Are you a thriller fan? Check out It Happened on the Lake by Lisa Jackson. This was a good read and it's available soon.

I was so excited to be able to read and advanced readers copy of Lisa Jackson's It Happened on the Lake. I am a fan of her books and this one about a gothic mansion on an island really peaked my interest. The story follows Harper who inherits the house and island in which tragedy and mysterious deaths have occurred. Is the house haunted or does someone not want Harper to return.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first Lisa Jackson read and I get the hype. It kept me entertained in the mystery the entire book I will definitely be picking up many more of her books

Lisa Jackson delivers another masterclass in atmospheric suspense with It Happened on the Lake, a haunting tale that blends mystery, family secrets, and long-buried trauma into a gripping, emotionally charged read.
Lake Twilight is the kind of place that seems cursed by tragedy. For Harper, it's the site of nearly every heartbreak in her life: her brother’s suicide, her mother’s drowning, her grandmother’s overdose, and the disappearance of her first love, Chase—all shrouded in mystery, all happening in eerie proximity to one another. The lake, once a backdrop for teenage memories and friendships, has become a symbol of unresolved grief and dark secrets.
Now in her 30s and newly divorced, Harper returns to her childhood home after inheriting the family estate. But her homecoming is far from peaceful. On her very first night back, another suspicious death shakes the already-fragile peace of the lake community. It's a chilling reminder that the past is not done with her yet.
Jackson’s narrative unravels slowly, layer by layer, with just enough twists to keep you guessing. Rand, now a police officer and once a close friend of Harper’s lost brother and boyfriend, finds himself pulled back into a decades-old promise to protect Harper—one he failed to keep after going off to Vietnam. Levi, Chase’s surviving brother, adds even more tension with his brooding presence and mysterious PI work.
The pacing is deliberate, letting the reader sink into the haunting atmosphere of the lake and its residents. The dynamic between Harper, Rand, and Levi is rich with history, regret, and unspoken truths. As the plot twists tighten like a noose, the questions mount: What really happened to Chase? What secret was Rand protecting Harper from? And why do the deaths always lead back to the lake?
It Happened on the Lake is a moody, compelling read that sinks its hooks in early and doesn’t let go. If you love mysteries with complex characters and long-buried secrets, you’ll want to spend some time on Lake Twilight—just don’t expect to come away unscathed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.
I absolutely LOVE Lisa Jackson and will read anything she writes, even if she re-wrote the yellow pages.
It happened on the lake follows Harper Reed Prescott as she comes of age in her thirties and inherits her families estate, which is a home on an island. Her being back home stirs up a lot of memories for the locals who have lived on the lake since Harper was a child, most of whom are Harper's age and schoolmates. These memories bring back all of the mysterious deaths that have occurred on the lake, mostly to Harper's family members. Some see too many coincidences in these deaths. Some don't.
If your looking for a slow burn that ends with a bang, this is it.
There are a lot of characters to learn, in the present and past, but it all comes together in the end.
I didn't get it right, will you?

I have always like the Lisa Jackson books I have read in the past and was excited to receive the advanced copy of this one.
Then I started reading it and was confused. The past is in the 60's and the present is 1988? that made no sense to me. It was kinda funny to read and remember that yeah, we didn't have cells phones and people did use land lines and answering machines. But still, sorta weird.
As for the story itself, Man that was a true head scratcher! Harper is in love with one boy, he disappears, but has a baby by his brother? Then the death of her grandmother the same night Chase vanishes. but before that, she is 9 when her mother dies, and a teenager when her brother dies> Death seems to be all around this poor girl.
Like some of the other reviewers I felt like it was too long and sometimes went into too much detail.
not a bad book, and I will admit I was wrong about the killer.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the advance copy

Thank you too Kensington publishing and NetGalley for this arc!

I’ve read so many Lisa Jackson books over the years and have yet to be disappointed. And that time has yet still to come because this book was no different.

It’s perfect for a summer night time kind of thriller read.

