Review posted across all platforms in bio for blog tour (Interview with Kimberly Belle posting 6/11), fully formatted on 6/10.

Stranger In The Lake By Kimberly Belle
Oh, my. There is so much I want to say upfront about Kimberly Belle’s latest humdinger, Stranger in the Lake that the readability factor is gonna kill me because this section is gonna ring out at over three-hundred words. Let’s see. First, I BEAT Kimberly Belle THIS TIME. I was prepared. If anyone was around for last year’s summer fling, I had the honor of reviewing and interviewing Kimberly Belle for the release of Dear Wife. That was my introduction to her work.

I wasn’t prepared to be so swooped up in Dear Wife that I fell asleep with my kindle in my hand, over my head. Thus, allowing it to fall and thwack me in the nose. My bad. This time. I came in prepared. I didn’t read Stranger in the Lake like that, nope. So, it couldn’t happen. HA! Plus, I read it during the day, in one sitting. I doubled down on that precaution. If you notice I just gave you a clue. I read devoured Stranger in the Lake in one sitting. Kimberly Belle was not going to have a chance to break my nose, this time around. Having said that, my mouth might have been opened in shock so much that it was a good thing my Kindle is water resistant. There was much drool.

I have not yet read all of Ms. Belle’s work, YET (shame on me, but I’m getting there… I’m tearing through backlist books this summer like the world is going to … oh wait, it is). Stranger in the Lake is a completely different novel than Dear Wife. COMPLETELY. The structure, narrative, voice, set-up, the everything, is different. This is a psychological thriller, mystery, more than anything else. There isn’t an unreliable narrator or reader (see my review of Dear Wife). And to be honest? I’m not a big fan of mysteries that don’t have a twist on them, but this really had me in its grips for multiple reasons. And if it had me on the edge of my seat. Readers who lean towards psychological thrillers that bend into mystery, will trip all over themselves while reading Stranger in the Lake.

Knives Out

There is such an array of characters, secrets, and socioeconomic statuses in Stranger in the Lake that it almost has a Knives Out kind of feel to it. Not fully, not at all. Just in isolated moments and plot points. Not the entire content. I don’t want to give that impression. The characters don’t know how to not make themselves look guilty or protect people without actually putting them in more danger or realize that what they think is an unselfish act is, in actuality, completely done in self-preservation.

Plus, Kimberly Belle nails one of my favorite things a psychological thriller can do. There are these dropped bits of dead panned sarcasm/dark humor that had me cackling. As I have mentioned before, I have a very dark sense of humor. Some may not find them funny. I did. It isn’t over the top or done so much that it is over played, becomes stupid, silly or ridiculous. It is smart and at just the right moments/points in story. And that helps makes the story even more relatable.

Man-Children

The main character, Charlotte “Charlie”, has traded in her trailer park life to marry up and move to the wealthy side of town. Many resent her for it, other than her life stupid, street-smart brother, Chet. Bless Chet. I wish my brother were like Chet. Lord knows he isn’t. Everyone should have a brother or sister like Chet. Every book should have a character like Chet. But I am getting ahead of myself. We will get back to Chet.

Charlie has surrounded herself by nothing but men. I’m a tomboy so I get being more comfortable around men than women. At the same time when red flags start shooting up. You need to start thinking about any possible women who can help you think through the mess of men that are surrounding you. Even if it is just one. Because if Chet wasn’t there? She would have no one. She is stuck with:

Paul: Her new, older and rich husband. Also- Suspected of killing his first wife, who was a pro-swimmer but mysteriously drowned in Lake Crosby, which his house sits on

Micah- Paul’s best friend from childhood and diving expert for the police force- oh AND, son of the police chief. And all-around, class-A Jack. Ass.

Jax- “Batty Jax” – Childhood friend of Paul’s and Micah’s. His mother died when he was young, his sister went uber religious and he ran off into the woods, which is when everyone started calling him “Batty Jax.”

