I love an alternating time line and whodunnit story. The story felt immersive with its use of different outlets such as social media, news articles etc to blend in with the narrative. It’s a sad, gripping story where most of the characters are unlikeable but you still want to read and find out what happened

I enjoyed the podcast element and the eerie atmosphere but I struggled through this at times, as the characters felt flat.

I love multimedia uses in books. It really spices them up and makes them feel fresh. Sadly, i found this book to be pretty predictable and it dragged until about 75%.

Predictable, but loved the way the story unfolded thru then and now different points of view as well as thru a podcast and different multi-media avenues. Great read!

The Lake of Lost Girls follows Lindsey Fadley as she dives into the cold case of her sister Jessica's disappearance, reignited by a true crime podcast and the discovery of human remains near the college town where several girls went missing 24 years ago. The story unfolds through a mix of podcast episodes, Lindsey's present-day investigation, and flashbacks from Jessica's college days.

The small-town setting adds an atmospheric charm, and Lindsey's raw, relatable character—still grappling with grief and resentment—draws you in. While the flashbacks reveal some twists early on, the novel maintains a chilling atmosphere and strong character development, keeping mystery lovers engaged until the very end.

Thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Katherine Green for this ARC!

I love the multimedia elements. It was an entire experience. I didn't feel bonded to the protagonist but I liked the experience of reading this.

The Lake of Lost Girls offers an atmospheric and eerie mystery set in a small town shrouded in dark folklore. Greene excels in creating a haunting setting, and the suspense around a missing girl keeps the reader engaged.

While the protagonist is well-developed, some side characters lack depth, and the pacing drags in parts. The twists, though intriguing, can feel predictable, and the ending leaves a few loose ends.

Overall, it’s a solid, suspenseful read with a chilling atmosphere, but it doesn’t fully stand out in the mystery genre.

I received a complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are mine.

If you love thrillers with multimedia elements then this book is for you. The book follows Lindsey who is searching for answers on what happened to her sister Jessica. With the aid of a true crime podcast she tries to solve the case. This is the perfect read for true crime podcast fans.

Katherine Greene spins an umbelievable tale that alternates between 1998 and present day. Jess is a freshman at college and is having a difficult time of ajusting to the pressure of it all. She is keeping her secrets to herself and is now avoiding him at all cost. Her family's world falls apart when Jess has gone missing from their driveway during her sister's Lindsay six birthday party. Now 24 years later the case is reopened when a body is found by Doll's Eyes Lake. Lindsay is now caught up with a reporter Ryan to try to solve what really happened to Jess and the other three girls from her college who dissapeared months before her. This book had me thinking that I knew who the killer was, however, with about 1/3 of the book left I had it narrowed to at least 2 characters and was totally wrong. What an ending to such a great book! I would like to thank both NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

This was an interesting concept, between the show and the missing girls sister.
I'm not going to lie, sometimes it made it quite difficult to read, but all in all, I enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the multiple POV/timelines and the podcast aspect in The Lake of Lost Girls. I love true crime podcast and that was probably my favorite part of the book. I thought the story was enjoyable and had me guessing who did it the entire time. I wasn’t a fan of some of the traits the main characters had. I realize the situation is serious and would be hard to be a likeable person if this actually happened but I think Jessica and Lindsey could’ve had… more. Overall, loved this thriller and would pick it up if you’re also a fan of podcasts.

Review: you know I love dark academia, so I was extremely exciting to read this!

This book follows the story of Jessica, a student at Southern State University in the 90s. While visiting home, she completely disappears while getting something from her car. A journalist comes to town and is trying to figure out the truth and connects with her sister Lindsey to investigate this case, and all the other missing girls from the same year.

The story is told in a dual POV with Jessica in the past, and Lindsey in the present. I enjoyed the dual POV, with each chapter building upon each getting closer to solving the mystery. In Jess’ story, there are not only missing students, but a lot of incidents with older men commenting on the misogyny on campus. I found her story interesting with all those elements intertwined. I felt Lindsey’s story could have been better developed, I felt it was a little shallow. I wanted to get to know her better.

The book also had podcasts and new articles throughout. While I enjoyed them, I thought it could have been better integrated.

The best past was the ending. The last 30% the book really picks up and it really becomes an intense whodunnit. It kept me on my toes and I kept changing my mind on who was responsible for all this! I really enjoyed the ending. There were a lot of plot twists and great pacing throughout the book.

If you like whudunnits with dual POV and dark academia, pick up this book! It comes out on November 5th. Thanks to Netglley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced copy of this book.

This book was entertaining, fast paced, but left me wanting a little more.

