“Spellbinding. Another outstanding novel by Kimberly Belle, masterfully written to lure you in and never let go.” — Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling author of My Lovely Wife When Charlotte married the wealthy widower Paul, it caused a ripple of gossip in their small lakeside town. They have a charmed life together, despite the cruel whispers about her humble past and his first marriage. … marriage. But everything starts to unravel when she discovers a young woman’s body floating in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned.
At first, it seems like a horrific coincidence, but the stranger in the lake is no stranger. Charlotte saw Paul talking to her the day before, even though Paul tells the police he’s never met the woman. His lie exposes cracks in their fragile new marriage, cracks Charlotte is determined to keep from breaking them in two.
As Charlotte uncovers dark mysteries about the man she married, she doesn’t know what to trust–her heart, which knows Paul to be a good man, or her growing suspicion that there’s something he’s hiding in the water.
Don’t miss Kimberly Belle’s newest novel, My Darling Husband!
Look for these other pulse-pounding thrillers by Kimberly Belle:
Three Days Missing
The Marriage Lie
Dear Wife
more
Charlotte has pulled herself away from the wrong side of the tracks. She and her brother Chet have worked hard to shed their hard upbringing. Charlotte, working her job, met Paul, the local millionaire. Charlotte knows people look at her with disdain. The local townfolk think she must have just married Paul for his money, but it isn’t true. Charlotte truly loves Paul and shares happy news with him. She’s pregnant.
However, another obstacle that Paul has had to overcome is that he was once married before and his wife was found dead in the lake surrounding the town. Her death was suspicious because she was an expert swimmer. Paul was cleared of her death, but the town has never forgotten.
Then something happens: another woman is found dead in the lake, under Charlotte and Paul’s deck. Charlotte knows this will automatically thrust Paul back into high suspicion. Two dead women in the lake? It’s a mystery for sure. And matters are made worse when the police come to question Paul and he lies about knowing this second woman. Charlotte doesn’t know her, but she saw Paul talking briefly with the stranger in the lake the day before in town.
This book alternates between present day and several decades prior when Paul was in high school and secrets that were kept between him, and his two friends, Jax and Micah. Secrets that Charlotte doesn’t even know.
This book kept me entertained and wanting to know what was going on, especially how the past was going to catch up and tie into the present. I thought it was a good solid story, but I still had had one pretty big question at the end. I won’t ask them here but it was something that really nagged at me. It was probably something very obvious, and I missed it. Anyway, I enjoyed this story and I think a lot of others will, too. I think it will be a good summer read that possibly won’t wrap up the way you think. I’m not saying a twist, but still maybe a little unexpected. Releases June 9th!!
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher.
With STRANGER IN THE LAKE Kimberly Belle once again proves she’s a top-notch thriller author. Brilliantly plotted, smoothly written, and expertly paced, this domestic suspense tale about the consequences of one’s choices will not only keep you guessing, and shifting your allegiances, but turning those pages well into the night, too. Belle has a knack for creating flawed yet relatable characters, and deeply satisfying, powerful endings. This is a killer of a book!
Stranger in the Lake was a very good read, it was unpredictable and action packed. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I am sure I will be reading many more. Suspense/thrillers are one of my favorite genres and this one definitely fit the bill it was very suspenseful and I wasn’t sure whom was guilty of what in the book. A young woman from the wrong side of the town, meets and marries a wealthy man from that point on many secrets come to light, whom can she trust only time will tell. This was a hard book to put down, once I started reading it. I would definitely recommend this book to others that enjoy the genre.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an fair and honest review.
Mystery | Thriller | Suspense
Believe it or not, this is my first Kimberly Belle read. I’ve been a fan of the mystery thriller genre for a long time but tended to stay with authors I’ve already read rather than branching out to those I know nothing about. But seeing her books in other readers favorites list made piqued my curiosity so I gave this one a try. Thankfully, I really enjoyed it! I hate reading books after them being recommended to me a few times and then end up finding them underwhelming. That’s the worst! So, what did I think? I found this book to have the perfect atmosphere and setting for how the plot is laid out, and the suspense; while slow burn, to be perfect for this type of novel. Combining both these things together (the atmosphere and the slow burn from the plot) made for a gripping read!
