themysterymaven 's review for:

The Orphanage By The Lake by Daniel G. Miller

3.25

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: N/A

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This is definitely a very dark book that had me guessing and then second-guessing which characters to trust throughout. The idea of girls going missing from an orphanage - and what happened to them - felt scarily realistic, as if pulled from a modern headline versus the fiction that it is. I liked the FMC; she’s overcome past trauma to propel herself into the world of PI, and she felt real and relatable - parts plucky, determined, funny, naive…you really believe her story and root for her success. I will say I don’t think I became invested enough in the character to continue with her sequels, but it was nice to find a female lead like this, navigating a gritty, grimey underworld with both finesse and flaws - and saving the day.