Whispers of the Lake tells the story of investigative reporter Rose reeling from the end of her marriage. After a devastating betrayal, Rose is ready to move on from her soon to be ex husband and former best friend Eve. After learning that Eve has been non responsive for several days after checking into a North Carolina cottage, Rose decides to book a quiet getaway there herself to prove that Eve is just being her normal flaky, evasive, and irresponsible self.
As soon as Rose arrives in the quaint and small town, she feels an uneasiness and that she is extremely unwelcomed. It becomes clear that there is more that meets the eye in this place and maybe Eve was not ghosting everyone after all. A series of unfortunate mishaps begin after Rose begins to ask questions about her former friend and the last events taking place before she disappeared. What is everyone hiding? What happened while Eve was here?
This was a 4*read, thank you to Author Shanora Williams and Kensington for the E-Arc and the chance to review it!

Thank you Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an arc of Whispers of the Lake. This was a great, fast paced thriller that unfolded the way I like my thrillers and mystery books to do. The start of the book was kind of slow moving but the addition of the journal entries from Eve really helped move the story along as it gave a second POV but in a smart way. Rose was too good of a person and she is better person than me after what happened with Eve. Eve was hurt soul. She was done so wrong and I liked that Shanora made you sad and mad for her.
Great book! 3.75 stars.

With an ominous cover such as Whispers of the Lake, I was excited to see where this psychological thriller was going to take us.

Shanora Williams gives us Infidelity. Generational trauma. Toxicity. Friendships. Family. Crooked small town. And so much more in her latest fast-paced thriller told over a couple of days.
Rose is separated from her best friend, Eve because of some choices she has made that ultimately destroyed their friendship and Rose's marriage. But when Zoey, Eve's sister, asks Rose to help look for a radio silent Eve, Rose can't help but get involved. Clues lead her to a quiet cottage on a lake in Sage Hill where Eve was last seen. But the people there are hiding something and Rose can feel it.

Told completely from Rose's POV with excerpts of Eve's journal entries, we follow investigative reporter (and armchair detective) Rose as she slowly gathers clues to Eve's disappearance. The whole town and the inhabitants of Sage Hill gave me the creeps. But that was the whole point, right? Trust no one and the secrets they hold.

From the setting to the cast of characters, Williams set the tone for a page turning thriller. The chapters were short and gave us that sense of urgency while giving us "just enough" before giving us more. And including Eve's journal entries helped us to understand the troubled woman and her actions while giving us a few clues to follow. I had a hard time liking any of the Sage Hill community because I almost felt like everyone was guilty, but that made it all the more exciting. But then there's Rose. One fierce AF woman, but almost too trusting. I still was rooting for her.

With the twists, flawed characters and all the secrets and lies, and one heck of an action-filled ending, this book is completely bingeable and a perfect summer read.

ARC REVIEW
Shanora never lets me down. Even when I think there is no way I could love her next book more than the last, she seems to prove me wrong.

Whispers of the Lake is twisty thriller that had me guessing the entire time. Shanora knows what she is doing. Your mind will be going in so many directions trying to figure it out.

Rose is an investigative reporter, with a former best friend, Eve, that has gone missing and a marriage that is falling apart. Rose and Eve have not spoken in 3 months, after Eve completely broke their relationship with her unreversible actions. Rose wants absolutely nothing to do with Eve but also can't bring herself to ignore the fact that no one can get in touch with her. Not quite understanding why she cares as much as she does, she makes her way to Sage Hill to try and find out what kind of trouble her irresponsible, ex- best friend has gotten herself into. While there, she realizes that Eve's lack of contact may be more urgent and serious than she first thought.

In addition to blowing your mind as a psychological thriller, there is also a mental health aspect:
"Here's something people are aware of but will never fully accept. Hurt people really do hurt other people."

Eve has a traumatic history of abuse and unfortunately, this was the leading cause of her irresponsible, hurtful behavior throughout the story. Not that this can be used as an excuse for her actions, but I think it's important to keep it in mind when deciding how much you dislike her character while reading.

I highly recommend this one to all of the thriller lovers out there! Such a smooth, gripping and easy to keep up with read, told from Rose's perspective with inserts of Eve's digital journal entries. Get this one on your TBR!

Thank you, Shanora Williams, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

When her former best friend (it’s complicated), Eve, goes missing, and her last known location is an isolated cabin along a lake in a small town, investigative reporter Rose decides to do Eve’s little sister Zoey a favor and look into things. She rents the same cabin, expecting to find that Eve is merely taking a break from the world or looking for attention. But what she finds is something far more sinister.

