I'm not usually a series reader, but I'm totally hooked on Christina McDonald's Jess Lambert thrillers. In WHAT LIES IN DARKNESS, she takes an irresistible premise and propels it with memorable, complicated characters grappling with unanswered questions and unimaginable loss. Haunting, suspenseful, and expertly woven, WHAT LIES IN DARKNESS hooked me on the first page and never let go.

Christina MacDonald is becoming a new favorite author of mine! I read These Silent Black Waters (Jess Lambert 1) a few months ago and it was so good! This one was even better! It is the second in a series. You do not need to read the books in order but you there is some connecting information. Here’s a quick summary.

Alice is a 16 year old girl whose family went missing about a year ago, as the anniversary approaches, she is thinking more and more about the family she lost. Her mom, dad and sister all went missing on their way home from a Christmas Eve Party. Alice and her friends are partying in a house and find Alice’s little sisters backpack. As the investigation heats up, so does the danger! Jess Lambert is investigating the missing family and the connection to her present and past are undeniable. There is an air of ghosts in this story, Jess sees and speaks to her deceased daughter and others throughout the book. It’s done in such a great way that it adds to the story!

I highly recommend reading them both if you are looking for a fast paced, twisty thriller. I love Jess Lambert’s character and can’t wait to read more about her!

I enjoyed this book and it kept me interested. I look forward to going back and reading the first book in the series

3 stars. What Lies in Darkness is the second book in the Jess Lambert series. There is also a prequel which I haven't read. I did read the first book, and this second one can be a stand alone, but I recommend reading the first one before this one. Killer's Grove is where it all takes place. Alice, Ella, and their parents, Pete and Laura are driving home from their aunt and uncle's home on Christmas Eve when Pete loses control of the car in Killer's Grove and crashes. When Alice wakes up after the crash, her entire family is gone. Enter Jess Lambert. Jess is still working on herself after her own personal tragedy.. Jess still sees her daughter, who was killed in a car accident that Jess blames herself for. Can Jess help Alice heal and investigate to find out what happened to Alice's family?

This was a very good book. Very well written. Creepy, interesting. Told from different perspectives in different timelines. I liked it better than the first book. However, about 3/4 of the way through, the story just fell apart for me. There was too much going on. It seemed like 3 possible endings could happen and each one was sort of thrown in but not in a good way. Not that "wow" look at that way. Overall, it was immersive, the characters were done very well and the setting was superb for this book. Would I recommend it? Heck yes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC. Again, I do recommend the book. I'm greatly appreciative for theARC.

Huh. This is one where I almost feel at a loss for words. The book kept my curiosity piqued almost the entire time. There were parts that were slow, but ultimately the tangle of Maya, Alice, Laura, Mel, and all the others was intriguing and well set up. The part about seeing ghosts felt odd but it generally worked.

Borderline spoilers: 1- It was heartwarming to read about Pete “moving on,” as well as Isla. The author was spot on when she says that those we love are never truly gone. 2- the last chapter… wow. Did not see that coming at all.

Welcome back to Black Lake for What Lies in Darkness, the second installment in the Detective Jess Lambert series. Jess is fast becoming one of my favorite female detectives! She’s so dedicated and cares so much about helping people, even while she battles her own demons of grief, loss, and addiction. Although you could easily read this book on its own, Jess’s character arc is so compelling that I absolutely recommend reading These Still Black Waters to get the full effect!

In this installment, Jess is assigned to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the Harper family. Last Christmas, their car was in a rollover car crash while taking an alternate route home past Killer’s Grove. Sixteen-year-old Alice was found injured but alive, but her parents and sister seemed to have vanished into thin air. Now a year later, new evidence reignites the languishing case, and it hits closer to home than Jess could have imagined.

I devoured this book in less than 24 hours! It’s so twisty, turny, and compulsively readable that I didn’t even want to put it down to sleep! I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” over and over again, I just had to see what was going to happen! Of course I did a lot of guessing but the plot twists at the end still had me stunned! The dark, atmospheric suspense is top-notch, but it’s the emotion and nuance of the characters that really takes this book to the next level. Christina McDonald, you are so clever and creative, you’ve got me completely invested in Jess and I’m begging you to keep this series going!

I can't get enough of the Jess Lambert series. I've never read anything like it, Paranormal thrillers are my absolute favorite, and this author writes them so incredibly well. Although this is in a series, it is perfectly fine to read as a standalone. There are quick summaries of Jess's backstory throughout this book.

Another fantastic book by Christina McDonald! I cannot wait for the next addition to this series!

WOW! This book was great. I loved how quickly the author jumped straight into the action, of course complete with all the shocking twists and turns. The ending had me SHOCKED. I loved how she tied everything together as well.

The story is told in two parts, present day and a year earlier, known as "before". On Christmas Eve a family of 4 travel down an icy road, spin on ice and crash, only to disappear and never found, besides one daughter, Alice. There are no bodies or trace of them, they simply vanished. Teenaged Alice is still struggling with the loss of her entire family. That's when detective Jess Lambert steps in and takes on the once cold case.

