Loved it!

Pros: Engaging storyline, loved all the plot twists, likeable characters. There wasn’t just one suspect and I was guessing until the end. Fast paced. I personally like the FB posts and little things interspersed throughout.

Cons: This is the 3rd or 4th recent book centered on a new true crime podcast, although this was well done and written, the concept is well used now

Rating:
4 stars/B+

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC! The Lake of Lost Girls is a thriller set in a small college town where four college girls went missing 24 years ago. The main character is Lindsey, one of the missing girl’s little sister. The case is re-opened when a body is found in a local lake. Lindsey begins to look deeper into her sister’s disappearance and her life at college. She discovers a side to her sister she didn’t know and uncovers complicated family secrets while she’s at it. The story jumps back and forth in the timeline and several of the chapters are from different characters’ points of view. There is an added element of a true crime podcast that brings attention to the case but honestly seems unnecessary in the development of the story. With the multiple points of views, podcast, and timeline jumps it’s hard to stay focused. The story was intriguing but the “big twist” was pretty predictable. Again, the premise was intriguing and the true crime podcast element was something new I hadn’t seen an author employ before but I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would

It’s been a long time since a thriller book kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end and that it blew my mind.
“The lake of lost girls” introduces us to the missing cases of 4 women which were never found, and the investigations turned cold. The weird aspect of these cases was that the girls were connected between each other, but the police never took that into consideration.
24 years had passed and one of the girls’ bodies is found and the investigation is back to uncover secrets, where Lindsay Fadley (sister to one of the missing girls) wants to find answers and her way she is finding people from her sister’s past, in addition to a murder podcast which shines the light to all of these girls.
There is so much to say about this book, but I don’t want to reveal too much because it was journey and I want you to experience it for yourself. It is written in two-line times which makes it a friendly story to keep up and you’re never lost between story lines.
This book leaves in evidence the lack of work of the police and how the little attention to those who seem to be the guilty ones and the power that a “good reputation” can have to overlook a clearly bad behavior.
The story is so well written that everyone seems guilty, and you don’t know who to trust and who is telling the truth. Each chapter ends in a cliffhanger which makes you not let go of the book, and the tension build to reach the ending was magnificent and the ending even better. MINDBLOWING.
If you are going to read the book, please consider the following trigger warning: murder, infidelity, predator behavior, dysfunctional family, teacher-student relationship, trauma.

Katherine Greene's "The Lake of Lost Girls" is a suspense-packed thriller and enables the reader to feel like part of the puzzle while the mystery unfolds. Told from the dual perspective of two sisters, this cold-case mystery is captivating from the very first chapter.

Author Katherine Greene takes her readers back in time to 1998, following the disappearance of four female Southern State University students. Lindsay Fadley, the younger sibling whose older sister Jessica disappeared without a trace the same year as the other female students, is still consumed with uncovering what happened all those years ago.

There was a botched police investigation paired with multiple suspects, including a professor, a boyfriend and someone in the sister’s own family.

The unique storyline includes snippets of podcast episodes, social media posts and newspaper clippings from the time of the murder and present day. This thriller had me invested in solving the cold case and uncovering the truth behind the mystery of the missing students. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. I can’t wait to recommend this book to all my fellow readers. It’s one of the best thriller books I’ve read this year!

Publication Date: November 5, 2024

Thank you @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Was a beri suspenseful story.
Good character development and plot twists.

I could not stop reading but I wanted something more

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc! This is a true crime mystery novel with dual timeline and dual pov about a missing girl named Jessie/Jess. Present day is from Lindsay’s pov and the past is told from Jess’s pov in college. We get to see what unfolds about Jess and what happened to her along with the aftermath from her sister’s pov in the present day which I found basic but there’s something to it that’s interesting. From Jess’s timeline it feels a little predictable to me. The story drags a little and I didn’t really like the podcast in the story but I very much enjoyed Jessica’s pov more than Lindsay’s. the twists of this story is really good if you love true crime/mystery I recommend but for me personally as I did enjoy it there was some that just didn’t go well together for me. All together a 3.75 for me.

On her 6th birthday, Lindsey turned away for just 10 seconds and her older sister disappeared, along with three other girls. Justice was never served, in fact the girls were never found. 24 years later, two strangers start a true crime podcast focusing on the disappearances and stir up a whole lot of history.