Jess suddenly disappeared in 1998, and the case has yet to be solved. Fast forward to today when her sister, Lindsey, suddenly gets thrown into her sister's disappearance investigation after a podcase reignites interest in the case.

The story is told through several perspectives- past, present, and a podcast, which will entertain any true crime lover.

The story is thrilling, keeping you hooked until the last page. The characters are really what makes this book work- everyone is interesting, yet there's an unease with each person and each interaction. Just when you think you've figured it out- bam- it's not it. You'll need to pick your jaw up off of the floor and an entire week to recover. It touches on themes that will be familiar to most women, which can feel both uneasy and enlightening at the same time.

The weakest part of the book was the writing style. While it was easy and quick to read, I feel like the writing was too simple at times. However, that does not take away from the story. The writing feels more like a diary written by Jess and Lindsey, At times, it almost feels repetitive and juvenile.

The Lake of Lost Girls is a fast-paced mystery set in a small town in North Carolina. In 1998 at Southern State University, girls have started to go missing, but the police can't find anything to link them together. The final lost girl, Jessica, disappeared in a moment when her younger sister, Lindsey, looked away as Jessica was getting a birthday cake out of her car. Now, twenty-four years later, human remains are discovered at Doll's Eye Lake just down the road from the university and a true crime podcast is trying to uncover what really happened. Lindsey is still living in her hometown with her parents, working at a local hotel, when she gets dragged into the investigation to discover what really happened to her sister all those years ago.

The story is told through alternating perspectives and timelines with Lindsey's perspective focusing on the investigation in the present and Jessica's showing the events leading up to her disappearance in the past. There are also podcast scripts and social media posts in between the chapters, which I found to be a unique touch. The pacing was great, as it felt like they were new discoveries continuously throughout the story. These discoveries also revealed new depths to the characters, which really made them come alive. This will be a great one for mystery fans and those who enjoy true crime podcasts. The novel also briefly touched on how damaging true crime podcasts can be and how hosts might be able to do a bit better, which was a nice sentiment.

Four girls went missing from Southern State University in the late 1990's. There never seemed to be much of an investigation at the time. But a new podcast and the discovery of a body brings the Police back in to solve the mystery. Lindsey's sister Jessica is one of the missing girls and we follow her quest, along with Journalist Ryan Mackay to discover the truth.
Whilst there are some pretty unsavoury characters, and plenty of suspects this book really grabbed me. I liked the differing timelines and the thoughts of Jessica. The inclusion of the podcast and social media posts made it more realistic.
I only wish there could have been a little more at the end about the victims families and thoughts, i felt it ended a little bit abruptly. However this didn't spoil my love of the book

A definite read if you like a good whodunnit.
A group of girls who all know each other who are all somehow connected on different levels all go missing while in college. A 24 year old cold case gets opened up when a body is discovered. So many suspects who all had motives. Just when you think you figured it out. It turns on you again and again.
A great story for anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

Without a doubt, I did not see that ending coming at all! This thriller/mystery kept me on the edge of my seat struggling to put this down. I was determined I knew who did it but boy was I wrong!

I loved the mixture of flashbacks, present day POV, podcast script, and social media posts. It was so well done and put together. Chefs kiss!

*The Lake of Lost Girls* follows Lindsey Fadley as she finally gets a shot at solving her sister’s cold case—thanks to a true crime podcast and the discovery of a body near the town where the girls disappeared. The story’s told through the podcast, Lindsey’s investigation, and flashbacks from Jessica’s college days.

The small-town vibes are perfect, and Lindsey is such a relatable lead—she’s grieving but also bitter about how her life turned out, and she’s not afraid to show it. My only gripe is that the flashbacks kind of spoil the suspense by giving away twists before Lindsey finds out. Even though I guessed the ending early, the eerie atmosphere and strong character work kept me turning the pages.

Another reviewer called this “both predictable and out of nowhere,” and I have to wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I saw exactly where this was headed, but it still felt so weird and random.

The suspense keeps the reader interested, but ultimately, you can easily figure this book out with just a little bit of critical thinking early on. I still enjoyed reading and watching the story unfold, but would not recommend it to anyone else. Unless this is your first time reading a thriller, there are better books than this that are much more worthy of your time. With that being said, I do think this could make an interesting mini-series on TV (a way I often find myself feeling about mediocre books).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.75/5 stars

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books for the copy of The Lake Of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene. This had so many elements I loved: a podcast, bodies found in a lake, family issues, academia. Somehow it all fell short because the writing never engaged me. All of the men were reprehensible and the women were all needy, so I would have liked better characterization. The story itself was intriguing and I think readers who love to be shocked at the ending will love this. I just wish I had enjoyed reading it more. 3 stars