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People of the Lake
An enthralling, historically rich, small-town mystery in which a teen works with her deceased sister to solve an assumed murder.
Sixteen-year-old Clara Morris is facing an awkward summer with her father in the tiny upstate town of Redmarch Lake. Clara’s relationship with her parents—and with life in general—has been strained since she lost her twin sister, Zoe, when the girls were eight. As a child, her sister had been her whole world—they even shared a secret invented twin language. Clara has managed to rebuild herself as best she can, but she still feels a hole in her life from the absence of her twin, and she suspects she always will.
She soon finds that Redmarch Lake, where her father’s family has lived for generations, is a very unusual place. The townspeople live by odd rules and superstitions. The eerily calm lake the town is named for both fascinates and repels her. The town’s young people are just as odd and unfriendly as their parents. Clara manages to befriend the one boy willing to talk to an outsider, but he disappears during a party in the woods.
The next day, he is found dead in the lake under mysterious circumstances. The townspeople all treat this as a tragic accident. Clara isn’t buying it, but she doesn’t know what to do until she receives a mysterious note hinting at murder—a note written in the language she shared with her twin sister, Zoe.
Sixteen-year-old Clara Morris is facing an awkward summer with her father in the tiny upstate town of Redmarch Lake. Clara’s relationship with her parents—and with life in general—has been strained since she lost her twin sister, Zoe, when the girls were eight. As a child, her sister had been her whole world—they even shared a secret invented twin language. Clara has managed to rebuild herself as best she can, but she still feels a hole in her life from the absence of her twin, and she suspects she always will.
She soon finds that Redmarch Lake, where her father’s family has lived for generations, is a very unusual place. The townspeople live by odd rules and superstitions. The eerily calm lake the town is named for both fascinates and repels her. The town’s young people are just as odd and unfriendly as their parents. Clara manages to befriend the one boy willing to talk to an outsider, but he disappears during a party in the woods.
The next day, he is found dead in the lake under mysterious circumstances. The townspeople all treat this as a tragic accident. Clara isn’t buying it, but she doesn’t know what to do until she receives a mysterious note hinting at murder—a note written in the language she shared with her twin sister, Zoe.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2019
33 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this!
This was set in such a creepy little town where everyone had secrets and it kept you guessing up until the very end.
I was dying the entire time with needing to know what was up with this little town. And let me tell you, this book delivered and it delivered on one hell of a spooky platter.
This book focuses on a local legend and how no one will tell you why everyone is so secretive and pretty much hates outsiders.
There was also a twist in the end that I didn’t see coming and because of it, it had me shedding a few tears in the end.
Overall, if you’re looking for a story that’s set in a small creepy town, with a mystery to it, then I highly recommend this one :) I will be on the lookout for future books from this author!
This was available for instant download on Edelweiss. Many thanks to them for giving me an opportunity to read and review this!
——————————————
This sounds so good, it's going to take everything in me to not rush home and start this dfknjfnbfgnbfg
I'd start it right away but I'm trying to finish something else first before I start this one, but I hope to read this story next!!! We all know how mood reading goes though, so it might be another 39103 years before I get to it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Also, Edelweiss has this up for instant request so I was able to download it right away! Many thanks to them for giving me an opportunity to read and review this!
This was set in such a creepy little town where everyone had secrets and it kept you guessing up until the very end.
I was dying the entire time with needing to know what was up with this little town. And let me tell you, this book delivered and it delivered on one hell of a spooky platter.
This book focuses on a local legend and how no one will tell you why everyone is so secretive and pretty much hates outsiders.
There was also a twist in the end that I didn’t see coming and because of it, it had me shedding a few tears in the end.
Overall, if you’re looking for a story that’s set in a small creepy town, with a mystery to it, then I highly recommend this one :) I will be on the lookout for future books from this author!
This was available for instant download on Edelweiss. Many thanks to them for giving me an opportunity to read and review this!
——————————————
This sounds so good, it's going to take everything in me to not rush home and start this dfknjfnbfgnbfg
I'd start it right away but I'm trying to finish something else first before I start this one, but I hope to read this story next!!! We all know how mood reading goes though, so it might be another 39103 years before I get to it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Also, Edelweiss has this up for instant request so I was able to download it right away! Many thanks to them for giving me an opportunity to read and review this!
October 15, 2019
The People of the Lake is a fascinating mix of several genres. I started it thinking the book was a psychological thriller with some very spooky elements, but the second part and the ending were more in the fantasy realm.
Clara Morris, a sixteen year girl from Manhattan, decides to spend her summer holidays in a remote town of Redmarch Lake her father moved to after the divorce. The build up of tension in this book is spectacular. We know something is wrong with this town long before Clara sets her foot in it. I loved the descriptions of the unnervingly still lake and the surrounding woods. Add unfriendly town residents who very quickly show Clara that outsiders are not welcome in Redmarch Lake. Clara is a typical teenager. She loves her parents and would love to be able to communicate with them, but in the heat of the moment she just says things which are more snarky than she intends them to be. It doesn't help that her father is a silent type who gives a lot of warnings about not going alone to the woods, but doesn't find it easy to explain why. Similarly, he doesn't want to talk about the divorce, or, even more importantly for Clara, he doesn't even mention Zoe, Clara's twin sister who drowned saving Clara's life when they were eight years old. Clara befriends Neil, the only person in the town who is willing to talk to her in a welcoming way. Neil invites her to a party in the woods, but unfortunately, the following morning he is found dead under suspicious circumstances. When Clara finds a note written in the secret language she and Zoe invented, she knows she needs to investigate and break the wall of superstitious silence the town folk seem to have surrounded themselves with.
