They went on vacation. Not everyone made it back.The Palmers went to the lake for a week of fun in the sun. But Alex Palmer had an agenda. He wanted his brother to reconcile with their hypercompetitive father. He wanted his daughter to break up with her shady boyfriend. Most of all, Alex wanted them to be a family one more time before he faced his predicament at home.Evil incarnate and a brutal … home.
Evil incarnate and a brutal double murder shifted Alex’s focus from wants to needs. He needed to keep his family safe. He needed to find her. He needed to know what happened at the lake.
His pastor often said, “God won’t give you more than you can bear.”
This had nothing to do with God.
NOTE TO THE READER: This is a dark psychological thriller that delves into depraved acts of humanity. For adult readers only who can handle these subject matters. Adult language and explicit sexual violence.
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Lots of twists and turns.
Really enjoyed this book. Read in o e day.
Started slow but the characters held my interest until the very surprising end. Good book
This was a great book. I couldn’t put it down and stayed up far too late into the night reading. I have recommended it to others who also enjoyed it.
Great weekend read
Very good book. Couldn’t put it down. It just grabbed you and kept you reading.
This starts off fairly low key and builds you up, then brings you down over and again for a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride. It’s a bit raw but if you follow the news, it’s what goes on out there in the world. One of the most horrible things imaginable happens to this family and the characters act like one would expect that they would. An overall excellent story, couldn’t put it down.
Kept me on the edge of my seat…I thought I knew who it was…but, was surprised in the end.
Phil M. Williams is a new author to me – and I’m glad I stumbled upon him. What Happened at the Lake was hard to put down – the whodunnit theme woven throughout the climactic arc. Williams has created intense scenes of action and pursuit throughout the book. Then, writing the next chapter in stark contrast, with agonizing scenes of allowing the reader to to feel the time slipping by as the characters were forced to sit and wait as they worked to investigate grizzly murders.
My third Phil Williams book, all have been excellent. This one had some different twists. Some “sick” stuff early on, but the book moved on from that to a great ending. Don’t want to give away anything. Highly recommend.
What Happened at the Lake by Phil M. Williams
Have read the author’s otther works and love the style he has of describing things to make you feel as if you are there.
This one starts out with a scene from the war. Next it’s onto a family vacation in TN and I had forgotten about kudzu-wanted to bring some home to RI with us once.
There are a lot of people, couples and those who are single and not everybody gets along with everyone. Brett is the college bound boy who’s hot on Kirstin who is still 16 and is holding out for marriage years down the road. He wants sex now.
Matt had some words with others after his return from the war and they all try to avoid one another. Alex, married to Emma is the brother who set up the whole thing and he enlists Matt to keep an eye on Brett.
Seth and Rachel are engaged to be married… Love the setting and how it’s all described. Gwen and Jeff had recently got married.
Love hearing of all the fun things they are doing: rope swings, pontoon boat, kayaks and discovering the islands.
Frightful horrendous events occur…family handle sit all and then some.
This book has something for everyone-travel, mystery, thriller, romance and family life. So much action and adventure. Unpredictable, full of surprises.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Another good read by Phil Williams!
Great set of characters. The plot line kept you guessing. The flow of the story jumped about a bit.
I only made it through a quarter of this book. The writing style was different, hard to follow who was who as far as characters went. I read a lot of crime drama but this book was very disturbing. The murder scene will stick with me, I wish I could “unread it” necrophilia, descriptive rape and brutal killing was too much for me. Coupled with a hard plot to follow, focusing on strange things such as a very descriptive few sentences regarding the unflushed toilet, I had no qualms about not finishing this book. Strange and disturbing!
What a whirlwind keeping up with the characters and which one was a murderer, possibility a serial killer.
Completely mysterious, suspenseful and exciting till the twisted end.
This is a great book. Didn’t know the end until I got there. Second guessing didn’t get me there.
A who done it. Good story line keeps you guessing.
En réalité, je n’ai pas pu finir. Trop de personnages, un récit confus dans sa volonté de complexifier l’intrigue, et une recherche indécente du gore. Une écriture indécente. Pas pour moi, merci !
We vacation at Norris Lake so I felt like I was there. It was gruesome yet so unpredictable. My heart broke for the dysfunctional family.
Very good story.
I had to finish it thinking that it would get better but sorry….it didn’t.