There were some heart-pumping moments in this book—especially the ending—but at times it felt like a bit of a drag. A lot of characters played roles in the thriller, which definitely led me down a few “whodunit” paths, but the reveal ended up being pretty obvious.

All in all, it was a decent read, but I didn’t really connect with the writing style, so I probably won’t continue with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! The cover was definitely 5 stars—it’s what drew me to request this book in the first place.

5 Stars – A Beautifully Written, Heartfelt Journey

Orphanage at the Lake is the kind of story that lingers long after the final page. Daniel G. Miller delivers an emotionally rich and deeply human narrative that had me completely captivated. The characters are so vividly drawn, I felt like I knew them personally—and their struggles, heartaches, and triumphs touched me in a way few books have.

The pacing is perfectly balanced with moments of quiet reflection and intense emotional beats. Miller’s writing is elegant and sincere, with just the right amount of suspense to keep the pages turning. It’s a story about resilience, love, and the connections that shape who we are—and it’s told with so much heart.

Hazel Cho thinks of herself as a tough, no-nonsense private detective, and she is, to an extent. Having to deal with angry clients who refuse to acknowledge the brutal truth behind the reality Hazel uncovers, living paycheck to paycheck because of a lack of clients due to her gender, and navigating a sticky relationship with a roommate, a cherished friend that would like to be more than friends. One day, a gift seems to drop from thin air; a prospective client comes her way with an offer that is too irresistible to refuse. Madeline Hemsley graces Hazel’s detective agency with a job that requires Hazel to investigate the disappearance of a young girl from St. Agnes Orphanage. If Hazel takes the job, she will be paid an exorbitant amount of money, but along with payment comes a list of guidelines and deadlines Hazel must follow or not get paid. 
Of course, this offer is irresistible to refuse. But immediately, the roadblocks and morsels of truth that arise make this “gift from thin air” seem more like a curse. 
The plot is quick-paced, which definitely helps create suspense, with smidgens of romance interspersed. The author gives us little snippets of Hazel’s back story and her motivation for picking this peculiar line of work. The characters all seem to fulfil a purpose in developing the plot and serve as credible suspects in the mystery. 
The Orphanage by the Lake is a perfect summer mystery to put on your tbr list.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the copy.

Originally I decided not to give feedback for this book and for the life of me, I can't remember why. I recently received and read The Red Letter by Daniel G. Miller, which is the second installment of The Orphanage by the Lake, and loved it so much I re-read this book. I am happy to say I was completely wrong in my dislike of this book and I actually loved it so much the second time around I am confident in giving it a 5/5.

Holly Collins

I absolutely loved this book. Once I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down. I had a feeling I knew who one of the bad guys were, but I was shocked when I found out who they were working with. I highly recommend.

Who in the world let a white man write from the POV of an Asian woman? It made me extremely uncomfortable the entire time. Three stars for an intriguing, though predictable, mystery.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press & NetGalley, for the ARC.

This is a story about a private investigator who in mission of finding a local missing girl. It has a dark vibe to it and small town full of buried secrets. I have to say that author’s writing and eerie situation grabbed me immediately. The beginning of this novel was very strong for me as the mystery was introduced and the how the characters played through in here.

But there was romance in it which was kind of ridiculous and it wasn’t enjoyable at all. It completely took away from the plot. Once this was introduced, the main character then put her main focus on this romance and I found it cringey. Even though The writing still held the attention, the plot lost its grip I think.

In this whirlwind of a book you have Hazel. A private investigator hired to find a missing girl. While she is given an insane deadline to find this girl, she finds herself questioning everything. Who can you trust?

I will say I thought I had the ending figured out, and that this was going to be a predictable thriller I’m happy to say I was wrong! The plot twist at the end really made up for it. However I do feel the ending was rushed. Overall it is a good thriller to pick up as a quick read!

This is a great book! The twists kept me on edge and was hard to put down! I’m thankful to receive a copy from NetGalley. Highly recommend it. 4.5 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review

This is a dark fast paced well written mystery thriller with good character development which you will find hard to put down. Teenage girls are disappearing from the orphanage and no one seems to care . This until a female private eye is hired by a god mother to find the whereabouts of her god daughter another recently disappeared teenager from the orphanage .
4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Daniel G Miller and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This is a quick and mindless read with tons of twists and action. I found it quite a page turner to find out who the guilty party is and I did not see that coming! Solid thriller!

