Audio was perfect for this thriller. The story was captured and great for immersive reading. I had the pleasure of receiving both the alc and arc . 5 stars

This would be good if you're looking for a fast( day or less) read, .. if you have a long flight or a beach day.. it's leans a little to heavy on the "basic" side for me. I do like how some chapters were journal entries.

I feel as if I'm not a good candidate to give a fair indepth review of this book because I couldn't connect to one of the FMCs.. I'm sorry but, Disney on ice would be performing in Hell before I went looking for a former
"best friend" that fu*ked my husband. And the other FMC hit too close to home & had me & my daddy issues in their feelings

It also sort of annoyed me personally how immature she was for someone who was in therapy

I can't say I see myself personally recommending this book but I also wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it

🎧 ALC REVIEW 🎧

“All I know is no matter how hard Karma hits me, I’m ready for her. Whatever she gives me, I’ll probably deserve it.“

“It’s astounding how much a good woman’s whole life can change because of one bad man.”

This was a quick listen and the dual female narrators did a fantastic job portraying the toxic friendship between our FMC’s. Honestly don’t we all have that one high school friend that could just never really get it together? And I loveddd that there was some spice!! Romantic suspense thrillers are becoming a fave genre of mine ❤️‍🔥

Thank you @netgalley and @r__bmedia

I really enjoyed the story and it’s not only because of the great story Shanora wrote but the narrators brought it to life. They really brought the words to life and I really immersed myself in the book. I only immersive read and these narrators did a great job with alternating voices thru out the story, I really enjoyed this one

I finished this one so quickly! A good thriller and mystery with so many odd ends and weird side characters. Is this why I don’t trust cottage country??

I did figure it out quite quickly but overall the flow was good. Also Rose absolutely should not have forgiven Eve no matter what guilt she felt.

Thanks for the ARC NetGalley!

Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams and narrated by Jasmin Walker and Dominique Franceschi was a great quick listen and I really enjoyed it, especially as it was a spine chilling thriller that will just pull you in till the very end. There are so many twists and turns that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

Rose Howard was at her peak of her career, as an investigative reporter but she was exhausted from trying to manage her seemingly perfect life. Now, with her marriage to her true love is collapsing but she is desperate to have a break from everything especially to recharge her batteries and to think what she wants to do next in her life. All of a sudden her direction becomes so clear when she discovers that her former best friend, Eve Castillo, isn't responding to all the attempts to contact her, at the North Carolina cottage where she's vacationing. Now, Rose knows Eve can be flaky and irresponsible at times and this is why they fell out. But, still, Rose still heads to the tranquil small town of Sage Hill . . . . .. . as friendship is forever!

When Rose gets there she soon discovers that Eve has vanished without her purse and passport, even after booking a trip abroad. The personable cabin owners’ accounts of Eve's stay just don’t to add up . . . and most of the town's initially hospitable inhabitants becoming increasingly less helpful . . .Rose know's something is wrong!!!

Rose's instincts was not wrong, and starts to look for answers. But, to get the answers she is looking for about her friend Eve, she will have to ask inconvenient questions, which will rattle long-buried skeletons . . . and she will face vicious attempts on her life.
Sadly, some truths are best left alone. But, secrets have a way of surfacing to the open especially when Rose starts to ask the right questions! However, she never saw coming could easily sink her and her future without a trace . . .

WoW this audiobook was Excellent and I could not put it down. The narrators Jasmin Walker and Dominique Franceschi were superb 5⭐️ for them.

I highly recommend this audiobook 5⭐️'s.

A fast paced and entertaining thriller. The story was intriguing. It held my attention throughout and I enjoyed the twists. However the spice level was a bit more than I typically like in a thriller and it felt unnecessary. Unfortunately the characters were the difficult part for me. They were mostly unlikable and the MC was beyond frustrating. There were so many facepalm moments where you just wanted to reach in and shake her. She was a successful woman who should have been rebuilding after her split from her husband but instead she’s ignoring all of her responsibilities to sneak around uncovering clues to her friend’s disappearance…a shitty friend at that.

I did enjoy the narration, so if you a looking for an entertaining popcorn thriller audiobook maybe check this one out.

I was so excited for this book. I love a good thriller and I was eager to try my first book from Shanora. Unfortunately this didn't work for me. The story felt all over the place and didn't feel very cohesive. If you were to ask me what it was about, my answer would be “I don’t know.” Nothing was memorable and the reveal was underwhelming.

