I love a good mystery with an engage cast of characters. I was not disappointed in that regard with this book. I enjoyed the plot about a private investigator being hired to find a missing girl from an orphanage in a limited amount of time, after which she would be paid a nice amount. Hazel, the private investigator, digging into the disappearance of Mia from the orphanage had a few plot twists and characters that kept me guessing. I would recommend this book for those that want a quick read with lots of interesting characters and interactions along the way to solving the mystery.

There needs to be a SA Trigger Warning on this book. New York City PI Hazel Cho is struggling with finances and terrible clients when a wealthy woman shows up in her office offering her a life-improving amount of money to find her missing goddaughter. The catch: she only has a few days to locate Mia. If she doesn't, the client will move on to another PI, and so will the money. Hazel accepts (along with a Tesla since she has no car) and begins investigating the orphanage Mia vanished from upstate. Suspecting almost everyone, it becomes apparent this case is about more than just one missing girl. I liked Hazel as a character. I didn't mind that she is a bit of a mess, and I would read this if it were a series. That said, there is a lot of room for improvement in how Hazel interacts with food, men, personal safety, sexual assault, etc. When an author writes a main character of the opposite sex, it's important to at least have strong editorial guidance from, in this case, women. Unfortunately, it reads how a man thinks a woman thinks and acts, instead of coming from a place of true understanding.

I received this book through NetGalley, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to discover new authors and share my thoughts.

The Orphanage by the Lake was a beautifully written and emotional story that drew me in from the start. The historical setting was vividly described, and the characters were deeply compelling. Daniel G. Miller crafted a poignant narrative filled with heartache, resilience, and hope, making this a truly memorable read. The storytelling was immersive, and I found myself invested in the fate of the characters.

Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to another great author. Hazel is a 30 year old private investigator. She loves her job but it doesn't always pay the bills. She is approached by a wealthy socialite by the name of Madeline who is searching for her god daughter. Madeline states that she was at the St. Agnes Orphanage or the Orphanage by the Lake as its known by the locals. Madeline gives Hazel a week to solve the case and lets her know that she is fourth or fifth private investigator that she has hired and all of them have failed her to date. Hazel starts investigating and finds more questions then answers as it appears that the young girl just vanished. Great book, fast read - I couldn't put it down.

Hazel Cho is a 30 something year old private investigator who just doesn't have her life figured out. She is one job away from not being able to pay her bills and having to admit defeat. She is approached by a woman named Madeline and is given a challenge to find Madeline's missing Goddaughter within a specified period of time for an exorbitant amount of money, with money up front for expenses.

Hazel throws herself into her usual missing persons routine, but keeps coming up short due to the fact that Mia, the missing girl, is an orphan whose world is very small. This makes it hard for Hazel to find information and get any leads without immersing herself into that world full of people who don't want her there...

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't mind blowing. It was conversationally written and I enjoyed reading about a young, female private investigator. The story was interesting, but it didn't draw me in. I wasn't invested in what was going on and there were no real twists or shocks in the book as there usually are in thrillers. I think it would be a better movie than book.

Good book! Keep me wanting to keep reading! My first by this author and i will read more !! Highly recommend this author !!

Not my favorite. I found the pacing slow and drawn out at times, which made it feel predictable. The main character didn’t resonate with me—she felt one-dimensional and a bit frustrating. Overall, it wasn’t as engaging as I had hoped.

A thrilling story about a missing girl and the seedy underbelly of NYC: Private Investigator Hazel is struggling to make ends meet. Being a PI is not as exciting as she imagined that it would be. However, Hazel is intrigued when Madeline Hemsley arrives in her office, desperate to find her missing goddaughter, who is offering an unseemly amount of money but only a week's deadline. She is quickly drawn into a web of lies, deceit, and deception and soon discovers several girls have gone missing from The Orphanage by the Lake.

This novel is an easy read that will keep you guessing. With questionable roommates, new boyfriends, and a sexy cop, you don't know where to look or who to place the blame on. If you are looking for a good mystery read that isn't to difficult to follow this is the book for you.

I really liked the premise of this book but just not the delivery. The main character felt very surface level and very irresponsible for being a private investigator. She also seemed to miss a lot of things she should have looked into or investigated more given her line of work. The ending felt very rushed and just added to my frustration with this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

5 Stars – Gripping, Fast-Paced, and Unputdownable!
The Orphanage By The Lake pulled me in from the very first chapter and didn’t let go. It’s a fast-paced psychological crime thriller filled with twists, emotion, and just the right amount of suspense. Hazel is a fantastic main character—sharp, determined, and full of heart. Her friendship with Kenny Chun, her loyal and supportive roommate added so much to the story. Their dynamic brought warmth and strength, especially as they worked together to uncover the disturbing truth behind the disappearances. The eerie setting of the orphanage and the way secrets slowly unraveled kept me turning the pages late into the night. If you love thrillers with strong characters and shocking twists, this one’s a must-read!

