Book Review: "Stranger in the Lake" by Kimberly Belle

Secrets can be destructive in so many ways, as we learn in Kimberly Belle's new thriller, Stranger in the Lake.

When gas station cashier Charlotte married the wealthy, older widower Paul, it caused a great deal of gossip in their small town. Many thought she was just after his money, and some still think he killed his first wife a few years ago. But they are happier than anyone really knows.

One morning she finds a young woman’s body floating in the lake behind their house. Shockingly, it’s the same place where Paul’s first wife’s body was found. And when they pull the woman’s body out of the lake, why did Paul lie to the police that he’d never seen her, when Charlotte saw them talking just the day before?

As Paul goes away to “handle” some things, Charlotte is left to wonder if the man she married is hiding more secrets from her, or if he’s the good man she believes him to be. But question after question keeps popping up.

Is she at risk? Is Paul a killer? Who was this woman that was found in the lake? Charlotte is determined to find the answers even if she might not like them.

I don’t read a ton of thrillers anymore because I got tired of guessing what was going to happen within the first 50 pages. That’s what happened here, although there were lots of twists and turns along the way.

The narration fluctuated between the present and 20 years earlier, with Paul and his two best friends. But the flashbacks expose a coincidence that made me roll my eyes a little.

There should be a moratorium on books where there’s a secret that everyone but the protagonist knows, and when they bring it up they’re told they wouldn’t understand or they don’t need to know.

I know some have enjoyed this book, and lots of you are huge thriller fans, so don’t let my nit-picking dissuade you! I will say that I couldn’t stop reading!

I was pleased to be part of the blog tour for this book. NetGalley and Park Row Books provided me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!!