Meet Hazel. A young woman trying to keep her PI business afloat but not having much luck. Enter Madeline. She has a job for Hazel. On the shores of Lake George, New York lies St. Agnes' orphanage for girls. Madeline's goddaughter, Mia, is missing and Madeline is not happy with the orphanage's long history of missing girls who are never seen again, much less the lack of urgency she sees from the law. She offers Hazel money, lots of it, if she can find Mia in the next 10 days. The money is too good to refuse.
As Hazel digs into the facts of Mia's disappearance, as well as St Agnes' history, the tension builds and the scene is set for this excellent thriller. The plot line doesn't sound like an original, but Daniel G Miller gives readers some original thrills and a few goose bumps along the way.

This was a strange beginning to what I believe is supposed to be the launch of a new series, hence the ‘….to be continued…” conclusion. So it’s another PI book about a woman detective, down-on-her-luck of course, who is presented with her make-it-or-break-it case. This particular PI is Hazel Cho, of Korean descent, who lives with her childhood friend Kenny, from her Korean childhood neighborhood. They live in Chinatown, NYC, Kenny is trying to finish up at The Police Academy and Hazel is flailing around, trying to keep her private business from going under. Of course, she has a traumatic event in her past and of course her roommate is in love with her. If you can get past the unfortunate juvenile prose (“ I put on eyeliner. It made my eyes pop.”) to the improbable circumstances that inserted our PI, Hazel, into situations that felt highly cliched, you might like the pacing of this read. It was too formulaic for my taste and I will probably not be reading the next book in this series. Thanks as always to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a well written and intriguing book. The author kept me guessing until the very end. I’ll definitely recommend this one to others and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I seriously loved *The Orphanage by the Lake*! From the very first page, I was completely hooked. The setting was so creepy and atmospheric—I could practically feel the cold air off the lake. The characters were so well written, and I got super attached to them.

The story had the perfect mix of mystery, emotion, and suspense. Some parts gave me chills, some parts made me sad, and there were moments where I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I didn’t want it to end! If you love a good, eerie story with tons of heart, you have to read this one.

honestly do not have much to say besides this disappointed me big time. 2 stars :/ i had high hopes coming into this book as the plot seemed fascinating but it was a big struggle to get through this book.

This book felt like a palate cleanser—quick, easy to get through, and structured with short chapters that kept the pace moving. However, it lacked the "WOW" factor I look for in a great thriller. The premise was intriguing—a girl goes missing from an orphanage—but the ending was extremely predictable. I figured it out pretty early on, which took away from the suspense.

One aspect I did enjoy was Hazel, the MFC, Her determination to meet her deadline and her refusal to ignore the missing girl’s disappearance made her compelling. I appreciated that she couldn’t just let it go, especially when no one else seemed to care.

On the other hand, Sonia’s role felt underdeveloped. She played a crucial part in the ending, yet after being heavily mentioned in the beginning, she faded into the background for most of the book. It felt like a missed opportunity to build more tension and depth.

Overall, I wanted to feel more on edge, but the story never quite delivered that gripping, heart-racing experience I crave in a thriller. The ending, in particular, felt rushed—there was so much more that could have been explored, but it wrapped up too quickly. While it was an easy read, it ultimately left me wanting more.

Thank you to Netgalley, Daniel G. Miller, and Houndstooth Books for access to this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. Madeline hires Hazel (a private investigator) to look into the disappearance of her god-daughter from the orphanage. The more the case is investigated, Hazel realises that ghis isnt just a case of a runaway girl. The plot to this book was really good. I did guess the twist.

This book was fast paced for me. It definitely kept me on edge and guessing It did however it did end abruptly and was left with a lot of questions. Will be reading more by this author.

I did not care for this story as there were too many things thrown in to the mix to ever be believable to me. I'm all for diversity in stories, but there is also a point where you say really?

I can't count how many times the main character, a bumbling PI, had to mention that she was Korean and liked Korean food. Once would have been enough to get the message across, but after that, it was too much, too often. I say bumbling, but then her client for this story acts like such a bi*ch I think I would quit rather than take her on.

An orphan is missing from a home for children without families. This "goddaughter" who is missing has quite the singing voice. While investigating the missing girl, info comes to our PI that maybe other orphans with talents are missing, too, in fact, there are children missing for the past 25 years.

Nope, too far fetched for me. Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given,

This book was gripping and I couldn't stop turning pages. I usually have a hard time with books where there may be harm to children but I managed this one pretty well, having such a dogged advocate like Hazel looking into the case was certainly reassuring and this book kept me guessing until the end!

