Just finished my first read by this author, and let’s just say... I was left wanting more! 😕 The juicy setup—an investigative reporter’s husband cheating with her best friend—had me hooked! 💔📖

But then came the trip to the lake and the diary entries… 📖✨ The friend's disappearance added suspense, but honestly, the twists felt more like fluff, cluttering an otherwise intriguing plot. Was the town sheriff guilty or just good at looking shady? 🤔👮‍♂️

Overall, I was hoping for a tighter story with fewer loose ends.

I’m a big fan of Shanora Williams’ thrillers and this one did not disappoint. Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat and the journal entries from Eve sprinkled in the book were a nice touch! I can tell you Rose had a heart of gold going the distance to see about Eve. I love the suspense she provided and I felt like I was right there with Rose trying to figure stuff out. The ending gagged me! I had been in a thriller slump but this one got me right out lol! Definitely check this one out!

Great read! First read from this author. This book makes me want to read more from this author. Kept my attention and interest until the end.

3.5 stars. This is my 3rd book by Shanora and she definitely gives us binge worthy stories that are easy to devour. I enjoyed the storyline a lot, having a friend search for her best friend who she hasn’t talked to in months. And for good reason. Each chapter left us on a cliffhanger that made it easy to keep going. I will say the beginning started off a bit slow for me, but it definitely picked up later in the book. Not to mention the thriller has some juicy tea in it. I was not expecting that, but it was greatly appreciated. Overall, solid thriller to devour in a day.

I felt this was very Cliche. I wasn't invested in the story as much as I hoped I would be.

The characters were unlikeable. I think the one thing that bothered me THE MOST was the constant use of how her husband cheated on her with her best friend. It was like every chapter she was reliving it. I just grew tired of it.

Overall this was an average read for me. Nothing spectacular.

Thank you to NetGalley, Shanora Williams and Kensington Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I want to start by saying I really enjoy reading Shanora Williams thrillers. They are always very fast paced, thrilling, twisty and the short chapters are definitely a plus. This particular book on the other hand, was an okay read. It kept my interest in the beginning but as I continued reading, I started to lose interest. I was not a fan of any of the characters which is rare because I usually like at least one.

I would say that I continued reading because I genuinely wanted to know what happened to Eve, but once I found out who killed her and how she died I was not really surprised.

If you want to read a book that is not filled with twist and turns and just a straight forward thriller then I definitely recommend. Although I have personally read way better from this author, I still thought this book was okay.

Right off the bat I want to remind my readers that I received an Advanced Copy of this novel so the things that I am going to start off with may well have been corrected (and I hope they are) by the time this novel is released to the public. That being said.

Can authors/editors please start keeping track of the details that they put into their books so that they aren't constantly changing? There were two glaring inconsistencies that I noticed with this novel. To begin with when Rose first comes to the cabin on the lake she notes that there is a TV and a full-sized bed in the second bedroom. It would appear that this is the only bedroom in the house as it is distinctly mentioned that there isn't one in the living room. Only in one of Eve's journal entries it is expressly stated that she is sitting in the living room watching television. There was also the many (many) times Rose complained about their being absolutely no cell phone reception (and barely any wifi) inside the home and yet later on she is laying on the couch scrolling Eve's instagram. There was also another instance where Rose is at a hotel and realizes she needs gas for her car. The person with her says that they will "follow her" to "the closest gas station" only to go directly across the street from the hotel? Where she then evidentially leaves her car parked at the gas pumps so she can hop in her friends car to follow someone else? Or the time when Rose sees Eve's backup laptop but can't get into it because she doesn't know the password, then later on in the story suddenly knows it? I mean sure Eve's sister Zoey could have told her, but we were never told that so for me it was just one more instance of details changing without reason. Again, these are things that have hopefully been fixed before publication, but I have been asked to review the novel that I was given and I pride myself on pointing out things like this whether its in an advanced copy, or a book that has been out for years.

ALL OF THAT ASIDE, LET'S GET INTO THE STORY SHALL WE?

