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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Summer is the perfect time for slow burn mystery thrillers and The Lake Escape perfectly fits the bill! Its got an eery, remote setting and a mystery spanning three generations.
I loved the duality between Izzy’s and Julia’s perspectives - while Izzy holds her secrets close to her chest, Julia’s problems are on full display. Although the pacing of the plot was slow at times, there’s so many twists and betrayals to keep the reader engaged and guessing, all leading up to some big reveals. If you love true crime, mysteries full of tension and suspense, and relatable POV characters, I highly recommend adding The Lake Escape to your summer reading list!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Most think: a summer vacation is just what we’ve been waiting for – just what we need.
Three families were eager to get together at their lakeside cottages right next to each other in Vermont. David, Julia and Erika had known each other since their teenage years and this was an all-time favorite gathering.
Julia was excited being the first to arrive with her family but her mood quickly changed. David’s lakeside home, since her last visit, was bulldozed and reconstructed into a monster glass structure -- now blocking her lovely view.
David arrived with his nanny, Izzy, and two adorable twins in his new Mercedes. Soon after that, Fiona, his young girlfriend, showed up in a sleek Porsche. Erika told Julia not to be so bothered by David’s new display of wealth.
There was the fun rehash of the good-old times with the couples. Then about a third of the way, this story moved into a series of knock-out twisty discoveries. My eyes couldn’t move fast enough to keep up.
The checklist of issues was large. This author cleverly crammed into the story a number of critical concerns including financial hardships, alcoholism, police corruption and women who had vanished. It moved right along with characters holding on tight to their dark secrets.
There was nothing calm about this annual summer getaway. Yet, it surely would be one that would be talked about for years to come. This book was a constant flow of unexpected turns as I raced to get to the end.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 15, 2025.
Three families were eager to get together at their lakeside cottages right next to each other in Vermont. David, Julia and Erika had known each other since their teenage years and this was an all-time favorite gathering.
Julia was excited being the first to arrive with her family but her mood quickly changed. David’s lakeside home, since her last visit, was bulldozed and reconstructed into a monster glass structure -- now blocking her lovely view.
David arrived with his nanny, Izzy, and two adorable twins in his new Mercedes. Soon after that, Fiona, his young girlfriend, showed up in a sleek Porsche. Erika told Julia not to be so bothered by David’s new display of wealth.
There was the fun rehash of the good-old times with the couples. Then about a third of the way, this story moved into a series of knock-out twisty discoveries. My eyes couldn’t move fast enough to keep up.
The checklist of issues was large. This author cleverly crammed into the story a number of critical concerns including financial hardships, alcoholism, police corruption and women who had vanished. It moved right along with characters holding on tight to their dark secrets.
There was nothing calm about this annual summer getaway. Yet, it surely would be one that would be talked about for years to come. This book was a constant flow of unexpected turns as I raced to get to the end.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 15, 2025.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reading Journal Details
Book: The Lake Escape by Jamie Day
Format Read: Audiobook (~12 hours, 42 minutes long)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)
My Quick Take Review
A twisty, time-hopping mystery with strong atmosphere and layered reveals. The Lake Escape has a few too many characters, and one especially grating lead, but its clever structure and intrigue make it worth the ride.
Some Key Features
💬 Multiple perspectives
🌊 Lake setting
☀️ Summertime vibes
☂️ Mary Poppins
🏠 Glass house
👣Large, diverse cast
My Full Review
The Lake Escape combines a neat, almost sparse prose style with intersecting timelines and alternating perspectives to peel back the mysteries surrounding the lake layer by layer. The present-day investigation is intercut with flashbacks to the summer when David, Erika, and Julia were teens on the very same lake, effectively turning the setting into a character of its own.
For me, a true standout is Izzy, David's newly hired nanny. Her fierce dedication and frequent Mary Poppins references provide a welcome comic relief, and her outsider's lens freshens the lake's old secrets. I found myself looking forward to scenes she was in.
The large and diverse cast occasionally muddies the narrative, and a few personalities are rather grating. Julia, in particular, comes off as self-righteous and impulsive. I feel more humility, or a different character arc, would have made her sections easier to tolerate.
Even so, several twists land with genuine surprise, keeping the tension alive to the final pages. Overall, this is a solid summer read with several mysteries being unraveled simultaneously. It's also noteworthy that Lisa Larsen and Phoebe Strole did a great job at bringing the cast of characters life, both good and bad.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listener's copy (ALC) of this summer lake mystery thriller in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own.
Book: The Lake Escape by Jamie Day
Format Read: Audiobook (~12 hours, 42 minutes long)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)
My Quick Take Review
A twisty, time-hopping mystery with strong atmosphere and layered reveals. The Lake Escape has a few too many characters, and one especially grating lead, but its clever structure and intrigue make it worth the ride.
Some Key Features
💬 Multiple perspectives
🌊 Lake setting
☀️ Summertime vibes
☂️ Mary Poppins
🏠 Glass house
👣Large, diverse cast
My Full Review
The Lake Escape combines a neat, almost sparse prose style with intersecting timelines and alternating perspectives to peel back the mysteries surrounding the lake layer by layer. The present-day investigation is intercut with flashbacks to the summer when David, Erika, and Julia were teens on the very same lake, effectively turning the setting into a character of its own.
For me, a true standout is Izzy, David's newly hired nanny. Her fierce dedication and frequent Mary Poppins references provide a welcome comic relief, and her outsider's lens freshens the lake's old secrets. I found myself looking forward to scenes she was in.