3.25 stars rounded down to 3.*

The premise of this book as well as the protagonist, a young female Asian PI, made me interested in it. Unfortunately, the writing and development of the character fall short. I'm baffled by why a white guy from Florida decided to write the story of a Korean-American woman. So much of how he writes her is just wrong. It's like wearing an itchy item of clothing that looks great but is just too uncomfortable and does not fit right.

Hazel is hired to find a young woman who runs away from a Girl's Home in Lake George NY. She gets embroiled in police corruption, nearly kidnapped, raped and murdered by a comically unrealistic bad guy.

This one kind of felt like a Lifetime Movie from the 90s, but he tried to make it relevant by giving it a sex slavery bent as well as a POC main character. The ending was entirely meh.

Yay to the idea. Boo to the author.

*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Hazel Cho, a quirky but determined private investigator, is hired to find the missing teenage goddaughter of a wealthy woman. The teen had been living in an upscale orphanage and was reportedly a gifted singer. Hazel must use her quick wit and honed instincts to track the teen down within a few days, all while juggling a roommate (with a crush on her), a cranky small-town cop, and a hot rich guy.

Really enjoyed this book and looking forward to the next book in the series!

I was very excited to read this thriller and had high hopes for it, but unfortunately, it was a huge letdown. The entire book is very predictable. It's pretty much your stereotypical missing girls' story. A lot of the writing is very cliche and unbelievable for the MC to be a private investigator. I did not enjoy the ending either. It just felt very prompt and predictable. I had this book on my TBR list for a while, and sadly, I'm a bit disappointed by it.
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Daniel G. Miller for this read.

The book started out strong, and I really like the main character and the story line. I do feel like the ending could have been done differently. I believe the ending was rushed, and there could have been more detail involved with a different outcome.

A Vanished Child. A Home That Hides Too Much.

Hazel Grant is done waiting for life to get better.

At thirty, her days are a cocktail of unpaid bills, caffeine-fueled stakeouts, and a PI agency teetering on collapse. But everything changes the moment Madeline Hemsley steps into her office—elegant, unreadable, and holding a case with more shadows than details.

A girl has disappeared from an eerie lakeside orphanage buried in the fog of local whispers. It’s supposed to be simple: find the child, collect the check. But Hazel quickly realizes nothing about this job is ordinary.

There are no witnesses, only silence. No leads, only symbols etched into locked doors. Blood that shouldn’t be there. Eyes watching from the trees. And the deeper Hazel goes, the more the orphanage claws at her past—and Madeline's icy composure begins to crack.

This isn’t just about a missing girl. It’s about what’s been buried. What should’ve stayed forgotten.

And Hazel might not leave the lake the same person who arrived.

Very good read that I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Love this book! Hazel is not your typical P.I. She’s layered, quirky, and relatable. I love Kenny too. The story kept me hooked and got better the more I read. I really hope to see Hazel and Kenny (and maybe Bobby?) in more books. A series would be great!

I enjoyed this book although I did feel the “villain” was easily figured out as soon as introduced. The main character is a fun and determined private investigator on the case of a missing girl from an orphanage. There were a few twists but, like I said, many very easily figured out. Still a decent book.

When you keep telling yourself "It's already 1:00 AM, but I'll just read one more chapter," you know you really are enjoying the book. Such was the case with me with "The Orphanage by the Lake." It's the story of thirty-year old Hazel Cho, a struggling private investigator living and working in New York City. One day, socialite Madeline Hemsley visits Hazel's office and offers her one hundred thousand dollars if she can find her missing goddaughter, Mia, who has disappeared from St. Agnes Children's Home in upstate Lake George, NY. There are two complications, however--Mia disappeared six months ago, and Hazel has only ten days to solve the case, or she will be fired. Hazel, in great need of money, agrees to work for Madeline.
Hazel drives to Lake George, and finds the staff at St. Agnes not very forthcoming. Touring the grounds, evidence leads Hazel to conclude that Mia left voluntarily. The local police are not helpful, except for detective Bobby Riether, who privately confides to Hazel what he knows about Mia's disappearance and the fact that a number of girls have gone missing from St. Agnes over the years.
Hazel is convinced that someone from St. Agnes was involved in the girls' disappearances, but will she be able to find out who before the ten day deadline is up? Is Mia even still alive? You'll have to find out yourself by reading this book.

This is the first book I've read by Daniel Miller (looks like his first book, I'm not sure) and I'm absolutely looking forward to his next book which I just requested. This book was so suspenseful I couldn't put it down and I loved his characters Hazel and Kenny! Kudos for a story well written. Thanks for the ARC.