This one was a little bittersweet since this was Rachel Caine's last book before passing away from cancer last year. I will miss her writing and her books.

I will say that the last book in this series was a bit much for me, mainly because I felt that the online trolls coming after Gwen and her kids were a bit much. I know online trolling is bad, but I felt like after years, the more serious ones would surely die down. Anyway, I was still very anxious to read this one and see how Gwen's story would end.

I thought the author did a fantastic job with the setup of this mystery and I loved the way the mystery of two dead children intersected with the people coming after Gwen. I was so interested in Kezia and her determination to find the killer. Talk about a sociopath! I loved the mystery and the suspense and the ending was very intense. This was a great conclusion to the Stillhouse Lake series and to the wonderful characters that Rachel Caine created.

I have loved every one of these books. Even thought the story shifts, it is still at its core a mystery that deals with trauma in a very unique way. I did find the formula a little repetitive, but still very enjoyable. This book does touch on some sensitive topics including child death so be aware of that going in. However, this series as a whole deals with a ton of sensitive topics. I really enjoyed seeing the characters growth, and I'm so sad this is the last in the series. Rachel's friends and family will remain in my thoughts after losing a loved one too early.

Apparently I started this with the end of the series. Story is told in alternating POVs, and is an intense thriller. I wish I would have had the time to start from the beginning of the series. I would have gotten more from the story.

I've avidly followed this series and this is the first one that actually took me some time to finish. I think something about the pacing in the first half was off. However, I will say that while the beginning may feel a bit slow, it's worth it once you get to the ending. For fans of the series, this does feel like an apt ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy.

The fifth book in the Stillhouse Lake series, Heartbreak Bay sees Gwen settled in rural Tennessee. When a car is sunk in a remote pond with two young girls inside, and their mother gone, Gwen is drawn into the mystery. But someone is watching her. Gwen's ex husband was a serial killer,,,and it looks like another one has her in their sights...

Another brilliantly plotted thriller from Rachel Caine, expertly crafted and with complex characters you can't help but invest in. I loved this final book in the series, and am only sad that there won't be more to come as the author sadly passed away after a long battle with cancer.

A brilliant series and I would highly recommend every one of the books. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers, who granted me a free ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine is the fifth installment of the thrilling Stillhouse Lake series. The first book in the series, Stillhouse Lake, introduced readers to Gwen Proctor who had gone into hiding with her two children after it was found that her husband was a serial killer. The trio had been on the run for several years not only trying to make sure that her husband who had gone to prison wouldn’t know of their whereabouts but also the vigilantes that thought Gwen was an accomplice to the killings instead of an innocent housewife.

After years of being on the run and hiding Gwen and her children were tired of constantly being on the move and decide to finally settle at a home at Stillhouse Lake. This series continues their story from book to book and is best read from the beginning to get the full story on the dangers the family has faced and to get to know all the characters well. Each book of the series has picked up right after the previous had left off and continued the story of the family as they face the new dangers.

I have been following this series from the start and absolutely love the story and would definitely advise to go back to book one and begin from there as the events continue on from book to book. I began reading this series fascinated by the idea of learning how it might be for those left behind when their loved one committed such horrible crimes and could see the life that Gwen was leading hiding from everyone being a possibility so I became engrossed. The story has continued to grow the events and danger in each book so I was happy to keep coming back to it. I’m sorry that it seems we won’t be getting anymore after the passing of Rachel Caine, may she rest in peace, but I’m not at all sorry that I was able to enjoy her stories throughout the years.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine is the fifth and final book in the Stillhouse Lake thriller series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:   (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Gwen is still living the nightmare of having serial killer Melvin Royal as her dead ex-husband.  She took her kids and ran, but the internet trolls found them, and they are still receiving death threats.  She met Sam along the way, whose sister was one of Melvin's victims.  Through rough times and good times, they have become close.   Gwen has been trying to put her life back together, and has been helping other women in similar situations.  She is determined to make a safe home for her family, preferably in Stillhouse Lake.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Gwen and Sam are in a good place.  Now living in Knoxville, 15 year old Connor and 17 year old Lanny are attending school, making friends, and they are all in therapy.  Vee Crocket lives nearby.  The five of them have become a close family.  