Diana- Oh. Yes. There is one woman. But she hates Charlie. So, that doesn’t count. She is Paul’s Mom and can’t stand that he married someone from “the wrong side of the mountain.” She also considers Jax like a son to her. She’s also a control freak who thinks money can buy anything and anyone. Mother In-Laws. Like, why even?

Sam- Police officer that Charlie was friends with until she married Paul. He is very, very bitter about her marrying off to the “rich” side of the mountain. Stupid men. He is also lead on investigating, the Stranger in the Lake.

Stranger in the Lake: Second dead woman found dead (first being Paul’s first wife, Catherine) in Lake Crosby, discovered by Charlie.

And Chet- cinnamon roll brother!

Here is why Chet is my favorite character in the entire book. For any YA readers or regulars to this site (if they exist) that have read Girls with Sharp Sticks, Chet is a lot like Jackson, except Chet is around more. He is the voice in the reader’s head. He basically says aloud everything the reader is thinking but with a whole lot more humor and wit. And I love him.

Stranger in the Lake got to a point where I literally wanted to strangle Charlie and chuck her in the lake, myself. And since it was named after me, I figured I’m allowed. At that exact point, Chet gets a whole chapter where he basically drops reality on her head.

This isn’t the best example of what I mean but it is the best non-spoiler example of what I mean

“I know I’m supposed to be the ignorant one, but-”

“Don’t do that, Chet.” I shake my head, my shoulders slumping. “Don’t make those kinds of jokes about yourself.”

“Word on the street is it’s no joke.” One side of his mouth lifts into a half-cocked grin. “Anyway, you’re supposed to be the smart one in the family. So how come you’re acting so dumb?”

It gets even better from there, but spoilers. I love him. That is all.

What Was That Saying About Looking Gift Horses In the Mouth?

Oh. Yes. You’ll find rotten teeth. The thing is sometimes you are better off finding those teeth.

Putting aside Diana because she is one person. When you are marrying a man with a handful of childhood buddies? Maybe, hangout with them for a while before marrying the man. Just to suss them out a bit and make sure everything is on the up and up. When this one guy- Jax, comes up. Yet, Jax is never there and then they start calling him “Batty” Jax? Maybe get a little nosy about it. After all, you aren’t just marrying the man, you are marrying his life.

Another thing to consider, maybe not marrying into the same house that Paul lived in with his dead wife that mysteriously died in the same lake the house now sits on? That seems a little odd and, personally that might creep me out a bit. Again, this is why I was so happy for Chet. Someone needed to snap Charlie out of her Cinderella daze.

You are living in a house with a man who was accused of killing his first wife, in the same house, on the same lake and the night after telling him you are pregnant, you find another dead body. He takes off to find said, “batty Jax,” and tells you to lie and say he went on a business trip. AND YOU DO?

Yes. She does and that of course just leads to a tangle of lies. Fair game though because she isn’t the only one and her lies are so tame in comparison to everyone else’s lies that they don’t even register on the Richter Scale. As the stranger is pulled from the lake and all the accusations start flying, Paul leaves his blushing bride to deal with everything. As she does, we learn, along with her all the secrets that Paul, his friends and this town have kept well-hidden on both sides of the mountain.

I will say there is one character I had pegged from the beginning. Just a gut a feeling. The rest? It was one of those cases where all the clues were there. In fact, one of the Easter eggs, even made me stop reading for a minute, so it could marinate. I knew there was a there, there. But I just couldn’t connect the dots. And when it all came together. I literally stopped and chastised myself.

One of the plot devices that drives Stranger in the Lake so well is the flashbacks. Belle really brings them in out of nowhere. Especially in who they surround. You know because of the who that it will hold relevance and that kills you because they are pretty short flashbacks.

So, I kept rereading them, looking for SOMETHING. But I couldn’t figure out the connection. As I kept going along, I just kept trying to pull it together and Belle was just masterful with it. When things slowly started clicking into place? I just… NEVER in a million years would have guessed or seen coming. Just. Never.
It was badonkers. Completely badonkers. I just made that word up. I couldn’t vocabulary. So, I made a word up.

