the boardinghouse, which happens to also be the only other place for visitors to stay overnight. Little does she know that her caretaking of The Jumble has been closely monitored by the Others in the community, specifically the Sanguinati across the lake, and they approve. When trouble comes to Sproing and The Jumble Vicki has more allies than she realizes.

The discovery of a dead body leads to a mystery where Vicki and her ownership of The Jumble are at the center. Several new characters round out the new cast, Grimshaw is a highway patrolman who finds himself leading the local investigation, Captain Hargreaves is his captain and offers support from afar, and Officer Osgood starts out with the bad guys, through no fault of his own, but quickly becomes one of the good guys and settles down in with Grimshaw in Sproing. There are new Crowgard, Beargard, Elementals, and Sanguinati introduced. The villians are all members of a new human alliance named The Tie Clip Club. You would think after the events in the previous five books in the series, which ended in the terra indigene sweeping across the world wiping out certain human settlements, and enacting new rules on just what they would accept and expect from humans would have taught humans a thing or two, but apparently not everyone learned the lesson.

Because I was already familiar with the world and world-building I was able to jump right in to this story with no problems. I did miss Meg and Simon and all the characters I’ve grown to love over the course of this series, but was excited to get to know all the new ones. I will say that if you haven’t read the previous books in the series I wouldn’t start here. Trust me, go back to the first book and start there. Get to know the Others and learn about the Blood Prophets and the terra indigene. See why the Elementals and the Elders had to get involved with the world of man.

Lake Silence was a wonderful addition to the Others series. I’m already looking forward to whatever comes next. Highly recommended to fans of Urban Fantasy. Final Grade- B+

Favorite Quote:

And yet this was the world they lived in. Until the Humans First and Last movement started a war with the Others, most of the terra indigene had paid no attention to the humans who crowded together on the land they were allowed to use. Now all the terra indigene paid attention, even in an unremarkable place like Sproing.

Lake Silence is a new book in the world of the series The Others. I was sad to not have the focus still be on the Lakeside Courtyard but the new characters in the Lake Silence region quickly changed my mood. I would recommend reading all the previous books because of all the mentions of previous events and the series is quite enjoyable. The interactions between the humans and the Others always range between humorous and horrific. If you find yourself reading this all in one sitting, you wouldn't be the only one.