You know you think you really know whats happening in a book and bam its the total opposite. Yeap had me going and got hooked . Whispers Of The Lake by Shanora Williams was definitely good.

In true Shanora fashion, Whispers of the Lake was absolutely amazing!!

This psychological thriller had everything I crave in a good mystery: lies, deeply flawed characters, small-town secrets, and jaw-dropping betrayals. From the very first page, there's an eerie tension that grabs you and refuses to let go. This is the definition of a page-turner.

The story follows Rose, our determined (and sometimes reckless!) FMC, who dives headfirst into the disappearance of her ex-best friend, Eve. And let me tell you—there were so many moments I was internally screaming at Rose to just go home! But of course, our girl was on a mission, and she was not backing down.

Every time I thought I had the mystery figured out, Shanora hit me with another twist. And just when I was sure I knew what had happened—I got to the end and realized I was completely wrong. I loved it.

If you enjoy chilling thrillers that keep you up late into the night saying “just one more chapter,” Whispers of the Lake needs to be on your TBR. A chilling, twisty ride from beginning to end!

Yes yes yes! Shanora definitely knows how to write a good thriller book that will have you turning the page! Whispers of the lake had me hooked from the beginning. I really enjoyed the suspense, the thrill, the excitement I felt reading Eve’s journal. I was really feeling for her just through her emotions and thoughts. She was really a person who needed some real guidance. She was dealing with trauma and abuse from her childhood that really affected her adult life especially with men. Eve was dealing with some real issues.
Rose is a good person. When you’re a good person, it’s hard to turn your back on a friend even if they did you super dirty. Sometimes we have to be the bigger person. Rose was the bigger person. She went looking for her “missing” friend at the small town on a lake. Uncovering more and more secretes. The book just kept with the twist and turns. I thought I knew what was going to happen then all of sudden something else happens.

Let’s talk about Jayson for a moment. His softness and presence was smooth! I liked his character. He was gentle with Rose. This is a thriller but I love the romance between him and Rose. She deserves a good man after her husband hot mess situation.

Overall it was a really intense thriller that will have you on the edge. It’s a good paced. Definitely recommend the audio version. I felt like a private detective while reading this book. I was so invested to see what happen to Eve.
Thank you for the advance copy!

Whispers of the Lake had me hooked from the very beginning Such a fast-paced thriller, I could barely put it down. I loved learning about Rose and Eve's friendship and even Eve’s character. Those journal entries really gave me insights into why she did the things she did. The ending was a complete surprise, which always makes a book a winner in my opinion Thank you to Shanora Williams, Kensington, and Netgalley for the Advanced copy in exchange for my honest review releases June 24th 2025.

✨ARC REVIEW✨

4.5 ⭐️’s


Thank you to Shanora Williams for letting me be apart of your arc team and receiving this book early!!!

This book had me hooked from beginning to end, I don’t typically read psychological thrillers but after this I will definitely be looking in to more!!!

Rose who is our FMC when we meet her we find out she is going through a divorce because she found out her husband cheated on her and with her best friend no less. Obviously she cuts both off them out of her life and for good reason!

Cut to a few months later and Eve who is her best friend has gone missing, so to calm down Eve’s little sister Rose goes and looks for her! Which honestly she is better than me because I wouldn’t have even cared where she went.

In looking for her she goes to this small town, which creeped me out the moment she drove in to town! There is so much that happens and I don’t want to spoil! All I will say is with Rose being a journalist I think those instincts saved her but also put her in a lot of situations that she shouldn’t have been in.

All in all I thought this was a great read and I honestly had no idea who the killer was so the reveal definitely shocked me!!

Please check this book out when it releases on June 24th!!!