Throughout Stranger in the Lake Belle lays out a story full of suspense, clues, red-herrings and reveals. The story is tight, with easy buy-in. The characters you hate are because you are supposed to hate them. Mind you, that is a good deal of them, but this is a town full of secrets- of the deadly variety.

The only plot hole with the whole book that I can nitpick at is Charlie wanting to live in that house to begin with but that is how the book starts. It is nitpicking to argue with a character decision she made a year before the book begins.

It starts off with a quickness and never lets-up. There wasn’t ever a point where it lulled or felt like it dragged, at all. Charlie truly had no clue what she didn’t know and with us finding out along with her, there wasn’t time for the story to slow down.

No Spoilers
The level of connection between the characters that brought everything together, in terms of the mystery, was complete brilliance because it makes perfect sense. It is laid out in the story and fits within the context of every story element. It doesn’t break the structure, narrative, character make-ups or setting.

There aren’t any plot-holes created in order for it all to fall into place. There is just enough for some to be guessed, there are plenty that you won’t see coming until the bullet train is bearing down on you. But that is the sign of a good thriller.

If it is realistic, then you should see a bit of it coming. When it is too shocking, the reveals probably don’t make any sense or having any alignment to the plot. You want them to be shocking but realistic.

I think this was a good book but a victim of the oversaturation of the twisty thriller genre. I can't seem to read a book and not start thinking what the weirdest most twistedly unexpected ending there might be. And then when my thoughts, or parts of them, start coming to fruition, usually I feel a little let down. That was what happened here. Add to this, characters that were less than fully colored in. I wanted a bit more between Charlotte and Sam. Their whole relationship was a bit too low-key for what their history implied. The end result is a good enjoyable book but not one I am running out to tell my friends they must read.

The grey, wintery, watery landscape of this story was really enjoyable and set the stage nicely for the plot. There are some interesting points in this story that I just felt like could have been fleshed out better, but it probably would have taken up too much page space to really dive deep on all of them (I wanted more on the main character's childhood and the impacts of drug abuse in this town, I wanted more from Jax's story, etc). Overall liked but didn't love this one- it's probably going to be fairly forgettable.

I sadly couldn't get into this novel.
The pacing was slow and I just didn't find it all that thrilling.

"Every generation is a new life. A new chance to get things right. Now it's your turn."

Yes I love this book, it took me a long time to finish, it is a bit dragging at the beginning for me, it's on the slow-paced side, but because I admire the heroine so much and feel her struggles from the very first chapter and with all the lies and secrets that keep happening, I keep turning page after page, and as the veiled of secrets slowly unveil and reveal the ugly truths, I became really scared for her, I'm afraid that she won't get her happy ending or she might end up getting hurt.

This is the book that the suspense is slowly building, it takes sometimes to really adjust to the pace and begin really enjoying it, each chapter brings another secret or another truth and the back and forth from the past to the present intensifies everything, question after question, truth after truth keep coming.
There's dilemma, doubts, twists, everything that playing with my head and so much that I can learn from the beautiful words inside this book and therefore I like it a lot and if you're looking for mystery thriller read, I think you must read this book.

OMG this is the best Kimberly Belle book ever. That ending brought me to my knees. This book has raw emotions. Be warned, it’s a must to have tissues while reading this great thriller. Kimberly Belle really outdid herself with this book. You can literally feel the emotion she put into this book. The heart and soul of this novel. Great job Ms Belle.

A few of my very favorite quotes from this book: And really, when you think about it, isn’t security just another word for love?
But for once, for however long the moment lasted, Jax didn’t feel so alone.
She didn’t look sad or disappointed. She just looked... accustomed.
Every person has a single defining moment. A moment that veer their life in a new direction, that changes them at a cellular level and makes them question everything they thought they knew, that colors every thought and decision afterward.
Then I will say, listen: no one ever taught my mother to love her babies, but somehow you taught me. You are the reason I am not like her, just like you will never be me. Every generation is a new life. A new chance to get things right.

