Lisa Jackson knows her twists and turns. This story had you thinking one thing then another the whole time. I will say there was a point where I had to put it down because the was so much going on. But in the end it all came together and shocked me.

In true Lisa Jackson fashion, she snatched my attention right off the bat. With an unexpected murder and several suspects. I was 2/3 through before I figured out who had done the killing and was just as anxious to see how it played out. When, holy cow, more murders and more suspects. Then one big shock I totally did not see coming! This thriller/suspense will leave you breathless. Provided by NetGalley.

I could not put this book down! This book gave all the feels on the lake and the characters were so realistic: I stayed up way too late reading this book.

This was a fast read. While I found some characters dreadful I understand their place in the story. I'm all about a good thriller, this one was a little slow for my preference but good all the same.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

Now that Harper is no longer married and her daughter is in college, she decides to return to her past on the lake which used to be called Lake of the Dead. She owns the mansion and island it sits on and wants to sell it to get it out of her life once and for all. To her it means tragedy and bad memories. She returns to the creepy house with the creepy dolls and watched, while she was being watched. But life doesn't go according to plan and she finds her past become entwined with the present. Death's clutches are pervasive and dark.

The uneasy atmosphere and dark mansion pulled me in. I love that the house and island were practically characters themselves, especially as the actual characters didn't endear me. However, the novel could easily be shorter with more impact. There was quite a lot of over explaining as well. I do enjoy slow burns like this which make me feel more invested and connected. Though there is much to like about this novel, it is not on my favourites list. It lacks that special something which usually draws me to author Lisa Jackson. But just because it didn't mesh with me doesn't mean it won't be exactly what others are seeking.

This was a lot too long. Some really dreadful people, some crazy people and not many surprises.

I liked Harper (although she got on my nerves a bit now and then and if I were her I'd seriously question my drinking habits), wondered about the bad choices people make, and saw the twists coming a mile away.

I loved the house, all the cats, and the granny (and the dolls!). Not so much the dead cats.

Oh, and I must mention the fact that if my friend insisted on speeding in my driveway, narrowly missing driving over my cat, she would not be welcome back, nor would she be my friend. To be quite frank, I'd rather not have friends than have a friend like Beth. Beth is a loser.

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75

NetGalley ARC 3.75 star
A good storyline but i found it a very slow read
i did however really enjoy the story, and once i was hooked it was hard to put down.

A slow burn thriller with just enough suspense to keep you turning the pages. The characters are relatable, though a few could’ve used a bit more depth. Some twists were a little expected, but others genuinely surprised me. Overall, it’s a hauntingly great read—perfect for fans of slow-burn mysteries with a touch of nostalgia. Thank you Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC

This is a fun Summer read! Perfect for the beach, pool or well obviously, the lake! Lisa Jackson has been a favorite for many, many years. I have read most of her books. Her reads are quick, suspenseful and fun. It Happened on the Lake is no different. Twenty years ago, Harper's Grandmother died a suspicious death. Harper's then boyfriend also disappears on that same night. Now Hunter is returning to the falling apart Victorian mansion/scene of the death she has inherited on a private island off the Oregon coast. Everyone who was living there in the past seems to still be there and strange things begin happening almost immediately. The author creates a great moody atmosphere with a sense of foreboding, and the lake is like a living character all on its own. I liked Harper, although I did feel the story could have been shortened a bit, but overall, I really enjoyed this story!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Lisa Jackson and Kensington Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of June 24th.

Loved this book!! It was taunt, suspenseful, and gripping. It was a fast read for me and I really enjoyed the book!! Highly recommend this book for the creepy vibe!!

“It Happened on the Lake" is a gripping, slow-burning thriller that embodies Lisa Jackson's signature style. The eerie small-town setting, family secrets, and protagonist Harper's troubled past all combine to create a sense of unease. Jackson masterfully builds tension, evoking a "Rear Window" vibe as Harper becomes convinced she's being watched.

The lake setting is vividly described, taking on a menacing quality that adds to the suspense. The mystery is layered, with plenty of red herrings and emotional depth, particularly in Harper's strained relationships.

While the pacing slows at times, the payoff is satisfying, with tension ratcheting up in the final third. This book is perfect for fans of domestic suspense with a gothic edge.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this was a long and very repetitive read for me. I dd not enjoy it because it simply felt too long, even from the beginning. I was disappointed.

It Happened on the Lake by Lisa Jackson had all the ingredients for a gripping summer thriller — a chilling setting, long-buried secrets, and a cast of characters haunted by the past. The atmosphere was moody and well-written, and there were definitely moments that had me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. That said, the pacing dragged at times, and some plot threads felt a bit too drawn out or underdeveloped. I found myself wanting more urgency and tighter suspense. Still, fans of slow-burn mysteries and small-town drama will likely enjoy the eerie vibes and layered backstory. Not my favorite from Jackson, but a solid read overall.