The Lake of Lost Girls is a skilfully crafted narrative full of twists and turns that keep you from ever putting the book down. I particularly adored Lindsey, the protagonist, because she felt like a fully fleshed out character with flaws but was still so relatable. The ending had my jaw on the floor, I did not have even an inkling of what was going to happen. I would highly recommend this to any lover of books about womanhood and lovers of thrillers.

3.75/5 stars

OMG! This book is so WILD! I won't go into massive spoilers here, but there is so much going on that it makes you second and third guess yourself. I highly recommend it!

I loved this book! I was pulled into it from the first page. I loved how it goes from perspectives of both sisters. I would definitely recommend this book to any suspense readers.

The Lake of Lost Girls is a unique mystery about missing college students, the audacity of men, and misdirected anger. However…

I made a prediction of exactly what happened to all 4 of the girls, who did it, and their motive at the 5% mark, and was certain of my prediction by 12%. Unfortunately, I was correct on all counts.

What didn’t work for me was that each of the “clues” that would usually be subtly mentioned throughout the story in such a way that isn’t super obvious to the reader were instead repeated and highlighted from the very beginning, hence the predictability of the mystery.

Huge thanks to the publishers for the advanced copy. WOW! What a ride this book was. Perfect for any thriller / mystery / true crime fan!

This haunting novel is a cold case mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I was initially dragged in by the gripping storyline but stayed for the twists and turns. I also loved the dynamic of podcast episodes and social media posts, giving a modern but realistic feel!

This was an easy read with an interesting enough plot, I just didn’t find myself getting engaged in either the story or the characters. I did like the dual-timelines and the intrigue of trying to figure out the ‘whodunnit’ but overall, this wasn’t for me.

Wow!! I was convinced I had it all figured out but I was so wrong! What a twist! Fans of true crime podcasts will absolutely love this book! Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review early!!

I ate this UP! The way I was so convinced on who the killer was (and I was partly right) the whole time because it’s alwayssss the one you least expect, but DAMN!!!!! For the first time in a while I have been outsmarted on the whodunit front!

This book was fast paced and a nice easy read. Totally creepy when you read it at 1am and I’m not sure how I’ll get to sleep now, but it was well worth it.

Absolutely recommend this for anyone looking to sink their teeth into the latest true crime thrillers on the market. Well worth the read!

4/5⭐️

FULL REVIEW AUG 24
From the cover to the the synopsis this book sounds right up my book alley I hope am not wrong. Really looking forward to diving in to this one.

fans of true crime and podcasts will enjoy this one. Told with dual timelines and alternating POVs with podcast snippets, social media posts and news articles sprinkled in, it’s a captivating story of missing college coed Jessica Fadley. 20 years have passed since she vanished and her sister still wants answers. However as she digs into her sister’s past, Lindsey realizes those answers might come with a hefty price. Who was her sister and how is she connected to the difference of 3 other female students on campus? Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy, this one comes out this fall!

Damn what a ride! If you're a fan of thrillers with a unique format and unexpected twists, "The Lake of Lost Girls" by Katherine Greene should be up your alley!

This gripping novel took me on a chilling journey into a cold case mystery, promising a blend of suspense, intrigue, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood. Set against the haunting backdrop of Southern State University in 1998, the story revolves around a series of student disappearances, with Jessica Fadley's vanishing at the center. Fast-forward two decades, and Jessica's sister, Lindsey, embarks on a desperate search for answers, aided by a true crime podcast that uncovers a new lead. While I may have found some flaws in the execution of the plot and character development, the novel's suspense is its lifeline, enhanced by the inclusion of true crime podcast snippets that add a modern edge to the tale. Despite the shortcomings it had for me, "The Lake of Lost Girls" offers a captivating story that will keep you hooked until the very end.

Thanks for Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Wow. That was a roller coaster! I can’t believe that ending. So lucky to get an ARC for this. Really delves into messed up family dynamics perfectly and explores the problems with true crime podcasts and desensitization!

Perfectly placed Easter eggs that gave me a oooohh yeaaa moment. Lovers of crime and thriller reads, this is for you.

I really enjoyed this book. Going from past to present, it follows one sister (Lindsey) who is trying to figure out answers about her sisters (Jessicas) cold case investigation. As a true-crime podcast gains momentum with the "Dolls Eye Lake" case, Lindsey teams up with a journalist that seems like he knows more about his sisters past than he's letting on. As time goes by, Lindsey starts to question everything she is being told, and wonders what really happened to her sister as different information comes into play-and how it relates to the other girls found in the nearby lake. You gain insight into the twists and turns of Jessicas life, as you learn more about her past and what contributed to her becoming missing. I would recommend this to a friend for sure.