I thought that the premise of this one was interesting, although I cannot for the life of me understand why Rose just wasn't honest with everyone about the reason for her falling out with Eve, much less why she would drop everything (including the deadline for an article that she knew would help her career) to go chasing after someone she herself called "obnoxious, reckless & attention-seeking." In fact, in my opinion she went above and beyond for someone who had betrayed her often time engaging in that same reckless behavior that she accused Eve of having. Why else would she flee a place in the interest of her "safety" only to not only return, but to then engage in openly stupid behaviors while there?

And don't get me started on Eve. I simply did not like her. At first her journal entries made me want to sympathize with her, as she had a rough upbringing. And some things that happened were out of her control. But then after that? Yeah no. I found myself just not caring what happened to her whatsoever. I didn't even care if she was dead.

On the other side of things, this was a fairly straightforward you kind of know who is guilty and who isn't from the start (even if there are a couple good red herrings thrown in) as well as one twist that might be surprising if you didn't read so many thriller novels that you kind of expected it. I do think this novel will do well with others who like the genre, and I would definitely check out this author again.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Another hit from Ms. Williams! This book was so thrilling! Throughout the story I was screaming at my kindle, talking to myself outloud, and having full on debates with myself. Lol. The ending definitely surprised me, I was suspecting someone else. This entire book was captivating and thought-provoking and had me on the edge of my seat. Very well done!

Shanora just has my entire heart. I will literally read anything she writes and know I will have a good time. I love how fast paced this was, while simultaneously having a good build up. At the end of each chapter, I kept telling myself I would "only read one more chapter" but I found myself not able to stop at times.

Rose is trying to find her best friend (Eve) who went missing unexpectedly. They aren't really on the best of terms so it's really hard for Rose to put a lot of effort into the investigation and she almost seems annoyed to do so. Rose is still close to Eve's younger sister, who is worried about Eve, so she decides she will fully investigate what is going on. Now you're basically following her journey of figuring out what is going on and where Eve is. I thought it was bingeable, quick, and entertaining.

Thank you to Shanora, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the eARC.

What would you do if your former best friend went missing? Would you try and understand the clues left for you or unfollow her for good? Rose Howard has been through enough. While she is waiting for her ex-husband to sign the divorce papers her former best friend's little sister reaches out and says she hasn't heard from Eve in days. Eve Castillo is a travel vlogger and unreliable at best. However, her social media hasn't been updated and she won't pick up the phone thats usually glued to her ear. Out of a feeling of duty Rose books a couple nights at the cabin Eve was last seen at. While the lake is picture perfect, the water holds some dark secrets...

Williams wrote the perfect vacation mystery with a fast paced storyline and unique characters. I was totally wrapped up in the complex history of Eve and Rose's friendship as well as the secrets inside the cabin. Williams is able to write scenes that are easy to visualize and I felt as though I was watching dateline snuggled up on my couch!

Rose Howard is an investigative reporter and even though her best friend betrayed her. Rose is still worried when Eve goes missing and promises Zoey she will find out what happened to eve. I just didn't like Rose or Eve. Rose because she was too nice to be true and just unrelatable. I think anybody else would have ended a relationship with Eve and never looked back. This alone made me want to toss the book against a wall and stop reading.

She knows Eve was last at a remote cabin so she books the same place. Rose files a missing person for Eve but the local police are very little help. Eve was a self centered, self absorbed, out for herself and didn't care who she hurt along the way which made me not care that she was missing.

Oh Shanora, you’ve done it again! I believe this is the fourth book I’ve read by this author, and once again, she took me on a twisty, messy, entertaining ride. I was lucky to receive this ARC from NetGalley, and I could not put it down. Full of my favorites in thrillers: toxic friendships, an isolated setting, and lots of unease and tension. 4 ⭐️

Shanora Williams’ thriller/suspense books have the best kind of Lifetime Movie energy, and Whispers of the Lake sticks to that winning formula. This book was an all gas, no brakes ride that had me gasping, scratching my head, and clutching my pearls—sometimes all at once.