This is a fast pacing gripping story.
Lots of twists and turns. I was on the edge of my seat several times.
Rose, the MFC, has been hurt and crushed by the two closest people to her.
She is now more focused on her job. Being an investigative reporter.
But when her best friend goes missing she takes it’s upon herself to find her.
Some of Rose’s actions and decisions had me shaking my head.
But I guess that’s the investigator in her.
The story is action packed and there is always something going on.
The writing is fantastic! Ms. Williams fills the pages with mystery and a guessing game of whodunnit.
Just when I think I have things figured out. Well the author pulls the wool over my eyes.
My guesses and hunches were a dud. The unpredictability of the story had me hooked and captivated.
I enjoyed the story and could not stop reading until the mystery was revealed and solved.

This story was gripping from the first page to the last!

Investigative journalist, Rose Howard, is going through some trying times. Her marriage has recently fallen apart and she and her best friend, Eve Castillo have suffered a serious falling out. But when Eve’s sister contacts Rose to see if she’s heard from her estranged friend, Rose jumps into action. Eve is a wanderer but it’s not like her to not contact her sister or friends. The last place she was known to be was a cute little cabin in picturesque Sage Hill. Rose rents the same cabin to try to find clues to Eve’s whereabouts. But while the people of Sage Hill appear to be personable, they aren’t talking. And when Rose discovers Eve’s purse was left behind with her passport inside, she knows that she’s close. But where is Eve? The answers might be darker than anyone could have imagined and to continue searching could be dangerous for Rose.

I love Shanora Williams books, her storylines and characters captivate me. This is a short novel but packed full of suspense, perfect for a summer afternoon read.

Thank you Netgalley, Kensington Publishing, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on June 24, 2025

This was an overall very solid suspense/thriller. The setting gives off the perfect creepy vibes and keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what's lurking around every corner. Rose was really going through it, and it really propelled the mental health rep, which I thought was done reasonably well. The narrative between Rose and Evie is a good example of what happens when you hold a grudge and don't look to handle it until it is too late. I enjoyed the POV from Evie's journal and how they added a layer to the overall mystery. The ending did not totally sell me, but I did enjoy this story regardless.

Whispers of the Lake was a quick, easy read with a few thrilling moments and just enough red herrings to keep you guessing. I didn’t really connect with the characters or feel emotionally invested in the story, but the last 30 minutes definitely picked up the pace. If you're looking for a fast-paced mystery with some twists, this one might do the trick, even if it doesn't leave a lasting impression.

Ok so, this one grabbed me from the jump. Whispers of the Lake is creepy, slightly emotional, and the suspense? Top tier. Shanora really built tension that creeps up on you and won’t let go. I stayed up way too late flipping through epages pages, needing to know what was what.

I didn’t know who to trust but I loved every second of it. And I’m still thinking about the ending. If you’re into books that get under your skin and don’t let up, add this to your list ASAP.

Thank you @netgalley and @kensingtonpublishing so much for this e-arc! This was a solid mystery-thriller book. Although this book is told from Rose’s POV, I found her to be an ok character, except for in the beginning of the book, where she showed a fiery spirit (I wish she could’ve had this spirit throughout the entirety of the book), which made her interesting. Honestly, as a reader, I wish we could have gotten more chapters from Eve’s POV (besides her journal pages), since she seemed more complex and intriguing. Despite the plethora of red herrings, and I mean they are plentiful, the twist was predictable, but nevertheless, this was still an interesting enough read that I finished it within a few days.

Overall, I think I would recommend.

This was a really great book and I sped through the pages trying to find what happened to Eve and definitely was not expecting that ending.
The one gripe I had, which is a personal pet peeve, is that I don't like it when books are overly descriptive in terms of people and their looks. Generally after the third or fourth pale skin or dark skin comment in a book I dnf it as I want to be reading for the fun of it and not trying to remember what every person looks like and failing (p.s. I do have aphantasia, meaning I can't pictrure things unless I am looking right at them and so books that over describe looks feel pretty non inclusive as, to me, it is just added padding).
This book was good though so even though I got annoyed with every description, I pushed through and ultimately did enjoy it, but I was considering a dnf multiple times.

Shouts out to NetGalley and Shanora Williams for the advanced copies.

Without saying too much...Rose is better than me!

Rose is going THROUGH it. Divorce, heartbreak and then her ex-best friend, Eve, goes missing. When Eve’s little sis reaches out concerned, Rose sets off to find her. She experiences some dark, eerie twists and turns along the way as she ventures to Sage Hill, the city that she believes Eve visited last. The reason for the disappearance seemed a little too familiar and obvious as motive but overall, I liked this book. This is like my 3rd book of Miss Shanora’s; this one will keep me a fan.

I thought the book started off slow and it took me a min to get into it then at the end it felt rushed. I liked the book but it wasn't my favorite from her.

This was my first Shanora Williams novel—and it definitely won’t be my last. It had everything I love in a thriller: suspense, mystery, a slow unraveling of clues, a rotating cast of suspects, and just enough emotional tension to keep me on edge.

At the heart of the story is Rose Howard, a seasoned investigative reporter reeling from a recent breakup. When her former best friend, Eve Castillo—a travel vlogger and influencer—goes missing, Rose is pulled into a search that’s as personal as it is dangerous. The twist? Eve is the woman who slept with Rose’s husband and helped end her marriage. That betrayal hangs heavy, and Rose’s internal tug-of-war over whether Eve even deserves to be found adds emotional depth to the mystery.

There’s also a strong thread of mental health representation woven throughout the narrative, layered and nuanced, especially in how the characters cope with trauma, guilt, and identity. It made me think about how long we can stay angry at someone we once loved—and what happens if we wait too long to make peace.

My only critique: the final reveal didn’t completely shock me. I was hoping for a bigger twist, but even so, the tension stayed high and the story kept me turning pages.

Rose and Eve were friends until they weren't but now despite Eve's betrayal, Rose is concerned about her disappearance. Why did she book a trip but leave her documents behind at the house on the lake? Rose has had a tough few months so digging into this is a good distraction and she is legit worried. This is told from her perspective and, more interestingly, from Eve's journal entries. You think you know what's going to happen until you don't because there's a twist. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Short chapters and snappy writing make this a good popcorn read.

I featured Whisper of the Lake in my June 2025 new releases video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q31xhbo1tE, and though I have not read it yet, I am so excited to and expect 5 stars! I will update here when I post a follow up review or vlog.

I really enjoyed the fast pace of this book and the short chapters. I always love a book when I can’t guess the ending and the ending of this one kind of came out of nowhere! Overall really enjoyable and can’t wait to read more by this author

4 star un-putdownable thriller. I was absolutely blown away by Whispers of the Lake. Shanora Williams builds suspense and tension in such a way that I felt my heart racing and my anxiety building with the turn of each page. I don't normally need to put a book down at night because I'm too scared to read it in the dark, but I had to with Whispers of the Lake! The suspense was juxtaposed with an interesting mystery that I genuinely wanted to figure out. I think the way the story was weaved together was absolutely brilliant. Highly recommend this book to thriller and suspense lovers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Whewww—this one had me clutching my pearls and hollering “you did WHAT now?!” more than once. Shanora Williams crafted a twisty domestic thriller with messy secrets, betrayals that sting, and journal entries that chilled me to my core. The story follows Rose, a woman desperate to uncover the truth behind her missing best friend—even after finding out that friend was sleeping with her husband. She’s better than me because I would’ve let the lake have her.

The tension is layered perfectly: fast-paced, emotionally fraught, and unpredictable in all the right ways. I especially loved the use of Eve’s journal entries—they gave the dead girl a voice and added an eerie intimacy to the mystery. Even though we never “met” her in real time, I still felt like I knew her. The final twist? Yeah… didn’t see it coming.

Perfect for fans of domestic suspense with sharp edges and characters who don’t know when to quit. My only wish? A slightly longer ending to let everything breathe—but this was a wild ride I devoured in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!