Venom Lake: A Novel

by Emma White

“Venom Lake by Emma White is as intense as it is twisty. With secrets galore, toxic friendships and characters you’ll love to hate, this murderous chiller is perfect for fans of May Cobb and Liane Moriarty. Buckle up!” —Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Only One Survives

For fans of Lucy Foley and Ashley Audrain, this is a smart, biting, set-in-Canada debut thriller about a toxic upscale true-crime book club

On a weekend getaway for their true-crime book club, four women retreat to the sole cottage on isolated Snakebite Island. But what was supposed to be a fun weekend of getting trashed on rosé and talking serial killers takes a dark turn when a member of the group is found dead on the shore. Murdered. By one of her supposed friends.

Under the surface, there’s turbulence in the group. Blackmail, affairs and addiction. Financial misconduct. A missing husband. All of the women are hiding dangerous secrets, but how far are they willing to go to keep them?

The murder creates a dilemma for the three surviving book club report the death and have their own lives shredded by an investigation or use their true-crime knowledge to stage their friend’s disappearance on the lake.

The consequences of their decision will ripple outwards, creating new risks and threatening to unravel their entire net of lies.

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Book Club, Mystery, Canada, Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Flavie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so memorable because no friendship between four grown women has ever been so deliciously toxic. They're psychopaths and I loved that.

Thriller is still not my favorite genre though, but this was great.

(3.5/5)

[Mel Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true-crime book club, a remote island, and a dead friend? Say less. 😅

Venom Lake was packed with toxic friendships, secrets, lies, and enough questionable decisions to keep me fully invested. None of these women were particularly likable, but I mean that in the best way! They were very entertaining to read!!

The drama was messy, the tension kept building, and I never quite knew who to trust. If you enjoy morally gray characters and thrillers where everyone has something to hide, this one is worth checking out. 🍷🐍

This was a messy thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. 🔪✨

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An A+ summer cottage/beach read for thriller fans 😎

[Michaela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love it, even read half of it AT A COTTAGE, but unfortunately this book fell flat for me. As a debut novel, the writing and setting were impressive. However, there weren’t many “thrilling” aspects of this book. Things would get revealed and I didn’t care. I also felt that the ending was dragged on longer than necessary…. Thank god I don’t have a friend group of girls like this 😅

[Colleen Maclennan · Rating 2 out of 5]

An audio read about four malicious women who claimed to be friends but were cut throat to each other .All had secrets in their personal lives and I felt no connection to them or the book. The last few chapters had some intrigue but the book was about catty women who created havoc with each other and cared less for their families or people they encountered.

[Brittani Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have a set-in-Canada debut thriller from Emma White that features four friends/book club besties who are about to go out for a little reading retreat on a beautiful lake, in a secluded cabin.

This weekend is all about getting trashed on rosé and reading and talking about books, but one morning, a member of their group is found dead on the shore.

But what really happened? These women are all hiding many, many secrets, but how far will they go to cover it all up?

I had the chance to read this as an ARC, so first I’m sending out a big thank you to Emma White for writing the book, and to HarperCollins (@harpercollins) for sharing the book and NetGalley (@netgalley) for facilitating that.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think the story's premise really interested me, and I was thrilled when I received the ARC. Unfortunately, it took a long time for me to become invested in the story, and then by the time I was, the events of the book were hurtling towards the end, and it all felt a bit rushed. I also think the book description might be a bit misleading, since the events in the description really don’t start happening until halfway through the book.

That being said, I loved the Canadian setting and the Canadian references to locations in the GTA, cottage country and the Great Lakes. I also wouldn’t say no to reading a future book by Emma White because the second half was quite good.

[Kate Jenks]

Venom Lake is a deliciously twisty read from debut author Emma White. Not only is it a excellently plotted murder mystery, it provides a keen and cutting portrait of the toxic friendship that has grown up between the four lead characters. Through her skillful use of multiple POVs, White is able to bring the reader into the minds of her characters without ever giving anything away. I couldn't put it down!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Venom Lake is a well-written and engaging mystery-thriller from debut author Emma White. The Murder Mamas—Bernie, Imogen, Celeste, and Marta—are a dynamic group of women. The story is told from multiple perspectives, allowing readers to look into the minds of each woman and learn what lies beneath the fake smiles. Don’t be fooled… you may be in their heads, but nothing is as it seems. Full of scandals and secrets, this twisty tale is perfect for readers who love a fast-paced thriller that will keep them guessing!

