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Her Best Friend's Lie
You can always trust your closest friends. Can’t you?
This trip was a chance to reconnect away from our busy lives. The five of us used to be so close—going right back to our college days, when we shared a rickety house and all our favorite clothes, as well as every high and low of our lives—but that was then.
Now, the thought of three days in a small cabin far from anywhere, surrounded only by water and trees, with my four oldest friends makes my stomach sink and my hands sweat. Because if they knew what I’d done—the betrayals I’ve committed—they’d never forgive me. And neither would you.
The straight-A student, the sports star with a bright future ahead of her, the sheltered girl who blossomed away from her family and the hippie child who was going to save the world. Their lives have turned out so differently to how we pictured all those years ago. I try not to think about why.
But then danger strikes, and too late I discover I’m not the only one keeping secrets. And I wonder: who will go furthest to keep the truth hidden?
Gripping, addictive and totally unputdownable, The Lake House will have you reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window and Big Little Lies.
This trip was a chance to reconnect away from our busy lives. The five of us used to be so close—going right back to our college days, when we shared a rickety house and all our favorite clothes, as well as every high and low of our lives—but that was then.
Now, the thought of three days in a small cabin far from anywhere, surrounded only by water and trees, with my four oldest friends makes my stomach sink and my hands sweat. Because if they knew what I’d done—the betrayals I’ve committed—they’d never forgive me. And neither would you.
The straight-A student, the sports star with a bright future ahead of her, the sheltered girl who blossomed away from her family and the hippie child who was going to save the world. Their lives have turned out so differently to how we pictured all those years ago. I try not to think about why.
But then danger strikes, and too late I discover I’m not the only one keeping secrets. And I wonder: who will go furthest to keep the truth hidden?
Gripping, addictive and totally unputdownable, The Lake House will have you reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window and Big Little Lies.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2021
About the author
Laura Wolfe
14 books260 followersLaura Wolfe is an Amazon Charts bestselling author of dark and twisty psychological thriller and suspense novels. Her new and upcoming releases with Bookouture include PROM QUEEN, THE IN-LAWS, WE LIVE NEXT DOOR, HER BEST FRIEND'S LIE, SHE LIES ALONE, and TWO WIDOWS. The books in her YA mystery series and her adult suspense novel, TOP PRODUCER, have been shortlisted for multiple indie book awards. Laura is a lover of animals and nature. When she is not writing, she can be found hanging out with her highly energetic kids, growing vegetables in her garden, or spoiling her rescue dog. She enjoys living in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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www.LauraWolfeBooks.com
www.Facebook.com/LauraWolfeBooks
Instagram: @LWolfe.Writes
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
February 8, 2021
3.5 rounded up
Sam, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, Jenna and narrator Megan met twenty two years ago at university are are now celebrating their fortieth birthdays. They plan to go on a weekend away to a secluded cabin on Crooked Lake, Wisconsin. What could possibly go wrong as they’re such good friends, right? Well, jump on board the crazy train for an entertaining ride.
The plot of this one is completely barking mad, bonkers, insane, nuts but it sure makes for interesting reading! So put on your disbelief suspenders and just go with the rapid and twisty flow!! The setting is good, it is very isolated, no phone signal,no WiFi, it feels claustrophobic and there’s a sense of unease from the start. You get bad vibes right from Megan’s unwillingness to commit to the trip. The cabin is a dump and you wouldn’t have seen me for dust with all the cobwebs and creepy crawlies! The cabin owner Travis is as creepy as hell and you want to yell at the friends to get out of Dodge and check into the nearest hotel, preferably luxury with a spa. The friendship of the women is well portrayed and it becomes apparent they’re hiding things from each other and there are stresses and strains over the years, although there’s nothing unusual in that as all relationships have ups and down. Tension and suspicion grows between them and they make bad decision after bad decision as they panic. The motivation for the dramatic events is a bit spurious, thin and somewhat loony tunes and the ending is abrupt but I did like the final twist. I didn’t see that one coming!
Overall, I dare say it’s not the most original of plots but it’s easy to read and is good escapist reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bookouture for the arc for an honest review.
Sam, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, Jenna and narrator Megan met twenty two years ago at university are are now celebrating their fortieth birthdays. They plan to go on a weekend away to a secluded cabin on Crooked Lake, Wisconsin. What could possibly go wrong as they’re such good friends, right? Well, jump on board the crazy train for an entertaining ride.
The plot of this one is completely barking mad, bonkers, insane, nuts but it sure makes for interesting reading! So put on your disbelief suspenders and just go with the rapid and twisty flow!! The setting is good, it is very isolated, no phone signal,no WiFi, it feels claustrophobic and there’s a sense of unease from the start. You get bad vibes right from Megan’s unwillingness to commit to the trip. The cabin is a dump and you wouldn’t have seen me for dust with all the cobwebs and creepy crawlies! The cabin owner Travis is as creepy as hell and you want to yell at the friends to get out of Dodge and check into the nearest hotel, preferably luxury with a spa. The friendship of the women is well portrayed and it becomes apparent they’re hiding things from each other and there are stresses and strains over the years, although there’s nothing unusual in that as all relationships have ups and down. Tension and suspicion grows between them and they make bad decision after bad decision as they panic. The motivation for the dramatic events is a bit spurious, thin and somewhat loony tunes and the ending is abrupt but I did like the final twist. I didn’t see that one coming!
Overall, I dare say it’s not the most original of plots but it’s easy to read and is good escapist reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bookouture for the arc for an honest review.
July 22, 2021
Well this book My Best Friends Lie By Laura Wolfe was one crazy unrealistic read that kept me turning the pages, i could not put this down.
Megan, Charlotte, Sam , Jenna & Kaitlin set off on a weekend away to a cabin in the woods where there is no mobile reception TV, just peace & quiet the cabin is not what they expected cobwebs, a dead squirrel a rickety deck even moss but they decided to stay.
Everything was going okay until the owner a creepy man with tattoos on his arm turned up to see if they were settling in okay he is also carrying a gun which makes the girls nervous. Paranoia gets to Megan she doesn't want to stay her gut tells her to leave but she doesn't... Then the blame game is played & everyone points the finger at Charlotte as she booked it but they all agreed this was what they wanted.
But when Sam ends up dead the stakes are high, everyone blames the cabin owner as its an easy out, its survive any way you can.
I enjoyed this book but i thought it was unrealistic in areas but still enjoyable was a fun crazy read.
3.5 stars
Megan, Charlotte, Sam , Jenna & Kaitlin set off on a weekend away to a cabin in the woods where there is no mobile reception TV, just peace & quiet the cabin is not what they expected cobwebs, a dead squirrel a rickety deck even moss but they decided to stay.
Everything was going okay until the owner a creepy man with tattoos on his arm turned up to see if they were settling in okay he is also carrying a gun which makes the girls nervous. Paranoia gets to Megan she doesn't want to stay her gut tells her to leave but she doesn't... Then the blame game is played & everyone points the finger at Charlotte as she booked it but they all agreed this was what they wanted.
But when Sam ends up dead the stakes are high, everyone blames the cabin owner as its an easy out, its survive any way you can.
I enjoyed this book but i thought it was unrealistic in areas but still enjoyable was a fun crazy read.