Charlotte/Charlie married into wealth. She came from the poor side of the lake and was not truly welcome on the rich side. She loved Paul. She would do almost anything for him. He was her life and she wanted to make sure he knew she did not marry him for his money, home, wealth, but for love and love alone. Charlotte was a good wife and will be a great mother too. She does all she can to help Paul when things go crazy in their world. When a body shows up under his dock four years after his own wife was found in the same place. She vows to stick by him. Can anything change her mind? What will she do when things come to light about a years old death. When things start going south very quickly. When she catches Paul in lies and her mind starts to question whether she knows him at all. Is Paul capable of the things the police say he is? Would he truly be capable of murder?

Paul loves Charlotte. He wants to give her the kind of life she deserves. I believe he loves her with all his heart. I believe he loved his first wife just as much and maybe even more. But will he risk it all to keep things quiet. To keep certain things from coming to the surface? What will he do? Who will he choose? His wife or best friend? The truth or lies? And just who is the stranger in the lake really? Was she there to cause upheaval in people’s lives or was it just to get to the truth of what happened all those years ago?

This book takes you on many twists and turns. It has many highs and lows. Many curves. It’s beautiful written and the characters are so well and richly developed. The scenery is gorgeous and so realistic. You will feel the cold of the snow falling. Of the freezing water. You will feel the pull between a conscience and a heart. When you start out with a lie, a lie is all you will have left in the end. You will find yourself asking what would you have done in these friends places. Could you have made these choices. As a son, daughter, mother, wife, husband and child, all need protection but at what cost? This book takes you on a ride you will not soon forget. I felt like I was riding in the vehicles with these people on these icy roads. Down the steep hills and even going through the water. In the woods dark and alone. The emotion of this book pulled me in and would not let go. And that ending. It truly made me cry so hard. I felt such emotion for Charlotte. She’s one of the good ones. She really does deserve the best.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #KimberlyBelle, #ParkRowPublishers for the ARC of this wonderful book. These are my own feelings about this book.

A big fat 5 stars and the highest possible recommendation for everyone.

Another fabulous mystery from Kimberly Belle! Thank you to NetGalley and to Park Row for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

No one does regional mystery like Kimberly Belle. In the mountains of North Carolina, Charlotte discovers a dead body floating underneath a dock. Her husband, Paul, was the main suspect of his first wife's drowning, in that very spot, four years ago, and now all eyes are on the Kellers once again.

Great storytelling, amazing suspense. The setting, the characters, the plot...all superbly told. I could read Kimberly Belle's books all day, and this one is living up to her stellar reputation.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5⁣
⁣
Charlotte and Paul live a charmed life together, despite being the target of cruel gossip in their small lakeside town. But everything unravels when a young woman’s body is found floating under their dock—in the same place Paul’s first wife tragically drowned. As her husband’s lies continue to grow, Charlotte realizes the death might be more than just a terrible coincidence. ⁣
⁣
Kimberly Belle does it again with the perfect summer thriller! I couldn’t put this one down and I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. I figured out one of the twists fairly early on, but I never saw the final twist coming. I loved the way Belle tied in all the storylines. I really liked Charlotte’s character she was independent, strong, and reasonable. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys fast paced thrillers/ whodunnits!⁣
⁣
Read if you like:⁣
📺 Outer Banks⁣
📖 The Familiar Dark⁣
📖 It’s Always the Husband⁣
⁣
Thank you @netgalley @parkrowbooks and @kimberlysbelle for this digital ARC in exchange for my review! This one is available today 6/9/20!

Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle was the kind of page-turning thriller that I love finding my way to and becoming immersed in all the twists along the way. Predictably, this one begins with a literal stranger in the lake. Charlotte is living a bit of a dream. After a rough childhood, she has found love with Paul, a wealthy widower. She is newly pregnant and excited for what the future holds. One morning while walking down to the lake she founds a woman's body. She is particularly rattled as this is a woman she had seen her husband talking to the night before. This is particularly jarring given Paul's first wife also died by drowning in the same lake. As one might, Charlotte wonders if there is a connection.