Thank you HarperCollins Canada and NetGalley for my advanced copy of Venom Lake.

[Rachel Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave major Desperate Housewives vibes with the toxic friendships and missing husbands.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much Toronto, not enough scary lake

[Kim]

Not rating it because ... I really hate this type of book with nasty women. And they were more than nasty. Only read it because all my holds are in transit at the library, why does it take so long?? If you like thrillers with awful people (the bulk of this genre always feature terrible characters) you'll probably like it.

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're in the mood for a compulsive suspenseful read set in beautiful Ontario cottage country featuring a quartet of messy friendships, then this impressive debut from a new voice in domestic thrillers is for you.

Marta, Imogen, Bernie and Celeste are in a thriller book club and while they consider themselves friends, with all their underlying tension and rivalry, they're more like 'frenemies'. They head to a remote part of cottage country for some downtime, book chat and copious amounts of wine, but when one of them ends up dead, these armchair detectives start to eye each other as suspects.

This well-thought out thriller provides readers with multiple POVs of the four toxic book club members whose unlikability makes them oh-so-interesting. Add in the revelations of their secrets and alliances, not to mention the threat of another murder, and tensions are kept high. The addition of a True Crime podcast further adds to the story which was great in audio and well-narrated by a trio of narrators!).

This is one book club I'll take a hard pass on joining, but it sure is fun to watch this group of frenemies implode as their secrets, backstabbing, lies and true feelings for each other come to the surface.

This is a story of unravelling friendships, messy and dysfunctional relationships with simmering drama and resentments that overflow for one helluva good read.

Armchair detectives, get cozy, pour yourself a glass of rose, prep a cheeseboard and settle in for a twisty, dysfunctional treat!

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to HarperCollins Audio for the digital audiobook copy of this book that was gifted to me in exchange for my honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, bingeable thriller. Perfect for a summer read!

The premise immediately hooked me: four women from a true crime book club head off to an isolated island for a weekend getaway, only for one of them to end up dead. From there, the story spirals into a tangled mess of secrets, lies, betrayals, and questionable decisions.

The characters were messy in the best way, with very toxic friendships, hidden agendas, and plenty of drama. I loved slowly uncovering everyone's secrets and trying to figure out who could actually be trusted. While a few twists were better than others, I was entertained from start to finish. As a Canadian, I also loved that this is set in Canada and written by a Canadian author. It added an extra layer of familiarity that made the story even more enjoyable.

I listened to this on audio and just have to say that Kate Handford, Kathryn Kohut, and Joseph May all did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. The podcast segments added an extra layer of intrigue and genuinely felt like listening to a real true crime podcast. Honestly, I don't think I would have enjoyed these parts nearly as much if I had eyeball read it. This feels like a book that was made to be experienced on audio.

If you're a fan of domestic thrillers, multiple POVs, true crime vibes, and morally questionable characters making increasingly bad choices, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to Emma White, HarperCollins Canada Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC.

[Ladena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just had the pleasure of listening to Venom Lake by Emma White, and this audiobook was such an entertaining experience! The overall production deserves 5 stars — the narrator was excellent, and the added effects really elevated the listening experience. I especially loved the podcast-style chapters; they genuinely sounded like a real true crime podcast and added so much to the atmosphere of the story.

The novel follows four friends who are part of a true crime book club. At first, they seem like a close-knit group, but as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that their friendship is much more complicated. Secrets, betrayals, and toxic dynamics begin to surface, revealing that these women may not know each other as well as they thought.

During their annual book club retreat, things take a shocking turn when one of the women is found dead. What happens next — and the decisions they make afterward — lead to a wild unraveling of dark secrets and unexpected twists.

