The Lake

Warning!
Do NOT start this book if you have a busy schedule or want to have a life anytime soon. 
My phone has been attached to my hand and this book the center of my mind with everything riding passenger. 
Let me tell you how hard it is to cook while reading.

3.5 stars rounded up on this debut! It was a very entertaining plot but it could have been told a little faster with a little more intensity. I felt awful for the mother, Kate, who just wanted the truth of what happened to her son. She wanted closure and it was slightly far fetched on how things fell into her lap at times but I was intrigued nonetheless. Her support system was crap at best and I struggled with understanding her relationship with her own sister. And her husband, he is the definition of divorce he was ruthless and bothered me but that was good writing for me to have that much emotion towards him. 

Overall it was a good book I just wish it wasn’t so spread out and a little more thrill to be added.

Great book! Engaging from the beginning to the end. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommended!

This novel focuses on a desperate quest by a mother to find out the truth about what happened to her son that drowned in a lake next to his school. Excellently written!

When Kate’s teenage son drowns in the pond near his school, authorities deem it a tragic accident, but Kate doesn’t believe it. Six years later, when Kate finds Michael’s diary, she finally has the chance to prove her theory. It’s only when she delves into the diary that Kate realizes she didn’t really know her son at all, and it may have been better to have let the past, and her son’s secrets, stay buried

This book was better than I thought it was going to be I found that Kate was really the strongest character in the book. The book is pretty much her investigation into her son's Michael's death which she knows is not accidental.

Michael drowned in a lake and his mother Kate is out to prove that he did not commit suicide.
Michael was just 15 years old when the tragedy happened.  Years later while Kate is cleaning out her mother's house, she comes across her son's diary and discovers that she really did not know her son. This leads Kate on a path to find out exactly who he knew and hopefully learn the reason that Michael ended up in the lake.

Heart wrenching from start to finish. Couldn't put down this novel of a mothers loss and her need for answers and dare I say justice. A rollercoaster of emotion as Kate navigates life without her son and her husbands need to move on.  Can you really ever move on from that?  Can she find the answers she is looking for? I was fully invested in her journey and revolted at what she began to discover.  I look forward to reading more from Louise Sharland.

Thank you Netgalley for this impressive arc

I really liked this. Kate is grieving the loss of her son Michael, he died 6 years ago but she can't help but feel that something wasn't right with the "accidental" verdict given for his death. She is determined to find out what really happened that night at the lake.

I liked Katie's character, who couldn't like a woman who finally stands up for herself and her son. I read this quickly, I was desperate for the answers for Kate and Michael. Wasn't disappointed. A great read.

"The Lake" was a fast paced thriller which was at times predictable. The book started off really promising and I could personally feel the sadness and pain of the character. But as the story progressed, I found it quite repetitive and one dimensional. After a point, the ending and the culprit became quite obvious and it was just a waiting game. I had hoped for a different twist in the end to make it more interesting. 

The narration was in first person and was singular. The writing style was articulate. The language was lucid. The tone of the book was of revenge and anguish. The theme of the book was to get a justice. I think if there were multiple POV's, it would have given more structure to the book. It could have been shorter as well instead of meandering in the middle phase of the book.

The story was about a mother, Kate who lost her 15 year old son Michael, 6 years ago to a drowning accident. She has been convinced that there is more to it. But no one wa s interested in her thoughts. Her husband, Adam never liked her son and was more interested in forgetting about him. Her mom suddenly fell ill and she was forced to go back to get childhood home. There she found Michael's old diary and phone. It showed that Michael was in a secret relationship with a person called " Diving Fish". She was supposed to meet him at the Lake on the day he died. Who was this girl? Was she involved in his death? Read to find out.

If you like slow burn thrillers, read this one. 

-Afreen

This was an interesting read that kept me glued to my Kindle.  It centers on Kate, whose 15 year old son drowned 6 years ago- it was ruled an accident but Kate can't get past the fact that Michael was a star swimmer and believes there has to be more to the story, despite the fact that her family and friends are pushing her to move on with her life.

I felt sorry for Kate and thought it was terrible that she didn't have much support from those around her.  The story was unique in that a big chunk of the 2nd half of the book is spent on the retreat she attends to do her investigation and it almost reads like a different story; this was done in a good way, though- Kate took all the things she had learned in the first part of the book and used them to figure out what happened in the 2nd part, and enough time was spent to build out the characters around her at the retreat and to finally give her a support system.