I DNF this book because it wasn't going anywhere. It is long and drawn out I stopped at chapter 38 because nothing was happening still. It just kept saying the same thing over and over again.

The present is 1988 and Harper Reed Prescott is returning to the island on Lake Twilight where she grew up that is now hers per the terms of her grandmother's trust. As she returns so does all of the memories and tragedies from twenty years ago. Guess it's true you cannot outrun the past. The past where Harper's boyfriend Chase disappeared on the same night her grandmother died. And now on the night Harper returns Chase's mother dies on the very lake his boat was found abandoned the last night he was seen. And as Harper tried to save his mother from the fiery boat she still hurled insults at Harper accusing her of killing Chase. Chase's best friend Rand is now a police detective like his father and Chase's father had been and his partner is digging into all the old, mysterious deaths that involved Harper and the lake. But what Rand and his partner find out shocks everyone and are the endings that no one would have believed if they hadn't been there, once every thing was pieced together. I must say this is one of the best books I have read in a very long time.

This is one of those brain candy thrillers.

There are zero surprises. You know that character you think did that thing? They absolutely did that thing. And you think you know why this one did that other thing? You're right!

However, despite the lack of surprises, it's an enjoyable read.

I found myself really looking forward to the downfall of some characters, worried about a certain cat, and I found that I genuinely liked our main character.

All in all an entertaining read.

* ARC via Publisher

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out this month. I think there are people who will like it, but this just wasn't it for me. I didn't click with the writing style and choices the author made, and I couldn't really into it because of it. If you are into thrillers it might be for you though, taste can be personal.

4 ⭐️
Expected publication date - June 24, 2025

WHAT I LOVED - The dual timelines. And the fact that those timelines were in the 60s and 80s, not current.

WHAT I LIKED - The unexpected twists. A couple of them came as a surprise.

WHAT I DISLIKED - I was left wondering if Joel followed Harper to California or just happened to run into her and took advantage of the opportunity.

WOULD I RECOMMEND? Yes, it was a good summer night type of thriller.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing, for this eArc for review. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this book, but it was way too long, 100 pages could have been cut and it would have made no difference to the story.
It was also very repetitive and I could tell where it was going so the ending wasn't really a shock.
Would try this author again but this one wasn't for me.

Harper inherited the Victorian house on Lake Twilight that had once been her grandmother’s home. Being here brings many memories rushing back, most of them painful. It was here at the lake where she lost her mother, her brother, her grandmother, and her boyfriend. Many lake residents felt she was involved in each one, somehow. Now that she’s back, she feels she’s being watched and finds things in the old house are being moved around, and her daughter’s cat is missing. Who would want to scare her and why?

Told in dual timelines, the story flashes back to events that happened 20 years ago and Harper’s life in the ‘80s. A story with lies, secrets, cover-ups, cheating, greed, major family drama, and more!

I was pleased with who Harper ended up with in the end but have a couple of questions I can’t mention because of spoilers. My only complaint is that the story is extremely long. It took a while to get into it, but then there were plenty of twists and turns that kept it interesting and kept me wanting to finish. The ending was a surprise to me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
I love Lisa Jackson books. This was no exception.
Great twists and turns.

I recently finished reading "It Happened in the Lake" by Lisa Jackson, and I have to say, it was quite the thrilling ride! The story is set in a small town where secrets run deep, and the lake holds more than just water—it's brimming with mysteries.

What I really enjoyed about the book was how Jackson crafted the characters. They felt real, with flaws and complexities that made me care about what happened to them. The pacing was just right; I was hooked from the start and found myself wanting to know what was lurking beneath the surface—literally and figuratively.

The suspense was well done, and there were some genuine surprises that I didn’t see coming. It kept me turning pages late into the night! The setting of the lake added an eerie yet beautiful backdrop that really enhanced the story.

