In Whispers of the Lake, Shanora Williams delivers a gripping tale of betrayal, redemption, and the dangerous truths that lie just beneath the surface of a fractured friendship. The story follows Rose, a determined investigative reporter who becomes entangled in the disappearance of Eve—her former best friend turned estranged acquaintance after a devastating betrayal involving Eve’s husband.

Despite their painful history, Rose is compelled to uncover the truth behind Eve’s sudden vanishing. What begins as a personal mission quickly unravels into a suspense-filled journey laced with secrets, lies, and unexpected danger. Williams expertly builds tension while peeling back the layers of a complex relationship and a mystery that refuses to stay buried.

With compelling character dynamics and a plot that steadily intensifies, Whispers of the Lake is a twisty and emotionally charged thriller that keeps the pages turning and the questions coming. A must-read for fans of domestic suspense and stories where nothing—and no one—is as it seems.

Tense, atmospheric, and filled with unease—Whispers of the Lake kept me hooked! Rose heads to a small North Carolina town to check on a missing ex-friend who majorly betrayed her, but loyalty (and guilt) still drive her to help. The locals are straight-up bigots and clearly don’t want outsiders snooping around, which only adds to the suspense. Everyone feels like they’re hiding something, and everyone has a motive. A slow-burn thriller that builds pressure with every chapter!

Thank you Shanora Williams, RBmedia, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#whispersofthelake #netgalleyarc #netgalleyreview #netgalley #arcreview #arc #arcreader #review #somanybookssolittletime

When her former best friend, Eve, goes missing, Rose decides to put her professional reporter skills to use in the hopes of locating Eve before it's too late.

I enjoyed this one and especially enjoyed the element that the girls were estranged (for very good reason) at the time Eve goes missing. Most women I know have friends who aren't so close anymore, but (in most cases!) we don't wish them ill will and would definitely help find them. It was interesting to see how the Rose handles being torn between wanting to find her former friend and still being mad about the issue that caused the estrangement. I definitely thought that was a more interesting angle than most missing persons books.

I am a fan of this author's and the books I've read are more long-game revenge stories, so I felt like this one didn't quite pack the punch the other books did, but I still thought the story was well written, the characters were interesting (though Eve was unlikeable) and the story moved quickly. The narration was awesome and I really enjoyed the whole thing.

I listened to the audiobook of this one (which was very well done) and it kept me enthralled throughout. Reporter Rose takes on the task of trying to track down her friend Eve who seems to have disappeared without a trace. With quite a few twists and unlikeable characters, this was a pretty good read.

1.5

This sounded like it had all the elements of a mystery that I enjoyed, but I didn't like it at all. Border line hated it. I didn't like the characters. I didn't care about the 'mystery'. Not a single aspect of this one drew me in.

I'm sure there is an audience out there that will love it. This one wasn't for me.

Jasmin Walker and Dominique Franceschi narrate the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

This investigative missing person mystery had me intrigued from page one.

Rose is an investigative journalist and knows how to dig deep and ask hard questions. Personally, her life is a mess. After walking in on her husband with her best friend, Rose is trying to pick up the pieces and start over.

She hasn’t spoken to her former best friend, Eve, in months. Feeling utterly betrayed, Rose would be fine to never think about Eve again. That is until Eve’s sister calls Rose in a panic saying that she hasn’t heard from Eve in several days. Rose’s conscience gets the best of her, and she starts her own investigation into the hunt for her missing friend.

The author did a great job of making Eve incredibly unlikable, and I’m upset on Rose’s behalf!

I really wanted to love this one, and the beginning seemed promising. I ultimately didn’t really feel connected to the characters on a deep level, and the story felt just a bit flat for me.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC audiobook.
This was a great book!
I listened in one day. Constant action packed story that I was very invested in.
I hated Eve and loved Rose.
The narration was excellent and I highly recommend to everyone.

