The Lake

by Kevin Lynch

Debbie’s holiday has turned into a nightmare. And that’s just the beginning.

Debbie has been terrified of lakes ever since her son tragically drowned in one. So when her husband and some friends decide to take a lakeside vacation, Debbie is reluctant to go. But hoping that the holiday will help cure her fear, she eventually agrees to join them.

Things start to go wrong very quickly. A local fisherman seems to be stalking them. And then George, a member of their group, goes missing. His body is discovered a day later, his injuries suggesting a struggle.

All the while, Debbie is being haunted by the sinister presence of the lake. More than anything, she wants to leave this dark foreboding place, but the group has been told to stay in place while George’s death is being investigated.

Which means Debbie has only one choice. If she wants to escape the terror of the lake, she must first solve the mystery of George's murder.

What she discovers will not only shock her to the core, it will also put her own life in grave danger. Can she escape in time to expose the terrifying truth?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2023

About the author

I'm a Guidance Counsellor but have always written. I was shortlisted for the Hennessy new Irish Writers award and have won a number of poetry awards. I decided to write a novel about two years ago, set my main character up as a misanthropic, reclusive type, then sent him into the world to solve the mystery of his brother's disappearance. I've enjoyed living with the characters in the book but am glad the editing and proofing is over as that's a harder slog than the initial creation. I am now on my second novel which is a ground level thriller with a hearty dollop of dark humor.

Reviews

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debbie has been terrified of lakes ever since her son tragically drowned in one. so when her husband and some friends decide to take a lakeside vacation, Debbie is reluctant to go. But hoping that the holiday will help cure her fear, she eventually agrees to join them. Thisngs start to go wrong very quickly. A local fisherman seems to be stalking them. And then George, a member of their group, goes missing. His body is discovered a day later, his injuries suggesting a struggle. All the while, Debbie is being haunted by the sinister presence on the lake.

I was suspicious of everyone in this tense and gripping read. I was pulled in from the first chapter. The characters are well rounded. Filled with secrets that are slowly revealed, the pace is fast, and the plotline is easy to follow. So who was the killer? This was my first read by the author but it won't be my last.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #InkubatorBooks and the author #KevinLynch for my ARC of #TheLake in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debbie and Jim are getting out of the city with two other couples. Jim is going to be working with the men soon and they've known George, the planner of this event and the most annoying man alive, for many years.

Debbie is anxious about this trip because she has a phobia of lakes. Her 6 year old son died in a lake years ago. She's trying to be strong and make peace with the water. But some strange things happen, including a man watching them from across the lake.

Meanwhile there are also domestic situations afoot. Jim had secretly been seeing Susie, George's wife. Debbie dated George, again the most annoying man alive, back in high school.

The other couple are new and the husband Steve, seems like an investor of sorts. That has George(most annoying man alive) showing off his alpha personality even more to make up for his financial failures. Steve's wife Brenda is not having it. She's challenging him and he doesn't like it.

Anyway, someone finally kills George(now the most annoying dead man) and we have a lot of good clues and info to go off of so it's a nice little mystery. Nothing takes your mind off past tragedy like a current murder so hopefully Debbie can overcome her fears of the lake.

This was pretty good, if not a bit long-winded for me. There were a few too many characters but at least it was only narrated by Debbie and Jim. It just wasn't very emotional, not for the serious issues at hand. I wasn't finding them to be very believable but it was still a worthwhile and interesting read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!

[kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gripping, tense, suspenseful and atmospheric read that I couldnt put down from start to finish I read it in one day.

The writing drew me and kept me engaged, the storyline is compelling and creepy and the characters are well developed and really add to the atmosphere, I didn't trust any of them.

The book is twisty and unpredictable and at times had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up on edge and my skin feeling like it was crawling.

I really enjoyed it

[Donna Mallery · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy thriller about 3 couples at a mountain retreat along with a mysterious fisherman. There’s a death and everyone is a suspect. There’s also infidelity and a supposed pregnancy all adding to a motive. This book can easily be read in a few hours. It holds interest throughout. There was one detail that wasn’t resolved at the end, but it isn’t that big of a deal. I’ll read more by this author.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The murderer was pretty predictable. It’s was okay though.

