I already knew this book was going to be good because I love everything Shanora writes, but this one went way beyond what I expected.
I started it on a Saturday night thinking I’d just read a few chapters before bed, but I was so into it I couldn’t stop. I ended up binge reading the whole book that night and woke up the next morning still thinking about it.

I really loved Rose, even though she had me stressed out the entire time. She made some questionable choices, sure, but her determination and need to get to the truth had me rooting for her. Her loyalty just made her even more likable.

The way the story played out was so good. The pacing was fast, and the short chapters made it easy to keep reading “just one more.” I liked the variety of characters and the plot kept me guessing. I had a few theories, but the twist still caught me completely off guard. I also loved how the flashbacks and journal entries gave us a peek into Eve’s mind—it added so much to the story.

I’d highly recommend this one, and honestly, I might even reread it before it officially comes out. That’s how much I enjoyed it.

Shanora Williams delivers a suspenseful and atmospheric read with *Whispers at the Lake*, blending mystery, family drama, and a touch of the supernatural into a compelling story. From the very first page, the eerie setting of the lake pulls you in, creating an immersive backdrop that keeps the tension high throughout the novel I just wish this were consistent feel throughout the rest of the book as I did not always feel like I was reading a suspenseful story. The MCs journey is layered with grief, secrets, and self-discovery, making her struggles feel real and relatable. The relationships—especially the complex family dynamics—are written with nuance, adding depth beyond the mystery itself.

The pacing is steady, with just the right balance of slow-burning suspense and attempts at shocking twists. Williams knows how to plant subtle clues and unravel secrets at the perfect moments, keeping the reader engaged without feeling overwhelmed.

While the mystery unfolds predictably at times, the journey is still an enjoyable one.

⭐️ 3.5/5

5 Stars – Gripping and impossible to put down!

Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams is a captivating blend of mystery and a hint of spice/ romance. The story follows Rose, whose marriage is falling apart just as her ex-best friend goes missing—cue the suspense! The short chapters and unexpected twists had me completely hooked; I honestly couldn’t put it down.

I’m forever a fan of Shanora’s writing style—it’s so engaging and vivid, you can easily picture every scene and connect with the characters.

If you're into thriller/suspense with a touch of emotion, this one’s a must-read. Highly recommend!

I enjoyed this read. The twists weren’t necessarily ‘jaw-dropping’ but still a good read! One thing I did pick up on was the lack of spelling and grammar issues, which I’ve noticed are more common I. ARCs. I don’t recall a single error in this book which made for an easier read.

Whispers of the Lake had me hooked from the start. Rose is a relatable protagonist—flawed, driven, and quietly unraveling under the pressure of a crumbling marriage and career ambition. When her former best friend Eve goes missing in a picturesque North Carolina town, what starts as a reluctant check-in spirals into a layered mystery full of shady locals, buried secrets, and growing danger.

The setting in Sage Hill is perfectly eerie, with that creeping, small-town paranoia that makes you question everyone. The plot moves at a solid pace, with just enough red herrings to keep things interesting without going off the rails.

That said, I found myself frustrated near the end. Without spoiling anything, there’s a moment where the narrative seems to start shifting blame onto the victim in a way that didn’t sit right. After investing in the stakes and emotional weight of Eve’s disappearance, that tonal shift felt jarring and a bit unfair.

Still, this is a compelling mystery with a sharp lead and strong atmosphere. If you're into stories about friendship gone wrong, small-town secrets, and the kind of tension that makes you double-check locked doors, this one's worth the read—just be ready for a slightly bumpy landing.
**Rounded up from 3.5 stars**

Rose is miserable – she isn’t getting the promotion she deserves, she has separated from her husband as she caught him cheating and she has ended her long friendship with her best friend, Eve, as she was the one who her husband cheated with. While she is yet to come to terms with the troubles of her life, she gets a worried call from her now-estranged best friend’s sister that Eve has gone AWOL. Thus starts Rose’s chase as she tries to trace Eve’s steps to figure out where she is. Eve was last seen in a cottage by the lake and hence the name of the book.

The book is labeled as a mystery thriller, but this book is much more than that. Williams masterfully weaves themes of marriage, friendship, and deception. Rose’s character is so well portrayed – I seethed in rage as she overhears her colleagues bitch about her in the toilet, I cried with her when she catches her husband cheating with her best friend, struggled with conflicting emotions when Eve goes missing.