An investigation begins, and Charlotte's suspicions don't quit. She wants to believe the man she loved is innocent, but she just doesn't know. In addition to the investigation in the present, there are some threads into the past. Two of the other main characters are Paul's best friends from high school - Micah, who is a police officer, and Jax, who is known for being a bit of an unstable loner. Interspersed with the narrative of figuring out who this stranger is, there is flashbacks to Micah, Paul and Jax's relationship in their high school days. I really liked that these flashbacks were brief as it built suspicion. It wasn't immediately clear why these were involved, but y'all, when that was revealed, it was a solid twist.

Overall, this was just a really good thriller. I always love something where I know all isn't what it seems, but I can't quite put my finger on what that something is. It makes those twists (and in this one, there are many!) so much better. This was an intense read y'all. I'll name that right now that might not be everyone's jam, but if you're looking for a read that's going to keep you guessing as you figure out where the lies are, who is involved, and even who isn't, this is going to be the one for you. Best of all, while I ride in advance, you can read this now as it was released today!

Charlotte knows her new husband Paul has a dark past, but when a woman is found dead in the lake outside their house she is left wondering who she can really trust…

Stranger in the Lake is a tension filled read with a lot of secrets to discover. I enjoyed our narrator of Charlotte; a woman who left her poor upbringing behind her to marry Paul; a wealthy older man with a dark past. The way that she has to deal with childhood friends who remember her troubled upbringing in her claustrophobic small town makes for a great setting. With no-one able to make a move without risk of being spotted and gossiped about, and everyone knowing everyone’s business the tension is kept high throughout. The premise of wanting to believe your husband is innocent even when a similar crime is committed on your doorstep is also a powerful one and a lot of cards are kept close to character’s chest before the final explosive showdown. I also liked the inclusion of a stranger coming to town to investigate an old murder for a podcast – as an avid true crime podcast listener it felt realistic and a nice modern touch.

However, there were some things I didn’t enjoy much – I had guessed who the main ‘bad’ character was from almost the moment we were introduced to them – the twist is spelt out a little too obviously in the beginning. I also felt that we started out so invested in the story of the previous woman who had drowned in the lake I didn’t really understand the actual crime we were supposed to be focussed on until it was a bit too late. I found the flashback chapters annoying as I didn’t really feel like they were spelling out the interesting side to the plot – I just wanted them to be over so we could work out what was happening now before I realised that was the actual plot! Although I enjoyed the easy writing style and found myself absorbed in the plot, the whole story just felt a bit too bland and predictable as a whole which was a shame as there were some great aspects to it.

Overall I enjoyed Stranger in the Lake, it’s a tension filled read but did fall a little flat with predictable plotline. Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin – Park Row for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read and enjoyed a couple of Belle's earlier mysteries, so I always keep my eye out for anything new from her. This latest mystery, set on a fictional lake in North Carolina, involves a marriage of opposites, dark secrets and it all comes to a head when a body washes ashore and is discovered by the narrator, Charlotte. Much younger than her wealthy husband, Charlotte didn't grow up with much more than a drug-addicted mother and a younger brother that she virtually raised herself in their trailer. But no married to one of the town's wealthiest widowers, Charlotte begins to ask questions that her husband clearly avoids answering about his own past and his first marriage. It's an engaging read, and certainly fast-paced. The characters aren't deeply developed, but the plot does hold some unexpected twists (along with a few that you might see coming).

While this isn't my favorite of her novels, it is solidly entertaining. I can see this being a great choice to read along the shores of a lake (or any body of water!) - it may have some snow, but it feels like a great summer thriller, though I wish that there had been a little bit more from the ending. Still, I am looking forward to seeing what she will write next!

Stranger in the Lake feels like it’s full of secrets! Charlie has recently married the wealthy Paul despite all the rumours surrounding him. His wife died under mysterious circumstances years ago so when Charlie discovers a strangers body under the dock she starts to question what she really knows about her new husband.

