Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stranger in the Lake was my first introduction to a Kimberly Belle novel and it did not disappoint! This drama in this story started off quickly and strong! Charlotte came from very humble beginnings - grew up in a trailer park with a drug-addicted mother. Paul, came from a privileged lifestyle. Paul and Charlotte meet and fall in love and get married fairly quickly. And even though they know their love is real, Paul and Charlotte know the rest of the small town they live in silently judges. Paul lost his first wife in a drowning accident - even know she was an excellent swimmer (???) red flags, anyone?? And not too long after he marries Charlotte, another mysterious woman shows up - dead in the water - under their dock...the same place Paul's first wife was found. Coincidence or not?

This book is filled with twists and turns - some I figured were coming and some I did not guess! I love when books can surprise me as I'm reading! I found myself wanting to come back to this book when I was doing other things, I just kept getting drawn back - I needed to know what happened! I definitely recommend this novel and I will, for sure, be reading more by Kimberly Belle.

Thanks again to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

My thoughts

Would I recommend it ? Yes

Would I read more by this author? yes

While this is the first time I've ever read anything by this author I can see why a lot of people like her written style because of how it draws you int the story.Its packed with everything I love about a thriller which is twists and turns , lies , murder, secrets, as well as misdirection and surprises , and it leaves you with a feeling that you can't trust anyone including the main character Charlotte. With that that said i want to thank the publisher for letting me read and review it as well as the invite and a big thank you to NetGalley as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kimberly Belle and Harlequin for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I cruised through this novel and adored the dark, broody atmosphere of the small town! I loved Charlotte and how suspicion of the murders kept going back and forth between all the characters the entire novel. It’s really hard not to be suspicious of everyone except Charlotte, but twists throughout this one were amazing! I loved how much happened in the end after you think it’s almost over; there are more twists to come! I really enjoyed Belle’s writing and I definitely recommend reading this one!

Out June 9th!

There was something really strange about the language used here. It went a smidge past what I can account for with local dialect variations.

What did I just read, wow. I loved every second of this book and can not wait to read more from this author. It had all the elements of a great thriller!

I have read a few Kimberly Belle novels and I always feel like she transports me into the book and suspends all reality for me in a way that many authors cannot do.

I always look forward to her newest books and request them as soon as I see them on Netgalley.

It pains me to say I didn’t really enjoy this one. 🙁 I didn’t feel for any of the characters (except maybe Chet), I didn’t buy the whole “oh, I remembered things all of a sudden” part of the plot, and it was all just a little too convenient for me. I really did not like Charlotte at all - why marry a man you continually doubt and question every step of the way? I hated her constant accusations.

The setting is fun because we see like three different seasons in a couple week span (I always enjoy descriptions of the weather). The way Belle describes food also had my mouth watering - I seriously want to try that pimento cheese/nut/jam combo!

But the rest just didn’t do it for me. Too easy. Too cliche. Disappointing. But I’m sure there are readers who will love it! Maybe I’m just reading too many psychological thrillers lately? ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I was excited to read this because I LOVED all of the author's previous books. I enjoyed it and it's a good mystery/thriller but I didn't love it like the others. I was hooked from the start and wanted to find out who was behind the murder of the woman floating under Paul and Charlotte's (don't call me Charlie) dock. There were many twists and turns. The list of suspects was very long, the number one being Paul. How guilty do you look when you up and disappear after a person is found dead next to your house. Plus it was the second dead woman to be found there. I suspected who was behind Katherine's death early on. I was disappointed with the Bobby storyline and all the secrets that were finally revealed. I thought something huge was going to be behind everything. How did Charlotte finally remember everything after all these years? She was six years old. Her flashbacks showed her everything that happened that night. What type of relationship did she really have with Paul? Did she love him? I think she loved the security she had with him and the food. She didn't mind lying to the police for him. Paul wasn't a horrible person. The things Sam said to her were unforgivable. Although, I'm sure she will forgive him and not Paul. I didn't love any of the characters. They all seemed to make bad decisions. Really, really bad decisions. Even though Charlotte was the prominent character throughout the book, I felt like I didn't know much about her. We knew all about her lousy childhood and drug addicted mother, but I felt like there was something missing about Charlie. I can't even imagine her being friends with Sam.

