Idyllic Vermont Lake with the disappearance of woman 30 years apart. Three childhood friends reunited with their families in tow and another missing women brings up the past. Atmospheric thriller. Thanks to LibroFM and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy for an honest review.

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day stands out as a compelling summer thriller—rich in atmosphere and twists, with strong character work and a deeply unsettling setting. If you enjoy domestic mysteries by authors like Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware, or Shari Lapena, you’ll likely find this one engrossing. It’s ideal for fans of emotional depth wrapped in suspense—a perfect read for a languid summer afternoon with just enough chill to keep you hooked.

Long time friends, Julia, Erika and David grew up spending their summers at their lake cabins in Vermont. The tradition had continued into their adulthood and now they spend their family vacations together. This year things are different. David has built a new monstrosity that blocks the others lake view and the others aren’t happy. The lake itself holds secrets, secrets that are finally coming to the surface and when David’s new girlfriend disappears, fingers start pointing. A drama for sure, but not that exciting. As a dual read/listen, I did enjoy the voiced version a bit more than the book, but many will enjoy this beach read. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

Great summer thriller. Kept me engaged with strong characters and plot development. Highly recommend.

This one had such a good summer thriller vibe. I loved the setting, the story kept me entertained and the audiobook narration was great. I will say a few parts dragged but the suspense built up nicely toward the end. It’s not overly complicated, just a solid, bingeable thriller that’s perfect for a weekend listen.

The Lake Escape is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that pulls you straight into the secrets and betrayals simmering beneath its idyllic setting. Jamie Day weaves together past and present mysteries with sharp tension and compelling characters. Every chapter peels back another layer, keeping me guessing until the very end. Dark, twisty, and utterly addictive—I couldn’t put it down.

Childhood friends reunite for a holiday at their old lake getaway, but this time they’re all grown up with families and baggage in tow. And yes plenty of drama unfolds. The lakeside setting was a highlight, giving the story a nostalgic yet moody backdrop. The characters didn’t exactly shine, but they left enough of an impression to keep me reading. While the mystery kept things interesting, it leaned more toward family drama than edge of your seat thriller vibes.

This was a really good read! I was hooked from the beginning, and could not stop reading!

If you are looking for a great weekend read, or a night of suspense, then you need to grab this book! There are so many twists and turns, with a few explosive areas that are going to leave you gasping.

The narrator did a great job. It really made the book.

Pick this one up if you like:
- Cold case mysteries
- Family drama
- Dual POV

This is a well paced, suspenseful mystery, and the lake setting makes it perfect for summer reading. The dual POV/multiple narrators worked well and kept me guessing. Lots of surprises along the way! I really liked that there were two mysteries at play, one in the present, and one from 30 years ago. Ms. Day weaves the stories together for a satisfying ending!

The narrators were excellent, I didn't want to put this one down.

A moody, suspenseful read perfect for summer! Set at a picturesque Vermont lake, this thriller explores fractured friendships, buried secrets, and the consequences of the past catching up. The tension builds steadily, with a satisfying mix of emotional drama and mystery. Some twists leave lots to be desired. Though the amount of characters doesn't seem to be large in the beginning, it can be hard to keep certain characters straight. Overall, this is a gripping, atmospheric thriller with strong narration and a satisfying payoff.

The audiobook narration by Lisa Larsen and Phoebe Strole is excellent! Each narrator is clear, well-paced, and distinct enough to keep characters and timelines easy to follow. It was a fantastic experience.

Thank you NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for an eARC and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this book.

Definitely not as simple as just a week at the lake house. This small group of friends and their families find out some details too long unknown secrets of their past.
The narration is well done. The change of voices is easy to notice who is who. The added podcast recording is a nice addition. The pacing was not perfect but it wasn't awful. There was a point about halfway through that I wished something would happen. The ending was all finished up perfectly. All that being said, unfortunately the thrill of this thriller was not that thrilling. It was just a happy medium for me.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this arc.

A week at the lake house in Vermont with friends sounds idyllic, but i'ts anything but for this group of friends. Two women have gone missing in the past and this is the anniversary, will the lake take another? I received an ARC audiobook from NetGalley. The narration was done well, The pacing of this book was pretty good, it seems to slow down about 1/3 of the way into it but the last half went quickly. Loved the suspense and the secrets of the characters.

A picturesque lake, an idyllic summer until the past resurfaces. The Lake Escape unravels a chilling mystery involving two girls who went missing exactly 30 years apart. Now, during this summer’s stay, another member of the group disappears—right on the anniversary.

I thought the first half moves a bit slower for a thriller, as you get to know the intertwined lives of Erica, Julia, and David’s families. But around the 65% mark, the twists kick in and they don’t stop. Friendships curdle into suspicion, as secrets, lies, and betrayals unravel at a rapid pace.

🎧Narration Note: Lisa Larsen and Phoebe Strole did a fantastic job juggling multiple POVs. The added touches of the lake's lapping waves and the podcast excerpts at the end really enhanced the atmosphere.