3.5 stars
March 21, 2021
Review published in: https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....
What do COVID-19 and locked room mysteries in isolated settings have in common? In both social meetings of more than 3 people are ill advised. That’s one of the teachings I’ve learned from literature.
Megan, Sam, Charlotte, Jenna and Kaitlyn have been friends for over 20 years after meeting at university, but after 5 years with almost no contact at all they decide to go on a girls getaway to rekindle their friendship. The chosen destination is an isolated cabin besides Crooked Lake, but to the no phone signal and no WIFI they have to add that the cabin looks nothing like the brochure pictures (I can relate). Stranded there and with a creepy cabin owner around, tragedy does not take long to make its appearance.
Although the plot was not the most original one, the writing was so good an atmospheric that I felt myself walking with them around the woods. The sense of isolation was really well done. Add to it a sinister abandoned camp site and you’ll have all the ingredients for a really engrossing read.
The relationship between the five women was well depicted. Soon small old quarrels arise and secrets between them are hinted at. After several unfortunate events happen and some bad decisions are made you can’t help but to feel for them. I would for sure not like to be in their shoes! My only critique is that sometimes they acted more like 20 yo than the 40 yo they were, jumping readily to a series of conclusions with no evidence at all.
The past flashbacks worked not only as a way to meet the characters younger selves and to explain how their friendship was forged, but to understand their current dynamics and why they found themselves in that predicament.
As the story progressed things kept getting crazier. I had my suspicions the whole time, so when the villain was revealed I found their motivations a bit weak. The story ended a bit abruptly but with a final twist in the last line that I did not foresee.
The lake house was my first Laura Wolfe read but certainly won’t be my last.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
What do COVID-19 and locked room mysteries in isolated settings have in common? In both social meetings of more than 3 people are ill advised. That’s one of the teachings I’ve learned from literature.
Megan, Sam, Charlotte, Jenna and Kaitlyn have been friends for over 20 years after meeting at university, but after 5 years with almost no contact at all they decide to go on a girls getaway to rekindle their friendship. The chosen destination is an isolated cabin besides Crooked Lake, but to the no phone signal and no WIFI they have to add that the cabin looks nothing like the brochure pictures (I can relate). Stranded there and with a creepy cabin owner around, tragedy does not take long to make its appearance.
Although the plot was not the most original one, the writing was so good an atmospheric that I felt myself walking with them around the woods. The sense of isolation was really well done. Add to it a sinister abandoned camp site and you’ll have all the ingredients for a really engrossing read.
The relationship between the five women was well depicted. Soon small old quarrels arise and secrets between them are hinted at. After several unfortunate events happen and some bad decisions are made you can’t help but to feel for them. I would for sure not like to be in their shoes! My only critique is that sometimes they acted more like 20 yo than the 40 yo they were, jumping readily to a series of conclusions with no evidence at all.
The past flashbacks worked not only as a way to meet the characters younger selves and to explain how their friendship was forged, but to understand their current dynamics and why they found themselves in that predicament.
As the story progressed things kept getting crazier. I had my suspicions the whole time, so when the villain was revealed I found their motivations a bit weak. The story ended a bit abruptly but with a final twist in the last line that I did not foresee.
The lake house was my first Laura Wolfe read but certainly won’t be my last.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2021
Friends since college, but separated by life and its responsibilities, five women - Megan, Kaitlyn, Sam, Charlotte and Jenna - take off for a vacation together. They rent a secluded cabin and hope to spend time reminiscing about their college years and talk about their marriages and families. However, the weekend is anything but what they were expecting.
The entire story is told in Megan's first person perspective, and as the story develops, things get ugly at a rapid pace. For starters, the cabin is too secluded. No cell service. No WiFi. No other guests and a creepy owner.
Very specific things are at play. Some of the women are happy in their lives. Others are not. Some are lying and some have secrets. Will any of these things lead to the reason behind what eventually happens in this creepy story? Having read several books like this, two especially come to mind - Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and Ruth Ware's One by One - I was hoping that we would not be reading something that followed those formulas.
In this book, we are - and we aren't. Yes, you have a small group of people in an isolated location with no doubt at all as to what is going to happen. But, this book takes things to its own level. The past plays a huge role in the events of this story. Of course, you do get a slasher film sort of vibe when you want to tell the women to BE CAREFUL, GET AWAY, DON'T GO THERE, etc. No doubt. A bit aggravating, but then to me that is kudos to the author! She really pulled me into this story!
It seemed evident who the perpetrator was in this book, but there were twists and turns, rabbit trails and unexpected events popping up that kept me guessing. I loved the tension that this story created in me and I especially loved the ending and how it pulled everything together. And I just have to add, read this book to the very LAST word. Just going to leave it at that.
Having previously read She Lies Alone by Laura Wolfe, I knew that I would be in for a good story with this book, The Lake House. I certainly was not disappointed.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
The entire story is told in Megan's first person perspective, and as the story develops, things get ugly at a rapid pace. For starters, the cabin is too secluded. No cell service. No WiFi. No other guests and a creepy owner.
Very specific things are at play. Some of the women are happy in their lives. Others are not. Some are lying and some have secrets. Will any of these things lead to the reason behind what eventually happens in this creepy story? Having read several books like this, two especially come to mind - Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and Ruth Ware's One by One - I was hoping that we would not be reading something that followed those formulas.
In this book, we are - and we aren't. Yes, you have a small group of people in an isolated location with no doubt at all as to what is going to happen. But, this book takes things to its own level. The past plays a huge role in the events of this story. Of course, you do get a slasher film sort of vibe when you want to tell the women to BE CAREFUL, GET AWAY, DON'T GO THERE, etc. No doubt. A bit aggravating, but then to me that is kudos to the author! She really pulled me into this story!
It seemed evident who the perpetrator was in this book, but there were twists and turns, rabbit trails and unexpected events popping up that kept me guessing. I loved the tension that this story created in me and I especially loved the ending and how it pulled everything together. And I just have to add, read this book to the very LAST word. Just going to leave it at that.
Having previously read She Lies Alone by Laura Wolfe, I knew that I would be in for a good story with this book, The Lake House. I certainly was not disappointed.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
May 18, 2021
N.B. This book has since been released under the title Her Best Friend's Lie
The Lake House is a twisty psychological thriller, evoking echoes of Agatha Christie's masterpiece And Then There Were None and the many homages it has spawned, including Ruth Ware's One by One, Gretchen McNeil's Ten and C.A. Larmer's And Then There Were 9. Reunion-based mysteries such as Lucy Foley's The Hunting Party and Ruth Ware's The Lying Game also spring to mind.
The book opens with Megan, from whose first-person perspective the narrative unfolds, meeting up with her college possé, Sam, Charlotte, Jenna and Kaitlyn. The women have decided to meet up after a break of five years, to celebrate their fortieth birthdays, travelling to an isolated cabin situated on a picturesque lake in a remote corner of Wisconsin. Immediately upon their arrival, the women are disconcerted by the dilapidated condition of the house (it doesn't live up to its online photos), the complete lack of telephone signal or wi-fi and the intimidating demeanour of owner Travis. Laura Wolfe builds a feeling of hidden menace and tension as the women spend their first, uneasy, night at Crooked Lake.
The first half of the novel builds the reader's understanding of the complex relationships and shared history between the central five characters. Resentments, secrets and feelings of guilt lurk just below the surface of their reminiscences and bonhomie, occasionally breaking through into small confrontations and revelations. Flashbacks to the friends' lives at college are told through Megan's lens, and we're aware that she has more than her fair share of secrets and regrets. We also know that she's had misgivings about coming to Crooked Lake from the outset, and is subject to crippling panic attacks - how far can we rely on her perspective on events, both past and present?
The tension is ratchetted up several levels after the women explore a nearby deserted holiday camp, abandoned following a suspicious death that occurred a year previously. One woman is injured in an avoidable accident and they return to the lake house to find both front tyres of Charlotte's minivan, their only transport, irreparably punctured. They're trapped at Crooked Lake and will need to rely on Travis's co-operation to communicate with the outside world, at the same time suspecting that he is behind the damage to the vehicle. When one of the women is found strangled the following morning, the remaining four realise that they're engaged in a fight for their lives. While Travis makes a convenient focus for their fear and blame, they each begin second-guessing whether the culprit might actually be closer to home...
I imagine it's quite difficult to construct a plot which maintains mystery while the pool of suspects is gradually reduced, and Laura Wolfe achieves this well, withholding just enough information to leave the reader questioning the motives of each of the surviving protagonists at each stage. It's a well-worn basic plot idea, but I felt Wolfe maintains reader interest with her well-developed (albeit dysfunctional) character relationships and wonderfully oppressive setting.
The conclusion is a satisfyingly thrilling race for survival, with just a few little extra twists towards the end to reward the reader.
I found The Lake House a riveting read, perhaps only slightly let down by occasionally unconvincing dialogue and character behaviour that really stretches credibility at times. At some points, the action seems to mirror more teenage slasher movie fodder than a group of mature, successful women facing a hidden threat.
Since my reading of the book as The Lake House, it has been released under the title Her Best Friend's Lie. While I think I can see the reasoning behind the change (there are a multitude of books out there called "The Lake House"), I must admit I'm not convinced that the new title really works as well as the more ambiguous original.
I'd recommend The Lake House / Her Best Friend's Lie to readers who like twisty psychological thrillers and dramas arising from the complex webs that are female group relationships.
My thanks to the author, Laura Wolfe, publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
The Lake House is a twisty psychological thriller, evoking echoes of Agatha Christie's masterpiece And Then There Were None and the many homages it has spawned, including Ruth Ware's One by One, Gretchen McNeil's Ten and C.A. Larmer's And Then There Were 9. Reunion-based mysteries such as Lucy Foley's The Hunting Party and Ruth Ware's The Lying Game also spring to mind.
The book opens with Megan, from whose first-person perspective the narrative unfolds, meeting up with her college possé, Sam, Charlotte, Jenna and Kaitlyn. The women have decided to meet up after a break of five years, to celebrate their fortieth birthdays, travelling to an isolated cabin situated on a picturesque lake in a remote corner of Wisconsin. Immediately upon their arrival, the women are disconcerted by the dilapidated condition of the house (it doesn't live up to its online photos), the complete lack of telephone signal or wi-fi and the intimidating demeanour of owner Travis. Laura Wolfe builds a feeling of hidden menace and tension as the women spend their first, uneasy, night at Crooked Lake.
The first half of the novel builds the reader's understanding of the complex relationships and shared history between the central five characters. Resentments, secrets and feelings of guilt lurk just below the surface of their reminiscences and bonhomie, occasionally breaking through into small confrontations and revelations. Flashbacks to the friends' lives at college are told through Megan's lens, and we're aware that she has more than her fair share of secrets and regrets. We also know that she's had misgivings about coming to Crooked Lake from the outset, and is subject to crippling panic attacks - how far can we rely on her perspective on events, both past and present?
The tension is ratchetted up several levels after the women explore a nearby deserted holiday camp, abandoned following a suspicious death that occurred a year previously. One woman is injured in an avoidable accident and they return to the lake house to find both front tyres of Charlotte's minivan, their only transport, irreparably punctured. They're trapped at Crooked Lake and will need to rely on Travis's co-operation to communicate with the outside world, at the same time suspecting that he is behind the damage to the vehicle. When one of the women is found strangled the following morning, the remaining four realise that they're engaged in a fight for their lives. While Travis makes a convenient focus for their fear and blame, they each begin second-guessing whether the culprit might actually be closer to home...
I imagine it's quite difficult to construct a plot which maintains mystery while the pool of suspects is gradually reduced, and Laura Wolfe achieves this well, withholding just enough information to leave the reader questioning the motives of each of the surviving protagonists at each stage. It's a well-worn basic plot idea, but I felt Wolfe maintains reader interest with her well-developed (albeit dysfunctional) character relationships and wonderfully oppressive setting.
The conclusion is a satisfyingly thrilling race for survival, with just a few little extra twists towards the end to reward the reader.
I found The Lake House a riveting read, perhaps only slightly let down by occasionally unconvincing dialogue and character behaviour that really stretches credibility at times. At some points, the action seems to mirror more teenage slasher movie fodder than a group of mature, successful women facing a hidden threat.
Since my reading of the book as The Lake House, it has been released under the title Her Best Friend's Lie. While I think I can see the reasoning behind the change (there are a multitude of books out there called "The Lake House"), I must admit I'm not convinced that the new title really works as well as the more ambiguous original.
I'd recommend The Lake House / Her Best Friend's Lie to readers who like twisty psychological thrillers and dramas arising from the complex webs that are female group relationships.
My thanks to the author, Laura Wolfe, publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
January 29, 2021
Holy cow, this was so good! I felt like I was reading a modern reboot of Friday the 13th. Five college friends set out on a weekend reunion five hours away at an isolated cabin with a lake that is near a closed down camp, Camp Eventide. After a night of catching up and drinking, bad things begin to happen. I received my copy today and was done in two hours! This is so twisty with many omg moments, it’s fast packed and unputdownable. I just bought She Lies Alone, can’t wait to dig in! Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley, and to the author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.
March 2, 2021
Definitely, for fans of The Guest List, The Lake House is a locked room mystery where five friends are stranded in a rented cabin where they are being picked off one by one by an unknown killer.
What makes these types of books so utterly read-able is the suspense. The Lake House is no exception, with tons of red herrings and foreshadowing. Even if you think you have predicted the rest of the novel, once the killer claims their first victim it's nearly impossible to put down. I found myself doubting the characters' actions and dialogue at a lot of points, but the frenzied panic of the entire situation getting way out of hand was very entertaining to read.
Another book that'd be great for a quick Kindle read overnight, even if a lot of the characters and concepts felt a little surface level.
What makes these types of books so utterly read-able is the suspense. The Lake House is no exception, with tons of red herrings and foreshadowing. Even if you think you have predicted the rest of the novel, once the killer claims their first victim it's nearly impossible to put down. I found myself doubting the characters' actions and dialogue at a lot of points, but the frenzied panic of the entire situation getting way out of hand was very entertaining to read.