I really enjoyed this one because it feels like secrets just keep pouring out! The first part of the book is where a foundation is laid and then we move to the second half where things go over the edge. It’s funny because that’s exactly how I felt about Kimberly Belles other book Dear Wife. She makes things feel predictable but almost so that you can’t tell if you are being played or not...I love not being sure!

With Stranger in the Lake, Belle manages to make you feel like there’s more to the story right until the very end. Keeps the story entertaining and makes for a very enjoyable read!

3.5 stars rounded up for the atmosphere.

The story is told from Charlotte’s perspective with some flashbacks from the past. While I was intrigued at the beginning, I felt like the book was slow and almost dragging in the middle as you were waiting for answers. I wanted to learn more about the characters and their relationships but felt like some were just name dropped with a couple lines of context / back story. Some points were suspenseful (I’m always creeped out at the thought of being in a house in the woods at night where you can’t see outside but anyone can see in), but otherwise it didn’t quite keep you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what was going on. I kind of guessed the ending so it was a little disappointing seeing it wrapped up.

I’d still recommend if you like mysteries – it’s an interesting premise and may be more satisfying if you don’t guess the end.

Charlotte (Charlie), has recently married Paul Keller, a former widow and feels extremely happy in her surroundings. Paul is wealthy and the couple live in a gorgeous home overlooking Lake Crosby, North Carolina. The minted owner of Keller Architecture, Paul is a highly respected magnate and entrepreneur whereas Charlotte, a twenty-something gas station attendant, grew up in a caravan home, and often took charge of her younger brother, Chet when her mother was absent. Charlotte ignored all the rumours when she was swept off her feet by Paul. After all, despite her being a strong swimmer, the death of Paul’s first wife, Katherine, by drowning was deemed to be an accident. But when a second woman also drowns, in exactly the same spot under Paul’s jetty, secrets begin to surface...

The story switches seamlessly between two timelines, the present and 1999, when Paul and friends Jax Edwards and Micah Hunt are spending their summer partying before leaving for college. The scenes from the present are mostly centred on the investigation that ensues. Stranger in the Lake has a thrilling premise and it is doubtlessly a spine-tingling story, while I regularly found myself pondering who to trust.

With its comfortable pacing, the icing on the cake for me in this exhilarating tale was the incredible atmospheric setting. The lake was truly a malevolent presence throughout the proceedings. Kimberly Belle did a sterling job of exploring the motivation behind human weakness and imperfection, and I liked those aspects of the story detailing Charlotte's bond with Sam Kincaid (Charlotte's policeman friend), though I think more could have been made of this.

If you've enjoyed Kimberly Belle's previous books, or if novels with oodles of secrets, lies, misdirection and surprises dripping from the pages give you a buzz, then look no further than Stranger in the Lake!

A special thank you to Park Row Books, the author, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Charlotte and Paul Keller are newlyweds and Charlotte as just found out that she is pregnant. They are both thrilled. Paul lost is first wife 4 years ago when she drowned off the dock in their back yard. Paul owns Keller Architecture and builds million dollar homes in the area. They live on Lake Crosby, North Carolina. Charlotte grew up with dysfunctional parents leaving her in charge of her little brother, Chet. She worked hard at jobs to provide a little food for the two of them to eat. Paul, on the other hand, grew up in the wealthy Keller family. When Paul’s first wife died, many people wondered if it was murder, and he has had to live with those suspicions. So, it is shocking when one morning while Paul is taking a run that Charlotte went to retrieve her cell phone she had left on the boat the previous day. That’s when she spotted a woman’s body floating in the lake.

The story is about Paul and his friends when they were teenagers and something they did. There is guilt and fear as this awful secret is revealed. Will they finally pay for their part in this?

OK. I have read several of Ms. Belle’s books and loved them all. However, I just couldn’t get the spooky vibe here and didn’t click with the characters. In addition, I still don’t get how many people were involved in the bad thing that night. It just doesn’t add up. Charlotte was OK but I feel as though she has a superior attitude toward the other characters which doesn’t make sense especially due to her upbringing. However, you can bet that I will be first in line to read more by this author because she does have the talent to write a magnificent thriller.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Magnificently written book, as all Belle's books are. The scenes are superbly described and the characters are well rounded. This book contains twists and turns you never see coming. Great book of suspense! Highly recommend. Enjoy!