[Brooke · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was grueling to get through. The writing itself was novice to beginner level. The characters had no personality. No depth. Debbie never once stood up for herself. She never confronted Susie about the affair Jim had with her. There doesn’t seem to be any kind of remorse at all on Susie’s side about the affair after her husband dies (what troll of a person doesn’t even feel slightly shitty that their husband died while they were off having sex with someone else?) The sleepwalking shit was never figured out. We never understand if Peter was Debbie’s child from a previous marriage or what, because Jim seems totally blasé about the fact that “her” child died. He never once talks about it being his son. So was Debbie married to someone else or what??

Why was Steve such a dick? Why was there this weird like, alliance between him and the fisherman? Why were we led to believe for so long that the fisherman had something to do with George’s death? And how the hell did Brenda have the strength to shove George to fall to his death? The writing in this book was so poor that I wanted to stop but I just really wanted to know who the hell killed George and why. I was ultimately disappointed. I won’t be reading any more of this author’s books because what the fck?

[Mandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Lake was a sub par mystery that lacked any real excitement. In my opinion, not one character was likeable, which made it hard to really care about the story. The struggles of Debbie with the lake seemed under-developed, which made this part of the story almost pointless. Other important plot points that should have been explained more in depth were incredibly vague, which made the ending feel bland. Not my favorite read, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

[Melissa (honeybee.reads) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

[Poppy Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis (It's a fiction book, so it helps…from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
**********************************************************************************************************************************************
Debbie’s holiday has turned into a nightmare. And that’s just the beginning.

Debbie has been terrified of lakes ever since her son tragically drowned in one. So when her husband and some friends decide to take a lakeside vacation, Debbie is reluctant to go. But hoping that the holiday will help cure her fear, she eventually agrees to join them. Things start to go wrong very quickly. A local fisherman seems to be stalking them. And then George, a member of their group, goes missing. His body is discovered a day later, his injuries suggesting a struggle.
All the while, Debbie is haunted by the sinister presence of the lake. More than anything, she wants to leave this dark foreboding place, but the group has been told to stay in place while George’s death is being investigated. Which means Debbie has only one choice. If she wants to escape the terror of the lake, she must first solve the mystery of George's murder. What she discovers will not only shock her to the core, but it will also put her own life in grave danger. Can she escape in time to expose the terrifying truth?

The story is tight and tense and I kept finding myself having to remind myself to breathe as I got so into this book that I stayed up and finished it in one fell swoop. Great characters, great plot ... I will recommend it far and wide!

#shortbutsweetreviews

[loopyloulaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debbie's son died in a tragic drowning and she has been terrified of water ever since. But she can't turn down this vacation by a lake as it may impact her husband's work. A sinister figure on the lakeside, complex social relationships and an undercurrent of unease culminate in a death...
The Lake is a psychological thriller and murder mystery set in Ireland.
Debbie and Jim head off to a lakeside retreat to connect with friends and colleagues. He has been cheating on her with Susie, another member of the group. Susie's husband George is unbearable and I wasn't sorry when he died in mysterious circumstances!
George's death could be a terrible accident but he was heard shouting before he 'fell'. The police are convinced it is murder and refuse to let the others leave. This adds to the tension as Debbie is struggling being so close to open water due to her son's death. There are multiple episodes of interrogation by the police alongside suspicions between the main party.
The book is written from the alternating first person perspectives of Debbie and Jim. Jim has made a terrible mistake and bitterly regrets his affair but now Susie won't let him go and Debbie is starting to suspect something is amiss. Any one of the group could have been responsible for George's death and the mystery was maintained until the very end. However, I found the ending to be a little abrupt and didn't feel that enough character development and reasoning had taken place.
The Lake is a tense murder mystery with the addition of the psychological thriller as tense relationships fuel the plot.

