Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this eARC.

"These Still Black Waters" by Christina McDonald is a riveting addition to the Jess Lambert series that delves into the murky depths of the human psyche and the shadows that linger in the past.

Set against the backdrop of Black Lake, a place that holds numerous secrets, the novel follows Neve Maguire, who, after a traumatic home invasion, seeks refuge in her childhood summer home with her daughter.

However, the discovery of a body floating in the lake sets off a chain of events that forces Neve to confront the ghosts she's been trying to outrun.

Enter Detective Jess Lambert, a character whose own personal tragedy has left her with a keen understanding of loss and the hidden torments that drive people to desperate acts. As Jess digs deeper into the case, she finds herself entangled in a web of deceit that threatens to consume her.

McDonald masterfully weaves a tale of suspense with a touch of the supernatural, as some characters grapple with visions that blur the line between the living and the dead. The narrative is gripping, with a pace that builds tension and compels the reader to turn page after page in search of answers.

The strength of McDonald's writing lies in her ability to create complex characters that are both flawed and relatable. Neve and Jess are portraits of resilience, each battling their demons while trying to make sense of the chaos that life has thrown at them. The supporting cast is equally compelling, with each character adding layers to the unfolding mystery.

The novel's atmosphere is one of its standout features, with McDonald's descriptive prose painting a picture of a place where beauty and danger coexist. Black Lake is almost a character in itself, its still waters a mirror reflecting the turmoil of those who live alongside it.

"These Still Black Waters" is a testament to Christina McDonald's skill as a storyteller.

This book had me gripping the edge of my seat and kept me engaged from beginning to end! I loved both Neve and Jess. The characters were relatable & I am excited for the next book in the series!

This was okay - I have family that works in law enforcement so I didn't like the theme of all cops being bad. I also found the main character Neve to be very uppity and having a superiority complex for no good reason. Overall it wasn't my fav, and I probably wouldn't recommend.

Is anyone else tired of reading about crappy cops? Enough with the stories about the alcoholic cops who are still on the job instead of working on the alcohol addiction and are allowed to make a mess of every investigation. We have so much trouble with cops causing real trauma in communities, please let's stop glorifying bad cops with these books.

Meanwhile, the other MC, Neve, is hard to like with her holier-than-thou attitude. This was unfortunate because two unlikeable MCs detracted from a decent plot. I didn't figure it all out and I appreciated that.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I honestly felt like it was so trope heavy. It really just felt like it was a mashup of every single police procedural/thriller ever. It wasn’t bad but it just didn’t feel original at all.

I went in expecting more of small town mystery without a police or detective pov. However, it did have that so it just want for me.

Neve Maguire takes her daughter to her summer childhood home after a scary home invasion. She’s hoping to make it a fresh start. When a body shows up in the water it brings back a bunch of memories from her past. And Neve will do anything to keep the past from coming to the surface. Detective Lambert is determined to get to the bottom of it though even if she uses methods that are out of the ordinary.

Ahhhh this was such a great read. I love a good detective story and this one adds a new element to the mix. It was also told in dual perspectives which I love. The pacing was good and the story kept me guessing. I love the direction it ended up taking and I am so glad that we will get to see more of Jess Lambert.

“Still Black Waters” by Christina McDonald takes readers on a thrilling journey filled with suspense, grief, and the haunting specter of the past. Departing from expectations, McDonald introduces us to Neve Maguire and Detective Jess Lambert, two compelling characters grappling with their own traumas. Neve’s retreat to her childhood vacation home in Black Lake after a harrowing event sets the stage for a gripping tale of secrets and suspicions. Meanwhile, Detective Lambert navigates the murky waters of crime-solving in a town where trust is a scarce commodity. As the plot unfolds, McDonald expertly explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the enduring impact of past traumas. As someone who resonated deeply with Lambert’s character, I found myself empathizing with her struggles and rooting for her every step of the way. And just when you think you have it all figured out, McDonald delivers twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. With a tantalizing hint of more to come in book #2, “Still Black Waters” is a must-read for fans of suspenseful thrillers craving a story that will keep them on the edge of their seats until the last page.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVE a psychological thriller told from different POV! I really enjoyed Jess Lambert, the main detective on the case and learning about her own dark demons. I also loved the complexity of Neve’s character. Both her and Jess were very relatable. This one is a definite page-turner. And hearing from the killer’s POV gave me chills…
A suspenseful and thrilling start to the Det. Jess Lambert series! I’ll be impatiently waiting for book 2.

Many thanks to the author for my review copy! I've read other books by Christina McDonald, and I really enjoy her writing style. This novel is no exception! It was so hard to put down, and I devoured it on a plane ride recently. Although it was a red-eye and I should have been sleeping, I just couldn't stop! Highly recommend...great plot and character development, I can't wait for the next Jess Lambert story!

These Still Black Waters
By Christina McDonald
Review and Rating 3 ⭐️

I really enjoy Christina McDonald’s writing and was so excited to receive These Still Black Waters as an eARC.
We meet Jess Lambert, a detective recovering from her own trauma, and Neve Maguire and her daughter Ash. They recently moved back to Black Lake, Neve’s childhood summer home, after a home invasion.
Immediately, upon arriving the body of a woman is found floating in the lake, and Neve fears she has made a mistake.
Jess and Neve are both hiding secrets and this slow burn , twisty, tale will ultimately reveal the dark truth.
I loved how the story was told from three points of view, Neve, Jess, and the unknown murderer. I was not so crazy about the paranormal aspect of the story but it was still an enjoyable read. 3 ⭐️


Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.