For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. It may be in the upper 80’s here where I live but I felt a chill down to my bones when reading about the icy waters where the victim(s) laid. I also loved how strong Belle wrote the main character to be, especially after growing up the way she did. Sometimes going back to the past is especially healing. However, I felt like there was something missing in terms of backstory for the characters. I understood where the main character came from and how is formed her decisions for her future, but I needed a little bit more for the other characters who played crucial roles in this story (Paul, Jax, and Micah). Also, the crime committed 20 years ago in the story was a headscratcher for me, and I don’t think the possible consequences of their actions as kids should have motivated the killer for his/her future crimes. It seemed a little silly to me.
Other than this, Stranger in the Lake is a solid mystery/thriller and I enjoyed reading it and becoming immersed in the story. This is the first book I’ve read from the author and I plan on reading another in the very near future!
Stranger in the Lake is an entertaining thriller about murder, long-hidden secrets and old and new lies in a small Appalachian town. If you look hard enough, every character has a connection to every other character, and nothing is what it appears to be at first glance. Old grudges hang on, and you can’t always successfully cross from the wrong side of town to the right side.
There is a rich cast of characters. Paul seems like a good man who’s found love and happiness again after losing his first wife. Charlotte loves Paul and feels protected and safe in his wealth after her anything but easy childhood. They are surrounded by Charlotte’s brother Chet, Paul’s childhood friends Micah and Jax, Paul’s mother, Micah’s police chief father, Charlotte’s old friend Sam from the days she was just Charlie. And then a mysterious women comes to town and begins to shake things up. Until she is found floating in the lake. Paul was accused and exonerated of killing his first wife, but this death is nearly identical. Is there really any such thing as a coincidence?
I had a hard time rating this book. On the one hand it was a gripping story and once I started reading I didn’t want to stop. Author Kimberly Belle’s writing style flows smoothly and is easy to read. On the other hand, although there was a large cast of characters, it seemed like their stories dropped off just as they were getting interesting. The narrative switched from Charlotte’s telling of current events to Jax’s story from 1999, the summer before the boys were to go to college. The switch wasn’t always very smooth and at times it took a minute to place a character from the past in the present.
As soon as the body was discovered there was a sense of danger and uncertainty surrounding Charlotte and she began to question what she really knew about Paul and his past. What caused my difficulty in reviewing and rating was that the mystery and actual events were pretty easy to figure out early on in the story. My desire to read on through was more to see how the author would wrap things up than to learn who did what.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I do recommend it and will read more of what she writes. It’s a good read and the deep dive into the psychological motives of the characters is very interesting. Thanks to the author and publisher for providing an advance copy of Stranger in the Lake via NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Charlotte is a young woman from the wrong side of the tracks. She meets wealthy older widower Paul at her job at the gas station. They fall in love and get married. There are lots of whispers about their marriage as Paul’s first wife was found murdered in the lake behind their house. When a new body is found in the lake, lots of secrets come floating to the surface of their new marriage as well! This book kept me guessing until the very end. I loved Charlotte. She grew up in the worst circumstances but tries to not let that define her. She has her brother Chet during this nightmare, but who else can she trust? This book is filled with murder, mystery, and tons of secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Atmospheric and haunting, Kimberly Belle’s STRANGER IN THE LAKE pulled me in on page one and refused to let go. A dark and beautifully written thriller, Belle is the queen of creating resilient and fearless female protagonists. An intriguing exploration of friendship, family wounds and secrets that won’t stay hidden.
A small town, a body found floating under a dock.
That dock just happens to be where another body was found not so long ago.
Paul and Charlotte live there, the other body was his late wife.
The town is looking suspiciously at Paul.
But wait: he is just one of the long list of suspects.
Who can you really believe?
Twists and turns right to the final page will keep the light on, the pages turning.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harelquin Trade Publishing (US and Canada) Park Row for an entertaining read.
She was a young thang from the wrong side of town who found herself lost and in love. Unwilling to see anything bad about him she was all in despite warnings and suspicions. When another body shows up and the lies start adding up she realizes her mistake. Can a relationship built on half truths and dark secrets last, well that’s the question. The relationship between the guys keeps you wondering just what really happened that keeps them so close. The animosity between two of them let’s you know that the secret they share is a big one.
This author spins a story that even with the twist still ends up with too much descriptive words and inner dialogue for this reader. This made some spots go on forever and move you out of the story and action. This is my first read by this author and while I did enjoy it I really needed more. The characters and the action keep you turning the pages, while waiting for them to just get to the point. Will I read more of this author’s work? Most definitely!
This thriller/mystery will instantly suck you in with it’s long-held secrets and battle-scarred characters! And if that doesn’t grab your attention, there is the mysterious dead body in the lake.