Overall, if you're looking for a captivating mystery with some twists and a touch of drama, "It Happened in the Lake" is worth picking up. Jackson knows how to pull readers into her world,

This is yet another book where the timeline flips backwards and forwards and I
have to say I am not a fan - I feel it is too disruptive of the flow of the storyline .
That being said I enjoyed the book overall

A woman has come into her inheritance and returns to the island on the lake and
the island home that hold memories both good and bad ....... where as a teenager
she was held responsible for her grandmother's death , where on the same night
her boyfriend disappeared .
As she takes time to make her decision as to whether to sell up and return to her
life in the city or not she is beset by her memories . In the background the are rumbles
stirring all around - was she responsible for more than previously thought or is she innocent
on all counts . The persistent feeling of being watched doesn't help her mood , but
she is also a watcher as she finds her grandfather's telescope in the tower trained
on the lakes other residents and cannot resist peering through it herself .

I did feel that Harper's emotions were too volatile and self indulgent at times ,
who could she trust , who did she really love on those long ago summer days ?
The culmination of the book brings many surprises , some I already could guess at
but there were a couple that took me by surprise

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

It Happened on the Lake by Lisa Jackson, one of my favorite authors and once again she did not disappoint. A small town with its share of deaths and secrets. Harper returns after finally receiving her inheritance and her fathers heart attack. What follows is a story line that had it all, love, hate, angst and heartbreak along with some crazy goings on in the mansion that Harper has inherited. Is she losing her mind, or is someone playing games with her. I would recommend this to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

I usually don’t hesitate to read anything by Lisa Jackson. Her books are usually wrapped up in about 350 pages, so my first hesitation with “It Happened on the Lake” was that it’s 592 pages. Goodness, why?

It is a decent mystery — one of those “you can’t go home again” stories, especially after all the awful things that happened 20 years ago. We have a “cursed” lone mansion falling into disrepair on an island in an Oregon lake Harper does return, and from 1968 it’s suddenly 1988 (pre cellphones and internet). After 20 years, she’s now divorced and 37, and her daughter Dawn is in college. She’s returned because her dad is sick and her stepmother is still insidious. She left when her grandmother suddenly died and the love of her teenage life disappeared (on the same night). Her brother has also since passed, but Grandma stipulated when Harper turned 37, the island, the mansion, the gatehouse would all be hers.

Of course, the past rears its ugly memorie since old “friends” are still around. Granny also had a large creepy collection of ceramic dolls that are occupying the mansion as well as way too many telescopes and binoculars near every window. Much spying (from the shore and from the mansion) is still happening. Voyeurism is a weird theme that keeps coming up. As do unfortunate cats….if this is a trigger point, you might want to tread carefully (maybe skip to the end to see if Jinx is OK or not). Harper was a decent, sympathetic character and I liked her and the bones of the plot, but this really could have been 200 pages shorter. Such long books tempt the reader to not finish. I did, although I think I want about 6-8 hours of my reading time reclaimed (I could have read another thriller during that extra day I devoted to this). 3.5 stars, mostly deductions for repetition and unnecessary length.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO But there’s a fuss about the cat’s gold eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO But Grandma planted a rose bush every time…. (You’ll have read why).

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Twists and Turns

Lisa Jackson knows how to write suspenseful mysteries, and “It Happened On the Lake” was no exception. An extra bonus for me is that the action is happening during childhood (the 1960s) and “present” day of the 1980s, which puts me in the same generation as our heroine Harper Reed Prescott.

Tragedies have long plagued the community around Lake Twilight. And because Harper’s trust fund kept her from inheriting until her mid-30s, she’s finally come home. Through flashbacks and different points of view, our author shares different versions of incidents that happened decades ago.

What we quickly discover is that there is not one mystery that needs to be solved, but multiple ones. The many deaths that have occurred do not come at the hands of one killer. This is where the flashbacks come in.

Harper is far from perfect but she is working through the mistakes of her past. Other characters with which she grew up have their own demons to face. Watching their journeys to the present kept leading to other threads to pull to untangle the main mystery.

With thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book; all opinions are my own.