what a fast pace, quick read. It kept my attention and drew me in. Rose, an investigative journalist with a crumbling marriage, while trying to gain a promotion has to try to find her former friend Eve. So Rose goes to the last place Eve was, which was a cottage by the lake in Sage Hill. While in Sage Hill Rose comes across a few people who raise Rose's suspicions. Rose would have been in her right to not help find Eve after what she did to Rose, but that is not who Rose is. This was a well written book, and just a solid mystery.

Whispers of the Lake
by: Shanora Williams
Pub Date: Jun 25, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, Shanora Williams, and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest

Whispers of the Lake is a chaotic, psychological thriller that will leave you breathless and keep your mind racing! This fast paced novel is brimming with lies, shocking betrayals, and deeply flawed characters.

This story is told from Rose Howard’s point of view and her best friend, Eve Castillo’s journal entries. While on vacation, Eve stops responding to her sister Zoey’s calls and texts. Zoey contacts Rose hoping she can locate Eve. Rose, being the investigative journalist that she is, books the cottage where Eve vacationed and starts her own investigation.

Whispers of the Lake is an absolute page turner with unpredictable jaw dropping twists. The psychological tension, tantalizing plot, and complex characters woven throughout this mystery will offer a suspense-filled, unforgettable read!

Release: June 23, 2025
Author: Shanora Williams
Publisher: Kensington Publishing

Rating: 4 ★ 

Whispers of the Lake follows investigative reporter Rose Howard, who’s juggling a crumbling marriage and the pressure of chasing a career promotion when her already chaotic life gets even messier. Her former best friend, Eve Castillo, has gone missing while staying at a lakefront cottage in Sage Hill, North Carolina. Despite their friendship ending badly after a serious betrayal, Rose can’t shake the feeling that something is very wrong.

When she arrives in Sage Hill, what should have been a peaceful small town quickly reveals its darker side. Locals grow cold, the cabin owners’ stories don’t add up, and it’s clear Eve didn’t just leave willingly — especially since she abandoned her passport and purse. As Rose digs deeper, she uncovers layers of secrets connected to both Eve and the town itself.

The closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes — and the secrets she unearths just might destroy everything she has left.

Whispers of the Lake was such a well-paced, addictive thriller with just the right mix of ghost-story vibes and real-life drama. I really enjoyed the small-town setting — it had that eerie, suspenseful feeling that immediately pulled me in. I loved following Rose and Eve’s story; both characters were interesting in their own ways, and while the character development wasn’t overly deep, it was enough to keep me emotionally invested without slowing the story down.

The friendship between Rose and Eve was messy and complicated — full of betrayal, guilt, and hurt — and it made the stakes feel even higher as Rose dug into Eve’s disappearance. Even though Eve did some things I didn’t agree with (and honestly, I never fully forgave her), I still found myself completely caught up in the mystery of what happened to her. Rose made some questionable choices too, but it felt believable considering her background as a reporter desperate for answers.

The pacing was perfect — fast enough that I never wanted to put the book down, but not rushed. New clues kept surfacing at the right times, and the twists had me second-guessing everything and everyone. I never felt like anything was left unresolved, and I loved how everything came together cleanly in the end.

There were some great dramatic moments too — from Rose standing her ground professionally, to the super juicy bathroom confrontation scene. And that revenge moment involving Rose’s ex-husband? Chef’s kiss. Also, Sage Hill was the perfect setting: moody, tense, and filled with secrets around every corner.

Overall, this was a quick, twisty, and thoroughly engaging mystery/thriller. Shanora Williams nailed the suspense, and I can’t wait to pick up another one of her books!


Favorite Quote:
"secrets have a way of swimming too the surface, no matter how hard you try to keep them buried."

My first read by Shanora and it was a page turner. The story kept me interested and guessing. The writing style and the ways the words helped the story flow was great. I finished this book in two days. Despite problems in her marriage and problems between her and her childhood friend’, Eve, she still found it in her heart to give her all to find out where Eve was and she does not give up until she finds the answers she is looking for. 4/5 stars!