Detective Kezia Claremont responds to a submerged vehicle in a remote pond.  The bodies of two little girls are strapped to their car seats in the back.  No sign of the driver.  Their mother is gone, whether by her own accord or by abduction, it's too soon to tell.  Although the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation steps in, Kezia can't let go.  She asks Gwen for help.

Meanwhile, Gwen and her family are being targeted again.  Between the posters and spray painting, Gwen is on high alert.

Bodies start to pile up, and the enemy seems to be targeting everyone that Gwen loves.  Kezia and Gwen team up to hunt the killer, before he can take their lives, and those of their families. Kezia and Gwen both feel like they are being lead through the investigation, perhaps being played.  But they can't stop now.


My Opinions:
WOW, this was intense.  Suspense continued to build throughout the entire book.  Yes, there were some twists, and I had figured out early on the identity of the killer, but that didn't matter., as his reasoning was unknown.  This was just a really good book.

Although I still didn't really like Vee, Connor and Lanny eventually earned a little of my respect.  The rest of the characters were great, and Gwen remained strong right to the end, as did Kezia.  

The story is, as always, rather dark.  Told from the perspectives of  Gwen, Kez, and Sam,  everything unfolds well, and each story helps to increase the suspense in the other two.

I can't imagine reading these books as stand-alone novels.  Please, read them in order.  Yes, this will be the last one, but it was worth reading, and didn't end in the cliff-hanger I thought it might.  The author knew it may be her last book, so I think she left it up to the reader's imagination as to what happened to Gwen and the family next.  Perhaps they just lived happily ever after....although I doubt it. 

One final thought.  The author's note at the end had me in tears.  RIP Roxanne Longstreet Conrad.  I am but just one reader who will miss your stories.

Heartbreak Bay was the perfect book to wrap up this series. This is the fifth and final book in the Stillhouse Lake series and without a doubt my favorite. I highly suggest you read them an do it in order, it’s so much better!

The storyline in this book was excellent! Gwen continues to be a badass and we get more from Kezia which is awesome! It was a quick page turner that has me guessing wrong might I add multiple times on who the killer was.

Five star read for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Some of the characters decision making drove me a bit bonkers, but overall a very strong conclusion to a series.

my heart is broken that this will be the last book by Rachel. Such an incredible author and I cannot recommend enough for anyone to read her work. The book was incredible as all her work has been.

I was hooked by the creepy prologue and kept wanting more through all the crazy suspenseful story. I have only read Stillhouse Lake (the first in this series) and, while I think this could standalone, the first book does give a lot of the background to better understand the main characters. As with the first book, I was guessing and anticipating all the way through.

This is the final story in the series and the final book by this talented writer. Augh! That author's note at the end! I'm not crying, you're crying. (Okay, yeah, that's me crying.)

This book is bittersweet because we know it's the end since Rachel has passed. This book read like a movie and I'd love to see these adapted to screen! I still love and like the storyline, but the initial excitement and thrill has waned just ever so slightly. I start to feel bad for Gwen and her family always having to fight monsters, and yes it does make for a great storyline, but it also just leaves me feeling unsettled. It's not that I expect their life to be wrapped up with a bow or anything but maybe take a detour and share side stories from Sam, Kez, Javier, even Lanny and Connor! This one felt like a true ending, mostly because I knew it was but also because I can't keep reading books like this when I like the characters so much. It's hard to see fictional characters suffer like this, because 5 books later, they start to hold a place in my heart! It'd be cool if we saw them transition to like a Veronica Mars P.I. story where Gwen and her family aren't the main focus and maybe she's helping other families like her, or just anyone really. That being said, this book was extremely easy to lose yourself in. It's got all the characters we know and love and of course, the baddies, as always. I just wanna see Connor and Lanny live their semi-normal teenage lives while they still can!