Venom Lake is a fast-paced thriller with a unique premise, and I loved that it was set in Canada. The multiple points of view were well-written, easy to follow, and added depth to each character.

If you’re looking for an engaging audiobook with great narration, a true crime feel, and plenty of drama, Venom Lake is definitely one to add to your TBR!

*** Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Audio for the ARC

[Terri Durling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a book club but this is one book club called “Murder Mamas” that I would definitely opt out of. Four “so called” friends are all interested in true crime stories and form a book club. These four women are horrible women who cheat, lie, deceive and definitely cannot be trusted. They all have secrets and, except for Marta, are full of themselves and think nothing of saying what they think whether it’s hurtful or unkind. In fact, kind is the opposite of all of these women except perhaps Marta. This book had me on the edge of my seat even at the ending! I quickly figured out who was going to be the murder victim fairly early on but “who done it” was a bit harder to figure out. The four women go to a remote island for a fun and relaxing weekend to discuss their latest book. The weekend is anything but fun and relaxing as all of these women have major personality issues and secrets. One of them ends up being murdered and thus begins the mystery of who did it as each of the three remaining women dance around each other trying to figure it out. There are side stories for each of the women that play into the main story - cheating husbands, ponsi schemes and personality disorders are just a few. Emma Stone is Canadian and this is her first novel. I liked it and hope she does more.

[Christine Tistechok · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely hooked by the premise of this book, and the execution did not disappoint. It’s an incredibly addictive, fast-paced thriller that expertly balances a dark atmosphere with an easy-to-read style. Emma White does a fantastic job with character nuance; as the masks slip, you'll find your allegiance constantly shifting, leaving you unsure whether to pity these women or completely despise them.
The structural plotting is where this debut truly shines. The story begins with a localized tragedy, but quickly expands into a complex Venn diagram of overlapping motives and hidden histories. The way these individual character arcs collide and implode by the finale is genuinely shocking.
As a huge bonus, the Canadian setting adds a perfect layer of isolated grit, and knowing this is a debut from a Canadian author makes it all the more impressive. The tension is tight, the pacing is sharp, and I’m incredibly excited to see what White writes next.

*Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for providing an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.*

[Kellybrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four friends with a true-crime book club, go on a getaway together to the only cabin on Snakebite Island. They all have major secrets. Some don’t even seem to like the others very much. When one of them turns up murdered, the other three are left to figure it all out. And cover it up. This is a debut novel & it’s very impressive. The writing is strong & the characters lives are the right amount of elaborate & yet still realistic enough to buy. All the chapters are told from each woman’s POV which is always good because you get to know their inner voices. They are diabolical & each one is hiding HUGE secrets already. The ending was perfect, really satisfying & tied up all the plot lines.

Bonus, as a Canadian, having the book be set here, with all its references was a nice change. I can definitely see myself looking out for future works by this author. A fantastic beach read for this summer!

Thank you Netgalley & Harper Collins Canada for the ARC of this for an honest review.

🛶

Read if you like:
* The Lake Escape by Jamie Day
* The Last Book Club by Joanne Rock

[Allyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great road trip book, I enjoyed the narration of the book and the storyline while at some point predictable had some really great twists. I like that it is a Canadian author and the story takes place in Canada.

A true crime book club, the murder mamas, meet frequently to review true crime books and catch up on gossip. None of these ladies are who they appear to be and you start to wonder how well they know one another. When their yearly getaway weekend comes up it’s arranged at isolated island with no Internet and no other people and too much wine and too many secrets. What could go wrong?

There were many twists that I didn’t see coming and something that I did see coming. All in all this was really fun lead and I look forward to listening to or reading more books by this author..

Thank you to NetGalley, the audio house Harper Avenue Audio, narrator Emma White for the opportunity to listen to a complimentary copy of this audiobook in return for a review, based upon my honest opinion.