[Charlotte Baddeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very atmospheric book. Huge grey lake, surrounded by dark trees with a shack across the lake, lived in by a threatening and reclusive fisherman. Traumatised Debbie couldn’t really have picked a worse spot to try and heal herself from her fear of water. The story is told from the point of view of two pragmatists, Debbie and her husband Jim and Jim has a secret. The dynamics between the three couples is very well written. Debbie, Jim, the hosts Susie and her husband George are old friends who were at university together and there is some history there. Steve and Brenda are an unknown quantity to Debbie and Jim. The weekend starts off as such fun. A nice dinner, plenty of wine and a game of Scrabble but there are tensions and undercurrents between these six people right from the beginning. After George is killed and the remaining five are thrown together at the Lakeside house things quickly start to unravel. Everyone is a suspect. And what part does the reclusive fisherman play in what happened to George? Could anyone else’s life be in danger?

I certainly didn’t guess who the killer was. Well I did but I was wrong. I would have liked to know more about the background as to why a seemingly normal person turned into a killer but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment and I will be looking out for another Kevin Lynch.

[Deanna Bookstagrammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lake by Kevin Lynch is told from the point of view of two pragmatists, Debbie and her husband Jim who go on a short break with two other couples to a Lakeside house. When one of them is killed things start to unravel rather quickly. There are secrets, lies and tensions between these couples and everyone is a suspect!

The chapters switch between Debbie and Jim and this perspective shows different sides to the mystery and an insight into both characters, which I really enjoyed reading. I also enjoyed the style of writing and I found the characters to be well developed and believable. The dynamics between the three couples and the plot is very well written and the story kept me intrigued and engaged from the very start. I found the storyline compelling and creepy and the characters really add to the atmosphere.

The Lake is an atmospheric book and is twisty, gripping and unpredictable. There are revelations and clever twists that keeps you guessing. It is most certainly a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you hooked from the very first page. Overall this is a gripping, tense, suspenseful, atmospheric and enjoyable read which I recommend very highly.

[Amanda Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revenge,Cover Up,Murder and The Lake
The Lake by Kevin Lynch is fast paced psychological thriller ,focusing on a group of friends and business associates who go to a holiday home to strengthen their friendship.The story is told through the eyes of married couple Debbie and Jim

My favourite character had to Debbie,her character,I felt was the one who was most developed and had a believable back story.I also liked the mysterious fisherman and his dog Sam,they were both integral to plot but not in the way you first think.

The story kept my interest with lots of twists and turns,along the way.
My favourite part of the book was when Debbie turns detective and finds sone surprising evidence.
I found the book very fast paced and easy to get engrossed in,with lots of twists and turns and believable characters and interesting interweaving plot lines which keep you gripped till the end.
Bookworm rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Ellie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I have mixed feelings because this is not a bad book. It is almost 4 for me because it reads easily and keeps you wondering what is going on. I would read more by this author.

But there were a few parts that bothered me:
- we hear a lot of reference to the child drown in a lake in her past that makes me wonder if there was a previous book on the incident itself. I wanted to learn more about the child and what happened.
- confronting someone you suspect to be a killer. Why on why? It is almost an easy way to wrap up the story.
- finding evidence after the police finished the search. How likely is that?
- the person who got killed was over the top unlikeable. The most interesting people to read about are neither extremely bad nor extremely good and who do things that one does not expect them to do.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

[Jenny M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just okay to me, hence the three star rating.

Debbie joins her husband and some friends for a lakeside vacation. Debbie is terrified of lakes, ever since her son drowned. The holiday gets off to a bit of a weird start when the gang notices a fisherman that appears to be watching them. The group then decides to go on a hike. Near the top of the climb, the visibility turns foggy and one of the group members, George, disappears. His body is found the next day.

Who killed George? Debbie is determined to find out so that she can leave the lakeside house. However, once she starts investigating, she learns some of the group members may be keeping secrets. Who can she trust?

The premise of this book was a lot more interesting than the book turned out to be. I found the pace slow and some parts were boring. The ultimate twist was predictable. I never found myself on the edge of my seat wondering where the story would take me.

Thank you Inkubator Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review (bit late on getting to this one).

[Vina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lake’ by Kevin Lynch is about a group of friends and future business partners who plan a holiday in a house by a lake belonging to one of them. One of the group, George, is obnoxious and crass, tamping down the mood of the group. Across the lake is a small, weather- beaten stone cottage where a mysterious man lives with his dog Sam. He is often seen creeping towards the house from the lake. The group decides to go on a long hike. And come back one less- George has fallen to his death. The police get suspicious, and rule out an accident or suicide.
Surprisingly, the writer has fleshed out each character quite well- not very common in crime novels.
I enjoyed the book, but found the last some chapters unnecessarily long-winded.

3 Stars

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weekend bonding session for three men and their wives - great until one of the party is murdered. This weekend seemed to last weeks before the book finished! Too many questions and not nearly enough answers, not to mention all the “maybe/maybe nots and repetition of the same things. There were six people so why just the points of view of just one of the couples? Red herrings thrown into the mix just for the sake of it, rather pointless. The scene was set nicely once they’d all arrived at the cabin and I liked that part but sadly not the rest. Well, I read to the end and it passed some time! Good to take when you don’t want to have to concentrate too much. I was given this ARC by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three couples are invited to the lake-side house owned by George and Susie. Jim and Debbie, Brenda and Steve. Each person is hiding a secret from the others. George is a loud-mouthed bully and ends up falling off a cliff while hiking with the group. But was it an accident or was he pushed? Who is the mysterious fisherman that lives on the lake also? He isn't very friendly. What is his history? Can the police find out what actually happened to George before it drives the remaining people crazy? I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very start I was intrigued, with this book and found myself just wanting, to carry on reading till finished.
It has a good storyline and plot, with a great set of characters.
There are revelations and clever twist, that keeps you guessing.
I thought I had it all worked out and found I was totally wrong.
A gripping and very enjoyable read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Layla Penfold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love reading books by this author, I am always guaranteed that the story will be a cracker. Instantly with this book, I was glued to it, read it in two days. Straight away, my curiosity was poked. The characters were brilliant, I do have two characters that I could not stand, more than the other. Omg, proper annoying me haha. At times I was tense as there is some weird happenings & weird people. Once again, I didn’t expect the outcome. A brilliant read.

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The journey as we followed the main character through her fears, her past and the terrible holiday they are currently experiencing is really interesting. The author gave us lots of detail, great twists and an ominous death to really make the reading experience brilliant.
Overall, I liked this book and the storyline. The author did an excellent job giving us a thrilling and very on-the-edge of your seat read. I highly recommend.

[yujin ꩜ · Rating 3 out of 5]

the lake had an interesting setup, but the story got predictable halfway through. i figured out who the killer was pretty quickly, and the twists weren’t all that surprising. i couldn’t stand jim for cheating on debbie with susie. it just made him unlikeable. debbie’s trauma around water was compelling, but her relationship with jim felt forced after everything. the ending wrapped up a bit too neatly for my taste, but if you enjoy thrillers with some drama, this could be worth a quick read.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Real Who Dunnit

Debbie agreed to go on a lake vacation after the drowning of her son in a lake a few years ago. It was to be a time to let go of the sad memories and meet her husband’s new co-workers. Instead murder and suspicion was on the menu. A quick and intriguing tale. I really enjoyed this book

[Kim Kiedrowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this one had some shocking secrets that had me hooked but then it kind of fell apart. I wish I knew more about the relationships between the friends. I think if the killer was anonymous and had a chapter with their thoughts every few chapters this would have been more interesting! The ending has me confused. If you’re just starting to read thrillers, this would be for you!

[Deni Tipuric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in few days, nice fast read. Id give it 5 stars. It was good but ending could have been a tiny bit better, still a good book and I enjoyed it. Nice little mystery and a Great Lake story. One of my favorite settings

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not that exciting

Thought it was a bit shallow, not just the story line but also the characters. There was never a stunning conclusion nor even a crime that could be determined positively.

[MRS M R DUNNE · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disjointed and repetitive

I didn’t care for any of the characters and didn’t believe in the story. It was entertaining hence two stars.

[Jill Grubb-travoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Could not put it down...finished in one day. Lots of twists and turns. Can't wait to read more by this author!edit

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eel! Written

Read the whole book in one sitting! Gives you an idea. Don't begin if you are in a time crunch.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good solid mystery with no fancy twists or turns. Just a fun read from start to finish told by both the husband and wife. An easy and enjoyable read.