Widow Lake is another gripping Detective Ellie Reeves mystery set near the Appalachian Trail. While searching for a missing child Ranger Cord finds a submerged car with skeletal remains. The car belongs to a missing college student from ten years ago and the body to a member of a strange group of young men known for their obsession with murder. Ellie’s case twists and turns with the escape of a serial killer and the disappearance of new women as the ten year reunion for the college class is in full swing. Just like past books, the story throws you for a loop with unexpected twists as Ellie and Cord dive headfirst into danger to save the missing victims. Even though some of the past is hit upon, it is not an overwhelming part of the story and the book could easily be read as a standalone but Ellie and Cord’s personal story ends on a little bit of a cliffhanger. As always, the story is a compelling, page turning thriller in a series that just keeps getting better. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

4 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


Ellie Reeves is a detective. She’s had some tough and high-profile cases lately. Now she’s got another one. When a small girl goes missing, the whole crew is out searching for her. But it will be Lorna Bea who finds her. While Lorna Bea is searching, she sees a man in dark clothing, who seems rather suspicious. Lorna Bea has an active imagination.

Maybe it’s because Lorna Bea has to change her name every few months. Her daddy changes his as well. Lorna Bea packs all her belongings into her one box, except for the ones her daddy thinks might expose too much information, and off they go to a new place. When they land in Widow Lake, Lorna Bea hopes that maybe now she will be allowed to make friends and play outside. But like every other place, her father tells her how dangerous it is for her to be out. Lorna Bea wonders what is he hiding?

This is book 8 in the Ellie Reeves series of mysteries. I hadn’t read any of the first eight (of course now I want to!) This book is a standalone, though as always, I think it’s better to start at the beginning and read through to better understand the characters and history.

I became very wrapped up in this mystery. How multiple crimes ended up being tied together. Ellie is a toughie. She’s smart and doesn’t let anything frighten her. There are other characters that I can only assume are in the other books - Derrick, an FBI agent and Ellie’s significant other. Cord, a ranger whom Ellie seems to have feelings for, but it’s undetermined. Could there be a love triangle going on here? Lacey, the medical examiner. Bryce, the sheriff.

Herron gave us a cast of bad guys (and girls) to keep us wondering what was really happening and who was responsible. I enjoyed not being able to figure this one out. I also really liked that the story had other things going on besides just the centering mystery. This is a fairly dark and twisted novel, but it’s good.

"Widow Lake" by Rita Herron is a heart-pounding crime thriller that takes readers on a gripping journey into the dark corners of the Appalachian Mountains. Following Detective Ellie Reeves as she investigates the disappearance of a young girl, the story unfolds with a web of mysteries and surprising connections. Herron's skillful storytelling weaves together multiple perspectives, immersing readers in a suspenseful narrative that keeps them on the edge of their seats. With vivid descriptions, well-developed characters, and an abundance of twists, "Widow Lake" is an engrossing read that will leave readers breathless.

The strength of Herron's writing lies in her ability to strike a balance between the intricate mysteries and the personal lives of the characters. As Ellie and her team work tirelessly to solve the case, the story delves into their individual struggles and relationships, adding depth and emotional resonance. The dynamic between Ellie, Special Agent Derrick Fox, and Ranger Cord McClain creates a compelling backdrop for the investigation, while also exploring their personal growth and challenges. With an engaging writing style and a relentless pace, Herron delivers a page-turner that is difficult to put down. "Widow Lake" is a thrilling addition to the Detective Ellie Reeves series, offering a satisfying blend of suspense, mystery, and action that will captivate fans of the genre.

I loved this one it had a propulsive plot that kept you engaged till the end and I truly was invested in the characters and plot . It’s a good one .
Thanks for letting me review and read this book from Netgalley and the publisher

This series just keeps getting better and better. The latest installment of the Detective Ellie Reeves mysteries finds Ellie working with Special Agent Derrick Fox and Ranger Cord McClain to unravel a series of murders that started at least ten years ago. The murders are airily similar to the work of a serial killer who has been on death row since before these murders occurred. Are the missing women/victims somehow connected to the original serial killer or is there a new killer out there? There are lots of twists in this story that will keep you engaged until the very end! I especially loved the character of Lorna Bea Jones who is a young girl who has spent the last ten years being shuffled from town to town by her secretive dad. How does Lorna tie to the mysteries at hand and what is her father really up to? Enjoyable fast read that will keep you guessing!

I love Ellie and Cord and the rest of the characters in this series! The author is killing me with the back and forth! Widow Lake is even more intense and way out there in the depravity, and the number of bodies showing up. You won't believe the ride you will be taken on! Action pact, and Ellie is right in the middle of it. Just like she is between the two men in her life. I am desperate for more Cord! Team Cord all the way! I am very, very ready for more!

The Appalachian Trail once again holds horrors for Detective Ellie Reeves. A young girl goes missing at Widow Lake but is found by another girl whose father appears suspicious. Why won't he let his daughter go outside and play with the kids next door? When a car with human remains is discovered in the water, an old case becomes active. Ellie and her team uncover a troubling set of "cold cases" involving the disappearance of college-aged women. Are they all connected? Is there a link to the strange family at the lake? It is a race to find the perpetrator/s before more lives are lost. Will this investigation cause Ellie to face her true feelings for Cord? Will he do the same? The book ends with a cliffhanger, and I can't wait for the next book to see what happens.

Detective Ellie Reeves is back again with a pang in Book 8!!!

One of my favorite tropes in a thriller book is abt serial killers and this was one of them.