The large and diverse cast occasionally muddies the narrative, and a few personalities are rather grating. Julia, in particular, comes off as self-righteous and impulsive. I feel more humility, or a different character arc, would have made her sections easier to tolerate.
Even so, several twists land with genuine surprise, keeping the tension alive to the final pages. Overall, this is a solid summer read with several mysteries being unraveled simultaneously. It's also noteworthy that Lisa Larsen and Phoebe Strole did a great job at bringing the cast of characters life, both good and bad.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listener's copy (ALC) of this summer lake mystery thriller in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own.
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you #MacAudio2025, Jamie Day, and narrators Lisa Larsen and Phoebe Strole. This audiobook was so well-done and engaging. The narrators were phenomenal and really brought the whole story to life. The story itself was a little slow to start for me, but once it got going, I was hooked and couldn't bring myself to press pause. I don't read a ton of thrillers because they are a little mentally draining for me - I'm constantly trying to solve the mystery before the book tells me what happens. This one was no different, but what was different was that I really had no idea what was going to happen, even though i thought I did! I definitely enjoyed this one and all the twists and interconnections and plot reveals.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
I loved this! There were kind of several storylines mixed into a bigger story that all tied together. So much I hadn’t expected. Just enough to keep things interesting and keep me going and going to find out more. Very entertaining!! The ending was great too!! It tied up everything nicely and didn’t leave parts open and hanging like some books seem to. Overall, this was very well written and a great read!
I loved this! There were kind of several storylines mixed into a bigger story that all tied together. So much I hadn’t expected. Just enough to keep things interesting and keep me going and going to find out more. Very entertaining!! The ending was great too!! It tied up everything nicely and didn’t leave parts open and hanging like some books seem to. Overall, this was very well written and a great read!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Holy moly! I was beyond grateful to get an ALC of The Lake Escape by Jamie Day from NetGalley. And let me tell you, this audiobook was pure, unadulterated perfection. My brain is still doing gymnastics trying to untangle all the twists and turns – I swear, my jaw spent most of the time on the floor. And the two narrators? Absolutely crushed it. They deserve all the awards, plus a lifetime supply of their favorite snacks.
Now, I'll admit, it started as more of a gentle simmer, like waiting for water to boil for pasta. But once it truly got cooking, you weren't just barbecuing with propane, you were practically a well-done brisket on the grill! This book is an absolute must for your summer vacation, whether you're chilling by the pool or bravely dipping your toes in the lake. Just remember, folks: always, ALWAYS beware the lake lore. You've been warned!
4.5⭐
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jamie Day for this advanced listeners copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Now, I'll admit, it started as more of a gentle simmer, like waiting for water to boil for pasta. But once it truly got cooking, you weren't just barbecuing with propane, you were practically a well-done brisket on the grill! This book is an absolute must for your summer vacation, whether you're chilling by the pool or bravely dipping your toes in the lake. Just remember, folks: always, ALWAYS beware the lake lore. You've been warned!
4.5⭐
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jamie Day for this advanced listeners copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Yay! A super fun and summery thriller, this book was just what I needed! I’ve never read this author before, but I’ve seen her books around. Thrillers tend to be hit or miss for me because they can get so outlandish and unrealistic. I’m also not a fan of the rich people be behaving badly trope. So going into this one I was a little nervous, but I ended up really liking it!
I liked this book because the characters seemed very realistic. Do a trio of friends all own lake houses? Yes, but they were real people with real people problems. This was not the rich people behaving badly trope that I so desperately dislike. *Breathes a sigh of relief*.
I enjoyed the pacing of this one as well, the beginning third built up the characters, their history together, and their relationships. And then things started getting kind of suspicious, and it just built from there. There were some fun twists, but again, nothing too outlandish. overall, this was a nicely balanced thriller of characters, plot, and setting. I will most likely try to read another one of her thrillers before this summer is over!
I received a free audio copy of The Lake Escape from the publisher and exchange for my honest review, all opinions are my own.
I liked this book because the characters seemed very realistic. Do a trio of friends all own lake houses? Yes, but they were real people with real people problems. This was not the rich people behaving badly trope that I so desperately dislike. *Breathes a sigh of relief*.
I enjoyed the pacing of this one as well, the beginning third built up the characters, their history together, and their relationships. And then things started getting kind of suspicious, and it just built from there. There were some fun twists, but again, nothing too outlandish. overall, this was a nicely balanced thriller of characters, plot, and setting. I will most likely try to read another one of her thrillers before this summer is over!
I received a free audio copy of The Lake Escape from the publisher and exchange for my honest review, all opinions are my own.
This is a perfect twisty summer read. I love domestic suspense, and Jamie Day is such a talented author. This book had well developed characters and twists I didn’t see coming. The setting was so detailed and the lake itself was so integral to the story.
For decades, Julia, Erika and David have been spending summers together at the same lake in Vermont. This lake has a history. Women have disappeared in this lake, thirty years apart, never to be seen again. When David’s girlfriend goes missing exactly thirty years after the previous woman, his friends (and nanny) start to ask questions.
I listened to the audio and was really impressed. The dual perspectives really came alive with the different narrators.
Thank you Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARCs.
For decades, Julia, Erika and David have been spending summers together at the same lake in Vermont. This lake has a history. Women have disappeared in this lake, thirty years apart, never to be seen again. When David’s girlfriend goes missing exactly thirty years after the previous woman, his friends (and nanny) start to ask questions.
I listened to the audio and was really impressed. The dual perspectives really came alive with the different narrators.
Thank you Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARCs.