I did not know this was a series when I went into it, and I don’t feel like that impacted my experience at all! I absolutely loved this story. I loved the spooky aspects, twists, characters, and just everything!

An enjoyable read that had me hooked until the very end. I enjoy novels that keep me guessing and on the edge of my seat and this book did just that.

I recommend this title.

It’s a well-layered thriller that I couldn’t wait to finish. As each chapter progressed, there were more clues and more puzzle pieces that started to shape up into the shocking finale.
This was my third book by the author, and I think it was my favorite so far. The multiple twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. Plus the character development was so well done, by the end of the book I felt I knew Jess. Although this was the second Jess Lambert series, it can read well as a standalone. Her previous novel, These Still Black Waters, came out in October of last year, while What Lies in Darkness was published on July 16th 2024.
Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, as well as Christina McDonald for my advanced reader’s copy.

Another fantastic pick by Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse.
What Lies in Darkness is book 2 in a series, but can be read as a standalone. There is also a prequel to book 1 available.

It’s been a year since Alice was found on the side of the road after a Christmas Eve car accident, her parents and little sister missing from the scene. Living with her aunt and still working through endless questions, Alice struggles to move on. Then, she and a friend find her little sister’s bloody backpack in an abandoned home where they were partying, causing the case to be reopened.

Detective Jess Lambert was out of work dealing with her own tragedy last year, so the case is vaguely familiar to her but she’s yet to put her skills to the test in solving it herself. As she digs deeper, she deals with her own wounds that still haven’t healed and her past is reaching out to Alice to try and help her - help them both - receive a resolution.

Okay wow, what a story. It’s so so SO rare that a thriller leaves me in tears. I can count on one hand the ones that have, and that list is bigger by one now, thanks to Christina McDonald’s incredibly difficult and emotional journey.

This book is very dark, there’s little to no comedic relief, and the happy ending is still sad. So don’t go into this expecting to close it and smile at the end because you won’t, but I will recommend it for years to come because it’s just that good.

The characters are developed so well. Everyone (seriously, everyone, not a soul spared) is tortured by something in this book. I did not read the first book, which features the detective, Jess, and even though I didn’t read it I felt more than caught up to her story and understanding her character. But because I loved this one so much, I do plan to go backwards and read both the prequel and the first book.

Be forewarned, there is a little paranormal aspect to this series, however it’s done in a way that complements the story and just furthers the complexity of the characters. I do like to throw that out there though so no one is blindsided and turned off because that’s such a tricky element to include and it needs to be done right or not at all, in my opinion. And Christina does it so right.

I do hope that Christina isn’t done with Jess Lambert because I am dying for more.

I enjoyed the first book in this series and really wanted to read the second right after! It was just as twisty and dark as the first! Heading home on Christmas Eve, the Harper family's car crashes. Only sixteen-year-old Allison survives, found hurt by the road. The rest of her family, though? Gone--disappeared from the site without a trace, including her little sister, Ella. A year later, Ella's backup turns up and Detective Jess Lambert investigates.

Jess' investigation unravels a lot of dark secrets about the town, the Harpers, and even Jess' own life. With the second entry in the Jess series, I found myself liking Jess more and more. In the first book, she's a severe alcoholic, hanging on by a thread. She's still dealing with ghosts here (literally), but she's starting to get things together, and we see more of her personality shine through. The result is an excellent mystery with a human side, as Jess relates to Allison through their shared history of loss and trauma. I just love McDonald's books--they are dark and heavy, yet so well-written with nuanced characters and plots that keep you guessing until the end.

I'm not the least bit surprised, but Christina McDonald has kept me up late reading again! Many thanks to her, NetGalley, and Thomas & Mercer for my review copy!
Jess Lambert has become a favorite character to follow. The development of her through two books and a novella, has been a journey I've greatly enjoyed. The depth of writing makes me really feel like I'm a part of the Black Lake community, and I love it! This one kept me unsure throughout, and it is always such a joy to be surprised when I am an avid thriller reader.
Highly recommend!

What Lies in Darkness by Christina McDonald
Jess Lambert #2

I have mixed feelings after reading this book. I wonder if coming in on book two and not getting to KNOW Jess in book one might have made a difference in my ability to relate to and like her as a person. I believe this book is a standalone as following the plot was easy enough, I just didn’t warm to any of the characters.

I am also rather tired of the main character being an alcoholic detective with trauma and drama to deal with throughout a series and wish that more normal characters would show up in murder mysteries. That said, the book was engaging and well written with an intriguing plot filled with twists, turns, and a few surprises.