Final Verdict: 👍 A fun read (or listen to), especially if you're at the cabin! While the beginning is slower, it’s worth sticking with it because the payoff is solid. That said, I did have to suspend some disbelief for the storyline, but honestly, that’s part of the charm with summer thrillers: escapist, twisty, and just the right amount of over-the-top.

This book was suspenseful! I didn’t care for the audio book it was kinda of off putting. However the twist and turns I didn’t see the ended was good for the beach read I needed

The Lake Escape had all the ingredients for a juicy summer thriller—old friends, buried secrets, a mysterious disappearance, and a lake with a dark past. And while it’s a decent-enough mystery, I found it rather underwhelming and predictable. As an avid thriller reader, there are only so many times you can see the same trope before you guess the twist long before it lands. Still, it’s a good book for what it is—just don’t expect it to completely surprise you.

Took my a while to get into the book but once I was into it, I loved it. There is a plot twist I wasn’t expecting

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 Stars

Long time friends Julia, David and Erika bring their families every summer to stay at their homes by the lake. Julia is shocked and fuming to arrive and see David has completely remodeled his property and now his modern monstrosity is blocking her lake view. He has also brought along his new insipid girlfriend, his young trouble making twins and a new nanny, Izzy, whom he just hired. Tensions are running high as the group attempts to settle in for their first night along the lake. After a night of heavy drinking David's new girlfriend has gone missing. The group is worried and with the anniversary of a missing girl's disappearance they are afraid that the lake may have claimed another victim.

I have enjoyed other works by Jamie Day but this one really fell short for me. The story is told from the POV of Julia and weirdly Izzy. Izzy is a "true crime podcast buff" and lied her way into the job and trip with zero experience. I did not like or connect with any of the characters and found them to be vapid and flat. The story is a very slow burn with a long winded monologue wrap up. The girlfriend's disappearance being linked to two other disappearances over 60 years was way to far fetched of a link. I really disliked this novel, check out Day's other works instead.

I had the audio version read by Lisa Larsen and Phoebe Strole. I apologize, as I am not sure who voiced Izzy but it was awful and grating. I hated Izzy's story in general and the narration did not help.

I enjoyed Jamie Day's previous summer domestic thrillers and was excited to receive an advance audio from NetGalley and MacMillan Audio. And as expected, this one brought the summer, domestic and suspenseful vibes.

The slow burn was a bit too slow for me, making it hard to stay engaged. Once it picked up towards the end, it was engaging and kept me interested, however, it also went slightly on the unbelievable side. And there was SO much going on! I had the main "who killed who" figured out pretty early, but then there were layers and layers added on that felt a bit out of the blue.

Despite this, it was entertaining enough and I still enjoyed the suspenseful summer setting.

Thanks to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the ALC.
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Jamie Day does it again! I’ve loved her previous novels, so I went into The Lake Escape with high expectations and she delivered. Tense, twisty, and soaked in summer secrets, this one pulled me under and didn’t let go until the final chapter.
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The story follows three childhood friends, Julia, David, and Erika. They return to their Vermont lake homes with baggage in tow: moody teenagers, stale marriages, and a vault of unspoken truths. When David unveils his shiny new lake house, which conveniently blocks everyone else’s view, and introduces his much younger girlfriend, the reunion vibe takes a sharp turn. Then the girlfriend goes missing.
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What begins as a slow boil of nostalgia and suburban dysfunction quickly morphs into a chilling mystery, tangled with long buried secrets and a lake with a sinister history of its own.
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The dual narration by Lisa Larsen and Phoebe Strole was perfectly done. Each voice brought depth and nuance to the shifting perspectives, amping up the suspense and emotional stakes.
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This one’s for fans of layered domestic thrillers, old friendships with cracks beneath the surface, and summer settings that feel a little too perfect.

If you enjoy twisty thrillers with a light touch or something to listen to on a summer walk or road trip - this one might hit the spot.

This story follows three childhood friends - Julia, Erika, and David - who reunite at the lake where they spent their summers as kids. Now they’re grown, with complicated lives and families of their own. David arrives with a much younger girlfriend and a new nanny, both of whom stir up tension. But when the girlfriend vanishes, old secrets begin to surface - and no one can trust anyone.

The book starts a bit slow. The first few chapters are packed with character names, relationships, and backstories, which made it hard to track who was who at first. But once I got through that, the story settled into a steady rhythm with enough red herrings to keep me guessing. The pace builds nicely toward the end, and most of the loose ends get tied up in a way that feels satisfying.

This isn’t a high-action thriller or a violent one. The tension comes more from secrets, suspicion, and the eerie feeling that the lake is keeping its own dark history. The book explores how the past never really stays buried - and how even lifelong friendships can crack under pressure.

The audiobook narration is strong. The narration does a great job of distinguishing the characters and holding your attention. Even in slower parts, their performances helped keep me engaged. Overall, this is a solid pick for thriller lovers who prefer mystery over gore, enjoy multiple points of view, and want something atmospheric but not too heavy.