Recommend giving the book a try, especially if you enjoy mysteries/thrillers. I'm a HUGE fan of the author and look forward to reading more of her books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you live dark mysteries that keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat, then I highly recommend Stranger In The Lake.
Kimberly Belle does an outstanding job of keeping up the suspense and I loved it! Thank you so much for a copy of this book!

This book was fantastic. Kimberly Belle wrote another book full of suspense, secrets, and lies.

Charlie, or Charlotte as she is now known, is married to Paul, a wealthy businessman. She gave up her life and moved to "the other side of the tracks" and lives in his mansion on the lake. Paul lost his wife in a tragic accident, that has left some of the town suspicious of Paul. Another female turns up dead in a similar situation, and the suspicions start flying again. The story is full of twists and turns while trying to find out who killed this new girl. I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. I was shocked by who the killer was and happy with the way the book ended.

Stranger in the lake started out very suspenseful, cooled a little bit in the middle and then picked up towards the end. It kept me guessing who was the villain and who were the good guys throughout. I like that there were two mysteries to solve but at times I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight. A solid mystery from Kimberly Belle.

Kimberly Belle continues to deliver suspenseful novel after suspenseful novel. She fully develops and interweaves a story line and back story effortlessly and skillfully throughout the narrative. Although I figured out most of the "who did it" early on, it did not diminish the tale in any way. Overall, a great read and fans of this authors will not be disappointed.

Frightening and heart-pounding!

This was definitely an "edge-of-your-seat" type book. It was an excellent psychological thriller that I will recommend to customers when COVID is over. I found the characters to be realistic and relatable. I also found the pacing to be very smart. I fell into a groove from the get go.

How well do you truly know your husband? Charlotte begins to ask herself that question when she discovers a dead body in the lake. . . the exact spot that her husband's previous wife was found murdered.

What a plot! What a premise! I was bound to the pages. This was unputdownable in the best of ways. I couldn't stop reading it until the very end. All thumps way up!

Kimberly Belle has done it again! Another thriller that I couldn’t get enough of the Haunted past secrets, a girl from the other side of town, Murder, lies, and of course money!
Charlotte fell in love with Paul , rich local man that had lost his wife to drowning. Rumor is that Paul killed his wife buttt no one can prove that. When Charlotte falls for him everyone says it’s for his and his late wife’s money but or does she really just love him? . Paul has lots of hidden secrets and it all starts to unravel when Charlotte find another women drowned under their dock!
Twisted webs of lies that I just needed to find out what the heck actually happened! I found Charlotte was very like-able and smart character. I liked that she didn’t take people crap!


Thank you to Netgalley and Park Row for my review copy!

4.5 stars - Last year I read Dear Wife, and it was such an amazing read I had to read this one ASAP!

First thing that got me right away was the atmosphere of the book! The scenery of it all was just the perfect setting for this mystery! You can’t ask for more than a mansion on a secluded lake, winter blizzards, cold foggy lake and a dark deep forest.

This was a complete page-turner! The story was very original and gripping!

The characterization of Charlotte aka Charlie, the main character, was genius! She was very likable, and I truly loved how she stood by her values. Even though her upbringing wasn’t perfect, she became one hell of a strong woman and I truly appreciated that.

Some parts I did predict but overall, I was left in shock by numerous twists and turns. It was extremely well written, and the book was action-packed. What else could you ask for?

Kimberly Belle is just such a great writer! I am a forever fan!

This thriller/mystery will instantly suck you in with it’s long-held secrets and battle-scarred characters! And if that doesn’t grab your attention, there is the mysterious dead body in the lake.

<i><b>”In the end, we all reap what we sow.”</b></i>

Kimberly Belle shot to the top of my fav author list after I read the phenomenal <b>“Dear Wife”</b>! This one was so close to a 5-star read, but unfortunately, I couldn’t help but compare it to her previous work.

Lake Crosby is very rich vs. poor, with well-thought-out characters you will love and hate. Charlotte was one of the characters I loved! Easy to underestimate at the beginning, but she developed into a first-rate heroine.

Thank you NetGalley, Park Row and Kimberly Belle, for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!