Though Eve is the missing person, Williams weaves such a different perspective that I found myself feeling sorry for her. Without spoiling the book, even some of the side characters are so well written, that I wanted to know more about them – their past life, what motivates them and why they behave the way they do. The character development takes a backseat as the story picks up pace, which is reasonable. Given how complex and layered her characters are in this book, I hope Shanora Williams writes a literary fiction with Rose and Eve’s characters.

“Whispers of the Lake” is a gripping thriller that will captivate fans of suspense and mystery. With its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and unexpected twists, it is a must-read for anyone seeking a thrilling page-turner.

If you love messy friendships, shady small towns, and psychological thrillers that keep you guessing until the last page, then Whispers of the Lake is it! Shanora Williams nails the tension and drama with these the characters who are layered with secrets. I was hooked and stressed the whole time. I also loved that it was a quick read that I devoured in one sitting!

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

I've been wanting to read a book by this author. I had recently checked one of her earlier books from the library but had not read it yet. When I saw a new book is due out in June, 2025, I was excited to read this latest selection first!

I was not disappointed! I would put this book in the category of suspense. If you are a fan of Lifetime movies, I think you would enjoy this book also.
The main character, Rose is having it rough lately, her marriage is falling apart, and then her former best friend, Eve goes missing- or is she really missing? Although Eve may be a former friend, she still feels the need to find out what happened, and if something did, who is responsible. The search for an answer takes her to a town where not everyone is trying to be helpful, and a setting on a lake with a dark forest makes the search even scarier.
This is not a scary book, but I have to admit the setting makes for an eerie feel! I enjoyed the mid-pace of drawing out what happened. I did not see the ending coming, which I love in a book.
This is a quick enjoyable read that I would recommend to fans of the is author, or fans of suspense novels.

A quick read with an intriguing premise; but the execution fell flat for me. I didn’t feel “connected” to any of the characters, so while I wanted to know WHAT happened to Eve, I didn’t really care to know the WHY. She was far from a good person, but the victim-blaming comments at the end of the book didn’t sit well with me.
An “average” read, overall.

This book was amazing . I was sucked in from the first chapter with so many questions that were answered in the most twisted way possible.

Shanora has done it again, the author of The wife before" and "The other mistress". Whispers of the lake grabs you and doesn't let you go. You take this journey with Rose to find her ex best friend who has gone missing.out. We find out how far will Rose go to find the truth. This thriller was fast paced with twists and turned that will have you on the edge of your seat.And you'll never guess the ending. I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend.

Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams is a gripping, five-star thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Full of suspense and unexpected twists, this is one of those books you simply can’t put down. Every time I thought I had figured out what would happen next, the story took another turn and proved me wrong—in the best way. Williams masterfully explores themes of past trauma, jealousy, infidelity, and the complexities of difficult friendships. These emotional layers add real depth to the suspense, making the story thrilling. With compelling characters and a plot that keeps you guessing, Whispers of the Lake absolutely delivers. If you’re looking for a smart, suspenseful read that keeps you on edge and makes you think, this one won’t disappoint.

Omg where do I start! If you like a book that has you guessing who dunnit then this is the book for you. I thought my suspect was the right one the whole time. That plot twist was something else. Ms. Shanora is amazing.

Thank you for the ARC!

I would definitely recommend this book. Although I am not a seasoned thriller reader (yet), I am slowly starting to appreciate the genre. This book by Ms. Williams is a psychological thriller, which means it focuses on the complex mental states of the characters and events that could happen in real life, more so than a traditional thriller. The content of this genre is very well described in this book.

The main characters, Eve and Rose, both possess qualities that I found difficult to connect with. Their pasts have a great influence on their current lives. Although they may be somewhat aware of this, they still live under the weight of their traumas, which affects both themselves and others. There seems to be a lack of willpower and discipline to change, as if they are operating on autopilot. About a third of the way through the book, I had a hard time tolerating Eve and Rose. Eve's recklessness caused pain for others, and Rose's weakness led her to constantly reach out to others, while simultaneously putting her own priorities aside.

However, about halfway through the book, I began to calm down. I realized that change is not always easy and that, like many of us, I have habits I would like to break. Our behavior is shaped by both our DNA and upbringing, which sometimes continues well into adulthood.

By the end of the book, I felt a sense of relief with the revelation of the conclusion of the story. The characters seemed to face the consequences of their actions, and some were hopefully even able to make more conscious, different choices. It got me thinking: Who should I banish from my life? What habits should I drastically break? Who should I forgive, even if it means the relationship with that person is over forever? Is there an underlying jealousy or entitlement that I should address?