If you have followed my blog since 2014, you are aware, Kimberly Belle is one of my favorite authors, landing on my top books and author list consecutively year after year. I have read every one of her books and anxiously await the next.

Kimberly returns following Dear Wife (5 STARS) and Top Books of 2019. (set in Atlanta) 💕 You can also check out my fascinating elevator interview with the author last year.

If you enjoyed Dear Wife, you are assured to devour STRANGER IN THE LAKE - Her BEST Yet. (cover love). The author has a rare talent for writing psychological and domestic suspense thrillers with "HEART." STRANGER IN THE LAKE is a perfect example. I loved this book!!!

Meet Charlotte Keller. (formerly Charlie-and changed her name) Charlotte has not had an easy life. She is from the wrong side of the tracks and is called the trailer-park girl. However, currently, she is married to Paul Keller. One of the wealthiest and successful real estate developers and architects (Keller Architects) in the town of Crosby, NC.

Many people just know her as "Charlie," the poor girl they feel sorry for. Some thought she married Paul for his money and called her a gold digger. Paul is eleven years older than she and met him at a gas station where she was the clerk. Of course, no one ever expected them to get married.

Now she is pregnant, and she cannot wait to tell Paul. She is worried about what he may say—and especially his mother, Diana. They will think she is trying to trap him.

She has never lived anywhere but this small town. She pretty much raised herself and then raised her brother Chet. She knows love does not put food on the table. Nor does it pay the rent or creditors, and a baby needs more than love. She knows she is fortunate. She has security, safety, and stable life.

Charlotte now works twenty hours a week as "client relations" for the firm, where she puts out the latest fires at the firm.

Between his first wife's death, her convict father, and meth-head mother, they seemed to fit together like two pieces of a fractured puzzle. She loves her husband.

However, there have been rumors. Paul's first wife drowned four years earlier, and there was a lot of gossip about foul play. Yet, he was cleared. Paul thinks the town is a place to sell million-dollar lots and socialize, whereas her friends are the locals that serve the drinks and wait tables.

As the book opens, she is excited to find her husband and tell him the great news about being pregnant and finds Paul talking to a woman who did not live in this town. A tourist, she suspected. However, later the woman shows up dead (drowned) in the lake under the dock in front of their house. Pretty much the same spot where his wife drowned.

She thought it was strange when she mentioned him talking to the woman, yet he acted like he did not the woman. Charlotte begins getting suspicious. Her husband seems to be going off, and she does not know where he is going. He seems secretive. She is worried about what he may be hiding, and could he have murdered his first wife?

She is frightened for herself and the baby she is carrying. Could Paul be mixed up in something like this?

Paul has two best friends from college. One Jax, which everyone calls a crazy old man who lives in the woods from past traumatic experience. Charlotte tries to help him giving him money and food when she can.

Micah is the other friend who lives next door. He is also the son of the police chief and a bad-ass driver specialized in underwater investigations and evidence recovery. Emergency services will be calling him. They are all still close.

She thinks Micah might have the answers she needs. Surely he will know what happened to the woman. She tells both Jax and Micah she is concerned about Paul. Of course, Paul has never worried about anything like Charlotte and Chet.

"Privilege will do that to a person, make you blind to the struggles of those who exist outside your bubble."

So what will happen now that another body has washed up under the Keller dock? Sam, the local cop, always thinks it was Paul.

The suspense builds. The plot thickens. Who is the stranger in the lake? How does Paul state he does not know the blonde woman when she saw him talking to her? Could she be reading more into this than what it is?

She starts trying to remember how Katherine died. Are the two related? Paul loved her. Often she wishes Paul loved her like the once loved Katherine. Paul inherited all of Katherine's wealth. She was a competitive swimmer, and Sam never believed that she drowned. Her family had more money than his.