Such a great read, the entire book is very fast paced, which is perfect for a thriller. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

As soon as I read These Still Black Waters last year, I knew I would be grabbing each new Jess Lambert book with excitement. This book is dark, atmospheric, continues to dwell deep into exploration of grief and loss but simultaneously it is engaging, bingeable and perfectly paced to convince you to read “just one chapter.”

If you haven’t already read These Still Black Waters, you should! It’s absolutely wonderful but also necessary reading if you want to get a full experience of What lies in Darkness.

This time around Jess is working on a case of a vanishing family. Driving home from a Christmas party, the parents and one of the daughters simply disappear, leaving 16 year Alice with so many unanswered questions and plenty of grief. Jess’s ability to see things others can’t and her drive to get the answers lead her deeper through her own part of grief.

I loved everything about this story. The mystery behind the case but also the way Jess and Alice connect in unexpected ways. Christina McDonald really brings Black Lake to life and town itself feels like another character in the story. Not to mention the fact that as a reader I am so invested in Jess finding her way to certain people in her life. And when a writer gets you to care about a character as if they’re a real person you know that’s some excellent writing.

Pick this up if you enjoy:
✏️ Police procedurals
✏️ damaged but bad a$$ main character
✏️ elements of supernatural
✏️ getting hooked on a good series because this one will keep you wanting more

As always, I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of Thrillerbookloversthepulse hype and grateful to the author, NetGalley & Thomas and Mercer for my ARC!

I have never been disappointed by one of Christina McDonald’s books. She has done it again and written an engaging thriller that will have you guessing and second guessing the entire story. There are so many secrets from so many angles. Jess Lambert is on the case of course and has her own issues she’s still working through. Alice is the only one left behind and her family has either disappeared or been killed but no one seems to know what happened. I couldn’t put the book down until I read to the last page and I can’t wait to find out what case will find Jess next.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, Christina McDonald and her publisher, Thomas and Mercer Paperback for an ARC to read and review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"What Lies in Darkness" by Christina McDonald is a riveting addition to the Jess Lambert series, plunging readers into a chilling mystery that intertwines the past with the present in a masterful tapestry of suspense.

In this second installment, we follow the harrowing journey of Alice Harper, a young woman grappling with the traumatic loss of her family in a mysterious car crash on Christmas Eve. The narrative deftly navigates through Alice's struggle with nightmares and unanswered questions, which are only exacerbated when her friends discover her sister Ella's bloodstained backpack in an abandoned house. This discovery sets off a chain of events that brings Detective Jess Lambert into the fray, a character whose own haunted past and dogged determination make her a compelling protagonist.

McDonald's storytelling is at its peak, weaving a complex plot that challenges the reader's perceptions at every turn. The author's skillful use of suspense keeps the pages turning, as each chapter reveals another layer of the intricate mystery surrounding the Harper family's disappearance. The emotional depth of the characters adds a rich layer to the narrative, making their personal stakes in the investigation palpable.

The setting of Black Lake, with its desolate landscapes and oppressive atmosphere, becomes a character in its own right, reflecting the darkness that lies within the human soul. McDonald's prose is evocative, painting vivid scenes that linger in the mind long after the book is closed.

As the story unfolds, McDonald confronts the reader with themes of loss, resilience, and the lengths we go to protect those we love. The novel is a profound exploration of trauma and the human capacity for recovery.

"What Lies in Darkness" is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. With its well-crafted plot, deep character development, and haunting atmosphere, it stands as a testament to Christina McDonald's prowess as a storyteller.

I enjoyed this book, however, sometimes the alternating POV’s could be a little confusing. I was hooked from the first page all the way to the shocking ending. I wasn’t expecting that and I think that made me love it even more. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Jess Lambert is one of my new favorite main characters. She’s been through hell and back but is still a badass AND she can see ghosts!? Epic! This sequel to These Still Black Waters by @christinamac was full of twists and unexpected surprises, especially the ending! It was a wild ride and I was genuinely surprised when the truth about what happened was revealed! Hoping there’s a 3rd installment in my future!

Holy cow!!! I literally did nothing but read this book all day today. I love Jess Lambert and I hope there are more books to come in this series. Christina has a way of writing that makes the words come to life like a movie in my head. I didn’t want it to end so I tried reading slower but had to keep turning the pages. Jess is working another case. This time involving a young girl named Alice who was the only survivor of a car accident that killed her parents and her little sister. I love the supernatural aspect as well. It doesn’t take away from the storyline at all, it adds some creepy elements to it. Another thing about her books is that I never guess the twist. NEVER! There were twists until the very end and I mean the last 98% of the books still had twists. I wish I could read this again for the first time. I don’t think anything is going to compare to this read for me. I am hoping for a Book 3!!! A million thank you’s to Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Christina McDonald for the early read. Best book of 2024 so far and I’ve read over 30!