Is it required to like characters to read their story? Probably not. However, I do enjoy it more when I can relate to and perhaps see myself in or at least like one or more characters in a book and that was not true for me in this book. Well, perhaps there were a few if I really think about it…there were two ghosts, an estranged husband, and a work colleague of Jess’s that I might feel a kinship with…maybe.

I would like to think that Jess will find her way forward, end up with the husband that still seems to love her, and perhaps use her paranormal ability as she solves cases but I am on the fence as to whether or not I will read more in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

2 Stars: my rating
4 Stars: for Netgalley – should it be printed
3 Stars as the final average

Jess Lambert is back in this hard to put down thriller with a paranormal element. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and I think this one is even better! I liked and connected with Jess in book 1 and my heart breaks for what she has been through. The mystery was well done and I look forward to more in the series.

The sequel to These Still Black Waters and it's just as good. In the first book you met Jess Lambert. Got to know her and saw the heavy loss she endured. How it tore her life apart. In this story you find out the truth. But first you have to read about a family who are all killed except for one. The oldest daughter Alice.

This story is about a family. The trauma a young girl goes through after losing her parents and younger sister. How being treated as a freak in school leads her to having problems. She is seeing ghosts and not feeling very secure in the house with her aunt and uncle. Of course her aunt and uncle are having problems also. Alice just wants some closure. She wants to know what happened and why.

Jess is on this case and also dealing with her own trauma from a year ago. When she lost her child in a horrific wreck that she totally blames herself for. She's wrecked her marriage and her life but attempting to get back on track with her job. She takes this case seriously and to heart. She wants to give Alice closure.

This book will take you to a dark place. A place of death and blame. After a whole family are wiped out, except their older teenaged daughter, people talk. They place blame. Many, including the police, blamed the dad. They think he killed his wife and daughter because the wife had an affair. Whether she had an affair remains to be seen.

I enjoyed this book very much. There were a few things I found to be unbelievable but still enjoyed it. The ending was a bit over the top for me. I can't say more or I would give something away. I won't. I hope it's addressed in a future book though. This story was heartbreaking. It was sad. But it was very good also. I didn't much like many of the characters. Like I hated Mel and Laura. I loved Alice, Jinx, and Jess. They were good and decent. Mel, the aunt, was self-centered in my opinion. Laura, the mother, was just selfish. There are things you just don't do. Not to anyone much less your brother. Even if he was stingy and having affairs on your best friend.

Thank you #NetGalley, #Thomas&Mercer, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Four stars.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for the digital copy to review.

Another fantastic book by Christina McDonald! What Lies in Darkness has us back at Black Lake where 16 yr old Alice is the only survivor when her family’s car crashed and she was found alone. One year later, she still has nightmares as her parents and sister were never found and they were all in the car together. Detective Jess Lambert investigates as Alice’s sister Ella’s backpack is found in the basement of an abandoned home and she gets a lot more than she bargained for per usual.

This was so, so good!! I have really enjoyed the paranormal element worked into this series and the way it was done in this book was just chef’s kiss. I was vested from the start of this one and flipping pages until the end, and it couldn’t have ended more perfectly. I think this series is best read in order, you could probably get by without the first book but you’d really be missing out on the best reading experience, and no one wants that. I really hope there is another book coming because I need more of this series!

An adrenaline-pumping read that I couldn’t put down! The book’s intense plot and gripping suspense kept me thoroughly engaged throughout. The author’s skillful use of twists and turns added layers of excitement and kept me guessing at every turn. It’s a fantastic thriller that excels in building tension and delivering a satisfying, high-energy experience.

Thank you Thomas and mercer and net galley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! 4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5 on here)!

Wow! Where to even begin with this one. I absolutely loved McDonald’s first book in this series These Still Black Waters, so as soon as this one was up for request on netgalley, I jumped at the chance! I absolutely love this series. It is sometimes hard for me to get into series, because I am an impatient person and don’t like having to wait until the next book comes out. That being said, I absolutely will wait till the next book in this series comes out and then will jump to read it as well. Jess Lambert is such a complex character and one that readers will love getting to know. This is a fast paced thriller with twists that readers won’t see coming!

I thought this was good. A spooky place with lots of mystery behind the disappearances. What happened to this family and where are they? Each chapter just got better and better with a big twist at the end. Everyone in this story was a hot mess! I read and listened to the audiobook. I thought the audiobook was better. The narrators, Angela Dawe, Cassandra Morris and Carly Robins did a really good job.
Thanks Brilliance Publishing/Audio via NetGalley.

