I enjoyed the mystery and multiple murders of this tale, however, it did get a bit repetitive near the end when all I wanted to know was who done it. I did guess who, but I still liked the story.

2.75/3 ⭐️

SHESSSHHHH. i’m going to be completely honest, by the time i made it to 60% finished i didn’t care about what happened anymore or who it happened too.

I really enjoyed the way this story was told. You get past POVs and present POVs in order to build the suspense within the book! There’s tons of mysterious things happening surrounding a single family/person/home. Jackson really did use the use of the present and past POVs to build the suspense and the overall storyline very well.

My issue is this book is sooooooo unnecessarily long. There shouldn’t be a mystery book that’s almost 600 pages. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m sorry. By the time i got to 50/60% finished, i didn’t even care what happened i just wanted it to be wrapped up.

I really did enjoy the audiobook, if i would have read via print or digital i believe i would have DNFed. I def recommend consuming via audio or immersive reading!

Overall, i liked the plot and the switching POVs, but it was entirely too long.

I absolutely loved It Happened on the Lake by Lisa Jackson! The way the author weaves the story is truly captivating—her writing style pulled me in from the very first page. The plot was filled with suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists that kept me hooked the entire time. I felt completely immersed in the atmosphere of the lake and the complex dynamics between the characters. Lisa Jackson does such an incredible job building tension while also developing rich, layered personalities that feel real and relatable. I couldn’t put it down, and I’m still thinking about some of the scenes. This was such a gripping and well-told story—I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the way the story unfolded in multiple timelines as the various mysteries unravelled. The characters were well-developed and interconnected with good backstories that played a role in how the various subplots merged. It’s a longer read, but if you like slow-burn suspense and murder mysteries, this is a great book.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC! I was intrigued from the 1st chapter. This book was set in my home state which made it even more fun to read. I loved the flashbacks to the past, and how the story flowed from the first page to the last. I had my ideas what happened and who done it. Once that last big twist hit I was shocked! I love to think one way, and be jerked another while trying to solve the whole done it books! I highly recommend reading or listening to this book! 4.25⭐️

Lisa Jackson is an auto-read author for me, so I was so sad this one fell flat. I will absolutely continue to auto-read her books though.

My first complaint is the location. Aumsville Oregon is a real place, one I actually lived in briefly, so I was so excited to see it in a book. However Jackson made up the Aumsville in her book, placing it on a lake as a Portland suburb instead of the tiny town outside of Salem it is. Please authors, if you are going to make up a town don't use a real place. it's very disappointing. Also Lake Twilight feels like such an uninspired name, I would have loved even 6% more creativity in naming the more important place in the book.

second- the amount of deaths in the book is actually insane. At a certain point it just distracts from the plot because of all the minor deaths (even main character deaths get maybe 2 pages).

A disappointing read, one I would not recommend.

thank you to NetGalley, the author Lisa Jackson, and Brilliance Publishing for my ARC of this book.

I went to start this book today and it was archived 😢 apologies to the author and publisher, I will not be able to review this audiobook. i will get a copy to listen to another way

2.5⭐

Why is this one so long? There are way too many pages and too many stories. The beginning kind of felt all over going between past and present. This is too much of a slow-burn with not many twists. This is not my favorite of hers!

It happened on the lake by Lisa Jackson

Nothing traumatizes you like having a grandmother die when she is under your care. Not to mention your boyfriend goes missing the same day. Harper Reed Prescott had left town after such a horrid past, now she is coming home to sell her childhood home and be around the chaos of her past only to be pulled into the past again.

Her marriage is over and after she gets the house sold she is starting over.

This book was whiplash to say the least. There was so much going on at every turn I was drowning in all the deaths and crazy. Not to mention it was an extremely long book for the basic story that it was. Also nothing like adding creepy dolls in the book to make the eerie just over the top.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance publishing.

I couldn’t get into this one. I didn’t find the plot interesting nor the characters so I DNF about 20% in.

Thank you @brilliancepublishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

SHORT SUMMARY: When Harper Reed Prescott returns to her family’s mansion on a secluded island, she is haunted by the tragic deaths of her mother, brother, and grandmother as well as the disappearance of her boyfriend years ago. As she considers selling the property to escape her troubled past, she becomes terrified by moving dolls and mysterious notes, and she soon realizes that someone is gaining entrance to the house while she sleeps. With access to her grandfather’s high-powered telescope, she can’t resist watching her neighbors to uncover who is terrorizing her. However, her return has unearthed hidden secrets, leading to a series of murders and unsettling incidents.

MY THOUGHTS: This book will be one of my top reads of 2025! This thoroughly engaging tale blends suspense and drama (with a touch of karma). I enjoyed the dual timelines, which contain numerous references to the culture of the 1960s and 1980s (I loved it!). The story unfolds primarily from Harper’s perspective in the third person, though there are chapters dedicated to other characters. The characters felt real and relatable, and the twisty plot kept me guessing. I was thoroughly surprised by the final villain! Overall, this is a captivating read with a startling conclusion, and I highly recommend it!

I also had an audio copy, beautifully narrated by Julia Whelan! Thriller lovers don’t miss this one!

This was a good story with many small stories weaved into it. Kept me guessing til close to the end. Would recommend to those that like mysterious thrillers.