The protagonist of the book Clara Morris is brave and tenacious. I liked the way she never gave up on reaching out to Ashley, Neilìs ex-girlfriend, who blamed Clara for upsetting the town's delicate balance and causing Neil's death. Clara's grief over her lost twin sister, who used to be her whole world, is probably one of the most fascinating aspects of the novel. There is a love interest as well, as you would expect in a YA novel, but I didn't find his character as well-developed as that of Zoe, Clara's deceased sister, who appears to be loyal and mischievious at the same time.
The People of the Lake was a perfect October read for me, as the book relies a lot on the reader to fill the gaps and imagine spooky, scary things happening in this little isolated town and come up with one's own theories of what is and has been happening there for centuries. The historical excerpts are short and relevant and represent 'close escapes' different outsiders had with the town and its dark secret.
There was one major twist that I didn't see coming and this is where the book started picking pace, perhaps a bit too much. I did enjoy the build-up of characters, atmosphere and tension in the first half of the book, while the second part and the ending, although original, appeared a bit rushed. The fantasy world the author created could have been expanded and described in more detail.
Overall, it was an entertaining debut novel and I would definitely like to read more books by this author.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the Sky Pony publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Clara Morris, a sixteen year girl from Manhattan, decides to spend her summer holidays in a remote town of Redmarch Lake her father moved to after the divorce. The build up of tension in this book is spectacular. We know something is wrong with this town long before Clara sets her foot in it. I loved the descriptions of the unnervingly still lake and the surrounding woods. Add unfriendly town residents who very quickly show Clara that outsiders are not welcome in Redmarch Lake. Clara is a typical teenager. She loves her parents and would love to be able to communicate with them, but in the heat of the moment she just says things which are more snarky than she intends them to be. It doesn't help that her father is a silent type who gives a lot of warnings about not going alone to the woods, but doesn't find it easy to explain why. Similarly, he doesn't want to talk about the divorce, or, even more importantly for Clara, he doesn't even mention Zoe, Clara's twin sister who drowned saving Clara's life when they were eight years old. Clara befriends Neil, the only person in the town who is willing to talk to her in a welcoming way. Neil invites her to a party in the woods, but unfortunately, the following morning he is found dead under suspicious circumstances. When Clara finds a note written in the secret language she and Zoe invented, she knows she needs to investigate and break the wall of superstitious silence the town folk seem to have surrounded themselves with.
The protagonist of the book Clara Morris is brave and tenacious. I liked the way she never gave up on reaching out to Ashley, Neilìs ex-girlfriend, who blamed Clara for upsetting the town's delicate balance and causing Neil's death. Clara's grief over her lost twin sister, who used to be her whole world, is probably one of the most fascinating aspects of the novel. There is a love interest as well, as you would expect in a YA novel, but I didn't find his character as well-developed as that of Zoe, Clara's deceased sister, who appears to be loyal and mischievious at the same time.
The People of the Lake was a perfect October read for me, as the book relies a lot on the reader to fill the gaps and imagine spooky, scary things happening in this little isolated town and come up with one's own theories of what is and has been happening there for centuries. The historical excerpts are short and relevant and represent 'close escapes' different outsiders had with the town and its dark secret.
There was one major twist that I didn't see coming and this is where the book started picking pace, perhaps a bit too much. I did enjoy the build-up of characters, atmosphere and tension in the first half of the book, while the second part and the ending, although original, appeared a bit rushed. The fantasy world the author created could have been expanded and described in more detail.
Overall, it was an entertaining debut novel and I would definitely like to read more books by this author.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the Sky Pony publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
July 24, 2019
A cleverly imagined horror novel with Lovecraftian resonances, PEOPLE OF THE LAKE will delight conspiracy theorists and inspire horror fans. A tiny town in far upstate New York, Redmarch Lake, is unusually inbred and unusually close-mouthed--with excellent reasons. Clara Morris comes to summer with her divorced dad Tom, unaware of the dangers, because in this town, "Don't Talk, Don't Tell" is more than a way of life: it's life or death.
October 31, 2019
People of the Lake is about a girl who spends the summer with her dad in his hometown. It’s a quiet little town on Redmarch Lake, except the people there are weird. They don’t like outsiders. They don’t talk to outsiders. And they are definitely hiding something.
One night, after a party in the woods, a teenage boy washes up dead on the lakeshore, and the following morning a note shows up from Clara’s twin sister, written in a secret language they shared as twins. The only problem? Clara’s sister Zoe has been dead for eight years.
This book was slow to get going. It lingers a lot on unnecessary details. Clara’s inner monologue is often repetitive, as is the recounting of her mornings at the coffee shop. The dialogue often felt stiff and cliched. It isn’t bad per se, but it’s not really good either.
I also struggled with the way Clara was written. She was written very much how I think adults believe teenage girls are, rather than how they actually are. She was never fully realized as a person outside of her teenage girl-dom. There were a lot of tropes and cliches stuffed in that just came across as dated. (A step dad she doesn’t want to know, the weird unfriendly goth girl, the awkward Dad… the list goes on.)
That said, I did enjoy the plot. A lot of the details were held back until the end, keeping me in suspense. Even when I struggled, I wanted to see where the crazy train was taking me. There’s a silly romance shoehorned in at the end that you’ll see coming a mile away. By the time they got to “I love you’s” I was rolling my eyes.
There’s some odd pieces of history going back to the 1400s thrown in, that don’t feel like they ever culminate into anything. They reveal bits and pieces of the town’s history but don’t actually contribute to the overall story beyond what the character’s tell us (and what the character’s tell us is much more coherent).