A wildly fun, twisty read that kept me hooked from start to finish!

#WhispersoftheLake #NetGalley

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Shanora is going to do what shanora is going to do every time. Her thrillers pull you in from the beginning with the messy goodness we all love. A page turner indeed. But when that plot twist hits...

Wow

Shanora Williams does it again. The queen of thrillers is back. This book did not disappoint, you need to pick it up!

Whispers of The Lake by @reallyshanora
This book will be published on June 24 2025. Thank you @netgalley for this ARC copy.

Whispers of The Lake is a riveting mystery novel that shines with a twisted plot with a pinch of horror air, alluring readers with a dash of salt and pepper kinda mixed feelings. It challenges questions about ethical thinking, something beyond the imagination, its' story line is compassionate exploration of mental health, childhood trauma, asking forgiveness for a betrayal that no one would be capable of forgetting. Shanora Williams narrated this with utmost care and love, a love that will melt your heart, moist your eyes with infused pain for a character that is normally we thought above of all forgiveness but ended up with molten tenderness.

Would you go on hunt for a disappeared friend who betrayed you in a most pathetic way? Maybe you won't but Rose did. This book is narrated by Rose, she is desperately searching for her childhood friend Eve who is missing from a lake front cottage.
Eve Castillo, isn't responding to attempts to contact her at the North Carolina cottage she's reviewing.

Rose soon discovers that Eve has vanished without her purse and passport—even after booking a trip abroad. The personable cabin owners’ accounts of Eve's stay just don’t add up, and most of the town's initially hospitable inhabitants become increasingly less helpful, and after Eve breaks the ultimate ethical friendship code and crosses boundaries to the point of no return, Rose wants nothing to do with her. Still, Rose heads to the small town of Sage Hill.

The narration combined with two perspectives, one is Rose telling us about her day to day life and another is Eve's diary, both narration goes hand in hand swiftly towards the unimaginable ending, it makes me guessing till the last.

Shanora creates twists at the every right corner in the plot making it a gripping story and the eerie atmospheric depiction icing the cake. Psychological background makes the characters grounded, more human and vivid to readers.

Rating 4/5⭐

Whew! This was a wild ride I couldn't put this book down and the short chapters made it so easy to fly through the book. Each chapter left me wanting to know what would happen next. I loved the twist in this one.

All I can say is Rose is better than me because I'm not sure I'd go out looking for my bestfriend after that kind of betrayal.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review. This is the first book by Shanora Williams that I have read. Whispers of the Lake wasn’t my favorite. It was a fast read and held my attention at times but ultimately I did not have a connection to Eve, or care what happened to her.

A best friend's betrayal and you need to save them? Small town vibes? Yes please! I feel this book, if it is like the others that Shanora Williams writes, has convinced me to read more from Williams. The pacing was fast and there were twists and turns along the way! I also have to mention that her character development is pretty fabulous. I did not like the FMC, Eve, however, as the story progresses, we see Eve changing for the better, and she becomes a lot more realistic and likable. This takes work from an author for me to go from despising a character to loving them. Such an amazing thriller!

If you were betrayed by your best friend in the worse way, and then they went missing would you search for them?

Rose, a Charlotte journalist finds herself in this exact predicament when her long term but now ex-best friend Eve disappears with a trace after renting a lake house. Despite their past Rose is drawn into this mystery and even with danger lurking will stop at nothing to find Eve, but will she die before reaching the truth.

I enjoyed the mix of journal entries and action as Rose pieces together the story while also simultaneously battling mixed emotions when it comes to Eve. Honestly I would have whooped everybody’s tail but Rose is a better woman. That’s probably the problem. As things escalate she goes a little off the rails and even with a detailed explanation I couldn’t come to terms with her actions as we reached the climax. Nonetheless this was fast paced and I finished it quickly.

This is my third read by this author (see my previous posts on The Wife Before and The Perfect Ruin) and I enjoyed it just as much as those reads. Whispers of the Lake will be available June 24th and I’d like to thank Netgalley, Kensington Publishing, and Shanora Williams for this ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review.