[anaels_library · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,25⭐️

au premier abord, on pourrait avoir l’impression de lire un cozy mystery, ce qui n’est en fait pas vraiment le cas je trouve parce que l’atmosphère est tout de suite beaucoup plus sombre que celle des cozy mystery que j’ai pu lire avant😳

les personnages ne sont pas vraiment sympathiques et j’ai eu du mal à les apprécier. pour autant, elles cachent toutes quelque chose, et c’est ça qui m’a donné envie d’en savoir plus, de connaître la suite, et, surtout, de comprendre ce qui s’était réellement passé👀

la mort de l'une des amies du groupe n'advient qu'à la moitié du roman, donc je pense qu’il faudrait peut-être revoir le résumé puisque la disparition de Derrick occupe quand même une grande partie de l’histoire🤨

je n’ai pas vraiment été surprise par les rebondissements parce qu’en soi je m’attendais à ce qu’on découvre la vérité, je n’étais juste pas sûre de qui allait être la vraie coupable comme elles ont toutes une raison pour tuer, trahir, …

ce que j’ai trouvé étrange d’ailleurs, c’est qu’elles se suspectent toutes ouvertement, et pourtant elles continuent à rester ensemble et à dire qu’elles sont amies ; ça m’a un peu perturbée, parce que du coup j’arrivais encore moins à les comprendre😐🤨🤨

en conclusion, j’ai trouvé ça assez sympa à lire, les mystères sont au rendez-vous, mais j’avoue que, pour les dernières 100 pages, je lisais plus en diagonale pour rapidement connaître la fin🫣

[Chapters&Chaos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a fun, twisty, drama-filled thriller.

The story follows three best friends who seem like your typical suburban women with a charming little true crime book club… until a girls weekend at a secluded lake cabin starts unraveling secrets, betrayal, and all kinds of messy tension.

This was definitely more character-driven, which I actually really enjoyed. The friendships, hidden resentments, lies, and dynamics between the women kept me invested the entire time. It had that addictive “everyone is hiding something” energy that I absolutely eat up in thrillers.

It did feel a little slow in parts, especially in the middle, but overall I still had a really good time with it and wanted to keep reading to see how everything unfolded.

And I absolutely loved that it was set in Canada and written by a Canadian author 🇨🇦✨

If you like domestic thrillers full of secrets, betrayal, friendship drama, and isolated cabin vibes, this is definitely worth picking up.

[Kirsten Desorcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Venom Lake was a fun read. Each character had their own secrets and unique personality, and their relationships with each other is toxic. I felt like the back cover description was a little bit misleading, in that it seems like the murder of one of the ladies is the start of the story but that didn’t happen until halfway through the book. This made me a little disappointed because I was expecting something else. I think the book description would have been better off describing the disappearance of the husband and that things start to unravel from there… then I think my mindset going in would have been different. I have to admit I was, and still am, extremely intrigued by Bernie’s character and would love either a prequel or sequel that revolved around her and her previous/future endeavours. 4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a complimentary advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own and are in no way influenced by the author, publisher or NetGalley.

[Emma Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

**3.5 stars**

The narration was fantastic and definitely helped keep me engaged throughout the story. I also really loved that the setting was in Canada—it made the locations and atmosphere feel fresh compared to a lot of thrillers.

My biggest issue was the podcast element. It felt a little random and ultimately incomplete, like it was introduced with the potential to add another layer to the mystery but never fully delivered on that promise.

The mystery itself was interesting, but I think the "whodunit" stretched on a bit too long. The story could have been shorter and tighter, or it needed more twists, clues, and mystery elements throughout to keep the suspense building. While I was invested enough to see how everything came together, the pacing lagged in the middle.

Overall, this was an enjoyable mystery with a great Canadian setting and excellent audiobook narration, but I was left wanting a little more from the investigative aspects and the podcast storyline.

[Gloria L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always want to support Canadian authors and was looking forward to a good thriller that’s perfect for summer reading. Unfortunately the characters in this novel and I mean all of them are so unlikable and despicable that at certain points, I just wanted to give up and stop reading. It’s about female ‘friendships’ and it was quite depressing to read how they undermine each other and belittle each other. Why do I want to read a novel where everyone is cruel and so disconnected from an inner voice? I basically skipped large parts of it and skipped forward to the who done it. Life is hard enough without reading about women who are shallow and nasty with each other and are still ‘friends’? I guess this book could be read as satire but it’s not even fun. It lacks depth in its characters and portrays them one dimensionally. Mind you, it’s a debut novel so kudos to the author for writing a novel.

