The Devil of Misty Lake

Lorestalker #5

by J.P. Barnett, Mike Robinson (Editor)

Swimmers beware—a mysterious creature lurks just beneath the serene waters of Misty Lake.

Miriam Brooks leaves Texas to hunt the legendary Devil of Misty Lake. Eager to prove herself, she packs her bags and heads to the Pacific Northwest, known for its stories of Bigfoot. This lake, however, holds something else entirely, and Miriam quickly learns that she’s not the only one after this monster.

As a ruthless hunter skirts the periphery with a far more sinister plan, Miriam must stay one step ahead of the competition. She engages in a deadly game of cat and mouse, but… something much more dangerous waits just below the surface.

Genres: Horror, Audiobook, Fantasy, Adventure, Supernatural

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 29, 2021

About the author

J.P. Barnett grew up in a tiny Texas town where the list of possible vocations failed to include published author.

As a child, J.P. consumed any book he could get his hands on. The likes of Stephen King, Michael Crichton, and Dean Koontz paved the bookshelves of his childhood, providing a plethora of fantastical and terrifying tales that he read way too early in life. Though the effect these books had on his psyche could be called into question, these masters of storytelling managed to warp his mind in just the perfect way to spin a fun yarn or two.

J.P. currently resides in Seattle with his wife and hellion of a cat, both of whom look at him dubiously with some frequency.

Reviews

[Nicole Aka Grave doll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one just as much as the rest of the series.

[D Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, this story started with a bang and never let up. The story switches between a couple POVs and the author did this incredibly well. Sometimes I'll favor one character and try to speed read until I can get back to the character's chapters, but not with this book. The combination of mystery and suspense kept me engaged in all the storylines. The monster hunt had some unique twists I didn't anticipate. I read this book first despite being 5th in the series, but I wasn't confused at all. I'll be checking out this series from the beginning!

[Kyle May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one. I'd never heard of the cryptid featured in this story, so it's been interesting looking into the legends. One more book in this series coming out (taking us back to Rose Valley??), so that should be fun, and I'm looking forward to what comes after Lorestalker!

[E.D. Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 5, The Devil of Misty Lake, was a return to the rest of the series. Miriam and Macy have their first real cryptid investigation, this time in the forest of the Pacific Northwest (I would've loved to see a reference to the Pacific Northwest tree octopus). The author also returns to the same twist/reveal he's used in the prior books, and it works as well here as it did in the rest of them. I also liked the introduction of the new characters - a monster-focused bounty hunter and a local guide - who I hope to see teaming up with Miriam and Macy in future books. Miriam again shows some great character growth in this book, especially at the end, that I expect to affect her in future books as well. Macy has growth too, the realistic kind that comes from her experience in book 4, that demonstrate the author's deep understanding of human nature.

[James Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again JP Barnett strikes that perfect balance between action and character development, providing characters I care about and then putting them in perilous situations that to keep turning the pages. The reader knows early on what the devil of Misty Lake is, and this allows the author to develop the creature's character as it interacts with the humans who are competing to find it. I am looking forward to Book 6, and whatever JP has in store for his next series. If you haven't read the earlier books, you can start with this one, but I think you would enjoy it more if you start with his first one "The Beast of Rose Valley" and work your way through the series.

Thanks for another good read, Josh

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all, the twists and turns in this are crazy. There’s plenty of page-turning action without it devolving into an interminable fight scene. I always applaud his character development, particularly with the long-standing characters. But we really delve into the new ones as well.
Very well written and exciting action adventure.

[Rebecca Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad read. Just not my usual genre. Read without reading any of the previous books and it doesn't seem like it's necessary to read the others. There's lots of mentions of Hog Run and maybe some spoilers for that one, but it seems like maybe the whole series can work together or as standalone novels.

[Angel]

DNF

[Michelle Taylor-Hughes · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol)]

Audiobook purchased at Chirp

[Kendal Connors · Rating 1 out of 5]

I understand why this was free.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this installment is my fave in the series.

[slow reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Greatscott623 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Multiple groups hunt a mythical creature with different agendas, with some twists and an over the top Brad Wesley-like villain. Started out with potential but became less interesting as it went

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3*
It would have been perfect if it didn't feel like the story dragged on after the first half. Past that point, it felt like the "extra" nobody asked for (or needed).