The story is told in a linear fashion, from Rose’s POV, but is interspersed with Eve’s journal entries.

This was a super suspenseful story that really just keeps getting better the further you get into it. Rose isn’t one to give up investigating, so she really digs into the mystery and uncovers the cast of strange cast of characters that inhabit Sage Hill, the town the cabin borders. And let me tell you, they are freaking strange. That element really added to the creepy atmosphere and the overall mystery.

Not to mention Rose is a great character. She’s going through some tough times and seeing that journey and going through it with her is something that I enjoyed. She’s a “real” character, not a Mary Jane stereotype, which I liked. She’s was also a good friend, but realistic (you’ll see what I mean when you read the book).

The ending was really good. I didn’t see it coming, but it made total sense. I was completely satisfied with how things turned out. The author did a great job with everything.

Overall this was a great read that I really flew through. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good thriller full of twists and turns!

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.

ARC Received: NetGalley
Publication Date: June 24, 2025

I just finished Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams, and wow…it’s twisty, dramatic, and completely unhinged in the best way.
We follow Rose, an investigative reporter whose life is already falling apart when her ex-best friend suddenly disappears at a lakefront cottage. The kicker? That friend seriously betrayed her in the past, like, unforgivably.
Still, Rose can’t ignore her gut instinct, and the more she digs into the small town her friend vanished in… the weirder and more dangerous things get.
There’s corruption, secrets, shady locals, and some serious “don’t trust anyone” energy, and I was hooked.
But I’m also torn, because some of the choices made by these characters?? Wild. Messy. Morally gray. And I couldn’t stop reading.

Author: Shanora Williams

Genres: Romance/Thriller/Psychological Thriller/Horror

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary: Rose is an investigative reporter hoping to gain a promotion as senior reporter. However, after Rose finds out that her best friend, Eve, slept with her now ex-husband, she has abandoned their relationship for the last three months. The avoidance finally halts when Eve's sister reaches out to Rose with suspicions that something may have happened. Rose then begins to investigate the disappearance of Eve in this creepy town of Sage Hill. Is she really missing or is she just being attention-seeking like she always has?

Tropes and Themes: mental health, self-care, confidence, self-love, infidelity, true friendships, deception, secrets.

Character: I enjoyed the development of Rose. Although, she endured some challenging moments within her life such as infidelity, confidence and work/life balance, she began to really see her worth through all of her trials. She hadn't realized that she mimicked the strength of her mother that had passes away.

Thoughts: This is my fifth psychological thriller by Shanora, and she never ceases to amaze me at how well she writes. The book was written really well with a clear plot, strong character development when it comes to Rose. I watched Rose evolve in such a short time-from bitterness to empathetic-because at the end of the day, she knew that she was responsible for personal healing and growth. The characters were diverse in which her descriptive language allowed the reader to identify this element within the book. The book was medium paced, and Shanora knew exactly how to provide that thrilling and chilling factor within the book. She always provides historical context so that the readers are able to follow the plot.

There were some parts of the book that I enjoyed. My favorite part was when she was in the belly of the beast. She went into the killer's home before she discovered that he was the perpetrator. I was so heightened. I kept thinking "girl, get out of there." When she first arrived at the home, the wife asked that she put the gun outside, I knew something wasn't right!! At first, I thought his wife was his copilot, but I was sadly mistaken. Shanora knows exactly how to make her readers think that everyone is the killer. Again, another fantastic read.

That plot twist—wow! Rose is the kind of friend you never want to lose. Despite everything Eve put Rose through, she refused to give up until she got the truth. Honestly, I don’t know if I could’ve put my own hurt aside the way Rose did for someone who didn’t treat her like a true friend.

There was something deeply unsettling about the entire community hidden in the woods. This book was just the right amount of suspense to keep you turning pages. Another excellent read, packed with all the suspense, emotion, and dark twists that Shanora Williams always deliver.

“Take a breather in this cozy cottage on Lake Aquilla”

Thoughts:
This book was engaging and emotional!

I love how Shonara gave us a shocking revelation from the beginning because it had me invested! How do you even move on and navigate your life? How do you trust again?

Rose was resilient and wanted to solve this mystery to the very end, despite her strained friendship with Eve. The most emotional part for me was definitely the act of forgiveness. Forgiveness is such a huge thing and it was the most important part in Rose and Eve’s friendship. I really liked the journal entries throughout this story as it gave us more of an insight into Eve’s thought process and it brought more to this mystery.