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
When I saw this was a Jess Lambert book, I had to read it. The first book These Still Black Waters was so good and creepy. I really enjoyed trying to puzzle together what was going in in both books. In What Lies in Darkness Jess is still seeing her dead daughter and trying to get over her paralyzing grief when she meets Alice who lost her family not long after Jess's daughter died. The problem is Alice's family disappeared after an accident on Christmas eve. Almost a year later they still haven't been found and Alice's life is spiraling. I love the way Christina McDonald is able to mix in the possibility of ghosts in a crime story that keeps you wondering what is going on. Such a good story that ties things together so nicely at the end.

The whole “seeing dead people” storyline is out there but in this book, it works. It was heartbreaking to read through the detective’s pain and subsequent self loathing. The case was so sad and this entire book felt heavy. The writing was well done and I enjoyed it. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was excited to get back to Detective Jess Lambert. She’s a bit unique in the protagonist world since she’s a hot mess and not really the best detective (in that she breaks every rule and doesn’t work with her partner). I’m glad she’s still seeing Isla despite being sober. Alice and her family were headed home last Christmas Eve when there was a car crash. Alice was found walking by the road, but the rest of her family was never found. While the case was never solved it did go cold, but when Alice and her friend Maya find Alice’s little sister’s backpack in an empty house the police then find a dead man in a suitcase. Detective Lambert wasn’t on the case the first time, she was still in the hospital learning how to live without her daughter and re-learning how to walk. This was had some interesting twists that I mostly saw coming. The very end pushed me past my belief a bit and brought me from a 5 to 4.5 stars. I ended up rounding up anyway because I love these characters and am hoping for book 3.

Thank you to @netgalley for my advance copy. I love the Lambert series and I was so anxious to get my hands on this one. Its just as good as the first and I look forward for more to come!

A snowy Christmas Eve. A car accident where 3 of the 4 inhabitants are presumed dead, but can’t be found. Lone survivor has no memory of what happened.

Second in the Jess Lambert series. Can be read as a stand-alone, the author does a wonderful job adding in pertinent details from the first book without recapping the full backstory. Part mystery, part ghost story, but done so in a way that feels totally normal. The characters are naturally flawed, dealing with so many relatable issues that will tug at your heart. The mystery at the center of the story will leave you turning the pages and possibly scratching your head. The ending comes together nicely, with a setup for Book 3 (I hope). I need another series to add to my list like a hole in my head, but adding it is a must! I’m totally invested in seeing what is next for Jess.

I have read and enjoyed every book that Ms. McDonald has written. This book did not disappoint. I can’t wait for her next book.

Thanks to the publisher for this complementary copy. This is my honest opinion.

4,5 stars

I’m only a tiny wee late to the party this time.😅 But let me say I think this is McDonald’s best yet.

Thank you @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for my early copy.

If you’re familiar with the Dt. Jess Lambert series, then you’ll know that this is the second installment. I read her first book ‘These Still Black Waters’ (review on its way) and the prequel (novella) only a few weeks ago.

But this one blew me away.

Jess is a captivating character grappling with the aftermath of losing her daughter in an accident. Strangely, Isla, her departed daughter, lingers in Jess's life, occasionally visible and communicative. The supernatural aspects in the narrative are seamlessly woven, adding an eerie touch without overshadowing the story.

On a snowy Christmas road, a family vanishes after a car accident, leaving 16-year-old Alice as the only survivor. With no bodies found, Alice is haunted by fragmented memories of her father urging her to flee. A year later, a body is discovered in an abandoned house with a backpack strikingly similar to her sister's.

The exploration of trauma and loss brings a profound layer to this thriller, elevating it from an ordinary storyline to a gripping narrative with a haunting 'sixth sense' ambiance.

I’m not going to say anything else. You need to read this, trust me. It has all the great ingredients of a brilliant thriller with a whirlwind twist at the end that will have you gasping.

What Lies In Darkness is the second book in the Jess Lambert series. I loved reading this e-ARC so much that I ordered a copy of this book!

This series combines police procedural with supernatural elements to make for suspenseful stories. In this second book, Jess finds herself investigating a cold case involving a missing family and the daughter that was left behind. It’s a fast paced page turner that I had a hard time putting down.

I highly recommend this series, especially if you love crime novels with a supernatural twist.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)