ARC Review | 🎧 Format: Audiobook

Summary: When Rose and her best friend Eve end their friendship after many years, the last thing Rose expects is to be pulled back into Eve’s life. But when Eve’s sister Zoe calls and says Eve is missing, Rose agrees to look into it. Eve has always been unpredictable. She was a bit of a wild card, so disappearing isn’t exactly out of character. Still, something feels off, so Rose agrees to investigate. Her search leads her to the small town of Sage Hill, which is a place that has its own secrets.

My Opinions: This was my first read by Shanora Williams, and I was completely hooked by her storytelling. I actually listened to this in one sitting.

The story is told in a dual POV format, which I really enjoyed. We get Rose’s present-day investigation paired with Eve’s past, told through her journal entries. While I didn’t personally connect with either character, I still felt sympathy for what they were going through. These characters were deeply flawed and their past leads them to making some interesting decisions.

The suspense in this book kept me guessing. Everyone in Sage Hill seems to have something to hide, and as Rose starts digging into Eve’s disappearance, things only got murkier. The twist genuinely caught me off guard.

If you enjoy thrillers with small-town vibes, unreliable characters, and buried secrets, this one’s worth adding to your list.

Trigger Warnings: Child abuse, domestic abuse, mental health issues

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook arc copy of Secrets of the Lake by Shanora Williams, publishing June 24th, in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately this was just okay to me. I’ve read a lot of thrillers so I feel as if it takes a lot to surprise me and this book fell flat. There were lots of ‘horror movie’ clichés and I didn’t connect to any characters enough to root for any of them.
This was relatively fast paced and entertaining at points but the journal entries were sporadic and it wasn’t ever clear where we were in the timeline of the entries.
Overall, this wasn’t a book for me, but it was not at all bad and I can see why someone new to the thriller genre could enjoy this.

Once the best of friends, Rose and Eve have fallen out. Rose is concentrating on advancing her career and trying to save her struggling marriage when she learns that Eve is trying to contact her. When Rose reaches out, she discovers that has disappeared, leaving her wallet and passport behind. It’s obvious something nefarious has happened to Eve, and in memory of the friendship they once had Rose sets out, defined her friend.

This didn't hit me like The Perfect Ruin, as I love the author's writing, it was very easy for me to become distracted. I couldn't connect with the characters, and I was lost.

Thank you Netgalley and RBMedia for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Intriguing read that held my attention and was overall entertaining. With a mysterious and eerie undertone, it blended small town secrets & emotional drama.

When Rose & her best friend Eve end their friendship after many many years, Rose is the least bit concerned when Eve’s sister Zoe calls to inform her that Eve is missing. Eve has been a bit unpredictable, a bit of a wild card and sometimes known for disappearing. Rose is asked to investigate her ex friends disappearance, and it takes her to a small town that clearly follows their own rules. Secrets are revealed, trusts are broken, as Rose tries to uncover the truth about her missing friend.

Overall a decent mysterious storyline that was worth the read. I enjoyed the alternating POVs from Rose’s point of view and Eve’s diary. I enjoyed the narration in the audiobook, the narrators did a phenomenal job bringing life to Rose & Eve’s characters. There weren’t many twists and turns in this story, as a typical thriller would have, I would classify the more of a mystery. Thank you Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.

Publication 🗓️ : 06.24.25

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I’ve been a fan of Shanora Williams writing for a while now. “Whisper at the Lake” did not disappoint. Filled with twist and turns, had me feeling like jerk for judging one of the characters so harshly before getting all the facts.

Imagine having a fight with you best friend who’s like a sister and then she disappears. Would you go looking for, or leave her alone because of hurt. That’s the battle our main character Rose is facing. Conflicted between get your shit tighter at this grown age and keep your hands away from my man.

This book has:
Hits of spicy 🌶️
Trauma
Therapy
Self awareness

This was an ARC copy. I did enjoy this book, the first half of the book had me more hooked and engaged. After the half way marker I got a little bored and felt like this one dragged out a little too much, the plot was very basic but overall not a bad read.

Moody, emotional, and full of quiet tension, this story pulled me in with its slow, steady unraveling of secrets and past wounds. The writing is lyrical without being overdone, and the setting adds the perfect layer of atmosphere. The characters felt real—flawed, struggling, trying to heal—and I found myself rooting for them even when they made messy choices. Whispers of the Lake by Shanita Williams balances introspection with suspense in a way that makes it hard to put down. It’s the kind of book that lingers after the last page.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Rated PG-13 for mature themes, emotional content, and light language.

This was my first thriller by Shanora Williams and definitely not my last! Whispers at the Lake grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Williams does a fantastic job building tension, dropping subtle clues that keep you guessing until the final shocking reveal. The emotional depth makes the story hit harder, making it more than just a thriller—it’s also a story about trauma, resilience, and trust.

As for the characters, Eve is layered and compelling, with a past that slowly unravels as the plot unfolds. I loved her journal entries. The most. It resonated so well with that was going on and we learned a deeper understanding of what she was really battling in life that got her to this place. You never know what’s a person is really going through in their life. Childhood traumas are real! I think Rose was a great friend despite what happened between her and Eve. I’m glad she went looking for her friend.

I can’t wait to read more thrillers by Shanora! I recommend getting the audiobook for this one. The narrator did a great job at bringing this story to life.

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

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 6/24/25

Audiobook 🎧/ eBook 📖 duel immersion read

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Reporter Rose Gibson sets off to a small lake town to find her missing estranged best friend, Eve. Still fighting her anger and betrayal over Eves actions, she can’t help but worry about her strange disappearance.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
🏡 Eerie small lake town
🛶 Short chapters
🏡 Dual POV- present/journal entries
🛶 BIPOC representation

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: I went into this expecting a twisty, eerie, thriller. I got an eerie atmosphere but a story that was mainly about mental health issues. There were so many cliches used and talked about as well. This would only be classified as a thriller by a stretch. I was however interested enough to find out the resolution of Eves disappearance, overall not thrilled about this one. The narrator in the audiobook wasn’t the best option for creating a spooky atmosphere, I found the voice and inflection to pull me into a more “female drama story” type state of mind. I had to stop using the audiobook pretty quickly, and just stick to the ebook.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 2.5/5 ⭐️⭐️💫

TW: Child abuse/neglect, mental health issues, promiscuity, domestic abuse/neglect

*Thank you @NetGalley, @RecordedBooks, and @KensingtonBooks for sending this audiobook and ebook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Rose's former best friend Eve is missing and her last known location was a small town in North Carolina. While she is still mad at Eve, Rose needs to know what happened to her so she travels to Sage Hill, NC.

I felt like this story was just fine. The pacing felt on the slower side, even though it was a quick read. I also wasn't drawn in by most of the characters. Overall this one will probably be a story I quickly forget.

Tropes:
* Small Town
* Missing Person
* Influencer
* Journal Entries
* Secrets

3 stars

4.5⭐️

Thank you Netgalley & RBmedia | Recorded Books for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that the narration was well done. I loved that 2 narrators were chosen to represent each of the main characters in this book (Rose & Eve).

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. The ominous tone, the creepy bigoted town & the whodunit aspects kept me super intrigued. Once I started, I didn't want to stop listening. Eve's journal entries were a nice touch, it gave insight to Eve's mind but also added in a wtf factor. I felt like they got worse as the story went on -- like a car accident about to happen but you can't look away from. I would definitely recommend this book to friends who love a good whodunit mystery with a twist.

If you are looking for a fast paced, gripping, twisty, impossible to put down book, this is it!! Talk about a book that got and kept my attention!!!!

Imagine this, your best friend does something completely unforgivable, putting a serious strain on your friendship (rightfully so), and then she vanishes. You’re pulled into the search to find her and piece together what really happened.

Despite the complicated emotions, betrayal and hurt you go looking for her. And in the process, you come face to face with dark secrets, painful truths, and things that were meant to stay buried.

This book took me on a ride!!! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. If you are into fast paced thrillers, with a little mess, twists, and an end you don’t see coming, definitely pick this one up! It won’t disappoint!!

The audio for this book was an amazing listen, gathering and keeping my attention while letting me feel the same emotions, concerns and fears as the characters!! Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook!