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The Secrets of Lake Road
A haunting story about the destructive power of secrets, this accomplished and gripping suspenseful women's fiction debut is perfect for fans of Lisa Scottoline and Heather Gudenkauf
Jo has been hiding the truth about her role in her high school boyfriend’s drowning for sixteen years. Every summer, she drops her children off with her mother at the lakeside community where she spent summers growing up, but cannot bear to stay herself; everything about the lake reminds her of the guilt she feels. For her daughter Caroline, however, the lake is a precious world apart; its familiarity and sameness comforts her every year despite the changes in her life outside its bounds. At twelve years old and caught between childhood and adolescence, she longs to win her mother’s love and doesn’t understand why Jo keeps running away.
Then seven-year-old Sara Starr goes missing from the community beach. Rescue workers fail to uncover any sign of her—but instead dredge up the bones Jo hoped would never be discovered, shattering the quiet lakeside community’s tranquility. Caroline was one of the last people to see Sara alive on the beach, and feels responsible for her disappearance. She takes it upon herself to figure out what happened to the little girl. As Caroline searches for Sara, she uncovers the secrets her mother has been hiding, unraveling the very foundation of everything she knows about herself and her family. The Secrets of Lake Road by Karen Katchur is a riveting novel that is impossible to put down and hard to forget.
Jo has been hiding the truth about her role in her high school boyfriend’s drowning for sixteen years. Every summer, she drops her children off with her mother at the lakeside community where she spent summers growing up, but cannot bear to stay herself; everything about the lake reminds her of the guilt she feels. For her daughter Caroline, however, the lake is a precious world apart; its familiarity and sameness comforts her every year despite the changes in her life outside its bounds. At twelve years old and caught between childhood and adolescence, she longs to win her mother’s love and doesn’t understand why Jo keeps running away.
Then seven-year-old Sara Starr goes missing from the community beach. Rescue workers fail to uncover any sign of her—but instead dredge up the bones Jo hoped would never be discovered, shattering the quiet lakeside community’s tranquility. Caroline was one of the last people to see Sara alive on the beach, and feels responsible for her disappearance. She takes it upon herself to figure out what happened to the little girl. As Caroline searches for Sara, she uncovers the secrets her mother has been hiding, unraveling the very foundation of everything she knows about herself and her family. The Secrets of Lake Road by Karen Katchur is a riveting novel that is impossible to put down and hard to forget.
309 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2015
270 people are currently reading
4148 people want to read
About the author
Karen Katchur
7 books583 followersKaren Katchur is the Amazon Charts bestselling author of RIVER BODIES and the Northampton County series. She holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and a master's in education. She lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters. For more information visit: www.karenkatchur.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
February 21, 2020
THE SECRETS OF LAKE ROAD, a complex, emotional, and haunting debut by Karen Katchur delves into the devastating secrets and lies of the past across generations— Family secrets sizzle at the core of a mystery for a suspense-filled gripping tale of a long-ago summer lake accident.
Jo is now a grown woman, always running from something—the past which torments her. As a mother of two, teen Johnny, and twelve-year-old, inquisitive Caroline, a husband, Kevin who travels, and a strained relationship with her mother. Every summer, she drops the kids off with her mother at the lake cottage, but she never wants to stay. Too many bad memories and guilt. Why?
However, this summer, her mom needs help, cleaning out some old junk, so she finds herself pressured and closed in, and drowning in her guilt, from a mysterious event from years ago—a summer at the lake when she was a teen, which changed the course of her life.
Her daughter, Caroline does not understand her mother’s eccentric ways and her coldness towards her. She wants nothing more than her mother’s love; however, she feels she never lives up. She loves her Gram; however, she also is not very forthcoming with answers regarding Jo. Caroline was so excited to be at the lake and the upcoming adventures until a little girl’s disappearance turns her world upside down.
There was a mysterious drowning years ago, of a boy named Billy, when her mom was a teen. Now there is another little girl, Sara, who has gone missing. Caroline feels responsible as she was talking to the little girl when the girl’s mother seemed distracted. Caroline seems to weight the world on her shoulders, worrying about the events unfolding on Lake Road. She has to help find this little girl. What was supposed to be a memorable happy summer, has turned into a nightmare.
Now the secrets of the past, surface—two teen boys in love with the same girl, so long ago. A horrible drowning. What happened all those summers ago on the lake? Who was to blame for Billy’s death and his drowning years ago? Was there a witness who surfaces, connecting the storylines? Will reopening the investigation dredge up hidden past sins?
A riveting, part coming-of-age and family drama, Katchur keeps the reader in suspense of the mysterious events of years past, and how one summer, changed the lives of three teens, and all those close to them. Jo is not a likable character and not a warm and caring mother. The relationship between Jo and Caroline are strained, as well as the relationship between Jo and her own mother. However, you will fall in love with Caroline!
In the theme of Diane Chamberlain’s The Bay at Midnight (loved this older but goodie), Jo must gather the courage to revisit her past and untangle the complex emotions that led to one unspeakable act on Lake Road. Through multiple points of view, Katchur skillfully explores the painful memories of the tragedy—crimes of the heart and those they try to protect.
Will the sins of the past threaten to destroy their present family? A story of loss and love and the powerful bond of family.
An enticing mystery of the destructive power of secrets. Love the front cover, drawing you in. I highly recommend. Looking forward to more from this talented author!
Be sure and check out: The Sisters of Blue Mountain coming April 4, 2017. 5 stars.
JDCMustReadBooks
A special thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jo is now a grown woman, always running from something—the past which torments her. As a mother of two, teen Johnny, and twelve-year-old, inquisitive Caroline, a husband, Kevin who travels, and a strained relationship with her mother. Every summer, she drops the kids off with her mother at the lake cottage, but she never wants to stay. Too many bad memories and guilt. Why?
However, this summer, her mom needs help, cleaning out some old junk, so she finds herself pressured and closed in, and drowning in her guilt, from a mysterious event from years ago—a summer at the lake when she was a teen, which changed the course of her life.
Her daughter, Caroline does not understand her mother’s eccentric ways and her coldness towards her. She wants nothing more than her mother’s love; however, she feels she never lives up. She loves her Gram; however, she also is not very forthcoming with answers regarding Jo. Caroline was so excited to be at the lake and the upcoming adventures until a little girl’s disappearance turns her world upside down.
There was a mysterious drowning years ago, of a boy named Billy, when her mom was a teen. Now there is another little girl, Sara, who has gone missing. Caroline feels responsible as she was talking to the little girl when the girl’s mother seemed distracted. Caroline seems to weight the world on her shoulders, worrying about the events unfolding on Lake Road. She has to help find this little girl. What was supposed to be a memorable happy summer, has turned into a nightmare.
Now the secrets of the past, surface—two teen boys in love with the same girl, so long ago. A horrible drowning. What happened all those summers ago on the lake? Who was to blame for Billy’s death and his drowning years ago? Was there a witness who surfaces, connecting the storylines? Will reopening the investigation dredge up hidden past sins?
A riveting, part coming-of-age and family drama, Katchur keeps the reader in suspense of the mysterious events of years past, and how one summer, changed the lives of three teens, and all those close to them. Jo is not a likable character and not a warm and caring mother. The relationship between Jo and Caroline are strained, as well as the relationship between Jo and her own mother. However, you will fall in love with Caroline!
In the theme of Diane Chamberlain’s The Bay at Midnight (loved this older but goodie), Jo must gather the courage to revisit her past and untangle the complex emotions that led to one unspeakable act on Lake Road. Through multiple points of view, Katchur skillfully explores the painful memories of the tragedy—crimes of the heart and those they try to protect.
Will the sins of the past threaten to destroy their present family? A story of loss and love and the powerful bond of family.
An enticing mystery of the destructive power of secrets. Love the front cover, drawing you in. I highly recommend. Looking forward to more from this talented author!
Be sure and check out: The Sisters of Blue Mountain coming April 4, 2017. 5 stars.
JDCMustReadBooks
A special thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2015
I initially thought this book was promising, but as the story moved forward I found myself increasingly irritated with many of the jerky characters populating the pages, as well as the fact that almost every revelation was telegraphed and hinted at so blatantly that there were no surprises at all aside from the very unpleasant one regarding Sara*
November 5, 2015
Initial Thoughts: I liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. Being familiar with the setting beforehand, I thought Katchur did a great job describing the feel and mentality of the Poconos. The characters were pretty bland, but this book possesses some charms and a mystery that'll keep you intrigued.
Read the full review @ A Perfection Called Books
The most important component of this story is the setting, Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania. I've been there a few times, and as such I can strongly say that Katchur did a great job describing the mood and mentality of the place (which are both really important to understanding the story). The Poconos is an odd place. It's very laid back, and the same families coming year after year. When you're in the Poconos, everything is timeless. This being said, it really plays a part in understanding the actions and motivations of the characters in this book.
I honestly wasn't much a fan of any of the characters. Each has their own vices and flaws, yet none of the characters are very interesting. Jo and Kevin are horrible parents, and that really irritated me. But once again, the setting is the Poconos, and I've seen firsthand that everything is laid back so while it annoyed me to no end to see these poor parenting skills, it's authentic to the story.
The story is written in 3rd person with alternating POVs. It helped round out the story, and I loved the deep inner thoughts and dialogue we were shown. The writing was mediocre, but sometimes I felt the writing was awkward in parts or just unrealistic. One of the POVs is a 12 year old girl, and her actions and thoughts were not very authentic to that age. Also some scenes felt like unnecessary filler.
This book has some charm through the pull and lure of the Poconos that Katchur so wonderfully depicts. The mystery was what really holds your attention. We're all anxious to figure out what happened all those years ago. It was artfully spread throughout the book with suspicions and clues and tidbits of information until all is revealed. That being said, the denouement was really underwhelming and could have been improved.
Overall I liked the setting and the mystery, but the characters and the writing both annoyed me.
Read the full review @ A Perfection Called Books
The most important component of this story is the setting, Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania. I've been there a few times, and as such I can strongly say that Katchur did a great job describing the mood and mentality of the place (which are both really important to understanding the story). The Poconos is an odd place. It's very laid back, and the same families coming year after year. When you're in the Poconos, everything is timeless. This being said, it really plays a part in understanding the actions and motivations of the characters in this book.
I honestly wasn't much a fan of any of the characters. Each has their own vices and flaws, yet none of the characters are very interesting. Jo and Kevin are horrible parents, and that really irritated me. But once again, the setting is the Poconos, and I've seen firsthand that everything is laid back so while it annoyed me to no end to see these poor parenting skills, it's authentic to the story.
The story is written in 3rd person with alternating POVs. It helped round out the story, and I loved the deep inner thoughts and dialogue we were shown. The writing was mediocre, but sometimes I felt the writing was awkward in parts or just unrealistic. One of the POVs is a 12 year old girl, and her actions and thoughts were not very authentic to that age. Also some scenes felt like unnecessary filler.
This book has some charm through the pull and lure of the Poconos that Katchur so wonderfully depicts. The mystery was what really holds your attention. We're all anxious to figure out what happened all those years ago. It was artfully spread throughout the book with suspicions and clues and tidbits of information until all is revealed. That being said, the denouement was really underwhelming and could have been improved.
Overall I liked the setting and the mystery, but the characters and the writing both annoyed me.
April 19, 2017
Ve bir çevirinin daha sonuna gelmiş olma mutluğunda uçan çevirmen modeli geldi hanım. :D Sırlarla dolu bir kitap. Sonuna dek heyecan dorukta
August 31, 2015
Another summer, another tragic drowning, and a lot of awful memories.
After the tragedy of the drowning years ago, the beach community never expected another tragedy.
Jo and her family were the most affected by the tragedy that happened years ago, and that tragedy still haunted Jo. Will the awful memories ever go away, and will the real facts about the drowning perhaps be revealed?
The secrets of Lake Road were deep and haunting for those who had a secret. Ms. Katchur marvelously put together a story that will remain with you simply because it could really be a true situation.
Ms. Katchur skillfully takes the reader back years before and skillfully brings readers to the present as the storyline unfolds.