Lisa Jackson’s It Happened on the Lake is less a thriller and more an expertly layered trust exercise gone awry. The readers are cast as blindfolded participants being spun in circles by characters who couldn’t tell a straight story if their lives depended on it. And in this case? They just might.

Harper Reed Prescott returns to the crumbling Victorian mansion on Lake Twilight with the best of intentions: sell it, forget it, escape the haunted memories of a mysterious death and a vanished boyfriend from two decades ago. But as she steps back into its creaky halls, it’s clear that the house has not forgotten her, or what it once witnessed.

The mansion doesn’t just loom over the story. It practically stars in it. Drafty corridors whisper secrets. Locked rooms give off “don’t open me unless you want nightmares” energy. The wallpaper might be peeling, but so are the layers of buried betrayal and suppressed truth. It’s as if the estate is waiting for Harper to wake it up... or finish what was started years ago. The mansion remembers the people and the horrible things they did.

And then there’s the cast of characters, each one slicker than the last. Neighbors, estranged family, townsfolk with long memories and short patience. Everyone’s got a version of the story, and not one of them adds up. Just when you think someone’s telling the truth, they throw a glance too long, a smile too tight, or a motive too convenient.

Jackson’s pacing is taut, the atmosphere thick with dread, and the constant sense of “Who’s lying this time?” makes every interaction deliciously suspicious. If you like your thrillers with a Gothic edge and a house that could probably be arrested for withholding evidence, this one delivers.

In It Happened on the Lake, the people lie, the house remembers, and the truth is as elusive as the mist on Lake Twilight. Four stars for atmospheric paranoia, architectural menace, and a plot that twists like ivy on old stone.

Lisa Jackson is a favorite author of mine and in true lisa fashion, this book does not disappoint. Lots of twists and turns kept me guessing and interested the entire time. I would recommend this book.

I absolutely loved this book! It was one twisty wild ride! I loved Harper and how she was connected to every messed up part of her past and all the mysteries. I loved that there were SO many mysteries and whodunnits in one book and it was so hard to put down. I worried about Jinx the cat for the entire book. It was so well done with the past stories and how they affected the present and I loved the lake setting as well as the giant manor house with its guarding gargoyles. This book was definitely a perfect mystery and I think readers will love it!

4 out of 5 stars
Dark, atmospheric, and full of delicious tension

It Happened on the Lake is a slow-burning, suspense-filled return to Lisa Jackson’s signature brand of twisty thrillers. If you love eerie small towns, family secrets, and a protagonist with a troubled past, you’ll want to settle in for this one.

Harper returns to her family’s crumbling Victorian home on a private island in Oregon—one that holds the weight of tragic memories and long-standing whispers. Twenty years ago, her grandmother died under suspicious circumstances, and her boyfriend vanished the same night. Now Harper’s back, and the town hasn’t forgotten a thing.

Jackson does a great job building unease, with a strong “Rear Window” vibe as Harper becomes convinced someone is watching her. The setting is moody and vivid, and I loved how the lake itself almost became its own character—beautiful but quietly menacing. There's a layered mystery here with plenty of red herrings and emotional weight, especially surrounding Harper’s strained relationships and the way trauma reverberates through time.

Some pacing lulls early on, but the payoff is satisfying, and the tension ratchets up nicely in the last third. This is a perfect pick for fans of domestic suspense with a gothic edge.

Recommended for readers who enjoy Lisa Jewell, Paula Hawkins, or Riley Sager—and anyone who loves unraveling a decades-old mystery where no one is quite what they seem.

I really wanted to give It Happened on the Lake a four star rating, but I would give it a 3.5 stars mostly because I believe that it was too long. I truly think that Lisa Jackson could have made the book shorter by not regurgitating the same information over again.
It Happened on the Lake is the story of Harper Reed Prescott, her family and the mysterious events that keep happening on their private island on Lake Twilight. I did feel for Harper as she returned to the island after twenty years when she inherited the property. Her return dredges up the past from her missing boyfriend to the death of her beloved grandmother as well as her brother and mother. Why are these tragedies happening to Harper's family and friends?
I liked the fact that while Harper had become a voyeur watching her friend's lives on the other side of the lake, she was also being watched with strange happenings occurring in the mansion.
I do like a book with dual timelines and this was executed quite well in the story-telling. Her descriptive work lends much to the atmosphere of the story and you feel like you are gazing out over the lake with Harper as well as feeling the chill in the air. As per Lisa Jackson's usual style the story was a great thriller with some twists most of which I had figured out, but one that I did not see coming!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC. In return I am leaving my honest review.

Keep the house on Lake Twilight or sell it? Harper's back at the house for the first time in years but someone doesn't want her there. Understandable given all the bad things associated with it. This moves back and forth in time to detail those tragedies and now they continue to affect Harper. It's atmospheric and creepy. It's also way too long. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Lisa Jackson for this ARC!
Wow, just wow! What a roller coaster of a book. Every time I thought I had the mystery figured out another twist was added. Harper was a great FMC and her journey thru her past and present was well paced. So many lies and backstabbing, I felt like I was reading a well written soap opera.