Whilst reading I didn’t trust a single person. Everyone was a suspect and the town was just eerie inside out. When Rose was trying to get signal it was just stressing me out. I just wanted her to leave that place asap.

I was a little surprised by the twist, though it didn’t make me gasp out loud I thought it was good. I found the ending chaotic because it definitely had me sitting up.

Overall, I thought it was a good suspenseful mystery.

Thank you to Kensington publishing and NetGalley for this digital arc.

Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams Okay, let me just say, Whispers of the Lake is straight fire! It’s definitely in my top five favorites from Shanora Williams. Like, I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time—heart racing and all. You know those moments in horror movies where you want to scream at the characters not to do something? Yeah, that had me shouting, “No, girl, don’t open that door!” I mean, our main character just didn’t seem to get the memo, and I was practically pulling my hair out. Listening to folks ask questions and dig deeper into the mystery had me thinking, “Friend, just go home already! Get out!” It’s wild how for 98% of the book, you’re convinced you know exactly who’s guilty, and then there’s that last little twist that makes you rethink everything. Williams really knows how to keep you guessing! If you’re into suspenseful reads that’ll have you gripping the book tightly and yelling at the characters, e you’ve got to pick this one up. Just be ready to lose some sleep because you won’t want to put it down! Thanks for the ARC Shanora, Kensington Publishing and NetGalley.

Whispers Of The Lake is another spine chilling thriller from Shanora Williams that i was engrossed in from the beginning.

Rose is on a mission to find her erratic best friend Eve, even though they had a fall out Rose feels obligated to track her down.

Rose heads to the small town of Sage Hill with its peculiar residents and their secrets.
To find her friend she needs to befriend some of the locals to ask for their help.

I loved the suspense throughout the story, it kept me guessing. The characters were mysterious, secretive and intriguing. I wasn't sure who to trust or who to believe. It was thrilling trying to work out exactly what happened to Eve.
The twist was so good too, I didn't expect it.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams? 5 stars, no question.
This book is absolutely unputdownable. It’s the perfect blend of suspense, mystery, and romance, with a hauntingly beautiful setting that’ll have you turning pages late into the night. The lake, the small-town secrets, and the dark history—it all pulls you in so deep.

The characters are complex and layered, and the way the story unravels kept me on the edge of my seat. There are twists that genuinely shocked me, and moments that hit you right in the feels. I loved how it mixed tension and emotion so effortlessly.

5/5 stars. If you’re looking for a gripping, atmospheric thriller with romance and jaw-dropping twists, this is the one to pick up.




❤️shaye.readss

This had me at single POV!

I love a mystery/thriller with a single POV, and they aren't easy to come by. Following one character, Rose, for the duration of the story really allowed me to get into her head, her feelings, and her relationships. Fully knowing the characters always makes me much more invested in the mystery. The book has a heavy focus on female friendships and how those bonds can stretch, twist, bend and fray, but never fully break. Some of the drama was a little messy for my taste, and some of the sexual content a little reckless, but that's more of a me thing. If you like a mess, all the more reason to pick this up.

Overall, I think this is a great choice for those looking for something fun, fast and summery. It's not reinventing the wheel, but it does what it does well.

If Shanora can’t do anything else she can write. This was such a great page turner. The mystery and details were all there. This fast paced thriller will definitely keep you engaged. I couldn’t put the book down. Rose needs to put PI in her title as well. With all the negative that came from her bff she put the hurt to the side to find out the truth. Can’t say I would have done the same. Loved the twist at the end Eddie played his part. With all the commotion at the end I am not sure if he was alive or dead, but much like everything he deserved what’s happened to him. Even I was about ready to jump in and help. If you haven’t tried one of her book idk what you’re waiting one.

This was such an interesting suspense book to read!

There were so many unlikable characters and yet I NEEEEEDED to know what happened to who and where and why.

I did not see the twist (I thought it was gonna be someone else LOL) and the complexity of emotions that all the characters go through? Intense.

There’s so many things that trauma victims and abuse victims go through and this book shows that… sometimes they don’t make it out on the other side. It shows the rawness and the realness of it.

I enjoyed that this tackled some heavy subjects and tackled them in depth! I enjoyed this overall!

One thing about Shanora is she’s going to have her readers HOOKED. Well written and a page turner. If you like mystery/thrillers, read it! Also check out her other books!

rose howard's life is falling apart. her marriage has just ended, and she’s been deeply betrayed by her best friend, eve. a few months ago, she cut ties with her, but when eve goes missing, rose feels the need to search for her.
arriving in the small town of sage hill, rose learns that eve disappeared without her purse or passport, even though she had apparently planned a trip abroad. the townspeople seem strange, and rose can't shake the feeling that they're hiding something. as she digs deeper, rose stumbles upon eve's journal, uncovering some shocking truths.

i think i was expecting something creepier and more twisty, and ultimately, i was left disappointed. the premise was really good - i love thrillers about missing people, but this one kind of fell flat to me. i still enjoyed diving into the mystery of what happened to eve, though. it was a really quick read.
i particularly liked the writing style and how fast-paced it was.

the main character - rose really pissed me off at times, as the decisions she kept making were terrible. she could've avoided many of the situations she got herself into. basically, she had the potential to be the main character in a horror movie. she was like, "oh my god, it's so dangerous, i probably shouldn't go there... but you know what? i WILL lol."  #yolo
all the clichés were there - no phone signal, almost getting caught while hiding, tripping while running.
i do appreciate her determination though, despite the shitty things eve has done to her. i guess 13 years of friendship will do that.

i couldn't really connect to eve either. i found her unlikeable and annoying. i'm not sure how to feel about her journal entries. even with the context of her past, which kinda made me want to sympathize with her since she had no control over her life but still, i didn't. she didn't care who she hurt along the way and was really self-absorbed.

to sum up - it was a super quick and enjoyable read - just don't expect anything spectacular. the mc-in-a-horror-movie cliché made it super bingeable for me. even though it was frustrating at times - i didn't really take it seriously, so that was just a fun, popcorn thriller.
i liked the ending of this book and i'm hoping to read more of shanora's work. i believe her other thrillers might be better than this one.



*thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

This was a good read. I did feel it was a little slow getting started.

I was a little hesitant about some of the characters because I felt like there wasn't a sense of urgency on some of the characters. But, all in all I enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC for my honest review!

#NetGalley #WhispersOfTheLake #ShanoraWilliams

"Oh My Godfrey"!!!

One look at the cover and the fact that my fave author wrote it, my heart pounded & pulse raced when I started it, and it was EVERYTHING!!
What. A. Ride this complex story took me on. Vast spectrum of emotions scattered like clues on the pages. My task to piece them together, like investigative reporter for Premier Daily, Rose Gibson. Her EX best friend, eve castillo has gone missing. We're both now on the case.

"All I know is no matter how hard Karma hits me, I’m ready for her.
Whatever she gives me, I’ll probably deserve it. "

Here's the conundrum. Her one time bestie is now her sworn enemy...for good reason. Succumbing to the compassionate heart, she traces Eve's footsteps back to Sage Hill, North Carolina in lake Aquila Cottage- Twilight Oaks.
I loved Rose, but was super intrigued and fascinated by warped morality owner Eve. Her layers upon layers were incredible, not completely evil or vixen, she has dark grey shaded personality. Almost shallow and selfish, she emerges as a girl drowning with hands up to call for help or clutch a lifeline.

"The sad thing is, I’m not afraid of Lincoln. Yes, he hits me. Yes, he’s abusive. But I’m not afraid. Maybe that’s why I keep going back. No one can protect and hurt me like he can. The pain and pleasure are a powerful combination. "

Being a social media influencer, her abused psyche hunts for likes, & followers just to fill the empty hole hole in her soul forever craving for love. comparing herself to Rose, she wants Rose's life, career, family. It's a slippery mental slope, playing with danger comes on its heels. Anything for the climbing popularity
Side characters lend a helping hand in darkening the swirling cloud of mystery. Reed Brothers, sheriff uncle, neighbours of aging couple and a wholesome family...all are suspect at one point or the other.

"This was bigger than me. A monster with so many heads that just kept growing more. "

The buildup to the vanished mystery is Amazing. shanora's tight grip on the plot, slick narrative keeps the story taut lije a tightly wound string. You can feel the tension, heart jumping at every tiny noise of twig breaking, footsteps following and silhouettes running past windows.
I swear my hair stood on end in every chapter. I could even hear the ominous music playing in the background. To say my heart was in my mouth, is an understement. It pounded hard at every twist and turn, almost ready to jump out of my chest. All my predictions and deciphers were WRONG!
Did. Not. See. The. Villain. Coming!!!!

As far as psychological, crime thrillers go..this one is Top Notch
If you like heart hammering, racy crime dramas, this book is a Must Read
5 ominous stars for Poser Girl
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