I would say that this one was 3,5⭐️

The storyline was entertaining and dark at the same time. I would like a little bit more if the investigating explained, but i really liked the climax and ending of the story.

I would recommend this to those who have just started to read thrillers cause although the secrets are very gruesome it isn't written very graphic and wont make a beginner thriller reader too traumatised.

Some characters seemed to become opposite to the way they were at the beginning (and not olny the villains), and i would like to read more about Bobby, but overall this was a good and fast paced read.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a free ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This had potential to be a great psychological thriller but it lacked twists that weren’t predictable. Bad cops, rich people, girls gone missing. There is some dark topics that I wasn’t expecting going into the book. But for some readers this would be very triggering with how it was dealt with. I felt like it wasn’t executed well and the ending was kind of rushed.

Hazel was so chaotic and her life was a shamble. She was likeable but sometimes a little too silly. She was unprofessional on multiple occasions and was annoying.
Her job as a Private Investigator, putting her self into a position where her life could be in danger was a little too unrealistic to me. Why not speak to the cop who she was trusting, Bobby.? She just willy nilly went along with perfect Andrew. Like how could that be believable? A handsome, rich man just so happens to bump into you.

The cover was good, the blurb was intriguing and it had a good concept.

My thoughts on this read are so ambivalent. Hazel, a private investigator struggling to make ends meet , has a mysterious client challenge her to solve the case of her teenaged goddaughter missing from an orphanage in a very short amount of time. Hazel takes the challenge given the money promised and visits the orphanage meeting only one person who seems to care about Mia’s disappearance. Several of the others seem like prime suspects. Hazel seems somewhat chaotic in her approach to her investigation. Her instincts seem on target but she frequently does not seem to take it seriously, drinking more than she should and showing up late to meetings. Andrew’s appearance was very predictable.
Some of the revelations towards the end were not a surprise. I did enjoy Kenny and his unwavering devotion to Hazel. There was so much potential with this premise making it easy to read.
Many many thanks to Daniel G. Miller, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of The Orphanage by the Lake, published on March 18th.

There has been so much hype around this book and I had such high hopes. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. I thought the overall premise of the story was good but it was a super slow start and it felt like all the action took place in the last 20-25% of the story.
Thanks to Netgalley, Houndstooth Books, and the author for this ebook to read. All opinions are my own

Im a fan of investigation books and this is exactly what this book had! Was great to see a woman being a PI and they make her very relatable. While Hazel being the main character was depicted as not strong and weak i think she handled herself well for it being her first big case. While reading I did have a hunch on who was behind it all but didn't come unraveled until the end.

In 'The Orphanage by the Lake,' we are introduced to Hazel Cho, a struggling private investigator in Manhattan. Hazel’s fortunes seem to change when Madeline Hemsley hires her to locate Mia Ross, a young girl who vanished from Saint Agnes, an orphanage in upstate New York. As Hazel delves into the case, she uncovers unsettling clues—bloodstains, cryptic symbols, and shadowy figures—that suggest a more sinister reality beneath the surface.

Miller crafts a suspenseful narrative that explores deception with the contrast between appearances and reality. Hazel’s character is portrayed with depth, highlighting her resilience and determination while undergoing personal and professional challenges. The novel’s atmosphere and intricate plot twists kept me engaged, which made it a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers.

Not for me. I love a female PI lead, but this one was not it. Too much discussion about food, too many unrealistic scenarios, weak characters, Good Good idea for a story but it fell flat to me.

While the story was a little predictable I still definitely enjoyed it. We followed Hazel Cho, female PI whose given a missing persons case surrounding an orphanage on the Lake. There are so many twists and shady characters that I was hooked.

I am impressed with Hazel. Despite the extreme time crunch that Madeline gives her in which to find the missing Mia, she works fast, finds leads and despite some scary threats from scarred men, keeps at it and with this fast reading thriller, solves the case in the nick of time. It does get pretty dark and there are a few dead bodies but is a good mystery thriller that flows well. Hazel is quite the interesting character and I think her private detective agency will go far, especially when Kenny is added to the team. I cannot wait to see what their next case will be and though I do not see the charm of living in the big city, I wish Hazel the best luck in finding a parking space and solving her next case and maybe finding a guy that is right for her (even if her parents don't approve).

I enjoyed this intriguing story because it had several twists that popped up throughout the story. The author wrapped things nicely without rushing to do so. The main character is very likable, and I found myself rooting for her to be successful in saving her PI business. I was gifted the digital version by the author with no expectation of a positive review. These thoughts are my own.