The characters in THE SECRETS OF LAKE ROAD were a bit difficult to like. Jo was my least favorite. She was a terrible, heartless mother. The secret she kept tucked inside most definitely affected her. Caroline her daughter seemed sweet and wise beyond her years. The other characters worked well around these two main characters.
I enjoyed the revelations at the end. One of the revelations was obvious toward the end, but the others were a surprise.
THE SECRETS OF LAKE ROAD is a murder/mystery with a bit of romance. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
After the tragedy of the drowning years ago, the beach community never expected another tragedy.
Jo and her family were the most affected by the tragedy that happened years ago, and that tragedy still haunted Jo. Will the awful memories ever go away, and will the real facts about the drowning perhaps be revealed?
The secrets of Lake Road were deep and haunting for those who had a secret. Ms. Katchur marvelously put together a story that will remain with you simply because it could really be a true situation.
Ms. Katchur skillfully takes the reader back years before and skillfully brings readers to the present as the storyline unfolds.
The characters in THE SECRETS OF LAKE ROAD were a bit difficult to like. Jo was my least favorite. She was a terrible, heartless mother. The secret she kept tucked inside most definitely affected her. Caroline her daughter seemed sweet and wise beyond her years. The other characters worked well around these two main characters.
I enjoyed the revelations at the end. One of the revelations was obvious toward the end, but the others were a surprise.
THE SECRETS OF LAKE ROAD is a murder/mystery with a bit of romance. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
August 4, 2015
While the ending was a bit hurried, The Secrets of Lake Road keeps its secrets held close, giving the reader a quick peek every now and then, but ultimately saving the full reveal for its final moments. There was one twist I guessed at that turned out to be correct (and at this point I'm not quite sure it was even supposed to be a big shocker) but several others had me gasping. Quick to pull you in and hard to put down, The Secrets of Lake Road is a thrilling read sure to delight and I'd highly recommend it!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
August 10, 2020
Yabancı’nın her zaman aynı gerilimi yaşatan gizem/gerilim romanlarından biri daha. Çevirisi gayet iyi. Anlam kopması ya da akıcılıkta sorun yok. Ama işte konu çok enteresan değil, sıkıntı o. Hele o sonu yok mu o sonu. Benim gözümde sıfır sürpriz hiç çekilmeyen bir şey. Kitabı okuyorsunuz okuyorsunuz, sonunu görünce böyle oluyorsunuz 😑 Ne desem bilemedim. Ortalama bir kitap mı gerek yok bir kitap mı? Kesinlikle gerek yok. Size aradığınız gerilimi veremez.
October 26, 2020
Sonunda biraz soru işaretleri bıraksada hikayesi güzel. Ancak kitap biraz yavaş ilerliyor. Bunu sorun etmezseniz kitabın gizeminin zevkini çıkarabilirsiniz. İlk roman için fena değil.
April 4, 2016
Finished reading: March 1st 2016
“There was something about this place that brought out the best and worst in you, pushing you to extremes.”
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
July 18, 2015
I'm not sure that I liked this book. And I'll tell you why. First of all, I didn't like several of the primary characters, specifically Jo and Kevin. I found Jo to be cold and felt like she treated her family horribly. She was one dimensional. Kevin was almost an afterthought until 3/4 of the way through. Second, I had a problem with the drowning. The storyline never considered that Sara, the 7 year old who drowned, could have come to another end. Those things just completely turned me off. There are others, but these are the big ones to me.
The only character that I connected with was Caroline, Jo's daughter. She was so fun to get to know - inquisitive, real and easy to like. The story was okay, but I thought it could have been better. It just left me feeling let down and a little depressed.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press - Thomas Dunne Books for allowing me to read and provide an honest review of this book.
The only character that I connected with was Caroline, Jo's daughter. She was so fun to get to know - inquisitive, real and easy to like. The story was okay, but I thought it could have been better. It just left me feeling let down and a little depressed.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press - Thomas Dunne Books for allowing me to read and provide an honest review of this book.
January 16, 2018
Don't go by my review- a friend of mine told me to pick this up , so I did....It had 'some good moments' ......
February 19, 2016
In this compelling and moving novel, the drowning of a young girl in a small lakeside resort community brings details of another drowning that happened years before to the surface. As the search for the body of the drowned girl unfolds, a search for secrets buried in the past also takes place. As a reader I was kept on the edge of my seat, anxious to find out how these two mysteries would connect. The story is told from the point of view of multiple richly developed characters, and we get little pieces of the mystery from each of them. The lakeside setting is so vividly described I felt like I was there.
The families and people in this story aren't happy. They are troubled, flawed, and achingly real. Caroline, the young girl who narrates much of the story, really won my heart. She is a bit of a tom boy who is skeptical about more romantic things but also drawn to them. Katchur has really captured how she straddles childhood and adolescence. As Caroline strives to find out the truth about her family and what happened to the little girl who drowned, she is also on a journey of self discovery. The bittersweet but dark ending of the novel brings Caroline's coming of age and the unraveling of these two mysteries together in a surprising and satisfying way. Would highly recommend to readers who like family stories with dark mystery woven in.
The families and people in this story aren't happy. They are troubled, flawed, and achingly real. Caroline, the young girl who narrates much of the story, really won my heart. She is a bit of a tom boy who is skeptical about more romantic things but also drawn to them. Katchur has really captured how she straddles childhood and adolescence. As Caroline strives to find out the truth about her family and what happened to the little girl who drowned, she is also on a journey of self discovery. The bittersweet but dark ending of the novel brings Caroline's coming of age and the unraveling of these two mysteries together in a surprising and satisfying way. Would highly recommend to readers who like family stories with dark mystery woven in.
March 18, 2016
Full disclosure: I received this books as a Goodreads First Read giveaway, but that in no way affected this review.
Secrets will out, or does the truth really set you free? That is the premise behind this novel that covers two generations of Lake Road summer residents. One generation has covered up and ignored the truth behind the drowning death of a teen; the other is just coming-of-age as another drowning brings the past to the forefront.
Jo has been hiding the truth about her role in the drowning death of her boyfriend, and her daughter Caroline feels guilt over the drowning of Sara. These two drownings set in motion the events of this novel.
Merging past and present, Katchur blends family dynamics, long-held secrets, and more to keep the reader engrossed in each new revelation as the novel moves along to a heartbreaking conclusion.
Secrets will out, or does the truth really set you free? That is the premise behind this novel that covers two generations of Lake Road summer residents. One generation has covered up and ignored the truth behind the drowning death of a teen; the other is just coming-of-age as another drowning brings the past to the forefront.
Jo has been hiding the truth about her role in the drowning death of her boyfriend, and her daughter Caroline feels guilt over the drowning of Sara. These two drownings set in motion the events of this novel.
Merging past and present, Katchur blends family dynamics, long-held secrets, and more to keep the reader engrossed in each new revelation as the novel moves along to a heartbreaking conclusion.
July 13, 2015
I really liked this story. The author did a great job all around. There are so many secrets from that summer long ago. I mean, you think you know what happened to Billy. But, nope you don't really. There are several twists involved. And I really liked the main character, Caroline, a lot. She's a young girl using her head on her shoulders.
I was thoroughly entertained by this one. I couldn't read it fast enough. And it's a great book to read in the summer as it takes place at a summer camp with a lake. I want to go there! Ha!!
I think this would also make a good YA book as well for like 14 and up. I know I would definitely recommend it for YA and adults.
Thanks St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
I was thoroughly entertained by this one. I couldn't read it fast enough. And it's a great book to read in the summer as it takes place at a summer camp with a lake. I want to go there! Ha!!
I think this would also make a good YA book as well for like 14 and up. I know I would definitely recommend it for YA and adults.
Thanks St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2015
Ok-to be honest I skipped several chapters in the middle (I had to or I would've quit or given it the 1 star, do not like rating)I did not miss much, I was able to still figure out stuff. I just didn't care for Jo, didn't like her or have any empathy for what her secrets were. And of course I think it was just too tidy of an ending. In the end I am more disappointed because I thought it was more of a suspense/mystery type book but its women's fiction. I did think she got the Pocono mountains feel of the book right on.
September 9, 2016
The best find in my local library this year. I truly could not put this one down. If you enjoy a good mystery. I highly recommend this book :)
July 18, 2015
I expected something with more bite, more lust for life than this gloomy story, centered about drownings. The author managed to describe the switch from childhood to teenage in Caroline with finesse, and showed well how it touches many aspects of her life, from physical changes, of course, to a certain loss of confidence in adult wisdom -they all end up lying, accompanied with a dose of self preservative anger and some irony the new distance makes possible. But generally speaking, the book is all in half nuances, never (or rarely) using primary colors, staying behind various hues, rather pastel ones, and many in the grayish or brownish colors. None of the characters depicted in this book are happy. Some are worried about money, all the Lake People are. Without the lake and its income, life would be impossible for them, Some are bitter to a point where salvaging may get impossible or only possible with heavy therapy. Guilt gnaws at others, for various reasons : the feeling they have missed their lives, or pure guilt coming from actions from their teen years, or not to have prevented a catastrophe, like Caroline with Sara, while others feel responsible for Billy's drowning. It gives you a creepy feeling which surrounds the whole book, and nothing can alleviate is.
The story is interesting, as part actual, and part trip on memory lane.
All what I am missing is a bit of enthusiasm.
The story is interesting, as part actual, and part trip on memory lane.
All what I am missing is a bit of enthusiasm.
June 20, 2020
Karen Katchur has a knack with suspense novels. Her characters are multi-dimensional and real and are faced with life issues we can probably all identify with at one time or another. I can't wait to begin another one of her books!
October 31, 2018
Easy read but a little too typical. All the theories I had from the beginning of the book turned out to be true which was a little disappointing. Would've loved a twist.
January 13, 2016
3.5 stars for me.
Jo has a secret that has kept her emotions hostage for sixteen years. When seven-year-old Sara goes missing, presumably drowned, the hidden details involving the death of Jo’s high school boyfriend, Billy, surface, threatening everything Jo holds dear.
Jo’s daughter, Caroline, is on the cusp of adolescence, torn between fishing and playing baseball with her younger friends, activities she’s always enjoyed, and hanging out with Megan, whose newfound interests include nail polish, fashion magazines, and kissing boys.
Patricia Starr hasn’t been back to the lake since she was ten years old, the traumatic summer her parents decided to divorce. With her own marriage in jeopardy, Pattie plans a vacation with her daughter, Sara, in the hopes of reconnecting with the happiness she felt those summers so long ago.
Told predominately from alternating third-person points of view of these three females, Karen Katchur weaves a dark tale of suspense and heartache. Make no mistake, this is not a lighthearted read. The Secrets of Lake Road is a story of broken souls. With the exception of Caroline, who charmed me with her innocent yet righteous indignation, I had a hard time feeling sympathy for any of the characters, although that didn’t stop me from racing to the finish line. Jo and Kevin are shallow and self-centered, concerned only with themselves with little consideration for their children. While Patti has good reason to be traumatized, with her daughter missing and presumably dead, I found her constant crying into Sara’s ragdoll pitiful. Seriously, Patti, did you ever think to ask the sheriff why he never considered your daughter might’ve been kidnapped? And Dee Dee, Billy’s sister, is just down-right mean.
Secrets is packed with twists and turns—some expected, others surprising, and one I thought would materialize but never did. Aside from the one-dimensional characters, this is a solid choice for your Labor Day getaway.
Jo has a secret that has kept her emotions hostage for sixteen years. When seven-year-old Sara goes missing, presumably drowned, the hidden details involving the death of Jo’s high school boyfriend, Billy, surface, threatening everything Jo holds dear.
Jo’s daughter, Caroline, is on the cusp of adolescence, torn between fishing and playing baseball with her younger friends, activities she’s always enjoyed, and hanging out with Megan, whose newfound interests include nail polish, fashion magazines, and kissing boys.
Patricia Starr hasn’t been back to the lake since she was ten years old, the traumatic summer her parents decided to divorce. With her own marriage in jeopardy, Pattie plans a vacation with her daughter, Sara, in the hopes of reconnecting with the happiness she felt those summers so long ago.
Told predominately from alternating third-person points of view of these three females, Karen Katchur weaves a dark tale of suspense and heartache. Make no mistake, this is not a lighthearted read. The Secrets of Lake Road is a story of broken souls. With the exception of Caroline, who charmed me with her innocent yet righteous indignation, I had a hard time feeling sympathy for any of the characters, although that didn’t stop me from racing to the finish line. Jo and Kevin are shallow and self-centered, concerned only with themselves with little consideration for their children. While Patti has good reason to be traumatized, with her daughter missing and presumably dead, I found her constant crying into Sara’s ragdoll pitiful. Seriously, Patti, did you ever think to ask the sheriff why he never considered your daughter might’ve been kidnapped? And Dee Dee, Billy’s sister, is just down-right mean.
Secrets is packed with twists and turns—some expected, others surprising, and one I thought would materialize but never did. Aside from the one-dimensional characters, this is a solid choice for your Labor Day getaway.
August 8, 2015
This story of two tragic deaths is primarily told through the eyes of Jo, a thirty-two-year-old mother, and her twelve-year-old daughter Caroline. Jo is awkward with her children and struggles with feeling inadequate as a parent and wife but doesn't know how to improve the situation. Jo is a difficult character to like, yet I still felt for her struggles and understood how the situation developed.
Karen Katchur does an excellent job of slowly revealing just what happened sixteen years ago as Jo meets up with old friends who still live at the lake and her husband arrives to lend support. Caroline and Jo are both changed at the end of the week, as are many of the secondary characters.
Ultimately, The Secrets of Lake Road is a story about family and communication. This is excellent debut fiction and I look forward to seeing what Karen Katchur bring readers next.
Read more of my thoughts on my blog: http://eviloverlordthoughts.com/revie...
I received the Secrets of Lake Road from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my opinions expressed in this review.
Karen Katchur does an excellent job of slowly revealing just what happened sixteen years ago as Jo meets up with old friends who still live at the lake and her husband arrives to lend support. Caroline and Jo are both changed at the end of the week, as are many of the secondary characters.
Ultimately, The Secrets of Lake Road is a story about family and communication. This is excellent debut fiction and I look forward to seeing what Karen Katchur bring readers next.
Read more of my thoughts on my blog: http://eviloverlordthoughts.com/revie...
I received the Secrets of Lake Road from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my opinions expressed in this review.
July 2, 2015
What happens at the lake stays at the lake...except this summer. Twelve-year-old Caroline can't wait to spend time swimming and fishing, hanging out with her best friends, and daydreaming about her brother's cute pal, Chris. But when a young child goes missing and presumably drowns, a melancholy haze settles over the season's visitors.
With the search teams meticulously combing the murky depths for the missing girl, the only thing that surfaces are old memories. For Caroline's mother and father, seeing the search boats on the lake only adds to the torment of remembering another drowning when they were teenagers. What really happened that night their friend Billy drowned?
Startling, suspenseful, and at times, stirring, author Karen Katchur takes us out on the Lake for a perfect end-of-vacation read.
**I received an ARC in a GoodReads First Reads giveaway.**
With the search teams meticulously combing the murky depths for the missing girl, the only thing that surfaces are old memories. For Caroline's mother and father, seeing the search boats on the lake only adds to the torment of remembering another drowning when they were teenagers. What really happened that night their friend Billy drowned?
Startling, suspenseful, and at times, stirring, author Karen Katchur takes us out on the Lake for a perfect end-of-vacation read.
**I received an ARC in a GoodReads First Reads giveaway.**
August 6, 2015
What secrets are going to be revealed over the course of The Secrets of Lake Road?
Jo’s childhood boyfriend drowned at the lake and she hasn’t felt able to return. What happened that evening? She drops her children off with her mum, every summer but can’t stay herself. Her daughter can’t understand why she doesn’t share her love for the lake. She wants to grow closer to her mum as she’s going through this particular period of her childhood. But their relationship is a difficult one.
A little girl goes missing that summer .The search uncovers secrets from that summer that Jo wants to forget.
The twists and turns throughout the book keep the interest and the pages turning.
It explores childhood and the power that secrets can have over your entire life. It also goes through various relationships.
With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of the book.
Jo’s childhood boyfriend drowned at the lake and she hasn’t felt able to return. What happened that evening? She drops her children off with her mum, every summer but can’t stay herself. Her daughter can’t understand why she doesn’t share her love for the lake. She wants to grow closer to her mum as she’s going through this particular period of her childhood. But their relationship is a difficult one.
A little girl goes missing that summer .The search uncovers secrets from that summer that Jo wants to forget.
The twists and turns throughout the book keep the interest and the pages turning.
It explores childhood and the power that secrets can have over your entire life. It also goes through various relationships.
With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of the book.
January 6, 2016
Karen creates an entire community of people who either live year round or spend their summers at the lake. She crafts a vivid summer environment as the story evolves and characters move through the landscape hoping to discover the body of someone who has drowned, but at the same time finding this search a catalyst for searching inside themselves. Complicated relationships are presented, but then they boil over delving deeper into personal backgrounds--each character revealing a lifetime of buried secrets, angers and unexplained actions.
Mostly seen through the eyes of prepubescent Caroline, The Secrets of Lake Road becomes the story of joy and sadness experienced by a young woman trying to discover not only WHO she is but WHY things are as they are in her family. This is the story of a summer of discovery.
Mostly seen through the eyes of prepubescent Caroline, The Secrets of Lake Road becomes the story of joy and sadness experienced by a young woman trying to discover not only WHO she is but WHY things are as they are in her family. This is the story of a summer of discovery.
November 13, 2015
Thank you to the author for the copy of this book in exchange for a review. I really enjoyed this debut book. It is a nicely crafted mystery which I liked and the author did a great job of evoking the summer time feel of a laid back lake community. The characters were completely believable, like someone I knew. The book is told from multiple viewpoints and present and past tense. I particularly liked the scene where Kevin is playing guitar at the upstairs bar. Ms. Katchur reveals just enough of the mystery to make you want to keep reading to see what's going to happen next. Eagerly look forward to her next book.
August 28, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. It's set in the pocono lakes during the summer. I loved reading about this setting. It sounded so beautiful, and eerie, and provided the perfect backdrop for the eerie atmosphere this book created. I felt the only well developed character was Caroline, but I loved her feistiness combined with her vulnerability. Her mother, Jo, was not likeable. Other characters I felt were pretty one-dimensional. The book had a great mystery at its heart, which kept me interested the whole way through. There was a slight twist at the end, not hugely surprising but a nice little extra.
March 22, 2016
Katchur's story tells of a small town of whose lake tempts summer visitors to rent cabins, fish, swim and enjoy the freedom of life away from the constraints of home. However, the lake's temptation also included a number of drownings over the years. And this summer, the loss of a seven-year-old changes the odd relationship of Caroline and her troubling secret.
While the plot and characters were of interest, overall I tired of how slowly the story moved toward its conclusion. Because I had guessed most of the surprises before the end, it seemed that a third of the three sections generated frustration about its pace. (309 p.)
July 31, 2015
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads' First Reads program. The search for the body of a young girl who has drowned in the present day uncovers new evidence in the mysterious drowning of a teenage boy 16 years ago. At its core, this is not a suspense or mystery, but a coming of age story, made a bit more interesting by the discovery of long buried family secrets. I thought the author did a very good job alternating the past and present and the voices of the different characters.
June 29, 2015
This book promised to be a wonderful story written from the viewpoint of multiple characters with a mystery surrounding a lake community. Unfortunately, for me, the story and characters failed to come alive and left me feeling blue - so much of the story is centered on drowning and the secrets and the unhappiness of the characters. There doesn't seem to be much resolution upon finishing the book either. A good read, but a little flat, in my opinion.
February 23, 2016
One of the most atmospheric books I've ever read. Karen Katchur does a great job with setting, it's both eerie and heartbreaking. The characters are real and honest and the plot held surprising twists and turns. There are five (?) points of view! Never once did it wander and every thing tied together nicely (but not perfectly, which is a great thing) at the end.
I read this book in 2 days flat! Highly recommend!
I read this book in 2 days flat! Highly recommend!
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