Whispers of the Lake
Where is Eve?

This fast-paced thriller kicks off with betrayal at its core. Rose, an investigative journalist, is still reeling after discovering her husband, Cole, in bed with her best friend of 16 years, Eve Castillo. But when Eve suddenly goes silent while vacationing at a remote lakeside cottage, Rose receives a call from Eve’s younger sister, Zoey, who’s desperate for answers.

Despite the pain of betrayal, Rose sets out to find Eve, driven by loyalty to the friendship they once shared. Her search takes her to the last place Eve was seen: a secluded rental cottage owned by Alex Reed.

As Rose digs deeper, navigating a tangle of lies, old wounds, and dark secrets, she’s forced to confront not only what happened to Eve, but also what their friendship truly meant.

If you’re looking for a quick, emotionally charged thriller packed with twists, this book is worth the read.

Rating 4/5⭐️

Thanks for the free eARC @kensingtonbooks @netgalley @reallyshanora

Would you risk everything to help someone who once betrayed you? Why or why not?

If you're looking for a mystery that isn't scary but has an ending you weren't expecting, check out Shanora Williams! This is my second book by her and neither time did I figure out what really happened before the big reveal.
I think this book did a good job with dealing with a broad spectrum of emotions. For example: loosing a friendship over a bad decision, but then also regret of lost chances after loosing a friend; how decisions and actions are affected by traumatic events in our life.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I always enjoy Shanora's work. I really enjoyed this read. I love a whodunit and this was deff giving that. I had my pick of who it was but I turned out to be very wrong! I really enjoyed the plot twist and the pacing of the book. A part of me was annoyed with the FMC because what do you me you are still worried about your friend who slept with your husband?!? I guess im not there yet. HA. However this book was paced well and a very good read.

This book was a page-turner. The author does an amazing job creating complicated victims with dark pasts. It might be because I read a lot of mysteries, but I did guess who the killer was in the beginning which made the reveal a little less enjoyable. I wish there was a mystery with the main character’s mother’s death that tied into the present-day mystery, buy I think the mother’s death was mentioned to build upon emotions. If you’re looking for a thriller with diverse characters and small town vibes, then this book needs to be on your fall tbr. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Good for fans of Get Out! This one is really atmospheric and cinematic. Perfect of a summer read. Some parts were a little slow and I wish the pacing kept steady throughout.

Wow… this was tense!
From the beginning this story will keep you on the edge of your seat.

This was my first book by Shanora Williams and I really loved her writing style. Whispers Of The Lake is packed with tension, and jaw dropping moments that was completely unexpected.

It was suspenseful and fast paced, definitely recommend.

Thank you so much Kensington Publishing, Shanora Williams, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rose Howard is an investigative reporter. Her best friend Eve goes missing. Which sends Rose on a journey. To find out what exactly happened to Eve.
Adding to the situation Eve and Rose's husband had an affair. Which causes Eve to still have ill feelings. On the journey to find Eve Rose battles with a bottle of emotions. Having a sense of betrayal from a friend. Can Rose put these emotions aside? And work on trying to find where her ex-best friend is at.

Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams is a twisty, fast-paced thriller centred around Rose Howard, an investigative reporter who heads to the small town of Sage Hill when her estranged best friend, Eve Costello, goes missing. Despite their strained relationship, Rose is determined to uncover what happened—and of course, secrets start bubbling to the surface.


This is the first book I have read by this author - I was really drawn in because it's on a couple of anticipated thrillers of 2025 lists I have seen.
This one definitely has that “propulsive read” quality. The plot moves quickly, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you flipping pages. That said, some of it felt a little exaggerated to me—like it asked for just a bit too much suspension of disbelief. If you’re after a thriller that’s more about the ride than realism, though, this might be your jam.

It’s the kind of book I’d take to the beach: engaging enough to hold your attention, but not something I’d be raving about afterwards. The writing is solid—nothing spectacular, but it gets the job done.

Overall, a decent way to pass the time if you’re in the mood for a high-drama, high-speed mystery. Three stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC—opinions are all my own.

Whispers of the Lake is a tense, atmospheric thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night. Rose Howard is a compelling protagonist—smart, flawed, and determined—as she investigates the sudden disappearance of her estranged friend, Eve Castillo, in a seemingly quiet North Carolina town.

The mystery unravels slowly but effectively, with suspicious locals, buried secrets, and twists I didn’t see coming. The setting of Sage Hill adds a haunting backdrop, and the emotional layers between Rose and Eve deepen the suspense.

Fast-paced and full of surprises, this book is perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with strong female leads.

I’ve read previous books by this author and loved them so was excited to jump into this new one. Well it exceeded my expectations.. read in one sitting apart from stopping to order a take away lol I absolutely loved the storyline. The characters felt real and believable. Couldn’t determine how this story was going to go no matter how hard I tried. An excellent read that I’ll definitely be recommending to others. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

There was at no point in time that I knew what was going to happen or what had happened. I think a lot of times when we read thrillers we like to come up with theories as we inch closer to the end, NONE OF MY THEORIES WERE CORRECT! My emotions were riding high from 15% of this book until the end. We get taken on emotional roller coaster of should our FMC be trying look for her best friend or shouldn't she. After reading the entire book I still don't know lol. I loved this book and read it one sitting, it kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time.