Harper is a trouble twisted soul. Told through a dual timeline (1988 (present day) and 1960s &1970's). I absolutely loved the 1980s pop culture references sprinkled throughout.   Harper has returned to her childhood home to claim her inheritance. As she is arriving,  she sees a boat on fire in the middle of Lake Twilight. She jumps in an attempt to save the person on the burning boat, whom she recognizes as tge mother of her teenage boyfriend. Jackdon does an excellent job of weaving bits from the past into the present. The book was a bit of a slow burn but ramps up at the end. This was a very enjoyable read.

The narrator Elisabeth Ashby was superb. The production quality was top notch.

Umbrella a huge fan of this author so more or less anything ahe writes I pick up and devour the content. I loved thia book and the flashbacks to the past. I enjoyed the characters andnthought the twists where done really well. This author is such a talent that everything she writes is always great so I Definitely recommend

A long book that jumps between timelines. A mansion is almost as much of a character as the real characters. Good story development. Kept me wondering.

Author: Lisa Jackson

Genres: Fiction/Mystery/Suspense

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary: Harper Reed Prescott owns a large old house on Lake Twilight and the private island it sits on. However, she is not sure if she wants to keep it or sale it. Twenty years ago, her boyfriend, Chase, went missing and her grandmother died in the same night. Now that her marriage is over, Harper returns to Lake Twilight where secrets unravel, memories resurface, and strange things are happening.

Tropes and themes: family loyalty and sacrifice, money is the root of all evil, unresolved family trauma and secrets.

Character: I love how Harper stood on business more so towards the end and started to put all of the pieces together. However, I could not believe that she kept such a secret about her daughter for so long. However, I love how she was able to have some resolve at the end of the book, but the way she found out about Chase was mind blowing!

Thoughts: I really loved the narration of this audiobook. The narrator had me listening intently due to their tone and mood as it was very appropriate for each part of the book. I was literally able to visualize every detail as the story really came alive in my mind. This is one of the best narrations I have heard in a while.

In the same way. I love that Lisa Jackson takes us for a ride in this mystery. She's always amazing at writing the story line to where you perceive everyone to be guilty. There is so much evidence that makes it appear that no one on in the story could be trusted. The most memorable moment was when Levi discovered Harper's secret that she had hidden for so long. I cannot imagine all these family secrets coming to light after two decades. In short, this book was amazing as it kept me listening. The ending was mind blowing! I think that I was floored multiple times as you would have never thought that this person would be the one! This was definitely a five-star read.

this book had a pretty solid story I just feel like it could have been like half the size. The author repeated so many aspects of the story like delivered the same information multiple times even though we learned it already. I loved the mystery of everything and the suspense and the narration was great tho! 😊 💧

An old mansion, mysterious deaths, a long-buried disappearance…
This one has everything you expect in a classic mystery.

One thing I’ve always appreciated about Lisa Jackson’s books is that they're usually on the longer side. I’m constantly on the hunt for my next audiobook, so I was excited to see that this one would keep me entertained for a few days. That said, I can see how some readers might not be a fan of the length.

The narrator did a great job, I enjoyed her voice throughout. For these kinds of stories, I prefer a single narrator over a full cast, and this one fit the tone perfectly.

Harper returns to the mansion after reaching the age specified in the trust that left her the estate. Now she has to decide whether to sell or stay, while confronting all the questions still lingering around what happened there years ago. It’s almost cliché, but it works.

The story jumps between past and present timelines, and the house itself is such a vivid setting, it even has a bit of a Halloween vibe at times, which I loved.

Overall, if you’re looking for a mystery/thriller to sink into, this one delivers. It’s a long listen, but it has enough twists to keep you engaged. I didn’t guess the ending, though I wouldn’t call it shocking.

Would I recommend it? Yes. Am I raving about it? Probably not. But if you're a thriller fan, it checks all the boxes. 3.5 stars.

It Happened on the Lake by Lisa Jackson is a captivating thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Harper Reed Prescott’s life is shadowed by decades of suspicion and tragedy, and her return to the haunting Victorian house on Lake Twilight reactivates long-buried secrets. As Harper contemplates selling her family estate, she begins to feel an unsettling presence — whispering memories, ghostly whispers across the water, and the nagging suspicion that she’s always been watched. The town’s rumors about her family’s dark past don’t help, and each new revelation makes it harder to tell what’s fact and what’s fiction. Jackson expertly ratchets up the tension with every page, weaving a story filled with secrets, lies, and deadly red herrings. The atmosphere of Lake Twilight is both beautiful and sinister, and I was hooked trying to piece together what really happened all those years ago—and what still lurks beneath the surface. Perfect for fans of suspense with a dark, mysterious vibe, It Happened on the Lake is a must-read that will leave you guessing until the very last twist. Just be warned: once you dip your toes in, you won’t want to leave the shadows behind.

This was quite funny, I was sat listening to the final 2 minutes of a book that I was going to say I did enjoy but it was too lengthy when it decided it had another 17 minutes to run 😐

I was positive that I had read Lisa Jackson’s work before, but if I have it predates my reviews. It seems that her work is plentiful and perhaps this title is just a mixed bag.

There was a really solid story here, but unfortunately for me it lost me often, I like detail but there was a little (18 hours run time, plus that sneaky 17 minutes) too much detail and digression and I found that I was bored or losing track, generally when this happens I’ll pause and restart, after a couple of tries at that though, I realised the book was probably just the wrong fit for me. Curiously it seemed to me that the author knew I’d be distracted because there is a lot of rehashing the same topic to the point I wondered if it was playing the same part over again. Sadly not for me.

I enjoyed the narrators voice, and this was probably the only reason I didn’t dnf.

Huge thanks to Brilliance Publishing via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