The spook factor was decent. I loved the imagery of lights in the woods and the howling, accompanied by the ever present lake, so silent and still. It’s definitely supernatural in nature, as a heads up, if that kind of horror is not your thing.
I think this could have actually been great if there had been some stronger editing to get rid of the tropes and repetitiveness, and maybe been trimmed down to a novella size to keep the pace up. Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss who provided an eARC for review.
One night, after a party in the woods, a teenage boy washes up dead on the lakeshore, and the following morning a note shows up from Clara’s twin sister, written in a secret language they shared as twins. The only problem? Clara’s sister Zoe has been dead for eight years.
This book was slow to get going. It lingers a lot on unnecessary details. Clara’s inner monologue is often repetitive, as is the recounting of her mornings at the coffee shop. The dialogue often felt stiff and cliched. It isn’t bad per se, but it’s not really good either.
I also struggled with the way Clara was written. She was written very much how I think adults believe teenage girls are, rather than how they actually are. She was never fully realized as a person outside of her teenage girl-dom. There were a lot of tropes and cliches stuffed in that just came across as dated. (A step dad she doesn’t want to know, the weird unfriendly goth girl, the awkward Dad… the list goes on.)
That said, I did enjoy the plot. A lot of the details were held back until the end, keeping me in suspense. Even when I struggled, I wanted to see where the crazy train was taking me. There’s a silly romance shoehorned in at the end that you’ll see coming a mile away. By the time they got to “I love you’s” I was rolling my eyes.
There’s some odd pieces of history going back to the 1400s thrown in, that don’t feel like they ever culminate into anything. They reveal bits and pieces of the town’s history but don’t actually contribute to the overall story beyond what the character’s tell us (and what the character’s tell us is much more coherent).
The spook factor was decent. I loved the imagery of lights in the woods and the howling, accompanied by the ever present lake, so silent and still. It’s definitely supernatural in nature, as a heads up, if that kind of horror is not your thing.
I think this could have actually been great if there had been some stronger editing to get rid of the tropes and repetitiveness, and maybe been trimmed down to a novella size to keep the pace up. Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss who provided an eARC for review.
August 2, 2019
This book was SO horribly creepy and exciting. I was on the edge of my seat rapidly reading and turning pages to find out what was going to happen next. My biggest advice to anyone reading this book is to NOT read it at night. If you do then you’ll have to distract yourself with something peppy if you plan to actually sleep after reading it. No one told me that, so I’m off to go watch a pep rally or something…….Read my review to find out what made this book so creepy and exciting. Be sure to follow me on my blog so you'll get all my reviews in their entirety. Here's the review link: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....
August 7, 2019
People Of The Lake
By Nick Scorza
Genre: Ya Fiction
Publisher: Sky Pony/ Simon & Schuster
Release Date: October 1, 2019
I received a copy of this from the publisher and Eidelweiss in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
Man, do you ever just feel super conflicted about a book? I really loved most of this book!
It centers around 16 year old Clara, just embarking on a Summer at her Father’s house in a tiny town called Redmarch Lake.
This will be the first visit since her parents divorce.
Her relationship with both of them has been strained since the death of her twin, Zoe.
Zoe was pretty much her world, so with her gone, not much matters anymore.
As soon as she set foot in Redmarch Lake, I genuinely tore through this book! It’s not that it was the deepest or most imaginative plot, but that’s why I loved it. It reminded me of just a good old spooky book from my teenage days.
Weird townspeople? Check. Ominous warnings? Check. Creepy noises? Check. A sketchy death/potential murder? Check.
But wait! There’s an even creepier layer: Clara and Zoe had their own secret language. Clara starts receiving notes of warning in the freaking language she only shared with her dead twin. DUDE.
It was SO good! But then all of a sudden towards the end, something happened. The pacing started to feel a bit rushed, and the actual ending was good, I just wasn’t into the style of dialogue used. That’s nothing against the book, just personal preference.
Overall, it was an entertaining book, absolutely! Also, perfect for spooky season!!
I always give my neutral books a 3.5. ⭐️
By Nick Scorza
Genre: Ya Fiction
Publisher: Sky Pony/ Simon & Schuster
Release Date: October 1, 2019
I received a copy of this from the publisher and Eidelweiss in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
Man, do you ever just feel super conflicted about a book? I really loved most of this book!
It centers around 16 year old Clara, just embarking on a Summer at her Father’s house in a tiny town called Redmarch Lake.
This will be the first visit since her parents divorce.
Her relationship with both of them has been strained since the death of her twin, Zoe.
Zoe was pretty much her world, so with her gone, not much matters anymore.
As soon as she set foot in Redmarch Lake, I genuinely tore through this book! It’s not that it was the deepest or most imaginative plot, but that’s why I loved it. It reminded me of just a good old spooky book from my teenage days.
Weird townspeople? Check. Ominous warnings? Check. Creepy noises? Check. A sketchy death/potential murder? Check.
But wait! There’s an even creepier layer: Clara and Zoe had their own secret language. Clara starts receiving notes of warning in the freaking language she only shared with her dead twin. DUDE.
It was SO good! But then all of a sudden towards the end, something happened. The pacing started to feel a bit rushed, and the actual ending was good, I just wasn’t into the style of dialogue used. That’s nothing against the book, just personal preference.
Overall, it was an entertaining book, absolutely! Also, perfect for spooky season!!
I always give my neutral books a 3.5. ⭐️
July 11, 2019
Nothing makes me happier than a book I’m not sure about ending up being a favorite for the year.
“People of the Lake” sees Clara heading to her father’s hometown following an argument with her mother and soon she finds that small towns have their own way of thinking and the last thing they want is outsiders asking too many questions and disrupting their way of life, especially when a boy who was the first to welcome Clara ends up dead.
There’s nothing I love more than an old mythology influence on a small town where everything looks idyllic from the outside but once you look past the beauty you see the dark, twisted hunger that lurks below and this book had all of that and more.
It hits some of the beats we see in fiction as well as reality as old money holds a lot of weight and influence which gives the monsters a free pass and to bring in something that is different than your average villain with influences from Native American culture and things even older than that was very interesting to read and to pair it with the hush hush mentality of the townspeople who know not to ask but blindly follow the rules and bury those who break them made this such a great read.
There’s also a bit of the unreliable narrator here too and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it until we got deeper into the story and you see how it comes full circle which I did enjoy. That along with making me genuinely upset with the character death despite knowing them for maybe 6 pages is something I have to give credit for because I was pretty bummed way too early for that feeling to make sense.
This is a great read and I hope a lot of people pick it up it offers so much and allows your own mind to conjure up what could be lurking in the forest by the lake and nothing is scarier than that.
**special thanks to the publishers and edelweiss for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**
“People of the Lake” sees Clara heading to her father’s hometown following an argument with her mother and soon she finds that small towns have their own way of thinking and the last thing they want is outsiders asking too many questions and disrupting their way of life, especially when a boy who was the first to welcome Clara ends up dead.
There’s nothing I love more than an old mythology influence on a small town where everything looks idyllic from the outside but once you look past the beauty you see the dark, twisted hunger that lurks below and this book had all of that and more.
It hits some of the beats we see in fiction as well as reality as old money holds a lot of weight and influence which gives the monsters a free pass and to bring in something that is different than your average villain with influences from Native American culture and things even older than that was very interesting to read and to pair it with the hush hush mentality of the townspeople who know not to ask but blindly follow the rules and bury those who break them made this such a great read.
There’s also a bit of the unreliable narrator here too and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it until we got deeper into the story and you see how it comes full circle which I did enjoy. That along with making me genuinely upset with the character death despite knowing them for maybe 6 pages is something I have to give credit for because I was pretty bummed way too early for that feeling to make sense.
This is a great read and I hope a lot of people pick it up it offers so much and allows your own mind to conjure up what could be lurking in the forest by the lake and nothing is scarier than that.
**special thanks to the publishers and edelweiss for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**
August 26, 2019
Sometimes I like the good ol' simplicity of a YA horror. In the case of
People of the Lake,
something is scaring people, they confront said scare, and everything else falls into place. It doesn't have to get deeper than that.
Don't get me wrong, these characters are not just cardboard cutouts. The town of Redmarch Lake feels sinister and has character. Of course, we have the things that make this a "typical" YA read; we have the love interest, the defying-the-parents storyline, etc. But I loved this. This was so much fun, and I don't doubt that my teenage self would've eaten this book up. Would definitely read this again on a rainy day!
I received an advanced copy courtesy of Netgalley, however this opinion is my own.
Don't get me wrong, these characters are not just cardboard cutouts. The town of Redmarch Lake feels sinister and has character. Of course, we have the things that make this a "typical" YA read; we have the love interest, the defying-the-parents storyline, etc. But I loved this. This was so much fun, and I don't doubt that my teenage self would've eaten this book up. Would definitely read this again on a rainy day!
I received an advanced copy courtesy of Netgalley, however this opinion is my own.
September 29, 2019
Rated 3.5 really.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Puts a fresh spin on some classic supernatural/horror tropes, with a couple of surprises. Explores grief and daughter/father dynamics.
Cons: Employs quite a number of such tropes. Side characters feel a bit underdeveloped. The final confrontation is a tad over the top.
WARNING! Some gruesome deaths.
Will appeal to: Those who like classic mysteries in a contemporary setting. Those who like sibling stories.
First off...DISCLAIMER: this title was up for grabs on NetGalley (in the Read Now section). Thanks to Skyhorse Publishing/Sky Pony for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
TWISTING THE (T)ROPES
If you're looking for books that employ a minimal dose of tropes, here's your caveat: People of the Lake is not one of those books. The good piece of news is, it uses them to its best advantage, and throws in a couple of twists that - combined with the sisterly bond/grief theme, and a relatable heroine who doesn't try too hard and isn't your usual special snowflake - alone would be enough to make POTL worth reading. There's a lot in this book that feels familiar: a mysterious and creepy place (albeit a lake and not your usual forest), a virtually gated community, a string of gruesome murders swept under the rug, a headstrong teen with a strained relationship with her parents, a couple of reluctant sidekicks, a love interest, and other minor things. But the way Scorza weaves it all together and incorporates the deceased-twin theme into the story makes all the difference - along with the fresh mythology he builds his story on. [...]
Whole review here.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Puts a fresh spin on some classic supernatural/horror tropes, with a couple of surprises. Explores grief and daughter/father dynamics.
Cons: Employs quite a number of such tropes. Side characters feel a bit underdeveloped. The final confrontation is a tad over the top.
WARNING! Some gruesome deaths.
Will appeal to: Those who like classic mysteries in a contemporary setting. Those who like sibling stories.
First off...DISCLAIMER: this title was up for grabs on NetGalley (in the Read Now section). Thanks to Skyhorse Publishing/Sky Pony for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
TWISTING THE (T)ROPES
If you're looking for books that employ a minimal dose of tropes, here's your caveat: People of the Lake is not one of those books. The good piece of news is, it uses them to its best advantage, and throws in a couple of twists that - combined with the sisterly bond/grief theme, and a relatable heroine who doesn't try too hard and isn't your usual special snowflake - alone would be enough to make POTL worth reading. There's a lot in this book that feels familiar: a mysterious and creepy place (albeit a lake and not your usual forest), a virtually gated community, a string of gruesome murders swept under the rug, a headstrong teen with a strained relationship with her parents, a couple of reluctant sidekicks, a love interest, and other minor things. But the way Scorza weaves it all together and incorporates the deceased-twin theme into the story makes all the difference - along with the fresh mythology he builds his story on. [...]
Whole review here.
October 4, 2019
2 stars
This book has an interesting premise, which is why I was so eager to read it. Sadly, this book did not work for me.
Yes, it was paranormal and a little bit spooky, but I found myself having to force myself to keep reading. I felt like nothing truly happened for about 70% of the book and then everything interesting was revealed after that point. In my opinion, this book was not a “thriller” in any sense of the word.
I thought that all the characters were one-dimensional. For a story that focuses on a specific set of characters who all feel isolated from the town in one way or another, I just didn’t care about anyone in the book. There was a relationship between two characters that felt completely forced and unrealistic and I thought that Scorza was trying to just “tick” a box by including said relationship.
All that aside, there were a couple of interesting reveals and the ending was not what I was expecting! I also enjoyed the "historical" excerpts that were weaved in between the chapters set in the present day.
I think I would have enjoyed the book more if Scorza spent more time developing the characters, which, in turn, would benefit the overall story.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book has an interesting premise, which is why I was so eager to read it. Sadly, this book did not work for me.
Yes, it was paranormal and a little bit spooky, but I found myself having to force myself to keep reading. I felt like nothing truly happened for about 70% of the book and then everything interesting was revealed after that point. In my opinion, this book was not a “thriller” in any sense of the word.
I thought that all the characters were one-dimensional. For a story that focuses on a specific set of characters who all feel isolated from the town in one way or another, I just didn’t care about anyone in the book. There was a relationship between two characters that felt completely forced and unrealistic and I thought that Scorza was trying to just “tick” a box by including said relationship.
All that aside, there were a couple of interesting reveals and the ending was not what I was expecting! I also enjoyed the "historical" excerpts that were weaved in between the chapters set in the present day.
I think I would have enjoyed the book more if Scorza spent more time developing the characters, which, in turn, would benefit the overall story.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2019
I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Skyhorse Publishing. Trigger warnings: death, death of a twin, violence, gore, body horror, severe injury, hospitals, guns, drowning, trauma, grief, depression.
When her mother’s loathsome boyfriend moves in with them, Clara exiles herself to her dad’s small, lakeside hometown for the summer. Redmarch is weirder than she ever imagined, and the oddly superstitious townspeople keep outsiders at a cool distance. Things haven’t been the same for Clara since her twin sister, Zoe, drowned when they were eight. When a body is found in the lake shortly after Clara arrives, she’s suspicious about the circumstances. Then she discovers a note written in the language she invented with Zoe when they were young. Who’s murdering townspeople and covering it up, and what does her sister have to do with it?
People of the Lake has a spooky premise that pays off completely in atmosphere. Redmarch is one of those quiet, Wicker Man towns where you wouldn’t be surprised to learn all the townspeople were in on ritualistic murder. Scorza excels at descriptions of an unsettling lake and the eerie woods at night, where every crack of a twig makes you wonder if you’re being followed–nay, stalked. It’s amplified by the wall of silence put up by the unfriendly townspeople and their willful ignorance toward anything strange that happens.
It’s not quite as strong in other areas. Clara is a pretty average heroine and Hector a pretty average sidekick, though I enjoyed Clara’s gradual friendship with a girl she was initially at odds with. Girls hating each other for no apparent reason is one of my least favorite tropes, and Scorza does a lot to counter that over the course of the novel. Plotwise, it’s very slow and then very fast, a little bit of horror and then suddenly ALL the horror, and it made the pacing a little odd. Clara doesn’t have any answers for so much of the book, and when they come, it’s a lot at once with no room to take a breath.
Her relationship with Zoe is fascinating though, not least of which because Zoe isn’t there. It leans hard on a lot of stereotypical twin things, but it seems like the most genuine relationship in the book. I love the direction Scorza takes it in, and that particular plot thread–what happened to Zoe? what does she have to do with Redmarch?–is well-paced with hints that canny readers will be able to pick up on. The novel didn’t make a lasting impression on me, but I enjoyed it while I was reading, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to YA horror fans.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
When her mother’s loathsome boyfriend moves in with them, Clara exiles herself to her dad’s small, lakeside hometown for the summer. Redmarch is weirder than she ever imagined, and the oddly superstitious townspeople keep outsiders at a cool distance. Things haven’t been the same for Clara since her twin sister, Zoe, drowned when they were eight. When a body is found in the lake shortly after Clara arrives, she’s suspicious about the circumstances. Then she discovers a note written in the language she invented with Zoe when they were young. Who’s murdering townspeople and covering it up, and what does her sister have to do with it?
People of the Lake has a spooky premise that pays off completely in atmosphere. Redmarch is one of those quiet, Wicker Man towns where you wouldn’t be surprised to learn all the townspeople were in on ritualistic murder. Scorza excels at descriptions of an unsettling lake and the eerie woods at night, where every crack of a twig makes you wonder if you’re being followed–nay, stalked. It’s amplified by the wall of silence put up by the unfriendly townspeople and their willful ignorance toward anything strange that happens.
It’s not quite as strong in other areas. Clara is a pretty average heroine and Hector a pretty average sidekick, though I enjoyed Clara’s gradual friendship with a girl she was initially at odds with. Girls hating each other for no apparent reason is one of my least favorite tropes, and Scorza does a lot to counter that over the course of the novel. Plotwise, it’s very slow and then very fast, a little bit of horror and then suddenly ALL the horror, and it made the pacing a little odd. Clara doesn’t have any answers for so much of the book, and when they come, it’s a lot at once with no room to take a breath.