Whispers of the Lake was so good. I was completely invested in Rose's quest to discover what happened to her missing friend, Eve. The pace of the story was just right to keep it captivating without giving too much away. The multiple characters kept me suspicious about everyone and I was really surprised by the ending! I truly recomment this novel.

Finished this in one sitting! I love that Shanora can write any genre but when she's in her thriller bag? PERFECTION because it's not a genre I usually read but I keep coming back for more!

Rose is an investigative reporter working on a big case but when her ex best friend's sister tells her Eve has been missing her interest is peeked. Eve and Rose have been besties for years but Eve has betrayed her in the worst possible way and they haven't spoken in 3 months (it's complicated)

What unfolds is a web of lies, deceit, mystery and twists and turns! Is it the cabin owner? His brother? The town's sheriff? Or is it Eve's violent ex Lincoln? No one would blame Rose if she completely turned her back on the situation especially while going through a divorce but when she starts finding clues, hearing twigs snap and feels like she's being watched is she closer to the truth than she thinks and how much danger is she in?

Whispers of the Lake will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. Heart pounding, suspenseful and thrilling!

**Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a digital ARC of this book.

Oh. Em. Gee. Y’all!
I have enjoyed books by Shanora Williams before, but this one is by far her best! Easily 5 out of 5 stars from me, and y’all know how greedy I am with my 5 stars. I reserve those for the books I wish I could read for the first time all over again.

Hang with me just a minute… I’m going to try my best not to overshare here. This book follows Rose Howard. She is in the middle of a failing marriage and her best friend goes missing. Did I mention she’s an investigative reporter? So obviously she’s going to go investigate her best friend’s disappearance. Rose’s best friend (or should I say “former” best friend), Eve, is a travel vlogger and disappeared while staying at a place in Sage Hill, North Carolina. Rose wants nothing to do with Eve anymore but she heads to Sage Hill to figure out what happened to her. While she’s there, she finds evidence that Eve had definitely been at the place. But the guy who rented the place out to her, Alex, as well as his family and the Sheriff, are all acting strange anytime Rose asks them about her. They act as if she was never there. She is sure they and the sheriff are covering up what happened to Eve. Will she figure out what happened before she goes missing too?

This book is full of drama, betrayal, heartbreak, anger, suspense, mystery, and a twisty ending. There were times I was on the edge of my seat gritting my teeth and there was even a moment I shed a few tears. This is a perfect example of what I look for in a psychological thriller. I 100% recommend this book to anybody who loves a good suspenseful/psychological thriller.

ARC - Review
Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Shanora Williams is an auto read author for me, so I was happy to receive an advanced copy of her latest thriller. Whispers of the Lake is a gripping, fast paced book perfect for cozying up with at the lake, beach, or pool this summer.

Compared to some of her other thrillers, this one felt more straightforward, and while I anticipated the ending, the journey there was still thoroughly enjoyable. The plot kicks off when Eve betrays her childhood best friend, Rose, and mysteriously vanishes. Rose, an investigative journalist, can’t ignore her instincts and dives headfirst into uncovering the truth behind Eve’s disappearance. Personally, I admired Rose’s determination because after what Eve did, I’m not sure I would’ve gone looking!

Eve is known for pulling disappearing acts, but this time something feels off. The inclusion of her digital journals gave a layered perspective that made me both empathize with and question Eve. It added a unique voice that heightened the tension and emotional complexity.

The supporting characters throughout the story added richness to the setting and overall suspense. Each brought something meaningful to the unfolding mystery.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Shanora Williams 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 a go-to author and this book did not disappoint at all.. If you are looking for a thriller to kick off the summer, well, 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮! It is filled with suspense, twists and turns and very dramatic!!! Add this to your TBR!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!!!

I am such a huge fan of Shanora Williams, I've read all of her thrillers and all have been 5 stars for me. This one may be my favorite yet! Major Get Out vibes. It sucks you in from the very first page and I never see her plot twists coming. Love her writing style and can't wait for whatever she comes out with next!!

Oh my goodness. This author is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller writers. She really has a way of writing that is really addictive and just all around amazing. I loved every part of this book.

This was a good book; however, I was expecting more. I enjoyed the journal entries, but honestly, I didn't care for Eve, even when we were able to read her inner thoughts. Those journal entries were supposed to make you sympathize with her, and in some ways, they did, based on her upbringing, but I still didn't like her and therefore didn't really care what happened to her. I was really excited for this book; however, I was a little disappointed.

3.5 overall!

This was definitely a twisty, page turner, summer thriller for sure! The short chapters absolutely made me fly through this book and why I finished it in two days. I really enjoyed the journal entries by Eve sprinkled throughout the story so you could get a glimpse into Eve’s thoughts and days leading up to her disappearance. I do wish there was kinda more from this story and the ending with the reason why was kinda meh.

Overall, this was definitely a fast paced, popcorn thriller that will be perfect to read pool side this summer!