Book Rating Key
⭐️ Not Recommended
⭐️⭐️ Readable Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Near Perfect Book
***Note*** I seldom give ⭐️or ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ratings. If I feel a book is a ⭐️sometimes I just prefer to not finish reading it and not rate it. As for 5 ⭐️books, I think of those as books I would want to take with me to a deserted island 🏝️, and this means I read a whole lot of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️star books. Happy Reading!

This was a mix of suspense, horror, and thrill! I really enjoyed the book and thought it was an interesting novel. One thing I thought was interesting was that it you never knew what was going to happen!

Thank you NetGalley for the gifted copy of "These Still Black Waters" by Christina McDonald.

The novel that impacted and changed my love for reading. I absolutely cannot stop talking or thinking about this one!

Honestly, I have a loss of words for how gripping and fantastic These Still Black Waters is. Each chapters POV had me on the edge of my seat, wanting more. Character descriptions and personalities were portrayed so well throughout Christina's writing.

I can't wait to read more of this series, tell all of your friends to pick this one up immediately. If it's not already on your TBR, please change that now! You won't regret it.

So good. Engaging, confusing (in all the right ways), compelling, and interesting! Although I did figure out what was going on before it was revealed, it was definitely worth continuing to read to the conclusion.

When a woman's body surfaces in the lake behind Neve's house, detective Jess Lambert knows Neve is hiding dark secrets. I love Christina McDonald's books and this one is no exception. The story kept me reading and the characters had depth.

I did not want to read this book.

Sure, I requested it on Netgalley. But then when it was time to read it, I reread the premise and was disappointed in myself. I dislike detective novels, don't really care about the police insight or how they manage to screw up investigations. I guess I listen to too much <i>Crime Junkie</i> and have a healthy dose of distrust in the police. I'm not saying that to get anyone upset, but the police are human beings and therefore they make mistakes - mistakes that can hurt an investigation, mistakes that let the guilty go free, mistakes that lead to cold cases.

I did not want to read this book.

I sucked it up and read it anyway, and I am so thankful I did. Because even though I didn't want to like Jess, even though she's yet another detective with a chip on her shoulder, I liked her SO MUCH. I wanted her to come out on top. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted her to solve this case.

And Neve, well, I knew something fishy was going on. And fishy does not even begin to explain it. I love the idea of someone totally changing their life after something horrible has happened, and I felt like she was being haunted by something dark and sinister. But I did not know the half of it.

I did not want to read this book.

This book. Holy cow. I did not see the end coming. I started to guess something towards the end of it, but I came out on the other end completely flabbergasted. And sad. And angry. But also so happy because this book was just so good.

I did not want to read this book.

But I did.

And I stand corrected.

This book? Was excellent.

This book is told from the rotating perspectives of Neve, Jess, and the killer. Neve, who grew up spending the summers at her family beach home in Black Lake, returns with her teenage daughter following a traumatic home invasion. Almost immediately upon their arrival, a dead body is found in the water behind her home. A terrible situation all around, it is only made worse when Neve realizes that she knows the deceased and that together, they harboured a terrible secret. Neve begins to wonder if she might be next.

Jess, a local detective healing from her own trauma and grief, is the lead on the case. Her first, since returning to the force following a car accident that left her with a permanent and serious disability and killed her young daughter. She’s trying to get back on her feet and do what she is good at, but it becomes clear she may not be ready.

I got quite caught-up in this story. A unique premise, admittedly it was not what I expected (there is a paranormal element). Having read McDonald’s last (Do No Harm), they are quite different. What’s obvious is that McDonald is exceptional at adding an emotional layer to a thriller. I may have felt misty eyed on a few occasions nearing the end of the book. A search for a killer while highlighting the isolating nature of grief and the rifts it creates, it had me invested in more than one area of the plot.

Fully immersed in the Black Lake community, I am looking forward to the next in the series (What Lies in Darkness – August 2024).

I really liked The Night Olivia Fell so I was excited to read These Still Black Waters and Christina McDonald did not disappoint! A fast paced mystery told in two timelines which worked perfectly to keep the story flowing and the pages turning. I also liked the different POVs. The story had it's twists and turns but when that big twist was unfolding- wow- it was such a great unique twist that I did not see coming! A great start to a new series, can't wait for book 2!

Reviewed 10.4.23

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ve read all 3 of Christina McDonald’s books, and The Night Olivia Fell remains my hands-down fave.

I was intrigued by the back cover of this book and could not wait to find out more. And how the book is titled on Goodreads made me think there might be more to this book, like it could be a series.

What I Liked:

The cover. Plus I love the magenta title!

How circumstances linked Jess and Neve.



Bottom line: For me, this was a book that I enjoyed and I am eager to see more in this series.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Wow! My first ever ARC was Christina McDonald's 'Behind Every Lie' and I've been a fan since; I read every one of her books. This one was a little different with the 'otherworldly' aspect but just as great as all her others. She has such a great style of writing; where others might come off as a little cheesy and wordy, her writing always comes off as natural and has a fantastic flow. Like an absolute magician, she does a really wonderful job of tying all the lines and characters together and even the best reading sleuths won't connect the dots until right before the reveal! I was slightly disappointed with the ending but another really amazing read.