Another book that'd be great for a quick Kindle read overnight, even if a lot of the characters and concepts felt a little surface level.
March 17, 2021
The Lake House is Ms Wolfe’s latest standalone psychological thriller about the reunion from hell, featuring five college friends staying in a remote and secluded cabin. The plot follows five long-term friends who initially met when they were all undergraduate students and flatmates attending Marquette University in Milwaukee. Out of nearly 2,500 incoming first-year students in 1997, Campus Housing had placed Megan, Sam, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, and Jenna in the same corridor in the utilitarian 1950s dormitory. That was twenty-two years ago. Back to present day and it has been five years since the group has met up and now Megan is driving the thirty minutes from her home in Brookfield to physical therapist Charlotte's ranch-style house in Hartland which she shares with her second husband, Reed, and her teenage son, Oliver. The blue Tesla in the drive indicates that Kaitlyn has managed to get here before her; the last time they met up, charity and community activist Kaitlyn had hosted at her posh house in the upscale Madison suburb of Shorewood Hills which she shared with her financier husband, Derek, and their two daughters. They would later head to the airport to pick up Jenna and Sam. The friends all turn forty this year, and Jenna had decided three months ago that they deserved a weekend away to celebrate the milestone. A girls' weekend with no husbands or kids allowed. Jenna was a New York City attorney and both the organiser and party animal of the group. Sam now had two young sons: eight-year-old Leo and six-year-old Brett and ran a multimillion-dollar corporation, MedTech, in Denver.
She created MedTech to try and bring affordable prescription drugs to those who otherwise couldn't afford them and she was so up for the retreat, as was psychologist Megan, although she worried about her kids, eight-year-old Marnie and five-year-old Wyatt and her husband, Andrew. Four nights was a long time to be away. Now the weekend had arrived, 17 September, a date when each of the five women had time to kick back and relax. They had rented out a secluded and inexpensive cabin on Crooked Lake, Wisconsin, a five-hour drive from Milwaukee, that sleeps six. Portrayed online as a beautiful, rustic country cabin overlooking a private lake and sitting on over thirty wooded acres, surrounded by a thousand acres of forest owned by a land trust on one side and a two-hundred-acre summer sleepaway camp on the other. A proper off the grid escape; just what they needed. But when they arrive there is no phone signal or WiFi. To make matters worse the cabin is creepy, as is the sociopathic landlord who insists on carrying his rifle everywhere and sports a swastika tattoo and a murder at the neighbouring camp hardly makes them feel safe. Soon their perfect retreat to get back to nature turns into an immensely dangerous fight for survival. This is an enthralling and compulsive read with a premise that has been done a million times over, yet Wolfe has pulled out all of the stops making this an atmospheric and terrifying thriller. It is a wildly entertaining, rollicking good read packed with sinister secrets, lies, mystery, wicked twists and plentiful red herrings. Highly recommended.
She created MedTech to try and bring affordable prescription drugs to those who otherwise couldn't afford them and she was so up for the retreat, as was psychologist Megan, although she worried about her kids, eight-year-old Marnie and five-year-old Wyatt and her husband, Andrew. Four nights was a long time to be away. Now the weekend had arrived, 17 September, a date when each of the five women had time to kick back and relax. They had rented out a secluded and inexpensive cabin on Crooked Lake, Wisconsin, a five-hour drive from Milwaukee, that sleeps six. Portrayed online as a beautiful, rustic country cabin overlooking a private lake and sitting on over thirty wooded acres, surrounded by a thousand acres of forest owned by a land trust on one side and a two-hundred-acre summer sleepaway camp on the other. A proper off the grid escape; just what they needed. But when they arrive there is no phone signal or WiFi. To make matters worse the cabin is creepy, as is the sociopathic landlord who insists on carrying his rifle everywhere and sports a swastika tattoo and a murder at the neighbouring camp hardly makes them feel safe. Soon their perfect retreat to get back to nature turns into an immensely dangerous fight for survival. This is an enthralling and compulsive read with a premise that has been done a million times over, yet Wolfe has pulled out all of the stops making this an atmospheric and terrifying thriller. It is a wildly entertaining, rollicking good read packed with sinister secrets, lies, mystery, wicked twists and plentiful red herrings. Highly recommended.
February 15, 2021
This was a fast-paced read, reminiscent of a sleepover camp slasher movie. Lots of books these days are about college friends getting together to take a trip down memory lane, but this one added a lot more than just soul searching and gave us some good old murders! The story is narrated by Megan, one of the group of 5 friends wo rent a lake house in a remote area with no cell phone or wifi signals. When bad things start happening, she has to figure out who she can trust, if anyone!
The book was atmospheric and I could feel the fear of being out in the woods with no way to reach anyone; and I could clearly picture the house, the lake, and the abandoned camp. The author also did a good job interlaying current and past events in a way that is clear and easy-to-follow, while providing good characterization of the 5 women. The end should have been obvious but I didn't see it coming and then couldn't believe that I hadn't. There was a little extra twist at the very end that I thought was great.
My only issue with the book is that these characters seemed awfully stupid at some points during this trip, especially for well educated women with good jobs and families that they have raised. I had to suspend my disbelief a bit at some of the decisions that they made, and conclusions that they jumped to. That being said, it didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the book, which was fast-paced and twisty.
All in all, I think this was a fun read and would recommend it to those who like mysteries, and those who love those 1980s horror movies. I am going to check out what else this author has written. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book was atmospheric and I could feel the fear of being out in the woods with no way to reach anyone; and I could clearly picture the house, the lake, and the abandoned camp. The author also did a good job interlaying current and past events in a way that is clear and easy-to-follow, while providing good characterization of the 5 women. The end should have been obvious but I didn't see it coming and then couldn't believe that I hadn't. There was a little extra twist at the very end that I thought was great.
My only issue with the book is that these characters seemed awfully stupid at some points during this trip, especially for well educated women with good jobs and families that they have raised. I had to suspend my disbelief a bit at some of the decisions that they made, and conclusions that they jumped to. That being said, it didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the book, which was fast-paced and twisty.
All in all, I think this was a fun read and would recommend it to those who like mysteries, and those who love those 1980s horror movies. I am going to check out what else this author has written. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2021
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Lake House' by Laura Wolfe.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 17th March 2021.
This is the first book I have read by this author. It most definitely won't be my last.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis. The synopsis stated this book is perfect for fans of Shari Lapena and others. I am a huge fan of Shari's books so am interested to see if it will live up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue and 31 chapters. The chapters are medium to long in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Wisconsin, USA 🇺🇸 .
This book is written in first person perspective with the protagonist being Megan. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them.
This book is very well written with vivid descriptions capturing the imagination. The synopsis and cover suited the storyline perfectly.
The storyline was filled with suspense and completely gripping. It was also realistic which makes it even easier to picture. An absolutely sensational read which had me hooked from page one. It had me guessing throughout and I would have never worked the out, especially the shocker at the end!!! I love it when books shock me as it gets harder and harder with all the crime books I read. Every chapter seemed to end on a cliffer and it was definitely unputdownable and addictive! I completely devoured it. Laura has filled this book with suspense and you can feel the tension bubbling throughout.
The characters were solid and completely realistic. They all had their own strong personalities and it was intriguing reading the memories of what happened in their past which was woven into the storyline perfectly.
I am looking forward to reading more books from this very talented author and I would also love to see this one turned into a movie!!
Overall a completely addictive psychological thriller that will have you hooked until the explosive ending.
Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Shari Lapona, Jess Ryder and Shalini Boland.
302 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheLakeHouse #Bookouture #LauraWolfe #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@LauraWolfe @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
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Review for 'The Lake House' by Laura Wolfe.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 17th March 2021.
This is the first book I have read by this author. It most definitely won't be my last.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis. The synopsis stated this book is perfect for fans of Shari Lapena and others. I am a huge fan of Shari's books so am interested to see if it will live up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue and 31 chapters. The chapters are medium to long in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Wisconsin, USA 🇺🇸 .
This book is written in first person perspective with the protagonist being Megan. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them.
This book is very well written with vivid descriptions capturing the imagination. The synopsis and cover suited the storyline perfectly.
The storyline was filled with suspense and completely gripping. It was also realistic which makes it even easier to picture. An absolutely sensational read which had me hooked from page one. It had me guessing throughout and I would have never worked the out, especially the shocker at the end!!! I love it when books shock me as it gets harder and harder with all the crime books I read. Every chapter seemed to end on a cliffer and it was definitely unputdownable and addictive! I completely devoured it. Laura has filled this book with suspense and you can feel the tension bubbling throughout.
The characters were solid and completely realistic. They all had their own strong personalities and it was intriguing reading the memories of what happened in their past which was woven into the storyline perfectly.
I am looking forward to reading more books from this very talented author and I would also love to see this one turned into a movie!!
Overall a completely addictive psychological thriller that will have you hooked until the explosive ending.
Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Shari Lapona, Jess Ryder and Shalini Boland.
302 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheLakeHouse #Bookouture #LauraWolfe #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@LauraWolfe @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
March 14, 2021
First, I want to thank Laura Wolfe, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.
WOW!! Just Wow!! Laura Wolfe creates an incredibly twisted, mind blowing, jaw dropping, gripping storyline in The Lake House. This is one book you must put on your TBR list and clear your schedule to read it. Once you pick up the book you just can’t put it down.
Laura Wolfe’s book focused on friendship between the girls in the past and present. She would jump back and forth so we would get a better understanding of them and their friendship. Their past gave so much insite to what was going on into their lives today that they didn't see happening.
The mystery aspect of what happened to the girls was one of the highlights of the book. What made this case different than any other was they were in the middle of nowhere with no phone service, no internet and with flat tires they couldn’t go anywhere.
Laura did a phenomenal job pulling out all the fears and emotions the characters were having during this crisis! She made me feel empathy for them and compassion for what they go through.
This book had so many mysteries, lies, secrets, betrayals, hidden agendas, murder, revelations, realizations, twists and turns, shocking moments you dont see coming, grudges heald, intensely written scenes, a very climatic twist of events, etc.
I am a huge fan of board games so I loved it when they pulled out some of my favorite board games to play. I wanted to hop in and play Uno and Scattergories with them.
It was so spooky that the camp for kids was deserted with no life.
The climatic twist came out of the blue! I honestly never saw those revelations coming and at that fast of speed either. My jaw was locked open. I was so shocked at the turn of events. Never did I imagine that ending.
WOW!! Just Wow!! Laura Wolfe creates an incredibly twisted, mind blowing, jaw dropping, gripping storyline in The Lake House. This is one book you must put on your TBR list and clear your schedule to read it. Once you pick up the book you just can’t put it down.
Laura Wolfe’s book focused on friendship between the girls in the past and present. She would jump back and forth so we would get a better understanding of them and their friendship. Their past gave so much insite to what was going on into their lives today that they didn't see happening.
The mystery aspect of what happened to the girls was one of the highlights of the book. What made this case different than any other was they were in the middle of nowhere with no phone service, no internet and with flat tires they couldn’t go anywhere.
Laura did a phenomenal job pulling out all the fears and emotions the characters were having during this crisis! She made me feel empathy for them and compassion for what they go through.
This book had so many mysteries, lies, secrets, betrayals, hidden agendas, murder, revelations, realizations, twists and turns, shocking moments you dont see coming, grudges heald, intensely written scenes, a very climatic twist of events, etc.
I am a huge fan of board games so I loved it when they pulled out some of my favorite board games to play. I wanted to hop in and play Uno and Scattergories with them.
It was so spooky that the camp for kids was deserted with no life.
The climatic twist came out of the blue! I honestly never saw those revelations coming and at that fast of speed either. My jaw was locked open. I was so shocked at the turn of events. Never did I imagine that ending.
March 20, 2021
Omg - this book is absolutely bloody incredible,in fact,there are not enough superlatives in the English dictionary to describe just how perfect this gripping thriller is.Gather together five friends,each of whom has their own unique personality and character traits,a isolated cabin situated near some woods and a lake. A old,deserted school camp,a creepy landlord,a unsolved murder mystery and the friends being picked off one at a time by a unknown enemy and you have the perfect ingredients for a captivating,addictive read that has a spine chilling,intense vibe permeating the pages.
Sam, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, Jenna and our narrator Megan have been friends since they were placed together on the same corridor in the dormitory that was their lodgings at the university they all attended. They didn't see as much of each other anymore but they had shared too much to completely abandon each other. Five years had passed since their last girls weekend which had been held at Kaitlyn's posh house and over the two days past tensions had bubbled to the surface that resulted in uncomfortable moments,gaping silences and sideways glances. This time they were going to be spending five days in a isolated cabin with no Wi-Fi and sporadic phone signals,they were going to be totally off grid. Megan had been harbouring doubts about wether she should actually go on the holiday from the minute that she received the email about the proposed trip,doubts that only multiplied after they arrived at their destination. It's not long before she discovers that she was right to have these doubts when the holiday turns into a living nightmare and she finds herself confronting situations that would have fitted perfectly into the plot of a classic horror film.
Interspersed throughout the book was chapters that were written in italics and took the reader back in the past to when the girl's were at University. These parts included the girl's interactions with a character called Frida who was a shy,intense individual that always seemed to be hovering in the fringes of the group. The girl's hadn't seen her since they left university but was there any possibility that she was somehow involved in the events that were unfolding in the present day.
I really really loved everything about this very well written,fast paced,intense,page turner. I loved the setting,the stark contrasts between the beauty of mother nature and the ugliness of certain character's behaviour. The story didn't contain a large cast of characters but the ones who did appear were a mixed bag of vivid,realistic individuals. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this brilliant thriller. Worth all the stars and more,very very highly recommended and most definitely one of my favourite reads of this year so far.
Sam, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, Jenna and our narrator Megan have been friends since they were placed together on the same corridor in the dormitory that was their lodgings at the university they all attended. They didn't see as much of each other anymore but they had shared too much to completely abandon each other. Five years had passed since their last girls weekend which had been held at Kaitlyn's posh house and over the two days past tensions had bubbled to the surface that resulted in uncomfortable moments,gaping silences and sideways glances. This time they were going to be spending five days in a isolated cabin with no Wi-Fi and sporadic phone signals,they were going to be totally off grid. Megan had been harbouring doubts about wether she should actually go on the holiday from the minute that she received the email about the proposed trip,doubts that only multiplied after they arrived at their destination. It's not long before she discovers that she was right to have these doubts when the holiday turns into a living nightmare and she finds herself confronting situations that would have fitted perfectly into the plot of a classic horror film.
Interspersed throughout the book was chapters that were written in italics and took the reader back in the past to when the girl's were at University. These parts included the girl's interactions with a character called Frida who was a shy,intense individual that always seemed to be hovering in the fringes of the group. The girl's hadn't seen her since they left university but was there any possibility that she was somehow involved in the events that were unfolding in the present day.
I really really loved everything about this very well written,fast paced,intense,page turner. I loved the setting,the stark contrasts between the beauty of mother nature and the ugliness of certain character's behaviour. The story didn't contain a large cast of characters but the ones who did appear were a mixed bag of vivid,realistic individuals. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this brilliant thriller. Worth all the stars and more,very very highly recommended and most definitely one of my favourite reads of this year so far.
March 20, 2021
Charlotte, Jenna, Kaitlyn, Megan and Sam met in freshman year at Marquette University in Milwaukee and have remained friends ever since that year in 1997. They are all turning forty shortly and they decide to have a girls’ weekend together, organised by Jenna. They’ve rented a secluded cabin on Crooked Lake, Wisconsin, but when they arrive, they realise it's not like the online advert - a beautiful, rustic country cabin overlooking a private lake and sitting on over thirty wooded acres. There is no phone signal or WiFi and the exterior is shabby, though the inside is functional so they settle in. With the wine flowing they reminisce, sharing stories and laughs. But some are keeping secrets and aren’t as happy as they claim to be...
Laura Wolfe certainly knows how to create an atmospheric setting and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, reading this novel. The author deftly explores the sinister concept of false friendship as she writes about a reunion weekend gone awry. The unsuspected twists and turns were spectacular and the great plot highlighted the concept that appearances can often be deceiving. Narrated by Megan, the characterisation of all five women was A1. This is my second novel by Laura Wolfe and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
Laura Wolfe certainly knows how to create an atmospheric setting and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, reading this novel. The author deftly explores the sinister concept of false friendship as she writes about a reunion weekend gone awry. The unsuspected twists and turns were spectacular and the great plot highlighted the concept that appearances can often be deceiving. Narrated by Megan, the characterisation of all five women was A1. This is my second novel by Laura Wolfe and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
March 9, 2021
This is a great read.
Five friends decide to have a break from their families and book a cabin in the woods for a few nights.
They’ve not seen each other for a few years so have plenty to catch up on.
When they arrive, the cabin doesn’t look like it did online and they realise there’s no phone signal or wi-fi.
They seem to be getting on ok but then the owner of the cabin pays them a visit and freaks them all out.
The next morning they wake to find all four tyres have been slashed on their van and realise they are stuck here.
They started out as five women together but soon two have been killed and they don’t know how to escape.
The story is told from Megan’s point of view and it’s a nail biting view when she comes face to face with the killer.
This is a gripping thriller where you wonder who will make it out of there alive.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Five friends decide to have a break from their families and book a cabin in the woods for a few nights.
They’ve not seen each other for a few years so have plenty to catch up on.
When they arrive, the cabin doesn’t look like it did online and they realise there’s no phone signal or wi-fi.
They seem to be getting on ok but then the owner of the cabin pays them a visit and freaks them all out.
The next morning they wake to find all four tyres have been slashed on their van and realise they are stuck here.
They started out as five women together but soon two have been killed and they don’t know how to escape.
The story is told from Megan’s point of view and it’s a nail biting view when she comes face to face with the killer.
This is a gripping thriller where you wonder who will make it out of there alive.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
March 23, 2021
Five friends who meet in college and have slowly drifted apart decide to reconnect for a weekend getaway. An isolated cabin on a private lake sounds absolutely perfect online, but reality is much different. The cabin is dilapidated, there's no cell phone reception, and the rutted road has destroyed their only vehicle. What could possibly go wrong?!
The setting of this book is super creepy without even factoring in the terrifying landlord. A run-down abandoned summer camp sits across the lake, one of the cabins still with police tape where a counselor died. No contact with the outside world. Lock the doors and leave all the lights on to read this book!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
The setting of this book is super creepy without even factoring in the terrifying landlord. A run-down abandoned summer camp sits across the lake, one of the cabins still with police tape where a counselor died. No contact with the outside world. Lock the doors and leave all the lights on to read this book!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
February 11, 2021
“The worst part was we could have avoided the whole thing. Instead, every choice had led to this terrifying place.”
We’ve all been there. Hindsight is 20/20, right?
Laura Wolfe invites you to “The Lake House,” a vacation to die for. It’s dark and it’s compelling and it’ll have you double-checking the locks and sleeping with the lights on.
Five college friends, looking for a break from their suburban routine, search the internet and find the perfect retreat for their late-night gossip sessions and bonding over wine and laughter. After living together for years in their late teens - early twenties, they thought they knew each other, but as they soon discover, everything changes in the woods. In isolation, secrets are revealed, lies resurface and the bonds of friendship start to fray. As if that wasn’t enough, they are convinced someone is watching them.
First of all, no wifi? No cell signal? I’d be outta there! Wolfe sure knows how to create an atmospheric setting. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I mean what could go wrong - a rundown cabin on 30 wooded acres surrounded by a 1000 acres of forest on one side and an abandoned 200-acre summer camp (the site of a recent murder) on the other? Wolfe deftly explores the sinister concept of false friendship as she writes about a reunion weekend gone wrong. It’ll make you take inventory of those close to you and cause you to ponder how deep your friendships really are and if there are any hidden secrets or lies of omission.
The above quote gave me food for thought. I realized we could quite possibly be one decision away from a completely different life. All it takes is for one careless decision made in haste to haunt us for the rest of our life. With so much upheaval in our lives due to the pandemic, let's pause and make sure we are making decisions with the future in mind, not only our present circumstances. If we could gather all the facts first and consider all involved, perhaps we'd make different choices.
The unsuspected twists and turns were spectacular and made this book stand out from the countless others with similar plots. The characterization was superb and highlighted the theme of appearances can be deceiving. Although this is my first Wolfe novel, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from this author.
Thank you to Laura Wolfe, Bookouture and NetGalley for this fantastic advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Published March 17, 2021.
We’ve all been there. Hindsight is 20/20, right?
Laura Wolfe invites you to “The Lake House,” a vacation to die for. It’s dark and it’s compelling and it’ll have you double-checking the locks and sleeping with the lights on.
Five college friends, looking for a break from their suburban routine, search the internet and find the perfect retreat for their late-night gossip sessions and bonding over wine and laughter. After living together for years in their late teens - early twenties, they thought they knew each other, but as they soon discover, everything changes in the woods. In isolation, secrets are revealed, lies resurface and the bonds of friendship start to fray. As if that wasn’t enough, they are convinced someone is watching them.