There were a few things that caused me to have to suspend my disbelief, but it didn't take away from  my enjoyment of the book.  I did feel like the storyline around Kate's mother's stroke didn't add much to the story and probably didn't need to be there at all, but I suppose it could help the reader better understand her family dynamics.  

The ending  of the book was somewhat abrupt, but it did tie everything that happened up to that point together, and provided a little surprise twist beyond the main event that I didn't see coming.  

Overall, I liked the book and raced through it to find out what happened.  I'd give it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, and would recommend it to those who enjoy mysteries.  Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it as it kept me guessing until the end, read it one sitting as couldn’t leave it down x

Date reviewed/posted: January 12, 2021
Publication date: March 18, 2021

When life for the entire galaxy and planet has turned on its end, you are continuing to #maskup and #lockdown to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation as the #secondwave is upon us, AND the worst sciatica attack in your life means you MIGHT sleep 3 hours a night,  superspeed readers like me can read 250+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today.

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

The truth lies just beneath the surface…

Kate's world falls apart when her teenage son drowns in the waters by his school. She’s convinced it wasn’t just a tragic accident, but no one will listen.

Then, six years later, Kate unearths Michael’s lost diary and realizes she may finally be able to uncover what really happened that night.

But as she delves deeper, she begins to realize that she didn’t really know her son – or the people in his life – at all. And that, sometimes, secrets are better left submerged…

Sometimes secrets are better left hidden, and this proves so, which is what makes it such a great book. It is deftly written and always enticing - this is a book that I will suggest to lovers of mysteries which includes family, friends and my mystery book club that I chose the books for. It is always surprising yet surprisingly addictive: I read it in one fell swoop. Plan to be sucked in and enjoy the ride!

As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I simply adore emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube  Millionaires/snowflakes / literally-like-overusers etc. " on Instagram and Twitter... Get a real job, people!) so let's give it 🏊🏊🏊🏊🏊

Kate's world falls apart when her teenage son drowns in the waters by his school. She’s convinced it wasn’t just a tragic accident, but no one will listen.
This was such a tense suspenseful book! It had me hooked from get go. The characters were raw.... Felt what  Kate was feeling and I just love that in a book! 
Thanks NetGalley Publisher and Author for this erc

A thoroughly enjoyable and poignant read covering some very moving, controversial and sad themes. The main character is seeking to find answers about how her only son died six years previously whilst also coming to terms with the mortality of her parents, a deeply religious upbringing, teenage pregnancy, an underage relationship with a teacher and an unhappy abusive marriage. Sounds like a lifetime’s caseload for a counsellor! All of the above, however, are explored sensitively and I felt a real connection and empathy with the lead character. The plot develops beautifully, unfolding piece by piece and you really feel you’re on the voyage of discovering, taking the highs and lows with her. Stunning and a book that will stay with me for a long time.

Kate's son died after drowning at a local lake. Unconvinced it was just an accident Kate tries to discover the truth after finding his diary.

I loved this book. I enjoyed how it played out. Like most thrillers there is a slow burn element but it kept me interested in finding out. I enjoyed the twists in the storyline and how she worked it out. I loved how it all unfolded. Brilliant read.

I found this gritty, tense and couldn't put it down. I craved it when I wasn't reading it. Kate's son is involved in a tragic accident, Kate doesn't think all is as it seems so goes on a hunt to find out what really happened that night. What she finds out is truly shocking and the story takes you on a path that brings out secrets and she realises that she did not know her son at all. I will be looking out for more of Louise's books as this one was a brilliant psychological thriller.

Six years after the death of her son, Kate is still convinced it wasn’t an accident. This book follows her on her journey to try and discover the truth but would it be better for some secrets to remain unknown. I read The Lake over a couple of days and found it impossible to put down. It’s got a fantastic amount of intrigue and suspense that kept me turning the page.  Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

A slow burn thriller, with its fair share of twists & turns, this was Louise Sharlands debut novel which didn't disappoint.

'Kate's world falls apart when her teenage son drowns in the waters by his school. She’s convinced it wasn’t just a tragic accident, but no one will listen'

Many thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 4 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

Excellent heart pounding read. A few red herrings along the way, but my interest was kept all the way through. Read it in a single weekend. Highly recommended.

The story follows a mother who is grieving the passing of her 15-year-old son Michael who drowned six ago.  When she accidentally discovers his diary, she begins to suspect there was much more to his death than a mere drowning — and that someone else may have been with him at the lake that night.