On Christmas Eve, now known to Alice Harper as "That Night", after her family's car crashed on the way home from a Christmas party at her Uncle Jack and Aunt Mel's house, Alice was found walking down the road, hurt, with her family nowhere to be found. Her parents, Laura and Pete and younger sister Ella, have disappeared without a trace. They are all presumed dead- no parents would just leave their teenage daughter if they could help it. But if they are dead, why can't their bodies be found?

The one-year anniversary of her family's disappearance is coming up and no new progress has been made on the case. Alice is now living with her Uncle Jack (her mom's brother) and her Aunt Mel. She is struggling mentally and has turned to drinking, smoking pot and dipping into her Aunt Mel's supply of Ativan to help her deal. When she and her friend Mya find Ella's backpack in an attic at one of the properties Mya's mother's house-cleaning crew works at, Alice's world is flipped yet again. This is where Detective Jess Lambert enters the picture. She is dealing with her own loss and struggles and is determined to figure out what happened to the Harper family. Jess realizes there are a lot of things about that night that don't make sense and the more she uncovers, the more questions there are. Jess wants to find the truth for Alice and in the process, she may find out answers about her own tragedy that she wasn't expecting.

This was definitely a page turner. I have not read Book #1 yet, but I do have it downloaded on my kindle ready to go! From what I understand, book # 2 can be read as a standalone but to get a better understanding of Jess Lambert's backstory, it's better to read These Still Black Waters first. I look forward to reading that one, especially after this story! There are a lot of moving parts and we read from the POV of Alice, Jess and Laura. It is also a very smooth read and pretty quick, I was invested from page one! Put this one on your TBR asap!

Thank you to the author, Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer, for granting me to access to this advanced digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

The Harper family’s car crashed on a desolate stretch outside Black Lake. Sixteen-year-old Alice was found injured by the side of the road-alone. The rest of the family had vanished. A year later, Alice is still dealing with the trauma and then clues linking back to that terrible night begin to appear. Detective Lambert is part of the investigation and begins to unravel secrets in this case, even ones that may be connected to her own trauma. It was so cleverly written and the storylines expertly interwoven. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this advanced reader copy.

In a gripping tale of mystery and suspense, a family’s vanishing act on a desolate Christmas Eve road sets the stage for a haunting narrative. USA Today bestselling author’s latest novel follows the aftermath of the Harper family’s disappearance, leaving traumatized sixteen-year-old Alice grappling with unanswered questions. When a bloodstained backpack belonging to her missing sister, Ella, surfaces a year later, Detective Jess Lambert is drawn into a dark web of secrets. As Jess unearths the truth, she confronts her past, navigating a treacherous path where the living and the dead guard their secrets fiercely. Unyielding in her pursuit, Jess races against time to unravel the harrowing mystery.

This book can without much of a stretch be perused as an independent. This book has everything – various perspectives, perplexing courses of events, and a plot so loaded with exciting bends in the road that it’ll leave your mind whirling. I felt for Alice, and I partook in the ever-changing POV of her and Jess Lambert as destiny united their ways. I love Jess, even with every one of her deficiencies and her issues. The writer works hard interweaving Jess’ past with the case so the peruser gets both a painstakingly plotted secret and a close-to-home association with Jess.

We realize there are more obscure characters as the story unfolds and I was attempting to think about who the guilty party was. The pacing streams pleasantly, there is heaps of secret and tension and I found it simple to peruse. I didn’t see so many of the turns coming, and that makes this a must-peruse spine chiller as I would like to think. If you need a decent analyst story with a few different POVs, look at the Jess Lambert series!

What Lies in Darkness is the 2nd book in the author's Jess Lambert series. I did not know that when I read the book and it read fine as a stand-alone novel and I never felt that I was missing any background information.

The book's main character is a teenager, Alice, who survived a car crash where the rest of her family completely disappeared. At first, the story follows her struggles to cope with the events and I was worried it was going to be an angsty teen novel but it fairly quickly turned and followed the mystery of what actually happened that night. It was a good mystery with enough twists and red herrings to keep you guessing right up to the end!

Told in alternating perspectives, I couldn't put this down. There was a mention of ghosts which I'm not normally a fan of but in this case, it felt appropriate and fortunately wasn't a main feature. And wow, that ending. Did not see that coming!

Christina McDonald's upcoming release in July What Lies in Darkness marks the second installment in her captivating new series Jess Lambert, perfect timing for those who have yet to dive into the first book These Still Black Waters. While "What Lies in Darkness" can be enjoyed as a standalone, I highly recommend immersing oneself in Jess Lambert's story from the beginning for a richer reading experience.

McDonald departs from her usual style by introducing a supernatural element, adding an intriguing layer to the storyline that further captivated me. Detective Jess Lambert is an incredibly compelling character due to her strength, vulnerability, determination, and unique abilities. Her haunting past tragedy added an emotional depth to the narrative. McDonald's strength lies in her in-depth understanding of her characters and their motivations breathing life into them and making them feel authentic and relatable.

As secrets unravel and tensions escalate, McDonald crafts a story filled with suspense and intensity that had me eagerly devouring each twist and turn. Some plot twists may test the bounds of believability, but there is an exciting payoff to the conclusion that took me by surprise.