”In the end, we all reap what we sow.”
Kimberly Belle shot to the top of my fav author list after I read the phenomenal “Dear Wife”! This one was so close to a 5-star read, but unfortunately, I couldn’t help but compare it to her previous work.
Lake Crosby is very rich vs. poor, with well-thought-out characters you will love and hate. Charlotte was one of the characters I loved! Easy to underestimate at the beginning, but she developed into a first-rate heroine.
Thank you NetGalley, Park Row and Kimberly Belle, for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 4 ’s
Published: June 9th 2020 by Park Row
Pages: 352
Recommend: Yes!
@KimberlySBelle @parkrowbooks
#NetGalley #MustRead
Kimberly Belle does it again! In STRANGER IN THE LAKE, Belle captivates from the first line until the last, crafting a suspenseful, emotional, and fascinating tale of secrets and lies. This fantastic story features a heroine to root for and admire, all the while keeping readers on the edge of our seats as we follow her gripping journey to uncover the truth about her marriage and past. A must read! I received an advance reader copy.
Charlie is a poor but strong young woman who fell in love with the rich Paul. When she marries him the small lake town whispers it was only for his money. Regardless of the talk in town about Paul’s first wife and Charlie’s very poor financial state, they have a pretty happy life together.
But things start to change when Charlie finds a young woman floating under the dock, which is the same location of Paul’s first wife’s body was found when she died.
At first it seems like it is an unfortunately coincidence, but when Paul lies to the police about never seeing her before, Charlie has a mystery on her hands. Why is Paul not tell the police he was talking to victim just the day before? What is Paul not telling her? Can you trust your heart when your gut tells you something is wrong?
I really enjoyed this story of love, mystery and struggle to know if you should trust your heart or your gut. This is very thought provoking and you want to keep reading to learn the truth.
Thank you to Netgalley for complimentary copy. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Girl from the wrong side of the tracks, meets and marries a good guy….or is he????
This book has something for everyone, murder, secrets and more secrets, best friends, brother/sister from the wrong side of town, mom who doesn’t care, mom who cares too much!
I really enjoyed this book and I actually was able to guess a few things, but not everything! If you enjoy a good page-turner than this is the book for you.
#Charlie, #3BestFriends, #Murder, #NetGalley #LovedIt
Highest praise for this stunner by the incredibly talented Kimberly Belle! It is a page turner, full of twist and turns. The main character is so fantastic and the suspense and plot twists are intense!
This is going to be a best seller for sure! Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley, especially Kimberly Belle for the privilege to read this amazing book!Kimberly Belle
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin and Kimberly Belle for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Well Kimberly Belle does it again! Another great twists and turns psychological thriller that kept me turning the pages faster and faster. A great book for me when I thought I had it figured out but it surprised me. A must read!
The Good Life. This book has a few intriguing storylines deeper than the primary mystery – which itself is compelling and very well told. One of which I know well the temptation of, because I’m actively living a version of it. (Though in my version, I didn’t marry into it but instead created it for myself.) And here the subtle commentary (well, in some cases not quite so subtle) is pretty spot on in my own experience in a similar region (a small Southern US town on the shores of a large lake). Still, the commentary is (again, mostly) subtle enough that if you didn’t live that life, you might not catch just how true it rings, and instead the focus of the tale is the central mystery of the description: who is this stranger, how did she get in the lake, why are so many bodies being found in this lake, and why do they all seem to be connected to Charlotte’s husband? Very well told and with Belle’s usual swerves even until the last pages, this is one you’re going to want to pick up. Very much recommended.
Thank you Net Galley for this advavce copy of Kimberly Belle’s newest book in exchange for my honest review. First I want to say I highly reccommend this book, I found it interesting and just convoluted and twisty enough to keep you guessing. Yes it is a murder mystery, but it started as a Cinderella story…how will it end??? Read it and find out.
Wow! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. Isn’t that how the saying goes?! It applies to this book.
She really knocked this out of the park! This was a real page turner! Full of lies and twists! I couldn’t put it down! Definitely recommend! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
Secrets always come back to haunt you and money doesn’t buy happiness. In this latest by Kimberly Belle you learn that early on. With that said, I was hooked from the beginning. This was a fast-paced, well-written story … I did have the mystery solved pretty early on (hence the 4 ) but definitely recommend! Add this one to your TBR.
Thank you #netgalley and #harlequin for the eARC.