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read that kept me interested from the first page. I love books with strong main characters, whether they're male or female. This one happens to be a female. She starts off a little shaky, but finds her footing about half way and knocks it out of the park by the end. If you're looking for a book with a lot of romance, this isn't it. There is a small amount, but it's not the center of the story.

The Orphange by the Lake was a really good mystery. In it, a private investigator sets out to find a missing girl. I liked the characters of Hazel and Kenny best, but the villians weren't cookie cutters either. The pacing was good, but could have moved a little faster before the climax. There was suspense throught the book. The ending hit hard and fast. I'm happy that there will hopefully be a second book. 4.5 stars rounded to 5 here on NetGalley.

Hazel is a 30 year old Korean PI who's about to be so broke she can't even afford the dump of an apartment she shares with her somewhat stalker-ish roommate. When a wealthy woman offers her a case with a ticking time clock and a huge reward, she cannot refuse. Madeline Hemsley's goddaughter went missing from Saint Agnes Children's Home, and she's giving Hazel 10 days to find her.

This book was a quick read and super engaging. It sucked me right in and kept me hooked until the last page! Even though one of the twists was somewhat predictable, the arguably bigger twist caught me totally off guard! I loved the characters so much and hope the author will give Hazel her own series! She's certainly deserving of one! This book is absolutely a Read It!

Note: I received an ARC of this book, at no cost to myself, from NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was such a great story. Once I started it I couldn't put it down! So many twists that kept me guessing until the very end. Looking forward to reading more from this author

The story follows Hazel, a tenacious and resourceful private investigator, as she works tirelessly to solve the case of a missing girl from a remote orphanage by a lake.

Hazel is a standout character strong, empathetic, and relentless in her pursuit of the truth. Miller does an excellent job of portraying her internal struggles and personal motivations, which adds layers to her character and makes her journey all the more compelling. As she digs deeper into the orphanage’s dark past, the stakes become higher, and the tension mounts in a way that keeps you hooked page after page.
The setting of the orphanage by the lake is atmospheric and eerie, providing the perfect backdrop for this haunting mystery. Miller's writing captures the isolation and tension of the place, heightening the suspense as Hazel uncovers disturbing secrets. The plot is filled with unexpected twists, and Miller keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The investigation itself is intricate and well-paced, with every clue leading to new questions and discoveries. It’s a story about uncovering truths, not only about the missing girl but also about the people involved in the case, including Hazel herself.

If you’re a fan of suspenseful, emotionally rich thrillers, The Orphanage by the Lake is a must-read. Hazel is a remarkable protagonist, and the story is a brilliant blend of mystery and emotional depth that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. Highly recommended

This book was really well written and it was a brilliant crime thriller! I absolutely loved the ending of this book and the suspense was built through out the book!

The chapters were short and punchy which is a massive plus for me, I don't like it when chapters are too long so I enjoyed the fact they weren't long chapters.

This was a pretty straightforward thriller without a ton of crazy plot twists. I will say that the only negative part of this book was everything felt expected and there really wasn’t a shock factor which was slightly annoying. This of course could be totally different for someone else so it’s the worst thing a book has done.

The characters were surprisingly well rounded for a thriller. I appreciated their uniqueness as it helped add depth to the overall plot. Some of the writing felt basic which I felt neutral about. For thrillers I don’t expect a literary masterpiece, but I wish there was some indication of a higher vocabulary and overarching literary themes.

4.5/5⭐️
I devoured this book in no time; I simply couldn't put it down. It was incredibly enjoyable! While the villains and their involvement were fairly predictable, the story remained thoroughly captivating.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed The Orphanage on the Lake. It was a quick PI read. Hazel hung out her PI shingle after a horrible personal experience which caused the once strong woman into self doubt. She is struggling making ends meet as well as questioning her abilities. Along comes a wealthy woman looking for find her goddaughter who disappeared from an orphanage. She engaged the services of other PI’s who never made headway. They either quit or did not meet the time constraints. Hazel takes on the challenge lured by the big financial carrot as well as her drive to find the girl.
This book held my interest throughout. My impression is the author plans to make this into a series. If so, I will definitely look for the next book.
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This was an average read about a Private Investigator who is hired to find a missing girl in a set amount of time for a large sum of money. It was a little slow at the beginning, but improved a bit. I'm not a huge mystery reader so this wasn't quite for me, but I feel like there are others that would really enjoy it!!