<b>My Rating: </b> 4 ⭐️’s
<b>Published:</b> June 9th 2020 by Park Row
<b>Pages:</b> 352

<b>Recommend:</b> Yes!

@KimberlySBelle @parkrowbooks
#NetGalley #MustRead

When Charlotte married the wealthy widower Paul, it caused a ripple of gossip in their small lakeside town. They have the perfect marriage, except everything starts to unravel when Charlotte discovers a young woman’s body floating in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned. What seems like a horrific coincidence throws Charlotte into a whirlwind where Paul may be the murderer. Charlotte begins to uncover dark mysteries about the man she marries and she doesn’t know what or who to trust.

I love Kimberly Belle. I thought “Dear Wife” was one of the greatest novels I’ve ever read. So when I got an ARC of her newest novel I was ecstatic. However, bad news - I feel this didn’t touch on the writing skills she is capable of doing! I don’t feel that book was bad by any means, but after reading “Dear Wife” I had such huge expectations.

This books circles between a circle of friends who protect each other, but also have dark secrets of their own. Charlotte, Paul’s new wife, is determined to uncover the secrets that the lake hides. I enjoyed Charlotte’s character, especially her relationship with her brother. I felt their bond was the best relationship in the story.

I felt this book lacked a “wow” moment. When you find out the twisted secret I was shocked, but it wasn’t an “omg are you kidding me” moment that I so hoped for. I also felt the last 20% of the book was completely rushed. And the last 10% of the book a new killer was thrown into he mix. The book just overall dragged and dragged - very little action and a lot of waiting.

Overall, the book was eh. I still love Kimberly Belle and will continue to read her books, but this book was sadly a miss for me.
Pub: 6.9

This is just how I like my thrillers and I was captivated by it from the first page! Charlotte feels like the luckiest woman in the world when she marries wealthy widower Paul and then becomes pregnant. But when a strange woman's dead body appears underneath the dock by their house, things heat up quickly as Paul's first wife appeared to have drowned the same way. Alternating between present and past, the novel explores the relationships between Paul and his two friends, Jax and Micah when they were reckless teens and Paul's life now with Charlotte. And just when you think you've solved the mystery...nope!! There are more twists to come and I was gasping at the end. If you've loved Belle's previous books as I have, then this one is sure to please you as it checked all the boxes for me: secrets, lies, deceit, betrayal, jealousy, and redemption. Couldn't put it down!

I enjoyed this book. The characters were outstanding. A great mystery. A book about Lies, Love and Trust. Charlie knew who she loved and more who she could trust. Till the very end this book had me guessing. I would recommend this book. I give it 4 strong stars

Could not put this book down once I started. Kept me guessing until the very end.
Paul, Jax, and Micah grew up closer than brothers, always together, until one drunken night that seems to change everything. But something else happened that night 20 years ago that no one but the three 0f them knows, or at least that's what the three boys think.
Charlie (AKA Charlotte) and her brother Chet grew up in the same town on different sides of the tracks. They were forced to care for each other at a very young age with an incarcerated father and a drug addict mother. Life was never easy for them, but they fought to stay together and alive all those years.
Charlie meets and falls in love with Paul and she thinks her luck has finally changed. She no longer has to worry about where her next meal will come from or live in a beat up old trailer. But, there is a cloud of suspicion that has hovered over Paul since the death of his first wife four years prior to their marriage. He talks very little about her and Charlie chooses to ignore the rumors and focus on the love they feel for each other.
All that is shaken up when a woman, whom Paul was seen talking to the day before, is found dead under the docks of their home. Suddenly, lies from the past resurface, truths must be faced, and the guilt that is carried around must be laid to rest. But what is the cost of confessing your sins? Is it death?
Charlotte is now fighting not only for her life, but that of her unborn child. While she slowly pieces together what happened to the deceased woman, she also uncovers the truth of 20 years ago.
Great suspense novel.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent crime fiction mystery set in the Appalachians. Characters are well-defined and the plot moved along at a brisk pace, tension building. It is indeed a page-turner. Have not read any other books by Kimberly Belle, but will definitely do so now. For fans of psychological thrillers, this is a book not to be missed.