The audio wasn't a fave either. One of the narrators sounded very robotic at times and it threw me off.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audio copy.

Enjoyed this audiobook. Plenty of mystery and suspense. I liked the setting. Good narration. It kept me interested and listening late into the night.

This was a twisty psychological thrillers where no one can be trusted. Rose is betrayed by her husband and her best friend, Eve. Just when she's starting to move on, Eve goes missing. Rose feels compelled to go look for her and tracks down the lake house where she was last seen. The town is creepy and all of its members are shady AF. I enjoyed this and found it entertaining. I hated some of the characters but I believe that was the point. Audio narration was perfect!

This was posted on Goodreads as well

Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams is a moody mystery that pulls you into a world full of secrets, past trauma, and twisted relationships. This story is full of drama and characters I loved to hate.

Rose, an investigative reporter, is waiting for her cheating husband to sign the divorce papers, when she finds out that her former best friend has gone missing. Debating on whether to care or not, Rose finds her natural investigative instincts kicking in and decides to look into where her former best friend has gone.

Eve, Rose's former best friend, is living reckless life due to unhealed childhood trauma. She violated the girl code, so Rose has dropped her as a friend. Though she lives an irresponsible life, Rose knows that Eve always has her phone with her when she travels and can easily be reached. Something is off about Eve's disappearance this time, and Rose is determined to find out where Eve is.

Let me start by saying that Rose is better than me. Eve would've been left missing if I was Rose. Rose was very naïve in certain situations, which drove me crazy. I did find myself cheering her on, and I enjoyed her investigative tactics as I worked to solve the mystery with her.

As usual, Shanora does a great job creating a suspenseful atmosphere. The lake itself almost feels like a character, with its quiet eeriness and dark past. There’s definitely a slow-burn tension throughout, and I liked how the story peeled back layers little by little. Eve is a complicated character, and while I didn’t always agree with her choices, I understood why she made them. I'm definitely not excusing her behavior though!

Overall, Whispers of the Lake is a solid mix of domestic drama and suspense. It’s not a perfect read, but it’s atmospheric, emotional, and perfect if you like slow-burn mysteries with flawed but relatable characters.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

(2.5)
I really didn't connect with this story. I listened to the audio book version and absolutely loved the narrator; it's just the story that I didn't love.
This book is about a missing woman, a scorned friend, and a lot of secrets. When a woman finds out that her best friend sleeps with her husband, she quickly cuts ties with both. Then, she gets a call from the ex-best friends' sister. She hasn't heard from her and she's not returning her calls. So, she goes off to look for her ex-friend at the semi remote house she rented and was last staying at.
The book tells a decent story, but it mixes in gratuitous unnecessary scenes, and the ending was just too far out for me. Still, it may be worth checking out because you might like it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC of Whispers of the Lake.

This psychological suspense novel follows Rose, an investigative journalist dealing with a crumbling marriage and a betrayal that hits too close to home. When her former best friend Eve—who also had an affair with Rose’s husband—goes missing, Rose heads to a quiet North Carolina lake town to uncover the truth.

Though the plot felt a bit drawn out, I appreciated the complexity of Rose’s character. The fact that she puts aside her own pain to search for someone who wronged her speaks volumes. She’s loyal to a fault—and honestly, we all need a “real one” like Rose in our lives.

Narration: The narrator did a solid job delivering the story with the right tone and pacing. However, there were moments with noticeably long pauses between chapters that interrupted the flow. While this didn’t impact my ability to follow the story, it’s worth noting.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, I just feel that the plot was drawn out for too long.

I was really hoping I would love this. I've never read anything by Shanora Williams before so I wasnt sure what her writing style was like... I'm not sure if I liked it? This was very different from other thrillers I've read. It was almost unserious, which at first I was really loving... but mixed with Rose's bad decision after bad decision... by the end I wasn't sure if I liked it as much.

I did enjoy having a cast of primarily black characters. I'm going to be honest in that I feel like usually thrillers as a genre don't have that very often.

The narrator was great. I feel like she did a great job bringing life to the characters.

Shanora introduces us to former besties Rose & Eve. Rose attempting moving on with her life after her husband cheated on her, when her ex-best friends little sister calls, with the news Eve is missing. Enter in Eve the social media influencer, who would never ignore her phone…ever. So why is she MIA? We go back and forth in POVs with Rose in present day and Eve’s diary entries, as we try to figure out…where the heck is Eve!