What follows is an intense, fast-paced thriller as she slowly uncovers Michael’s past and gets closer to discovering the truth of what really happened.  The mother’s pain was heartbreaking as she unearthed her son’s past, desperately searching for closure and justice, resulting in quite an unsettling narrative. The emotional depth of Kate’s search draws us deeply into her spirit, to the point that her pain is our pain, her joy (as little as there is of it) is our joy.  So in this way, I felt that The Lake hits at an intensely visceral level.  Anyone who has known the pain of losing a loved one will no doubt see themselves in this story. I knew this subject matter would be a gut puncher- but was woefully ill-prepared for how much. 

There is depth to this story, which delves into some pretty dark themes of grief, loneliness, religious extremism, mental and emotional abuse, teenage pregnancy, and inappropriate sexual relationships.  While I found this indeed to be a compelling story, I typically like my thrillers with more twists and turns, which I thought were lacking here, rendering the story a tad predictable and underwhelming.  But apart from that, I really enjoyed this whirlwind of a novel.  I found it emotive, heartbreaking, and utterly engrossing, and aches with past and present bruises.   But a few surprises and red herrings would have been nice.

'All I have is an uncertain marriage, a dead child, and a ridiculous obsession with finding out what happened to him.'


Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books and Louise Sharland for the chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review - publication date 18th March 2021.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. It sounded interesting, albeit a premise I felt I had read many times before. The story begins six years after the death of the MC's 15 year old son, leaving her with many questions and no answers - something she is determined to solve. 

Despite the all too familiar storyline, I really enjoyed it! Louise's writing style made for very easy reading and it had enough twists and turns to keep me hooked. In fact, I devoured it in just over 24 hours, my Kindle glued almost permanently to me in the hopes of five minutes spare reading time.

The storyline was predictable, but when you've read as many thrillers as many of us avid readers have, it is difficult to find a 'who dunnit' that isn't. It was still enough to keep me interested. While it was not a groundbreaking novel in terms of uniqueness, it is perfect if you fancy an easy to read thriller/mystery. As someone from the South West of England, I particularly enjoyed the varied settings in and around the areas I grew up and live now! I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

A mother grieving for the loss of her teenage son 6 years ago. She can't accept that his death was an accident even after all these years. When her mother is admitted to hospital she goes to mind the cat and discovers the diary of her son hidden in the back of the cupboard. Why didn't her mum share it with her? Not everything is as it seemed at the time. She sees a different side those around her including her son. Was his death really an accident? Finding his diary sends her on a mission to uncover the truth no matter the cost. A gripping thriller but an easy read-I finished in 2 days! Can't wait to read more from this author!

This was a lot of fun, fast paced and a gripping read. I would highly recommend it to everyone that’s looking for a thruller

I didn’t realise this novel a debut novel and I am looking forward to reading more from her.


This pulls the heartstrings.  Kate is grief stricken recovering from the sudden death of her son three years ago.  Kate is sure that it wasn’t suicide and clings to the belief that someone else was involved in his death.  When she uncovers his diary, it would appear to confirm this theory and Kate sets about uncovering the truth.
I read this book in two sittings and really enjoyed it. Its well-paced albeit a bit harrowing in places.  Her husband is awful as are some of the other characters in the novel.

This is a classic page turner and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

A suspenseful psychological thriller. This had me hooked from the start and I could not put it down. Great characters and a gripping storyline.

A sorrowful suspense-filled story told through the eyes of the main character, a young mother named Kate, six years after the death of her only son. I real page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Kate receives a call that her mother has suffered a stroke and needs to return to her childhood home. Kate and her mother have a complicated relationship. After a day at the hospital, Kate returns to her mothers home to stay the night. While cleaning up she discovers her mother has a few things that belonged to her son Michael, and brings up more questions of what really happened the night Michael drowned. In her quest to find out, Kate scrambles to follow bread crumbs while visiting her sick mother and keeping her husband, Adam at arms length and away from the investigating Kate is doing.
Although I truly enjoyed the book, it may have helped to hear Michael's point of view. His relationship with his stepfather is never fully explained. At times the author leaves you drowning in details, but only lightly touches on parts of the story she really emphasis like why Kate's husband was so interested in Michaels diary and what was up with her relationship with her sister.
I did feel like the main story was tied together in the end, and left me feeling glad I had a chance to read the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense and mysteries.

Brilliant storyline that kept me racing to find out what was going to happen. 