First of all, no wifi? No cell signal? I’d be outta there! Wolfe sure knows how to create an atmospheric setting. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I mean what could go wrong - a rundown cabin on 30 wooded acres surrounded by a 1000 acres of forest on one side and an abandoned 200-acre summer camp (the site of a recent murder) on the other? Wolfe deftly explores the sinister concept of false friendship as she writes about a reunion weekend gone wrong. It’ll make you take inventory of those close to you and cause you to ponder how deep your friendships really are and if there are any hidden secrets or lies of omission.
The above quote gave me food for thought. I realized we could quite possibly be one decision away from a completely different life. All it takes is for one careless decision made in haste to haunt us for the rest of our life. With so much upheaval in our lives due to the pandemic, let's pause and make sure we are making decisions with the future in mind, not only our present circumstances. If we could gather all the facts first and consider all involved, perhaps we'd make different choices.
The unsuspected twists and turns were spectacular and made this book stand out from the countless others with similar plots. The characterization was superb and highlighted the theme of appearances can be deceiving. Although this is my first Wolfe novel, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from this author.
Thank you to Laura Wolfe, Bookouture and NetGalley for this fantastic advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Published March 17, 2021.
March 1, 2021
FINALLY! Finally a thriller that’s... well.. a thriller! This book definitely had me on the edge of my seat. I read it in two days, I could not put it down!
Charolette, Sam, Kaitlyn, Jenna and Megan have all been friends since college. 2 is company, 3 is a crowd, but what is 5? They all turned 40 and planned on a getaway away from their husbands, kids, and jobs at a remote cabin miles from civilization. There are secrets. So many secrets. What could go wrong?
First, I really enjoyed Megan’s character. She was rational (maybe it was the therapist in her) and level headed. She was also very likeable. It was so interesting to read about all of the secrets that everyone kept and each one came as a shock. The Who dun it wasn’t obvious at all, which made it that much more enjoyable. The remoteness of the cabin and the lack of internet/service provided the claustrophobic feel that I so enjoy in books.
I would highly recommend this book and would love to read another book by this author.
February 23, 2021
This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When 5 old college friends turn 40, they plan a weekend away. They go to a remote cabin by a lake and soon realize they are completely "off the grid" with no cell service. The property is in the middle of a nature reserve and the closest person to them is the owner of the cabin, who quickly gives the women the creeps. They set out exploring on the first day and one of them gets injured and from there, the weekend goes downhill. What should be 4 days of fun, adventure, catching up and celebrating turns into a deadly a terrifying time. I was not disappointed with this story. This is exactly what I imagine when I think of what a weekend away turning dangerous type of book should be. Each book by Laura Wolfe gets better and better! Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Laura Wolfe!
When 5 old college friends turn 40, they plan a weekend away. They go to a remote cabin by a lake and soon realize they are completely "off the grid" with no cell service. The property is in the middle of a nature reserve and the closest person to them is the owner of the cabin, who quickly gives the women the creeps. They set out exploring on the first day and one of them gets injured and from there, the weekend goes downhill. What should be 4 days of fun, adventure, catching up and celebrating turns into a deadly a terrifying time. I was not disappointed with this story. This is exactly what I imagine when I think of what a weekend away turning dangerous type of book should be. Each book by Laura Wolfe gets better and better! Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Laura Wolfe!
February 27, 2021
Well!!!
When I first started reading this book it sounded very much like the holiday by TM Logan, which then made me doubt the book.
But it turned out to be absolutely brilliant. I loved it. I read it across two mornings before work and I was gripped!! There was moments I had shivers down my spine and moments I didn’t expect at all.
Absolutely brilliant will be looking for more by this author.
When I first started reading this book it sounded very much like the holiday by TM Logan, which then made me doubt the book.
But it turned out to be absolutely brilliant. I loved it. I read it across two mornings before work and I was gripped!! There was moments I had shivers down my spine and moments I didn’t expect at all.
Absolutely brilliant will be looking for more by this author.
February 5, 2021
First off a big thank you to the publisher Bookouture , the author Laura Wolfe and to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it.This was the first time I read anything by this author and after reading this it won't be my last one of hers, in fact I have one other to read from NetGalley that I can't wait to get to. As soon as I started reading the prologue, I needed to know more and the more I read the more I was hooked. Another thing I loved was the atmosphere of the story and how it reminded me of the movie Friday the 13th ( which is one of my favorite horror movies) and my all time favorite book And Then There Was None. If the two was to have a kid then this would be it, because the entire time I was reading it , I was on the edge of my bed saying no don't do that, stay together, why aren't you listing to me ( yep I was mentally scream at the characters ), and asking myself haven't these people ever seen a slasher movie. What can I say I love a good thriller that keeps that gives me goose bumps and has me so hooked that I can't stop reading , and it was the perfect read as well since doing the time I was read it , it was storming out side me house. So if your into this types of thrillers , you might want to check this one out
January 31, 2021
Five college friends head to a secluded lake house to celebrate their fortieth birthdays. Their lives may have changed since those heady college days with marriage, kids and successful businesses but they were determined to have four days together ‘off grid’. Megan especially is determined to escape suburbia for a few days and what could possibly go wrong?
I found this book impossible to put down. It’s full of secrets, lies, twists and turns. Utterly compelling and had me hooked from the first page, I’m eager to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.
I found this book impossible to put down. It’s full of secrets, lies, twists and turns. Utterly compelling and had me hooked from the first page, I’m eager to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.
March 17, 2021
Just brilliant. I love this author and her wonderfully suspenseful books. And this one is just wow! An enthralling read. One of my favourite reads of the year. Please read this one.
March 16, 2021
What a deliciously creepy read! This book hooks you in the beginning and is unrelenting in not letting you go until after the ending - yes, after, because you'll still be thinking about it. I highly recommend this to fans of the thriller or slasher genres. Very very good. I will be looking for more books from the author, Laura Wolfe, as I found this one to be phenomenal.
*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
March 16, 2021
Megan, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, Sam, and Jenna all met in college and have remained friends since. They are all turning 40 soon and they decide to have a girls’ weekend together. They’ve rented a secluded cabin on a nice lake, but when they arrive, they realize the outside of it is a dump. However, the inside is reasonable so they settle in.
Over wine and pizza, they reminisce and look at old pictures of themselves, sharing stories and laughs. Some are keeping secrets and aren’t as happy as they claim to be.
When you think someone is your friend, little do you know that they hate you with everything they have. What could you have done to make them feel that way?
Oh my goodness! This book had me turning pages really fast. What a few days of terror! So glad that I’ve never wanted to do a girls’ weekend because after reading this book, it will never happen. This one was really scary so do not miss reading it! Waiting for my heartbeat to finally slow down.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Over wine and pizza, they reminisce and look at old pictures of themselves, sharing stories and laughs. Some are keeping secrets and aren’t as happy as they claim to be.
When you think someone is your friend, little do you know that they hate you with everything they have. What could you have done to make them feel that way?
Oh my goodness! This book had me turning pages really fast. What a few days of terror! So glad that I’ve never wanted to do a girls’ weekend because after reading this book, it will never happen. This one was really scary so do not miss reading it! Waiting for my heartbeat to finally slow down.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 2, 2021
Sam, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, Jenna and narrator Megan head off to a girls weekend to celebrate their collective 40th birthday. These five women are college friends who have stayed in touch but drifted apart over the years. The trip, two years or so in the making, is meant to be a relaxing, low key weekend at a cabin on the lake to allow the women to reconnect.