Her relationship with Zoe is fascinating though, not least of which because Zoe isn’t there. It leans hard on a lot of stereotypical twin things, but it seems like the most genuine relationship in the book. I love the direction Scorza takes it in, and that particular plot thread–what happened to Zoe? what does she have to do with Redmarch?–is well-paced with hints that canny readers will be able to pick up on. The novel didn’t make a lasting impression on me, but I enjoyed it while I was reading, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to YA horror fans.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
September 20, 2019
This one I wasn't to sure about. The cover really didn't tell me anything and I really grabbed this one based on the title. People of the Lake sounded really creepy. However, this one turned out to be a thriller and not a paranormal as I thought it was going to be. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. For us older people reading this it will give you all the feels of horror books from the 80's. For the most part this book was creepy and great. But around the last half of the title it started feeling rushed and well sort of fell a part just little. I think that down the road I might still revisit this one again. But I wished the last half would have been as good as the first half.
October 16, 2019
Warnings: mentions of child abuse and domestic abuse, mentions of Native American genocide, drowning, gun violence, loss of family member
People of the Lake gave me both spooky vibes and mystery vibes going in - the former from the cover, and the latter from the synopsis and it ends up being both - a mystery wrapped in a horror setting. Clara coming to her father's hometown for the summer was supposed to be for her looking after him and to get away from her mother's new boyfriend, but she soon gets involved in the mysterious deaths in the town. While the town is picturesque, the people aren't welcoming in the least, and Clara initially chalks it up to probably bad experiences with outsiders, but soon a lot of things about the town of Redmarch Lake don't seem right. The residents are superstitious and paranoid, including her father, and almost no one is ready to discuss the families that started the town, or the bloody legends that surround it. With the help of Hector, another outsider like her, and her father's research for his book, she starts to find out why weird things happen often in the town and are quickly brushed under the rug.
When it comes to horrors or thrillers, the first thing I look for is atmosphere. This book nails the foreboding town trope very well, with the creepy forest bordering it, the ultra creepy lake near it, and the powerful family talked about in hushed tones. It was summer in the story, but damn it gave me some chilly autumn feels while reading. Clara's fear and wariness of the forest seems visceral from her voice, and you can feel her frustration with her father and the people of the town. At one point, I was sure she was an unreliable narrator, too, and that just adds to the mystery of the story. Oh, and there are actually two mysteries in the story, which while predictable, are linked in a way I didn't see coming. The characters seems a bit stiff sometimes, but I don't know if it was a town thing or a Clara thing. Still, the plot reveals and twists were well-done, and I liked the inclusion of historical elements into the story through excerpts from her father's research.
Overall, it is an eerie supernatural mystery that feels apt for this season!
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Sky Pony Press, via Edelweiss.
People of the Lake gave me both spooky vibes and mystery vibes going in - the former from the cover, and the latter from the synopsis and it ends up being both - a mystery wrapped in a horror setting. Clara coming to her father's hometown for the summer was supposed to be for her looking after him and to get away from her mother's new boyfriend, but she soon gets involved in the mysterious deaths in the town. While the town is picturesque, the people aren't welcoming in the least, and Clara initially chalks it up to probably bad experiences with outsiders, but soon a lot of things about the town of Redmarch Lake don't seem right. The residents are superstitious and paranoid, including her father, and almost no one is ready to discuss the families that started the town, or the bloody legends that surround it. With the help of Hector, another outsider like her, and her father's research for his book, she starts to find out why weird things happen often in the town and are quickly brushed under the rug.
When it comes to horrors or thrillers, the first thing I look for is atmosphere. This book nails the foreboding town trope very well, with the creepy forest bordering it, the ultra creepy lake near it, and the powerful family talked about in hushed tones. It was summer in the story, but damn it gave me some chilly autumn feels while reading. Clara's fear and wariness of the forest seems visceral from her voice, and you can feel her frustration with her father and the people of the town. At one point, I was sure she was an unreliable narrator, too, and that just adds to the mystery of the story. Oh, and there are actually two mysteries in the story, which while predictable, are linked in a way I didn't see coming. The characters seems a bit stiff sometimes, but I don't know if it was a town thing or a Clara thing. Still, the plot reveals and twists were well-done, and I liked the inclusion of historical elements into the story through excerpts from her father's research.
Overall, it is an eerie supernatural mystery that feels apt for this season!
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Sky Pony Press, via Edelweiss.
March 27, 2021
There’s definitely a lot of strong parts to this book - the plot is really mysterious and kind of eerie (a girl gets a message from her twin sister written in a secret language they had, yet her sister has been dead 8 years. This happens after a dead boy washes up on the lake...creepy!!!). The plot is done in a way that keeps you guessing and is very suspenseful. Not too much creeps me out but something about the letter and the ambience set up really made me get shivers a few times! My critiques mostly have to do with stereotypes of teenage girls. I’m a teenage girl myself (17), and while I LOVE reading about teenagers, they have to be realistically done. While I liked Clara, sometimes she felt like one of those teens you see in movies who was written by adults who kind of forgot what being a teen was. Like the rebel, emo, grumpy girl and step dad who “isn’t her real dad,” and all that stuff. Also, the book really takes a long time to get going. I’m a sucker for a good slow-burn, but it needs to be slow-burn for a reason (i.e. to build up to a mystery). This one was more just like a LOT of details that maybe did not need to be explored so much because it took up a lot of time. That said, I overall enjoyed this book. There’s supernatural and creepy factors which I love, and though sometimes Clara did not feel realistic, she was still an interesting character. There is romance, but it’s a bit late to the story and nothing too exciting, but still cute. Consensus: 3/5
For more reviews and book boards, visit my IG! @katiebreads
For more reviews and book boards, visit my IG! @katiebreads
October 13, 2019
**I was provided an electronic ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
People of the Lake is a YA mystery which borders a bit into suspense and thriller. Redmarch Lake was once a thriving tourist town, but now it is weighed down by secrets and unfriendly to outsiders. Clara, whose family is one of three founding families, goes to the lake for the summer to visit her father after her parents' divorce. When Neil, the only local who will speak to Clara, shows up drowned in the lake, it is written off as a drunken teenage misadventure. But Clara and fellow outsider Hector realize there is more to the people of the lake than they would have the public believe.
In general, I found that I enjoyed this novel. The pacing for the majority of the book was well done. There was a decent balance struck that made the reader doubt what was happening and whether or not the cause of the trouble is paranormal or otherwise.
The ending, to me, was very rushed and resolved itself far too neatly. This was especially stark when compared to the rest of the book, where the pacing was so nicely done. The twists were not particularly original and added a bit to the hastiness of the ending.
Overall, I found People of the Lake to be an easy, fun read and would not hesitate to pick up other works by Nick Scorza.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
People of the Lake is a YA mystery which borders a bit into suspense and thriller. Redmarch Lake was once a thriving tourist town, but now it is weighed down by secrets and unfriendly to outsiders. Clara, whose family is one of three founding families, goes to the lake for the summer to visit her father after her parents' divorce. When Neil, the only local who will speak to Clara, shows up drowned in the lake, it is written off as a drunken teenage misadventure. But Clara and fellow outsider Hector realize there is more to the people of the lake than they would have the public believe.
In general, I found that I enjoyed this novel. The pacing for the majority of the book was well done. There was a decent balance struck that made the reader doubt what was happening and whether or not the cause of the trouble is paranormal or otherwise.
The ending, to me, was very rushed and resolved itself far too neatly. This was especially stark when compared to the rest of the book, where the pacing was so nicely done. The twists were not particularly original and added a bit to the hastiness of the ending.
Overall, I found People of the Lake to be an easy, fun read and would not hesitate to pick up other works by Nick Scorza.
September 20, 2019
The People of the Lake is a YA thriller, mixed with a bit of horror, about Clara, a 16 year old spending her summer vacation with her father in his creepy and unfriendly town, Redmarch Lake. The town doesn't take friendly to newcomers, but one boy, Neil, takes it upon himself to make Clara feel welcome by inviting her to a party out in the woods. Unfortunately, Clara loses track of him during the party, and the next day his body turns up.
Ok, ok, ok. This was good. As far as my research tells me, this is Nick Scorza's first novel, please let me know if I'm wrong here. Thereby making this a worthwhile debut.
The atmosphere of Redmarch Lake is creepy and magical. From the start we know something is wrong with this town.
Our characters are loveable and diverse, and from the get go they act like actual teenagers.
Throughout the novel I was expecting some sort of plot twist, but I have to admit I didn't see the particular twist coming.
I wasn't left too satisfied by the resolution and the pacing of the entire novel could have been revised a bit. But overall I would still suggest the People of the Lake.
This novel would be perfect for fans of paranormal CW shows.
People of the Lake comes out in October. This was a review of an arc from NetGalley
Ok, ok, ok. This was good. As far as my research tells me, this is Nick Scorza's first novel, please let me know if I'm wrong here. Thereby making this a worthwhile debut.
The atmosphere of Redmarch Lake is creepy and magical. From the start we know something is wrong with this town.
Our characters are loveable and diverse, and from the get go they act like actual teenagers.
Throughout the novel I was expecting some sort of plot twist, but I have to admit I didn't see the particular twist coming.
I wasn't left too satisfied by the resolution and the pacing of the entire novel could have been revised a bit. But overall I would still suggest the People of the Lake.
This novel would be perfect for fans of paranormal CW shows.
People of the Lake comes out in October. This was a review of an arc from NetGalley
November 9, 2021
"It’s important to remember the sins of the past. We’re all complicit in things from long ago that echo into the present day."
Nick Scorza's People of the Lake is a very well-written supernatural thriller that combines the growing pains of young adulthood, creepy small town urban legends and the bloody history of the United States into one perfectly atmospheric read.
Sixteen-year old Clara Morris is visiting her father in his hometown of Redmarch Lake, even as she struggles to navigate her strained relationship with her recently divorced parents, strained since her twin sister's accidental death eight years ago. However, soon her attention is occupied by the eerieness of the town her father's family had lived in for generations - a history her father is reluctant to acknowledge, but one Clara irrevocably becomes entangled in after the first person she befriends in the town ends up mysteriously dead and Clara receives a message hinting at foul play seemingly from her long dead twin sister.
While seemingly very generic and predictable on the surface, playing to the conformist and exclusive near cult-like images of small town communities in the US, Scorza carefully creates a supernatural world and mythos put together from snippets of works of fiction and pseudo-history. The supernatural element in the novel is purposefully kept vague and unknowable, further adding to the element of suspense and terror. The pace of the story is uneven and although the climax was somewhat underwhelming, the way the author ties up the various strands and concludes the story was satisfying. The main strength of the writing in this story were the setups and payoffs that the author had organized throughout the novel, creating a very well-structured plot and narrative.
Nick Scorza's People of the Lake is a very well-written supernatural thriller that combines the growing pains of young adulthood, creepy small town urban legends and the bloody history of the United States into one perfectly atmospheric read.
Sixteen-year old Clara Morris is visiting her father in his hometown of Redmarch Lake, even as she struggles to navigate her strained relationship with her recently divorced parents, strained since her twin sister's accidental death eight years ago. However, soon her attention is occupied by the eerieness of the town her father's family had lived in for generations - a history her father is reluctant to acknowledge, but one Clara irrevocably becomes entangled in after the first person she befriends in the town ends up mysteriously dead and Clara receives a message hinting at foul play seemingly from her long dead twin sister.
While seemingly very generic and predictable on the surface, playing to the conformist and exclusive near cult-like images of small town communities in the US, Scorza carefully creates a supernatural world and mythos put together from snippets of works of fiction and pseudo-history. The supernatural element in the novel is purposefully kept vague and unknowable, further adding to the element of suspense and terror. The pace of the story is uneven and although the climax was somewhat underwhelming, the way the author ties up the various strands and concludes the story was satisfying. The main strength of the writing in this story were the setups and payoffs that the author had organized throughout the novel, creating a very well-structured plot and narrative.
September 16, 2019
This is a great supernatural mystery for YA and adult readers, full of interesting twists and turns. Clara's spending the summer with her dad in the small town he grew up in, but the locals are unfriendly and there's a certain amount of local lore about ghosts and monsters. When Clara encounters the things that haunt the place and a local teen dies at a party, she, another outsider, and the dead boy's ex-girlfriend team up to figure out what's going unsaid about the town, its colonizing families, and the powers that lurk in the lake. The issues of colonization, racism, and forced/normate heterosexuality are handled very well, and the big finish is exciting and well-written. I do think the book would benefit by having a catchier title; "People of the Lake" is a bit meh.
June 17, 2021
a teenage girl travels to a small idyllic town to spend the summer with her father, who won't discuss her twin sister that died years ago, freaks out at the thought of her going into the forest, and refuses to explain why everyone in town in so rude to outsiders. i couldn't get into this? it had all the right elements but something didn't click for me & i never had the urge to pick it up & keep reading. it also had that common #yalit trope of "tragic queer side-plot" which i'm not a fan of. meh. 2/5.
September 5, 2025
4.25
This was such a well-written and creative YA fantasy/horror! Loved the mystery element, the great spooky atmosphere, and sympathetic characters. The characters are what usually make or break YA books for me (I can't stand insufferable brats), and I enjoyed spending my time with Clara and her friends. "Small town with a deadly secret" is truly my favourite trope and this was such a good take on it.
I'm sad that this is from 2019 and Nick Scorza hasn't published another book. I would love to read more from him!
This was such a well-written and creative YA fantasy/horror! Loved the mystery element, the great spooky atmosphere, and sympathetic characters. The characters are what usually make or break YA books for me (I can't stand insufferable brats), and I enjoyed spending my time with Clara and her friends. "Small town with a deadly secret" is truly my favourite trope and this was such a good take on it.
I'm sad that this is from 2019 and Nick Scorza hasn't published another book. I would love to read more from him!
January 11, 2023
This gothic mystery was a great read. It tells the story of a girl staying in a place filled with secrets and strange gongs on. I liked the characters and it kept me hooked throughout. My only disappointment was that there aren’t any more written after it. I would happily have read some more either about the same place or a new story. How about a prequel? If you like gothic mystery horror this is a good read
March 31, 2023
People of the Lake was a very dark YA horror with lots of surprises/twists at the end.
Scorza did a great job giving depth to all the characters and their relationships which made me want to keep turning to pages to find out what happens to them. The descriptions of the lake were so creepy and I love how the action kept heading back to the woods and the lake's edge. However, the scenes in the cafe were a nice break, too, from all the intensity.
I'd love to read more horror from this author.
Scorza did a great job giving depth to all the characters and their relationships which made me want to keep turning to pages to find out what happens to them. The descriptions of the lake were so creepy and I love how the action kept heading back to the woods and the lake's edge. However, the scenes in the cafe were a nice break, too, from all the intensity.
I'd love to read more horror from this author.
September 16, 2019
This isn't a bad book it's just confused.It has a thriller element,a horror element and a slice of life element unfortunately they don't work together.I like the first part but the story becomes to convoluted for me.
People will enjoy this especially if you enjoy suspense/thrillers with horror elements.
People will enjoy this especially if you enjoy suspense/thrillers with horror elements.
March 18, 2021
Engrossing
Very well written story with several co!plus characters. A good combination of everyday reality such as working at a cafe f number with murder and inexplicable happenings. I will look for more books by this author.
Action
Very well written story with several co!plus characters. A good combination of everyday reality such as working at a cafe f number with murder and inexplicable happenings. I will look for more books by this author.
Action
March 21, 2021
3.5 stars.
I liked the story, the creepiness and the secrets. I didn’t like the father, he was a bit too underwhelming, and had zero personality.
I wasn’t a big fan of the quick ending after all that buildup, and it brought it down a star.
I liked the story, the creepiness and the secrets. I didn’t like the father, he was a bit too underwhelming, and had zero personality.
I wasn’t a big fan of the quick ending after all that buildup, and it brought it down a star.
March 27, 2021
Just...wow. This book was super creepy, with great build-up and suspense...and a very satisfying conclusion. I also really appreciated that it acknowledged that Native people, y’know, exist, and had their own lives and stories before European colonizers arrived.
September 21, 2021
Surprised!
I enjoyed this! A mix of everything. Keeps you interested and entertained with all the twists and turns. Definitely worth reading
I enjoyed this! A mix of everything. Keeps you interested and entertained with all the twists and turns. Definitely worth reading
October 16, 2021
Creepy, fun page turner!
June 22, 2024
bro the ending was wild. everything was happening all at once but in a good way.
February 3, 2025
It was a bit slow going for me until over halfway through.
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