Believable characters and author shows great insight into the tragic death of the young boy in the book.  

Emotional and very well written .. throughly enjoyed it 

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC. I found it suspenseful and could not put it down. I just wanted to know what was going to happen. Definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys a thriller!

Pub date 3/2021

I am a little disappointed. Should of researched this book better. I thought it was a real true crime read, Its a thriller read. With that being said. 

“A mother knows when something is not right. And will do anything to prove it.”

Once I started this book. I had to read it all through.. Kate’s son drowns at 15. When her mom is hospitalized. Kate finds something of her sons. That her mother instincts kick in and she investigates it. Even when no one else believes her.

I enjoyed this debut novel by Louise Sharland.  “The Lake” is a well paced engaging story and I finished it in one day.  As a mom I cannot imagine the depths of the pain that Kate feels over the loss of her son Michael, not to mention being told repeatedly to move on and forget it.  Driven for answers Kate must journey into an uphill battle where she finds more than she bargains for. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

This is the second book I have read about a mother losing a child. It makes for an emotional read, a topic that crawls under my skin and makes it impossible to put the book down. This riveting tale had me turning the pages faster than I have ever managed before.
The Lake deals with the loss of a child, dominate relationships and abuse. This truly engrossing story left me with a need to wrap my arms around my children, never wanting to let them go again. (Not that it would be welcomed by my independent teenage girls.)
This debut novel from Louise Sharland is beautifully written. Her writing is wonderfully descriptive and emotionally intoxicating. She shares the emotions of the characters so clearly that you are left sharing the experience with them. Louise Sharland turned me into a fan with this book and I eagerly await her next novel.
When Kate’s son Michael drowns, the police investigation is inconclusive. Kate cannot accept Michael’s death as an accident or a possible suicide. Pressured by her husband to put it behind her and move on, it takes six years before Kate finds new evidence that sends her on a hunt for the truth about what happening to Michael. A truth she did not expect, but enough to give her the closure she so desperately needs to move on.
This book kept me up at night. At times things were so clear and I wanted to scream at Kate for not seeing what was right in front of her. I lost myself in this story completely and I was as eager for the truth as Kate herself. I had my suspicions, but this proved wrong which made the story even more entertaining.
The characters in this book were realistic people, they were flawed and interesting and deeply moving. Kate was wonderfully portrayed, a mother who lost her child, suffered a breakdown and was living with a dominant husband. Her insecurities and uncertainty were clear, making her an easy character to bond with. As for Adam, Kate’s husband, all I can say is: What an idiot! The man annoyed me from the moment he was introduced. My favourite had to be Doris, the neutral next-door neighbour who helped Kate see things in a new light and gave her the confidence she needed to fight for what she believed in. Doris was a genuinely loving mother-figure, while she played a small part in the book, she stood out as a strong, loving woman. I adored her!
The Lake easily made it onto my Loved list for 2021 – this book looked at dominance and abuse showing how a vulnerable woman can regain her inner strength and find peace and happiness. This book looks at several real-life issues faced by women every day in a manner that left me appreciating the life I have.
Mystery fans will love this book, but it will also appeal to fans of women’s fiction.
I enjoyed reading this book and cannot possibly recommend it highly enough. Make a note, publication day is 18 March – make sure to get yourself a copy, this is a brilliantly entertaining read.

I enjoyed this book and was quickly engaged in the story and wanting to know what happened. I thought it was written well and drew you into Kate and Michael’s story, I thought the subtleties of Kate’s husband’s controlling behaviour were well described especially as it was all under the guise of being caring, abusive relationships are not always physical. There were times that I wondered why Kate didn’t go to the police with her new information but I suppose when you’ve had the door shut one too many times you feel you can only rely on yourself. Either way I give this four stars and would recommend reading it.

Really enjoyed this one! Finished the whole book in 24 hours. It was gripping, exciting and I needed to read more - a real page turner.

Could the truth lie beneath the lake's surface? Read The Lake by Louise Sharland for a fast paced thriller to find out. Kate is devastated when her teenage son, Michael drowns in the lake near his school. She is convinced it was not an accident, but no one will listen. Six years later while staying at her mother's house, while her mother is hospitalized with a stroke, she finds Michael's diary. She begins to read it and finds out things about her son that she knew nothing about. Kate takes this information and goes on a hunt for the truth so she can get the closure she desperately needs.  I found myself sometimes frustrated with Kate as she could not see what was right in front of her. I was just as anxious to find out about Michael's death so this book was hard to put down.I I found myself saying, one more chapter ,then I'll go to bed.  If you enjoy a great  mystery this book is for you. Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book and give an honest review.