During the early part of the book, we get background on each of the ladies and throughout the current stories, there are flashbacks of significant points in their college days. Early on, things start to get creepy, with a sketchy care taker and no cell service. Tensions rise quickly and it becomes apparent that some of the friends may be less happy in their lives than they have led the others to believe.
The story is fast paced and keeps the reader guessing. Who's lying and who can our narrator trust?
I read this book really quickly and while it's the first I've read from this author, I am eager to read more from her.
Highly recommend this book if you love fast paced, female friendship thrillers.
Thank you very much to Laura Wolfe, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
During the early part of the book, we get background on each of the ladies and throughout the current stories, there are flashbacks of significant points in their college days. Early on, things start to get creepy, with a sketchy care taker and no cell service. Tensions rise quickly and it becomes apparent that some of the friends may be less happy in their lives than they have led the others to believe.
The story is fast paced and keeps the reader guessing. Who's lying and who can our narrator trust?
I read this book really quickly and while it's the first I've read from this author, I am eager to read more from her.
Highly recommend this book if you love fast paced, female friendship thrillers.
Thank you very much to Laura Wolfe, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
February 6, 2021
Five college friends who haven't seen each other in a few years go to a secluded cabin for a long weekend getaway. The cabin is near a children's camp that has closed under suspicious circumstances. Add in a creepy cabin owner and not all goes as planned. Then the first body is found. The mystery continues from there. A locked room type of vibe with lots of things happening. A few surprises at the end too. I will look for more books by this author.
Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the intriguing read.
Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the intriguing read.
June 7, 2021
A secluded cabin on a private island in the middle of nowhere….check
An abandoned summer camp not far from the cabin with a checkered past….check
No cell service…..check
Five women alone…..check
A shady cabin owner…..check
A story that reminds you of camp crystal lake in Friday the 13th….check
What could possibly go wrong?
Friends since freshman year at university, Megan, Kaitlyn, Charlotte, Sam and Jenna, plan a weekend away to celebrate their 40th birthdays. It has been five years since they have all seen each other and nothing sounds better than a weekend away from their husband and kids where they can let their hair down, drink and reminisce about the good ol’ days. But, nothing goes according to plan when their cabin in the woods looks nothing like the beautiful pictures from the ad, the creepy owner who makes an appearance and an unexpected killer on the loose. Will any of the friends make it out alive?
This story is definitely atmospheric and definitely ramps up the creepy factor by 100. It definitely touched on a lot of my fears in regards to a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Let’s just say if my friends ever decided to take a trip like this I am not going down like they all did in Friday the 13th! Let me tell you, I got lost in the middle of some lake area in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of cabins with a modified black pickup truck tailing me like a lunatic. I thought my friends and I were all gonna die! Yes, I am dramatic and a big ol scaredy cat! So shush!
The story is told through the POV of Megan mostly told in the present with glimpses of the past days while in university. Megan is hiding secrets, but it doesn’t seem like she is the only one either. I really enjoyed learning about all of the women and their lives while we get to the nitty gritty of the plot.
I have read stories like this in the past where a lot of them didn’t work for me and I found myself bored to tears, Laura Wolfe on the other hand, had me jumping at every noise in my house cause my cats like to jump on things and knock stuff over. Damn them, don’t they know I am reading a scary thriller! No more wet food for a week!
All I know is Wolfe scared me to pieces in the middle of the night (when I started reading this book like a dummy) and has reminded me on why my friends better not even suggest a cabin in the woods or I will have to find new friends!
An abandoned summer camp not far from the cabin with a checkered past….check
No cell service…..check
Five women alone…..check
A shady cabin owner…..check
A story that reminds you of camp crystal lake in Friday the 13th….check
What could possibly go wrong?
Friends since freshman year at university, Megan, Kaitlyn, Charlotte, Sam and Jenna, plan a weekend away to celebrate their 40th birthdays. It has been five years since they have all seen each other and nothing sounds better than a weekend away from their husband and kids where they can let their hair down, drink and reminisce about the good ol’ days. But, nothing goes according to plan when their cabin in the woods looks nothing like the beautiful pictures from the ad, the creepy owner who makes an appearance and an unexpected killer on the loose. Will any of the friends make it out alive?
This story is definitely atmospheric and definitely ramps up the creepy factor by 100. It definitely touched on a lot of my fears in regards to a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Let’s just say if my friends ever decided to take a trip like this I am not going down like they all did in Friday the 13th! Let me tell you, I got lost in the middle of some lake area in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of cabins with a modified black pickup truck tailing me like a lunatic. I thought my friends and I were all gonna die! Yes, I am dramatic and a big ol scaredy cat! So shush!
The story is told through the POV of Megan mostly told in the present with glimpses of the past days while in university. Megan is hiding secrets, but it doesn’t seem like she is the only one either. I really enjoyed learning about all of the women and their lives while we get to the nitty gritty of the plot.
I have read stories like this in the past where a lot of them didn’t work for me and I found myself bored to tears, Laura Wolfe on the other hand, had me jumping at every noise in my house cause my cats like to jump on things and knock stuff over. Damn them, don’t they know I am reading a scary thriller! No more wet food for a week!
All I know is Wolfe scared me to pieces in the middle of the night (when I started reading this book like a dummy) and has reminded me on why my friends better not even suggest a cabin in the woods or I will have to find new friends!
March 24, 2021
“The Lakehouse” is a thrilling suspenseful novel and I highly recommend it! The story is captivating and exciting, the characters are relatable and realistic and the events are very descriptive and twisted. Every page was a page-turner from beginning to end and I was completely consumed in the story. Each revealed secret and dark mystery had me on the edge of my seat. I was being scared for the characters but also questioning their actions. I never saw the twist at the very end coming. I absolutely loved it!
February 3, 2021
I was hooked the moment I read the description: a girls’ reunion getaway at a secluded lake house owned by a creepy guy.
It all started fun – long nights by the lake, lots of wine, laugh and reminiscing about college years. And then everything starts going terribly wrong when one friend is found dead. Who killed her? The creepy cabin owner or one of the friends? Who’s got secrets? Why?
This is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes a good suspenseful story that can be finished in one evening.
Thank you to Net Galley, the author and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.
It all started fun – long nights by the lake, lots of wine, laugh and reminiscing about college years. And then everything starts going terribly wrong when one friend is found dead. Who killed her? The creepy cabin owner or one of the friends? Who’s got secrets? Why?
This is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes a good suspenseful story that can be finished in one evening.
Thank you to Net Galley, the author and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.
March 25, 2021
This seems to be a whole genre of books now, I’ve recently read several of this theme but this was definitely one of the better ones. A group of female friends from school / college days decide to have a reunion and choose an out of the way remote location to have a few days away together and rekindle and celebrate their friendship, plus throw in a significant birthday to add a bit of life reflection to the mix. Handily enough the area is so remote that there isn’t even any mobile phone coverage and the landscape is unforgiving and rugged. Slowly secrets from the past start to be uncovered and the body count starts to mount, but who is doing the killing? I enjoyed the pace of this book and the fact that I didn’t guess the ending.
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