[Shriya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Venom Lake is basically what happens when you take an incredibly toxic friendship, throw in years of secrets, resentment and questionable behaviour, and then turn the darkness all the way up.

I genuinely could not get over the dynamic between these four women. Their friendship was so unhealthy, dark and disturbing that at times it was more fascinating than the actual mystery. And BERNIE. Oh my god. What an absolute psycho. Every time she appeared, I felt like something was deeply, deeply wrong. She gave me chills.

The mystery was fairly predictable for me, but there were still a decent number of twists that kept me thinking and made me want to keep reading. This book moves FAST, and once I was in, I definitely wanted to see the whole mess play out.

Not necessarily a mystery that blew my mind, but definitely a page-turner. A decent, deliciously messed-up read.

[Sidrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The friendships in this are SOOO toxic. This reminded me so much of the book the hunting wives but perhaps a little less messy? A quick easy audiobook - finished this in about a day and a half. Liked that it was fast paced, despite the multiple POV's this flows well and it's easy to keep up as the story moves along. Also the various narrators all did a great job! Liked that there was the change between the podcast giving us hints of the present time and the flip back to the dynamics between the four friends. However I feel like the ending was just very anticlimatic..? I kinda just felt like "huh? that's it" when it was over. So overall this was just an ok thriller read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Canada Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review

[Jo BookishByNight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Venom Lake was such a fun, twisty thriller. The true crime book club premise immediately pulled me in, and I loved all the messy friendships, secrets, and betrayals. None of the characters were especially likable, but that actually made it even more entertaining because everyone seemed to have something to hide. The Canadian setting was a nice bonus, and the ending kept me guessing. If you enjoy fast-paced domestic thrillers with morally gray characters and plenty of drama, this is definitely worth picking up.
I began reading the physical book first and then received the audiobook from NetGalley. There is a brilliant true crime podcast element to the story and that was especially fun to listen to on audio.
* NB: In the USA, this book is published as The Wives of Murder Club.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, this book was so twisty and addictive! 🖤 A weekend getaway for a true-crime book club turns deadly when one of the women is found murdered on Snakebite Island, and suddenly, all the secrets come bubbling to the surface.
I loved the toxic friendship vibes—blackmail, affairs, addictions, missing husbands… everyone is hiding something, and you’re constantly guessing who’s dangerous and who’s just desperate. The multiple POVs made the suspense so intense—I could see into everyone’s head, but nothing was ever clear until the perfect moment.
If you love dark, twisty murder mysteries with messy, secret-keeping women, this is your next read. I couldn’t put it down!

[BorderBrewBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

You and your book club girlfriends decide to plan a cottage book club retreat.

The location? An isolated island in the Great Ontario outdoors.
It’s supposed to be a quiet, no network coverage, a chance to be one with nature and take a bite out of a good book.
However, not everything is as it seems... and with some liquid courage, they will get to know each other. Or at least, a version of each other.
The twists and turns keep coming!
This was a total page-turner to find out if your power of deduction was accurate.

A great representation of Canada and all things Canadian. Loved it!

[Bookreviewsbyaimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four friends, a true crime book club, one missing husband and a retreat to an island at Venom lake. What could possibly go wrong?
Now that may sound like the beginning of a typical thriller but I assure you Venom lake is anything but!
I just finished it and when I say the characters in this book are diabolical I mean they are 10/10 gold on the unhinged scale. Does that mean I stepped away and stopped reading?! Absolutely not!
I could not stop! I will say the start was a bit slow for me but once you get caught in this world you are in!!!
A must read for the summer!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Sue Hincenbergs can rejoice with this new Canadian debut by Emma White that has a true crime loving book club taking a summer retreat on a remote lake house where they have to figure out who among them is a killer. Filled with secrets, twists and fun podcast excerpts, this one kept me guessing from start to finish and was great on audio too! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio, digital and physical copy in exchange for my honest review!