You will not see this coming. Unpredictable. If you are like me, you will pull an all-nighter. So clear your calendar. You will be on the edge of your seat! The suspense is riveting! Between what is going on with Jax, his past, his family, Paul, and Micah. Jax's warnings to watch her back.

All these guys are keeping secrets, and Charlotte is determined to find answers before her own life is in danger and her baby. You will root for Charlotte and her brother to the end. (love the ending). I loved her spirit and tenacity. Fingers crossed🤞 for a movie 🎬 or TV series.

Belle's characters are flawed, have experienced loss; however, they are resistant, survivors, and triumph over tragedy. The author has the keen ability to balance the darkness with light with strong female characters delving into their hearts, souls, and fears.

There are many things I could list about Kimberly's novels in addition to her taut writing, twisty plots, riveting suspense, relatable characters, and the list goes on and on. Highly recommend!

The one thing which comes to mind is her settings. I adore her settings. Maybe because I am a gal from the Southeast and primarily lived in Atlanta, Florida, and NC. Most of her settings are places that I have visited and spent time there over the years with many fond memories. I love the Highlands and Cashiers. And this was so much fun revisiting through the novel.

Your books are always a special treat, and I feel like I am going home. Thank you!

#JDCMustReadBooks
@JudithDCollins

.

Stranger in the Lake
Suspense/thriller
Kimberly Belle, author

Wowers!!!! This was such an amazing read. I absolutely loved this story. Charlotte McCreedy and Paul Keller have been married for about a year when Charlotte (aka. Charlie) finds a female body floating under their dock at their remote glass and steel home. Not again.... four years prior, Katherine, Paul's first wife was found dead floating under the very same dock... murderer never found. Is he/she back? Is this a message to Charlotte? Are there more dead bodies floating around Crosby Lake? Is it a conspiracy? Read this gripping tale that weaves back and forth from present day to a time when Paul and his two best friends, Jax and Micah were hellacious teenagers.

There's an amazing cast of characters in the story-line. You'll definitely fall in love with Charlotte, a smart, tenacious and determined young lady. While her quirky little brother, Chet is right there at her side, supporting her all the way and in a very culinary mannerism. What's not to love about him? He cooks and loves it! Then there's the overprotective and overbearing mother of Paul, Diana, the very jealous cop, Sam, and not to mention, the mean crass Police Chief Hunt. These characters were so well developed, they could be your next door neighbors... Watch out! Can you solve the mystery of whodoneit? I did.

I will definitely be reading more from this author. Ms. Belle is up there with Minka Kent. Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. I was gifted an advanced reader copy from Netgalley and the publisher. I voluntarily leave this review.

OᐯᗴᖇᐯIᗴᗯ: When Charlotte finds a woman floating in the lake under her dock, she fears the worst. You see, her husband’s first wife died the same way. Now she’s questioning who she can trust.

ᗰY TᕼOᑌᘜᕼTᔕ: Kimberly Belle delivers another suspenseful read! My theories changes so frequently throughout reading because of all the misdirections and suspicious behavior. While I was able to zero in on the culprit before the twist, it did not make it any less enjoyable.

ᖇᗩTIᑎᘜ: ★★★★

Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Hello Lifetime Movie!

The setting was eerie and absolutely perfect for this story. I love the juxtaposition of luxury and dirty secrets. I don't know why, but that specific trop gets me every time.

Out of all the characters (there were a few) I really liked Charlotte. Give me a strong and yet innocent character all the time. Of course, there were definitely some parts that made me want to slap and shake the characters, but overall it didn't make me want to throw this one out the window.

Although not the most original plot line, I enjoyed it! While I still don't enjoy domestic suspense novels, I find myself more and more drawn to a romantic 'no questions asked' or 'too good to be true' situation.

Of course, secrets come out, 'perfect' lives are upended and the threads of a seemingly tightly woven life come apart.

I got some serious The Last Time I Lied vibes mixed with Pretty Things and The Truth Hurts.

Thank you to Park Row Books for the advance reading copy!