E-book/Mystery: This is the last book in the life of Gwen Proctor. In afterward by Rachel Caine, she talks about her hopes of Heartbreak Bay not being the last book. It is really sad because she lost her fight with cancer shortly after the book was published.

About the book: Like the other books in the series, the author writes in first person for Gwen, Sam, Lannie, Connor, and now Kezia. Again, Gwen is paying for her dead husband’s crimes and honestly, would doubt her innocence too. How could she not know? While Gwen talks about not knowing, there are no flashbacks to the time where we can actually see the physiological manipulation.

Again, there is a body count, but not near as high as Wolfhunter Lake. This book has a double homicide of twin girls that affects Kezia enough to bring in Gwen, who is now a private investigator.

I want to thank Netgalley for a copy of this book in lieu of an honest review. I really liked this series and I’m sorry it is over.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 5th book in Rachel Caine's Stillhouse Lake series. I loved the first book in this series, Stillhouse Lake, as I felt it was a different spin on a thriller. It was shocking and awful to imagine what the characters were going through. I didn't enjoy books #2-4 as well, mainly because it just felt like more of the same stress for the characters, and how much more can these people take, especially the main character's children?

Heartbreak Bay kept me turning the pages in the same way the first book did. It offers a fresh mystery with lots of twists and turns and it was a good read, even if pretty hard to stomach at times because of the nature of the crimes. I look forward to reading more in this series, and hope to check out more books by Rachel Caine!

I’ve been putting words together for this final review for Rachel Caine (RIP) because as a fan, news of her passing were truly sad. Gina Royal series is one of the best I’ve read. Her notes on this were heartbreaking and she’s gone too soon. All the stars.

The characters are what makes this series so good. Adding in a twisted bad guy and suspensful, vivid scenes makes for an entertaining read. The life that Gwen and her family has to live as a result of her husband's actions are at times heartbreaking. The author does such a great job with their storyline.

This book reminded me a lot of a blend between Se7en and Saw, but with much more personal stake for our protagonist (no there is no head in a box nor feet being cut off at the end). This continues the overall arc of the Gwen/Gina, while also delivering a single story with a clean resolution. If you've enjoyed the rest of the series or the aforementioned films you'll enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Another great installment for this series. I liked how the story brought in elements from the other books while adding some good pay off. This is the last book in the series, and while it reads like there could be others, I do like how the story ends, as it gives a good resolution to not only the book but the whole series.

If you're looking for a book with twists and turns, this is the one for you.
Although on further research, it appears to be the fifth book in the series, this did not take away from my enjoyment of the book.
The storyline was gripping, the characters were well-rounded and the interaction between them was good.
I found Gwen to be a compelling heroine with Kezia balancing her out.
The story slowly picks up speed and the twists and turns come fast. The ending was action-packed and I couldn't put the book down.
I will be looking into the first four books of this series as I really enjoyed the characters and would like to learn more about past events they refer to.
On a side note, the author's note was especially poignant, reading Ms Caine's words and knowing that she has already passed on due to her illness. A wonderful book to end the series with.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

I have enjoyed the Stillhouse Lake series and am sad to see it end. Over the time of the series Gwen has changed from a meek wife to a strong and smart woman who can protect her family from all the people that seem to be after her. And boy there are a lot. I also have liked the family that Sam and Gwen have formed and the way they support each other. In this book, A woman's children have been submerged in a car in a lake and died and the woman is missing. Gwen joins with Kezia, her cop friend, to try to find the woman and solve the mystery of what happened to her. And never to be left out, Gwen has to run from people who still believe she knew about her ex-husband's serial murdering ways. I recommend this great final chapter in the series.