If you are looking for a slow burn thriller that grabs you at the end and does not let go. This gem is the one. Shanora has a way of taking her readers on a journey by leaving little pieces of evidence, then BAM her endings are action packed.

I have this a 3.5 stars rounding up to 4.

When investigative reporter Rose's estranged best friend, Eve, mysteriously vanishes from a lake cottage rental, Rose reluctantly heads to the secretive small town to uncover the truth.

The novel unfolds through two distinct voices: Rose's first-person narration and Eve's diary entries. Rose is incredibly likable, with a sharp sense of humor that shines through even as she navigates a separation from her husband and a significant rift with her best friend. Despite these personal challenges, she's able to joke with colleagues and is open to new relationships.

Eve's story comes to light through her diary entries. As a lifestyle influencer, Eve's backstory is rooted in a difficult upbringing; she and her younger sister, Zoe, often found solace at Rose's house. This shared history makes the incident that drives a wedge between Eve and Rose all the more impactful.

Even though Rose is furious with Eve, her journalistic instincts kick in, propelling her to the very cottage where Eve disappeared. There, Rose encounters a colorful cast of small-town locals, some openly racist, others quick to judge Eve for her promiscuity. As Rose digs deeper, she finds the locals are covering for each other, and her search for the truth quickly turns dangerous.

The ending delivered a twist I absolutely did not see coming!

My one hang-up with the novel was Eve's characterization. As a lifestyle influencer, I expected more personality and a deeper dive into her life beyond her sadness and troubled past. It felt a bit incongruous for someone so seemingly downcast to be an influencer – though perhaps that's a commentary on the curated, often fake, lives we see online.

Overall, I had so much fun reading this novel. My thanks to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy!

📚 Book Title: Whispers on the Lake
✍🏽Author: Shanora Williams
🎙️Narrator(s): Jasmine walker & Dominique Franceschi

📕 Format: 🎧

⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🕑 Quick Take:
Rosette “Rose” Gibson, 32, has been married to Cole for two years, but their relationship has become rocky due to financial strain and growing apart. After experiencing the ultimate betrayal, Rose decides to end their marriage.

Eve Castillo, Rose’s former best friend of 16 years, crosses some major boundaries, leading Rose to distance herself from their friendship. However, when Eve goes missing, Rose utilizes her skills as an investigative reporter to take the lead in the search for her old friend.

💕What I Loved:
Rose was hella brave and a great friend, ain’t no way! Honestly, I would have been like Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton, saying “sorrows, sorrows, prayer, prayers!” when it came to Eve. I don’t want to give too much away. I was grateful to her sister and friend Jason for convincing her to leave Sage Hill, NC. We didn’t need any additional victims.

I love that Eve was insightful in her journal entries when she wrote, “hurt people hurt people.”

⚠️ Heads Up (Trigger/Content warnings):
- Infidelity
- Missing person
- Recreational drug use
- Death of a parent
- History of abuse (childhood physical and intimate partner violence)

🎭 Narration:
Jasmine delivers quality narration, showcasing distinct variations for different characters, particularly men and children. She effectively engages the reader with appropriate tonal shifts that indicate conversation, thoughts, and descriptions. Dominique provides a performance that conveys emotional depth while reading Eve’s journal entries.

💭 Final Thoughts:
This is my second book by Shanora Williams. I read and thoroughly enjoyed “Beautiful Broken Love.” Since I’ve been wanting to explore her thrillers, I will definitely be reading others in her catalog. It was a great thriller, filled with engaging, unexpected twists and turns that kept me on edge. I didn’t trust anyone—everyone felt like a suspect!

Thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for this advanced listener copy.

This was a short, fun read. I didn't put it down once I started and thought it had a great pace. I liked the twist, but also liked how it wasn't anything unbelievable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Jasmin Walker and Dominique Franceschi do an excellent job narrating this book!

Rose’s friend slept with her husband so there are marital issues she is dealing with. Her friend is a travel influencer and is missing. Rose is an investigative reporter and begins to look into her friends disappearance.

I had a hard time staying engaged in this book. The beginning takes awhile to get going but there are a few other parts that drag. Just an okay read.

This was a decently entertaining audiobook.

Pros:
-narration- I listened at 2x
- dual POV
- great main character who wants to find out what happened to her ex best friend even though she betrayed her.

Cons:
- too many characters, it got a bit confusing
- some of the characters were useless and provided nothing to the story so it felt odd they were included.
- I was expecting something a little bit more twisty

All in all, this audiobook would be worth a listen or a read