As for the potential perpetrators, the story was written quickly and realistically. The circle of suspects was relatively small. As is often the case, the most obvious suspects were not the perpetrators, and the twist revealed the true culprit. The storyline had a gradual build of suspense from about halfway through, with the revelation unfolding towards the end.

The addition of the romance between Rose and Jayson provided a nice balance, lightening the mood just enough to temporarily take the psychological weight off the story.

In conclusion, this was a compelling psychological thriller with a strong focus on character development and the consequences of past actions. Ms. Williams crafts a gripping and thought-provoking story that I would highly recommend. I absolutely loved the cover of the book—it perfectly captured the essence of the story, especially since it revolved so much around the little house by the lake. I'm already looking forward to reading more psychological thrillers with maybe a fictional twist, dark and strong characters.

This fast-paced psychological thriller had me completely immersed, intrigued, and excited by the end. The duration felt just right, leaving a sweet aftertaste of sharing this short life together with the main characters.

The dialogues, feelings of the characters, and the surroundings all felt natural. However, I had a lingering impression that I’ve been watching a typical horror movie that has the main characters enter dark rooms even though it's scary, they're alone, and something strange happens around them. Rose ignored her friends and the police and continued to come to the crime scene, which was clearly risky for her too.
But. Usually I don’t get stuck on these moments and let myself be naive, so I just enjoy the book.

What makes Shanora Williams' book stand out is the psychological line she adds to it: how Eve's past, her traumatic childhood, explains her actions and how it shapes her personality. It's possible in real life that someone's childhood was terrible and could have a negative influence on their future. This realization was truly chilling.

I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC!

This book literally had me on the EDGE of my seat the entire time ! I just had to know what was going to happen and what would be revealed. This is definitely a page turner!

First things first , I want to say I did NOT see that twist coming. I spent the whole book guessing, thinking by the end of the big reveal I’d have it all figured and was nowhere near correct . This thriller literally kept me on my toes the entire time and still left me shocked by the end.

This story follows Rose who is coming to terms with heartbreak and loss by both her husband and bestfriend committing the ultimate act of betrayal against her . Rose tries to move on and pick up the broken pieces of her life but her best friend Eve has a way of taking up space in it no matter if Rose wants her to or not. Eve’s little sister contacts Rose concerned about the whereabouts of her older sister, since she hadn’t heard from her in a while and it wasn’t normal for Eve not to respond to her calls. Which leaves a reluctant Rose to travel to a small town to uncover truths that might just cost her to disappear along with her ex-bestfriend .

This book is so good and so engaging . You will not be able to put it down !

This was an easy read and a page turner. I wanted to know what happened to Eve. I would recommend to others. But it didn’t connect with me to be a really good story.

There were no huge twists for me during this book. The end had more things happening while the beginning and middle of the story was just letting the plot unfold slowly. Some earlier shocks or twists in the book might have made it better.

I’m convinced Shanora Williams cannot write a bad book!!! Her writing style is so addictive & the relationships she portrays in her stories are always really beautiful!

Thank you so so much to Shanora Williams, Kensington Publishing, & NetGalley for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!!☺️

I would like to start off by saying Shanora Williams is an auto buy author for me, when it comes to her thrillers. I’m not a “cozy” thriller type of girl I don’t really care for slow thrillers. Williams thrillers are very much fast paced, keeps me locked in from the beginning to end, and she always has a crazy plot twist. So my opinion maybe a little biased.

Let’s get into the book. Although this was giving cozy thriller vibes, because the setting takes place on a small town at a cottage. It was still fast paced. We are following Eve who fell out with her best friend over something most of us women would not be able to accept. She completely cut off her best friend and her marriage with her husband is rocky. In the midst of this, she is also fighting for senior position with her job, as one of the best investigative reporters. As she is working on one piece, she now has another story unfolding. A missing persons case of her ex best friend.

Like I said Shanora can do no wrong for me when it comes to thrillers. It’s always exactly what I need when I want a good thriller to read. That’s also very entertaining, not filled with too much pointless info. She never disappoints. I’ve read all of her thrillers so far. When I seen this was coming out, very much excited. Even more excitement when I got approved for the ARC. So, yes go read it when it comes out. Releasing June 24, 2025

Side note: although Jayson had a small cameo, I really liked him 😌 he would make a great romance novel 🤌🏾