For a debut author, this was impressive and held my attention straight away. Slight lull in settling in at the summer school but builds up the tension again. Really enjoyable as you want to find out with Katie what the unknown life of her son was at boarding school through the found diary.

I read this in a couple of days as really wanted to keep going and find out the ending.

This was a great book to read, it had all the twists and turns in it which kept me guessing right until the end. I was convinced it was one character then, I change my mind and decided it was someone else but, I didn’t guess who it was until the end. This is the type of book I love. I nearly read it in one sitting but just manage it. I loved the tension in this it added to the theme of the story. Great!!! My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Louise Sharland for the advance copy of this emotional thriller. Kate is still struggling to cope with the death of her son in a drowning accident six years on. When her mother has a stroke and Kate stays at her house she discovers Michael's diary and laptop. She begins to investigate his death again as she is certain it wasn't a accident. A compelling emotional journey of a mother determined to get the truth. Absolutely amazing read, highly recommended.

I stayed up all night to read this. I will need a lot of coffee soon. Help me.

This book is gripping. Sharland has written a thriller I will not soon forget. Although this was very tough for me as a parent, this book would not let me stop reading. Just as addictive as Clare Mackintosh. I cannot stress how much this author will be a must for most thriller fans. I am already eager from a new book from this author. She has been added to my auto buy list.

Kate’s life has been an unending journey of misery since her 15 year old son, Michael, drowned. While she is convinced his death wasn’t an accident, everyone around her, including her husband, wants her to just move on. When Kates mother is hospitalized from a stroke, she heads to her house to look after her cat and be closer to her mum. She didn’t expect to find Michael’s diary in her mother’s house. And she didn’t expect it to reveal even more questions about not only his death, but a life Kate knew nothing about. Determined to solve the mystery of the night Michael died, she’ll stop at nothing to get to the truth.

The Lake was a gripping read, with several characters I wanted to reach through the pages and strangle. Being a mother myself, stories about harm befalling children are always an emotional read and this one was no exception. A fast paced thriller, covering many intense subjects, such as abusive relationships, grief, family issues and more, The Lake provided enough drama and twists to keep me entertained the whole way through. While some of the plot points were a little predictable, on the whole, I found the story an engaging and easy read.

I’d recommend this one to anyone who enjoys domestic thrillers!

Brilliantly written, suspenseful and utterly compulsive. A mother's quest to find justice for her son, whose death was returned as an open verdict, leads her on a suspenseful journey. Red herrings aplenty , dual storylines of her disintegrating marriage to a domineering husband keep the pace up throughout.  Despite everyone around her telling her she's crazy, she persevered in her quest. When her mother has a stroke ,forcing her to return to the family home, she finds her son's laptop and diary ,which leave her even more convinced someone else was involved in his death, the mysterious Diving Fish of his poetry. The ultimate denouement is a breathtaking climax to an original and compelling read.

Six years ago, protagonist Kate Hardy’s 15 year old son drowned from a tragic ‘accident’. Kate has always suspected that the police’s judgement that her swimmer son’s death was a accident could not be the truth. Surrounded by people questioning her judgement and mental state, Kate has not pursued this inkling she has. That is until she finds her dead son’s diary. A sinister diary filled with hidden poems and a suspicious ‘Diving Fish’.

This mystery takes you all over the UK from Cornwall to an Upper-Class Private school in the north of Scotland. This book covers such intense and varied issues: <b>addiction, religious fundamentalism, child grooming, domestic abuse, teenage pregnancy, and mental health</b>. Including a same- sex couple was great as well. They are not key characters but important to the book and offered humour and female friendship. Brilliant LGBTQ representation in a casual way. However, the addition of a love interest towards the end of the book (I will not add spoilers), seemed to be just thrown in, as is the regular theme for female protagonists. Women do not always need to have a happily ever after with a man. This story line didn’t really add anything to the book. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I couldn’t wait to pick it up on an evening and fly through the pages. Gripping and it felt like there was constant twist and turns (maybe sometimes to a fault). There is so much going on, and I would have loved the author to delve into the topics with more detail as I just loved the characters and the story lines. 

<b>Rating: 4.5/5 Stars</b>

Thank you to NetGallery and Avon Books for giving me access to a digital copy of <i>The Lake</i> in exchange for an honest review.