I’ve been a fan of Shanora Williams’ books for a while, and Whisper of the Lake did not disappoint! This story pulls you in with its slow, eerie build-up and keeps you guessing the whole way through. The setting was so atmospheric — it felt like the lake was its own character, full of secrets and tension. I loved how Shanora blended mystery, emotion, and just the right amount of creepiness. Some parts moved a little slower than I expected, but the payoff was worth it. Another great, addictive read from an author I always trust to deliver a good twist!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

This was my first Shanora Williams book and I wanted to love it more. It wasn’t terrible by any means but it didn’t amaze me or have me on the edge of my seat either. The story gave off 'Get Out' vibes and the setting was creepy and had me feeling on edge.
Some parts just felt unnecessary and slow paced. A lot of characters to keep track of and none of them likeable. Overall, would read from Williams from again.

I could not put this book down... I couldn't turn the pages fast enough...

Shanora Williams blows my mind. How can this woman execute so many different types of books in such an exceptional way?!

Whispers of the lake is my 6th book by Shanora and each time I am shocked at the ending.

Rose goes on a wild goose chase to find her former best friend who has gone missing. Eve has had a horrible life and just can't keep making the same make mistakes. When she gets mixed up with the wrong men, her sister and former friend do everything they can to figure out what happened to her.

Shanoraaaaa ! I thought I had you figured out with this but yet again YOU GOT ME ! Wowwwww ! Such an exciting and thrilling read . I truly was left stunned . It read like a mini TV series & my body reacted to the suspense just the same as well . There was a moment in the middle where it felt the chapters were "fillers" but even with that , the book came together really nicely . I have only read one other Shanora Williams book titled The Perfect Ruin and I thought that one was good - THIS ONE TOPS THAT BY FAR ! Shanora is easily becoming one of my go-to thriller writers & I cannot wait for public to get hold of this one to be taken on this wild ride . Readers , I hope you enjoy !

This book was a well paced, ghost story-vibed, thriller with main characters Eve & Rose who I both enjoyed. The character development was good but not too in depth to seem excessive. It was able to keep my interest and wanting to pick the book back up. I enjoyed the small town setting and the creepy gems that kept popping up!

Thank you NetGally and Kensington Publishing for this ARC. These opinions are my own.

If your best friend betrayed you in the worst way possible, would you still go looking for them when they disappeared? That’s exactly the position Rose finds herself in — but as they say, some truths are better left buried. And the secrets she uncovers could easily destroy her future without warning.

Mrs. Shanora delivered another messy, addictive thriller with this one! It’s packed with drama and small-town vibes, and I finished it in just a few hours because I couldn’t put it down.

Rose is an investigative reporter who’s killing it in her career, but her personal life? A total mess. Right when she’s deep into a major case, she finds out her former best friend Eve is missing. Rose doesn’t owe Eve anything anymore, so why should she care? Still, against her better judgment, she starts digging into Eve’s disappearance.

This story was fast-paced with just the right amount of action! The characters were super well developed, and the complicated relationship between Rose and Eve had me hoping for a certain outcome. And let me tell you — I did not see that twist coming!

Thank you Netgalley and @shanorawilliams for this Advance Readers Copy ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Babyyy in the words of my good sis Meg this took more turns than a key hole 🤭 🔑

But seriously I was guessing every step of the way 🧐🧐🤔. I didn’t know what was happening or what to believe. I trusted no one!

While Rose did make some very questionable actions I just chalked it up to her being a reporter and needing to know answers.

Shanora definitely knows how to do suspense

Now I’m searching up who to send this hospital bill to because I was having heart palpitations worrying about Rose’s safety 😂

I still don’t like Eve though 🫠 and no amount of journal entries or explaining can change that.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC! 3.5 stars! Whispers of the Lake is a quick mystery/thriller, page turner, drama filled, and with a side of action. Really good friendships are hard to come by. In this book, Rose and Eve's friendship is shattered by betrayal. It gets REAL personal! You have the revenge scene with the Cole (soon to be ex-husband) that was magnificent in all its Blackness!! Rose standing tall among colleagues as a BLACK SOPHISTICATED EDUCATED WOMAN not backing down and knowing she belongs. OOOO the bathroom scene with the other girls talking about her MMM Juicy!! Then the cottage comes into play, the neighbors, the police force, the uncle, and all the connections to figure out where Eve go. I'm here for the quick mystery/thriller. Get your heart racing a bit in the end chapters. I spotted Victor a mile away though. HEY what happened to my Man Jayson?
Shanora Williams can do no wrong.

This was my second book by Shanora Williams, and I enjoyed it. The story was well-paced, with new clues emerging as the plot developed. I particularly liked the inclusion of journal entries in the narrative. Eve was a complex character, deeply flawed in many ways, while Rose was loving and forgiving, sometimes to her own detriment. I found their friendship to be quite frustrating at times. Overall, I would highly recommend this book.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Kinsingtonbooks for the eARC.

3-3.5⭐️

I am a HUGE Shanora Williams fan and have read all of her thrillers to date. This one was just okay for me. It wasn’t terrible by any means but it didn’t amaze me or have me on the edge of my seat either. I was able to fly through it in two sittings so it’s a quick, easy read.

I did reallyyyyy enjoy the creepy gems in this story. Some parts gave me ghost story vibes and I wish there was more of this!!! The overall mystery and details behind it were solid but that creep factor would have made this a better experience for me.

I felt sorry for Eve. Her story was tragic. I tried to love Rose but ultimately, she was not a likable character and her decisions were BEYOND questionable. I would have loved a happier ending and more of a resolution of her relationships with Cole & Jayson.

Am I still going to read every thriller she writes? Absolutely.

Second Shanora Williams book and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed The Bitter Truth! I was engaged the whole time and super invested in knowing what had happened to Eve. The storyline was very easy to follow and I enjoyed the author’s writing. I loved that everything made sense in the reveal, and I didn’t see any loose ends at the end of the book. Wrapped up well. Will continue reading more Shanora Williams books!

I felt like this book was a slow burn for me , but once I was about 1/3 through I could NOT put it down. It became very paced , all my assumptions for who killed Eve were wrong! For mysteries I can usually predict how books will end, but this one had me stumped! I really enjoyed this book and will definitley reccomend it to others, as well as checking out other books by Shanora Williams.

Sharona. My lord. I just love this woman’s books they’re so unique and the ends always deliver. Just perfection to be honest!

First off thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
What happened to Eve? That’s the story of this book.
Rose gets a call from Zoey that her sister Eve hasn’t been returning her calls. Rose is estranged from Eve but still cares for her ex best friend. After some digging Rose finds out Eve booked a place on a lake. Rose books the same place to go looking for Eve.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I needed to know what happened and where was Eve?

#WhispersOfTheLake #NetGalley
Shanora Williams crafts a chilling mystery that blends emotional depth with a gripping small-town suspense in Whispers of the Lake, a story about fractured friendships, buried secrets, and the lies we tell ourselves. Rose Howard, a successful investigative reporter, is juggling the disintegration of her marriage and the pressure of career ambition when a new crisis arises—her estranged best friend, Eve Castillo, has gone missing while reviewing a cozy cottage in Sage Hill, North Carolina. Despite their complicated past, Rose sets out to find her, only to discover that the charming town has a dark undercurrent, and Eve’s disappearance might not be an accident. With townspeople turning cold, cryptic clues surfacing, and danger lurking behind every smile, Rose must confront not only Eve’s secrets but her own. The closer she gets to the truth, the more she risks becoming the next woman to vanish without a trace.
What I like :-
1 Tense, Moody Atmosphere: Sage Hill is beautifully eerie, a character of its own that holds the reader in suspense from the moment Rose arrives.
2 Emotional Stakes: The history between Rose and Eve adds layers of betrayal, guilt, and unresolved anger that fuel the story’s heart.
3 Unpredictable Twists: Just when you think you have it figured out, Williams pulls the rug out with reveals that cut deep and land hard.
Overall, Whispers of the Lake is a page-turning psychological thriller that grips you with its emotional intensity and doesn’t let go until the final, breath-stealing reveal. A haunting tale of friendship, revenge, and the danger of secrets, it’s perfect for readers who love stories where nothing—and no one—is as it seems.
⭐ Rating: 4.7/5 – Suspenseful, emotionally charged, and laced with dark intrigue. Some friendships end. Others… disappear.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for giving me an advance copy.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. I found Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams to be an engaging psychological thriller that pulled me in from the first chapter. The book maintained a steady, compelling pace throughout. The main character is complex and well-developed, though her decision-making at times gave me pause. While the plausibility of the story occasionally stretched believability, it wasn’t enough to require a full suspension of disbelief. Overall, it’s an entertaining and tense read that balances character and plot with just enough twists to keep readers guessing. I would definitely read another Shanora Williams book.