The book was fast paced, twists and turns in nearly every chapter and the author did a good job of making the reader feel like they are at the edge of the seat. The chapters were short which made it easier for the reader to read and I was literally hooked into the story from the beginning till the end! Overall this is a five star read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the Arc. The review is based on my honest opinion only

I really liked Widow Lake (Detective Ellie Reeves Book 8) by Rita Herron, and the ending, wow!! The pacing held my interest and kept me reading well into the night. The storyline was plausible, and the characters were likable and well-developed.

Widow Lake is a crime thriller filled with jaw-dropping twits. What a roller coaster of a ride. There were so many interweaving parts and twisty plot lines.

Widow Lake is the 8th book in the Detective Ellie Reeves series. I cannot wait to read more in this series.

The story was intriguing, with suspense and a cliffhanger ending you don't want to miss.

A 4.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 5). Read this series from the beginning; you won't be disappointed. A great series with great characters and great writing.

#WidowLake #NetGalley @bookouture

Absolutely love this series, this is yet another fast paced action packed story. Packed full of twists and turns, fantastic characters, explosive ending.. Which I now need to read the next installment!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Widow Lake, the eighth novel to feature Detective Ellie Reeves of the Crooked Creek, Georgia PD.

The disappearance of a four year old girl leads to the discovery of a skeleton in a submerged car and more bones buried under a shack in the woods. The car belongs to Amy Dean who vanished ten years ago along with her two year old daughter, Paisley. The skeleton in the car is male, but the bones found under the shack belong to Amy. Ellie must work out the link between the two sets of bones and find Paisley, if she’s still alive.

I thoroughly enjoyed Widow Lake, which is a fairly jaw dropping thriller with twist upon twist and an unusual plot. It certainly held my attention as the full scope of the novel unfolded and while it might not bear close scrutiny for realism it is highly entertaining as fiction.

The novel is told from various points of view, including the unnamed killer, so while it offers a broad perspective on events and the characters it doesn’t help the flow of the novel and gives it a choppy feel. Despite this it is a fairly even read with a constant flow of events, developments and reveals. I’m not quite sure what else the author could have packed in to the novel. There are several “creepy” characters to suspect, more disappearances and murders and Ellie in danger once again. There is even a personal cliffhanger to set up the next novel. It’s all go with some parts easier to guess than others, so I would say that the author has the balance right in holding the reader’s attention.

Widow Lake is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Widow Lake (Detective Ellie Reeves Book 8) by Rita Herron A gripping read with complex twists with an intense pace that was exciting and hard to put down. There were many characters which were very well described and interwoven into the narrative. First book in Detective Ellie Reeves series that I have read and won't be the last, have already looking into getting Ms Herron's backlist.

Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This is my first experience off of Detective Ellie Reeves but won’t be my last.

Very intriguing story which keeps you wanting to read on, very well written and enjoyable to read the story progress from one characters view to the next.

Will be keeping an eye out for more from author Rita Herron in the future.

Another great read in this series.Detective Ellie Reeves has much to solve both past and present. Full of twists and turns,fast paced and exciting.

Another great read in the Ellie reeves series and this one is disturbing! A complicated plot, serial killers, a missing child, great characterisation, suspense, cliffhanger ending...it's all there and expertly woven by the author. Everything a mystery should be, complex and full of twists. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A killer of a reunion!

This small town on the Appalachian Mountains has become a haven for serial killers, but in this latest installment, Detective Ellie Reeves and the team will be faced with a nightmare none could ever have imagined.

A little girl goes missing by the lake while on holiday, in the search for her, a decade old murder is uncovered, connecting other crimes and weaving a mystery that has the team thinking outside the box, because this time, the evil that is lurking may not be the doing of a lone killer.

Rita will keep you guessing to the end to know who all the players are, their role and who will be left standing at the end of it all.

Ellie and Cord are once again thrown together facing danger, Ellie continuing to go rogue not waiting for backup in a rush to save lives. The beginning had breadcrumbs that I thought we would discover what deed Cord committed in his past, the secret he buried, however, while the story alludes to his past, no new revelations about his history, apart from what is known are shared.

This is a series and the characters, and their relationship and stories are central to it, this book ends with a bomb drop and another character cliff-hanger that will have you hoping the next book is not too far away to find out what is next for Ellie, Ranger Cord McClain, FBI Special Agent Derrick Fox.

Thanks, NetGalley for the ARC.

Widow Lake is book 8 in the Detective Ellie Reeves series by Rita Herron.

I've loved every single book so far and this one was no different.

This is a fast paced thriller. I didn't feel bored and I was literally hooked into the story.
The writing was really good, and the author did a good job bringing the reader into the story.
The mystery element of the story was engaging.
She painted very vivid picture. And the characters were captivating and drew me in.
Rita has become one of my most favourite must read Authors!
From the beginning of the chapter to the end of the book, I was literally hooked into the story.
This is another story that is so engaging... Rita Herron did a phenomenal job with the gripping suspense and fantastic characters.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Oft! I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this and it blew me away. There is so much going on. I read it as a standalone and can't wait to devour the rest of the series. The characters are well written, there are oh so many twists and turns, and so much vivid description thst you feel like you are right there with the characters. Amazing!

First time I have read this series. This was a slow burner. But was also a page turner as the author lured you in. Very descriptive. I enjoyed this book which had a lot of twists and turns. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

Another addition to the Ellie Reeves series and what a page turner. This is an intense, dark and gritty read. This book definitely got my heart racing and kept me reading late into the night. Heartbraking, chilling and so highly recommended. Loved it!!!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.